First Forsythia, 6x8 Oil, Plein Air

This is a wimpy photo (the blue of the water is much richer in person and the yellow stands out in more contrast, but I've fiddled and fooled around with the image I'm practically cross-eyed. I have been stuck in a storm of technology, appliance and auto crises, and I can hardly THINK let alone paint! Yesterday, on the long stretch of Metacom Avenue through Bristol and Warren that leads me to my studio, I kept hearing what I thought was a plane flying low overhead. Then I noticed I was hearing it every time I had to stop at a red light. Rolled down the window, and realized it was MY CAR. By the time I got to the studio it was making this grinding noise all the time, not just when I was stopping. So I crawled home at 20 mph (SORRY, anyone who was behind me!) and dropped it at the mechanic. The list of things that was wrong with my brakes went on.... and on... and now I'm car-less for a day. Sorry to unburden!

When I got home it was a gorgeous day - like a wind storm on the back side of the house - calm as can be on the front porch - so I hunkered down on the front steps and painted this less-than wonderful painting of an old forsythia. Behind the forsythia is the road, about 3 feet lower than the grass, and the sea wall that keeps the river from my steps. Bear in mind that it is the FIRST plein air attempt of the year!

Morning View, 5x7 Acrylic

Yesterday morning I was all set up on the porch for this soft view down the Sakonnet River....

ALSO I didn't realize that at the Pembroke Arts Fesitval Mary Sheehan Winn (whom you all know from my Blog comments) has a lovely painting, too!

Winter Walk on the Sakonnet, Oil, 5x7

This painting was from a photo I took on a very cold December evening across the street from my house.  The whole sky was salmon and the water reflecting it was the same color.  The river was as still as a lake - so unusual, and the reflections of Gould Island were beautiful and rosy.  People walking their dog on the beach I thought I just have to paint this.  It was such a perfect winter evening, and so typical of this area.  You feel like the whole world is pink, and it has a bit of magic in the air.

So glad to be painting again.  December had personal issues which kept me away from the easel, not to mention wanting to not mess up the holidays by being AWOL to the family.  Back in the saddle, now!  Happy New Year to ALL of you!

Tugboat on the Sakonnet, Acrylic on Board 4x5

This is a tiny painting, but when I photographed it, it enlarged it and shows all the 'grain' of the canvas! The other morning just before 7 a.m. I was having coffee, looking down the river, and I saw this red tug tearing past Gould Island. It was very heavy air, very moist, and Aquidneck Island was barely visable in the background. This is one of those pieces that looks better in real life, the photo doesn't do it justice. Oh, well.