Change In Direction, 6x12 Inches, Oil Painting of Seagulls

Also, Not (Yet) For Sale

On Saturday I was frustrated painting.  At the end of the day this was what I came up with.  I was ultimately happy with it.  And thus began... as you will see... a little obsession with seagulls!  I liked the dark foliage on the dunes behind the gulls. 

And this painting, below, is a 30x30 Inch painting which was accepted into the Focus On Figures Show at North River Arts Society, I was thrilled to learn this!

"Three Little Graces"

Rory, Get Your Dory, 8x10 Inches, Oil Painting of Rowboat

Not for Sale... Yet

Normally, I'm constantly flooded with inspiration and ideas, like all artists.  I have the 'seeds' of great paintings in a hundred sketchbooks, on the backs of envelopes, in my photo library, and usually I have to choose between them, to pick out one over the other... it's a great thing.  HowEVER. ... when a deadline looms... when I want/have to have a selection of work for a show, etc.  I can get frozen in front of the easel.  It happened last weekend.  I have a lot of pieces I want to bring somewhere.  New pieces.  I had SO many ideas ... but when it came time to prep the panels my ideas dried up.  I dried up!

So I took the pressure off by going through my 40,000 images on my computer.  (I know, I know... get them off the computer...)  Didn't help.  I tried just plowing through and starting a painting - even though I wasn't excited about it - *wipe*wipe*wipe*.  I tried music... looking at my favorite historical artists..  nuthin... my current living artist hero's... nope...  I 'dialed a friend'... uh uh.... I had some swedish fish.... then had to brush my teeth... all diversionary tactics.  What happened to my zillions of paintings in my head?  

Why do we freeze when the creative process gets 'direction' like this?  Eventually I just started a few pieces, with NO HOPE that they'd turn in to anything.. and I lost the self consciousness, and slowly got lost in the work, and things started to flow.

Regarding the name of this piece:  When I named my first son Rory, the old Irish ladies in the neighborhood would sing to me "Rory, get your Dory, there's a herring in the Bay..." - he'll want to kill me if he ever reads this, I'm sure.

:)

Cozy Cottage, 12x12 inches, Oil

Not For Sale At This Time

I had a good weekend painting away!   My guys were doing home repair stuff that makes me a nervous wreck (definitely not a micro-manager, definitely not...) so I settled in to the studio. With my music turned way up and no one to disturb by singing along at the top of my lungs, I was feeling 'beachy'...  And I found this photo I took last Summer on Cape Cod.  As I was painting, the scene just felt comfortable... familiar, and I couldn't figure out why.  As I was putting the last few brush strokes on, I realized, that my good friend Joan Brancale had painted this exact cottage from this exact angle (we both must have stood at the edge of their driveway), and her painting hangs in the dining room of her Summer home, where I have frequently visited.  Oh, well, great minds think alike, I suppose!

*I have had a last minute cancellation for my figure workshop this Friday, March 30 at my studio!*

Email me for info at kcareymac@hotmail.com

Beach Boy, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting

SOLD
 Here's a favorite subject - a child playing in the sand at the beach...  This photo was from the trip to Hilton Head, and the sand was covered with a thin layer of water, which, in the late afternoon was reflecting the sky... just beautiful with the reflections....  and with the 75+ degree weather this week, here in Rhode Island, I'm thinking ... BEACH! (And I love his little cowlick!)

So I did this painting in the method I learned at the Karin Jurick workshop.  This will be incorporated in the general painting workshop I'm giving in Hull on April 25, 26 and 27.  To register contact Oceanside Gallery, where it will be held....

Moi, 4x4 Inches, Oil

NFS

Trying to catch up on my Hilton Head Gang Mugshots, and you don't think I filed them anywhere, do you?  So I'm back to Week 5, which just happened to be me.  And I'm going to forgive myself for the butcher jobs I did on my friends I've painted previously, as painting this face I know so well was SO hard!  I got the right side better than the left, who knows why?  Maybe it's because of that strange arched  eyebrow.  Or the ear.  

Another tip:  This was done in Karin Jurick's method - painted on gessobord, with black matte Rustoleum sprayed on it.  BE SURE you let the rustoleum dry completely.  I did not, and the paint wouldn't lay down on it, and kept getting gloppy.  3 hours on this one, and it was either say "I'm done!" or take a flying leap out the 2nd story window.  I chose to be finished....  Here's my 'blurb':

Kelley “MacGrins” MacDonald is the next notorious member to be sought.  You may think her smiling face is harmless...until you see your smiling mug on one of her blogs.  She waltzes in to a room, a beach or an event, smiling and acting all “I’m your friend” and then shoots at will.  She doesn’t leave until she has captured every available smile.  When ready leave the island...Suspiciously...her little red sports car was missing...she left Hilton Head in a newly acquired Jag shouting “Girls Just Wanna Paint!”  She drove up the coast stopping along the way to visit accomplices.  She has hideouts everywhere.  Beware the smile...

Birthday Gull, 6x6 Inches, Oil Painting of Sea Gull

SOLD
The title of this one is a bit tongue-in-cheek, as it was the FINAL birthday celebration today!   I came back to the studio and found a photo of this seagull grooming itself.  I'd love to paint a seagull from life, but they never stay still long enough!  It was impossible to photograph this painting without the bits of glare on the dark gray feathers, which appear like speckles in the photo.

*March 30 Workshop Full*
I still have openings in the 3-day Workshop, April 25, 26, 27 9-4
At Oceanside Gallery in Hull, MA

After Lunch Wait, 8x8 Inch Painting of girl at the Beach, Acrylic

$150 & $10 S&H 

Yearning for the beach... yearning for warm (but not too) warm weather... In addition this month my Challenge Group's topic will be Beach Day, so there may be a few of these beachy paintings.  In this one... I'm remembering the time limit my Mom used to put on us before we could go swimming after lunch.  One hour.  45 minutes if we only went in up to our knees.  So unfair, but with the thought of drowning from a stomach cramp... we obeyed.  Well, I did.  I am sure my husband, as a child, did not.  We joke that we should have t-shirts:  mine would say "Plays Well With Others" and his would say "Runs With Scissors".  Fortunately we both survived childhood!

It was a wonderful birthday, Wednesday, thank you all for your notes on Facebook, emails etc. One funny thing....

This pocketbook (pug shaped) arrived, and when I opened it Paco jumped up and grabbed it by the ear - he thought it was a 'baby' for him!

#17 of the Hilton Head Mugshots, Judy

NFS

It is week 17 and we can really see the end of our quest...but there is still work to do so I shall present our next Hilton Head Gang member from the famous Karin Jurick workshop...

Judy “Fashionista” Elias is a petite blonde.  She looks harmless enough, but with camera in hand she can be as devious as any member of the Hilton Head Gang.  Her petite stature allows her to sneak into venues with seemingly childlike innocence...but don’t let that fool you.  She enters, shoots then escapes before she is discovered.  She is often enveloped in large decorative scarves that disguise her camera to make it easy for her to focus on unsuspecting victims...then she shoots and is out of sight before she is detected.   

For more about the The Hilton Head Gang check out their blog at http://hiltonheadgang.blogspot.com

And I also have to apologize to Judy, so beautiful and elegant, for making her look, .... well.... evil!

Favorite Jelly Donuts, 6x6 Inches Oil Painting

$100 & $10 S&H 

This is "The Daily Paintworks Challenge" for this week!  Carol Marine asked me to come up with a 'challenge' and... OK, it's paint your favorite donut~ (*wink*wink*).  I must be really missing the Donut War with Susan Roden, no?

I invite all artists out there to do their darndest, and post their efforts on the Daily Paintworks Challenge Page!  The bottom donut in my painting, btw, was filled by a joker at Dunkin's - they put the jelly in on the flat part of the donut that sometimes happens when 2 donuts stick together - looks like a bulls eye!  Where was Quality Assurance?  

Cupcake Tic Tac Toe, 12x12, Acrylic

NFS 

This painting is a donation to the RI Food Bank Auction, which has a Cupcake theme.  I had a little inventory problem, in that my female cat, Isabelle, is driving insane by the smell of chocolate, in any form. And she will risk life and limb to get some.  So the first day when I turned my back she ate the other chocolate cupcake (I painted them from top row to bottom row).  So for the second row I had to buy more - and I put the pieces I wasn't painting in a zip lock bag.  Left it on the counter and overnight she ate the cupcakes, and the plastic bag as well.  The last day in desperation I was buying all the cupcakes on the shelf, just in case they didn't get stocked up and just in case Isabelle somehow could reach the NEW baggie, which I nailed to the top part of the cabinet.  

All of a sudden, as I'm holding 3 packages (because NOW they had the golden and chocolate, bottom row left) and contemplating whether I needed another Snowball... someone tapped me on the back and I turned and this little old lady said "Go ahead dear... take them all...."  and I was mortified!  I tried to explain about Isabelle, and she said "Of course, they're for the cat..."

Well, tonight I stuffed the leftovers in a bag and sent them home with my son!!!!

That being said I'm cooking a lot of shrimp tonight for Ros Farbush's Memorial Service tomorrow, and Harry (my orange cat whose weakness is shrimp) is hunting ME.... let's see if I survive the evening!!!

Sign In The Clouds, 5x7 Acrylic Painting

Did you ever go through a really hard time in life, and you either needed to know if you were on the right path or you just needed to know if you were doing the right thing?  Well I have, and I bet you have, too.  One winter when we lived on the beach my Dad was living with us, and was declining,  and it was very hard - for all involved.  One day I didn't think I could do one more day - looking back I think "Of COURSE you could!" - but I asked for a sign that it would be all right.  That I would and could be up to the task.  And I walked on the beach in the very early morning, praying and thinking, and I looked up and saw this.  I took it as a sign of love.  My digital image is long gone (2 computers ago), but I made a print of it to paint from.

My alternate name for this was "Hope".  Think it is better?

Martini's Over, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting of Olives

SOLD

This was a demo for my recent workshop.  I've been away for a few days, in NYC with my husband, taking in the sights and having a lovely dinner with fellow blogger and fabulous artist Nancy Hartley and her husband, who were in from CA.  We visited the Hispanic Society to see Sorolla's murals, and 4 other of his paintings.  And we walked, I swear, 500 miles.

We had dinner at the Salmagundi Club, which is affiliated with the Providence Art Club, and they were having an Art Auction with some beautiful work.  They have some beautiful pieces in their collection as well.

Everywhere we went in New York, we had good experiences.  People were so friendly, so kind.  Maybe I just expected it and it was so.  

One thing I really wanted was some exquisite perfume I used to get all the time and you can't get it in Boston or Providence.  Apparently they have discontinued it - although it has been around for a long, long time.  I was ... unhappy... and basically talked the ear off the salesman in one of the really big dept. stores on 5th Avenue.  You know, the kind you feel like one of the unwashed masses the moment you walk in.  Well, this salesman listened, then took my contact info and promised if they reissued it he'd contact me.  And still, I lamented.  Whined.... and suddenly he asked me to wait right there and he literally climbed in a little closet hidden behind the counter and was there a LONG time... and came out, put his finger to his lips (shhhhh) flashed a big flask at me with the name of my perfume taped across the front, and quickly wrapped it tissue and stuffed it in my bag.  I don't think I closed my mouth till I got back out on to the street.  He GAVE me one of the last bottles of the perfume!  

"Puggie Love", 6x6 Inch Oil Painting of Pug Dog

SOLD

This Month my Challenge Group, Girls Just Wanna Paint had the topic "Love, appropriately enough for February.  I ran though the list of the usual things you'd think of - weddings, babies, romantic themes, but then.... there's this face that faces me every day, all day.  At 2:30 in the morning, if I open my eyes, this is what I see, in the dark.  First thing in the morning, last thing at night - the smile and adoring eyes never quit.  When I'm cranky, when I'm sick, when I'm annoyed (or when I'm annoying - yes, it happens) there is never a pause in the love.  Oh, Paco!

So!  As tough as it was to choose the subject, once I started it just flowed off the brush.  This painting will be seen in our group show at the Bumpus Library in Duxbury, MA in May and June.

Carnation, 6x6 Inches, Oil

SOLD

Last week at the workshop in my studio this was one of the demo's.  First we painted the image as a value study.  Then we matched the colors we applied to the values of the study.  Good to do, as it keeps you on track in terms of values.  If your values (lights and darks) are off, the painting will not have the punch you hope it will.

I don't know about you, artist friends, but I am very excited about Wednesday's Artists Helping Artists Blogtalk Radio Show at noon, EST.  Carol and David Marine have an exciting announcement.  Hopefully while I am listening I will finally paint my Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge - nothing like waiting till the last minute!!!

Donut War Day! The End Of An Era!

All good things must come to an end, so the saying goes.  Susan Roden and I have had a wonderful time with the Donut War.  I would like to toast Susan, and wish her every success, and thank her for her friendship and sense of fun throughout our war.  Now... Peace in the Donut Zone!

No, this doesn't mean I'll stop painting donuts, don't worry!   And if you've wondered if I fell off the face of the earth last week... no... I was teaching wonderful artists at a workshop in my studio. We had SUCH a blast!  They produced some beautiful work!  See below:

 

There's more on Facebook - 'Friend' me, and take a look!

Good News/Bad News

Sunday began as a happy, happy day.  My friend and colleague, Lisa Daria Kennedy, was due to paint her 1000th consecutive painting for her blog!  We got together at Kennedy's (no relation) Gardens, a beautiful nursery in Scituate, MA.  I was late (no surprise there) and arrived just as they toasted Lisa's painting.  Check out her cheeky, fun and exuberant blog HERE.  I had about 1/2 hour to set up and get a painting done.  So I basically did an acrylic sketch of Lisa.  She doesn't really look like an elf.  She's gorgeous, funny and a fabulous painter.  Then we went to dinner at PJ's Country House where we drank (I mean ate) dinner.  We dominated the bar area - we did makeovers, shared lipsticks and played "I'll have what SHE's having..."  In short, a MEMORABLE evening.

When I got back to Sally's house and checked my email, however, I found that my friend, teacher and hero, Ros Farbush, had passed away.  She was almost 84, and still painting every day.  It hit me like a ton of bricks, as Paula Villanova and I had gone out with her the night before she left for her 3 month snowbird trip to Arizona.  We made plans to hit a nice Deli in Brookline this Spring, and agreed to have yet another Jeep Trip to Provincetown with Mary Sheehan Winn.  There seemed so much to DO with Ros this year.  Paula and I had visited Ros 3 times in San Miguel, MX for painting trips.  We all went to Holland, so Ros could paint the tulip fields.  Our blog about it, which we nicknamed "Schlepping Ros" (and she LOVED that title) is HERE.  Below are shot of Ros with Valerie Vitali, Lynn Rizotto, and Paula more, on our many, many painting days:

Ros and Paula on our last Jeep Trip...

Me, Ros and Valerie enjoying Ros' favorite Bloody Marys

We cared little for fashion when we were baking in the Ptown sun, painting...

At Ros's condo, Ros painting the Red Sox game, and (Lynn in background)

While we all painted Ros (this was mine - she laughed!)

Donut War Day! Snowball's Chance... 6x6 Inches, Acrylic

SOLD

It's Monday, and that's the Donut War Day!  Today, in honor of NO SNOW for February, I'm sending off a volley of Snow Balls (Hostess cupcakes) to Susan Roden.  Watch out for that marshmellow frosting, Susan!  And that devil's food cake cream center!  I'm painting a donation for RI Food Bank Auction, and it will be a tic tac toe design.  I'll show you this week.  In the meantime, cross your fingers for NO MORE SNOW!

Ah-love Olives! 6x6 Inches, Oil

$125 & $10 S&H

Well, that's my version of a Southern accent!  I have made so many friends from the South in the past year and I must say their accent has become quite dear to me.  And another dear thing to me is those little green olives with the red stuffing!

As a matter of fact, in my Painting Workshop next week (see top right of blog to register) we are going to be painting some of the bad boys, in and out of martini's.  Of course, I think that may make us work up a fierce thirst, and I'm thinking of a place where we can find a nice frosty one after class!  I am so looking forward to painting with these gals.  Look for more olives next week!  And more sweets - I'm working on a larger cupcake painting - maybe it'll be ready to serve up for the Donut War on Monday with Susan Roden!

Had a great group at the Blogging Workshop last night at North River - I am simply BLESSED with the fantastic people I'm meeting in my line of business!

Hilton Head Gang Week #11 Mug

NFS

"Terri Buchholz “Bones” is a nurse and uses her position to gain unsuspecting victim’s confidence.  As soon as she sees you are vulnerable she swoops in and reveals herself as an expert in the field...she shoots and then disappears into the crowd.  She can see a victim a mile away...authorities believe she has a telephoto lens that gives her access to otherwise unavailable victims.  Be on the lookout...she too...is armed and dangerous!"

Terri is an awesome artist - and you can check out her work HERE.
I found it a challenge to paint her due to the tilt of her head, but I LOVED painting her eyes and hair!


*WED NITE - Blog talk at North River Art Society in Marshfield*

Happy Valentine's Day 2012!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

From Paco and Me

*I just found out that my painting "The Cocktail Hour" sold at the Duxbury Art Association Winter Show!*

Donut War Day! Valentine Heart! 6x6 Inches, Acrylic

$125 & $10 S&H

It's Monday, Donut War Day, and Suan Roden had better DUCK!  I'm feeling better and hit my local DD's (Dunkin Donuts) for a 6-pack of heart shaped sugar volleys!  Susan is so nice and always writes little poems, and I've never even been able to recite poems OTHER people write... so I'm slinging a proper custard bomb her way.  This donut is a heart shaped Boston Cream... (or Creme), kind of a local treat.  I remember when I was a young mother, making a Boston Cream Pie from scratch - yes, it was the best we'd ever tasted, but it took ALL DAY... maybe someday I'll try it again, who knows?

Paco has sent out his Valentine cards - I thought I was done with this when my daughter hit Middle School, but noooooo... Paco has friends from BC to Wales, UK, and he NEEDED to send them love notes.  Yes, my husband says I've lost it.  The question is... WHEN did I HAVE it?  :D  Happy Day before V-day.  It's not about who loves you... it's about who you love!

xo

*My talk "Blogging Your Art Sucessfully" was rescheduled to THIS Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the North River Arts Society, Marshfield, MA*

*Sign up for my 2-Day Painting Workshop in my Warren studio at the top right of my Blog*

HH Gang Mugshot #9

I 

NFS

It is week 9 in the search for the Hilton Head Gang...the notorious members of Karin Jurick’s workshop.   The trail is still hot...so we shall continue on.  We are determined to feature one member each week until they are all accounted for.

Chris “the Moniker” Werst  comes by her alias honestly.  She misses nothing.    At beaches, Galleries, tourist attractions...She retains everything.  She is very proficient at finding out and remembering names of people, places and things.  She uses this to her advantage.  She will call your name and then act like she knows you...by the time you realize she is a stranger it is too late...you are digitally immortalized and destined to become canvas bound.  Her whereabouts is totally unknown as she does not...at this writing...have a blog.  

I am finally, FINALLY shaking the flu.  Thank you for all your emails, and well wishes - I've missed you, too!  Today, my first full day at the studio, I opened a box of 4x4 inch Gessobords and started to catch up with my Hilton Head Gang Mugshots.   Now... this woman, Chris, is BEAUTIFUL!  But it being a 'mugshot' I let her look tough, as she posed that way.  

I am REALLY digging painting mug shots.  I have to say I swore I would never enjoy it.  Shows what I know.  

Stay well, all!

*Openings available in the Workshop at my Studio in Warren, RI.

Feb. 23 & 24 - see top of column on the right side of my blog.   Email me at kcareymac@hotmail.com with questions.*

*Blogging Your Art Talk/Workshop at North River Wed., Feb. 15*

Donut War Day! White Flag Waving!

Here it is, Donut War Day~ and I'm reposting~ this painting will be part of Thayer Academy's upcoming Auction in March.  Alas, I have no 'new' painting to toss at Susan Roden... the flu had got me by the throat.  Many of you have emailed me and asked what was the reason for so few posts last week - it's a tough one, this flu!  Point goes to Susan this week absolutely!  Check out her volley here.  Hopefully it won't be too long till I'm up and painting.  You know I'm sick when I don't even THINK about it!  I missed the Duxbury Opening last night and the Providence Art Club Opening today.  WAH!

So I"m spending Sunday night curled up on my couch with all kinds of snacks and pets and Tim & I are cheering the Patriots on in the Superbowl, with raspy, coughing voices!

Storefront, 6x6 Inches, Acrylic

NFS

It's the first of the month - time to check in on my Girls Just Wanna Paint Group!  This month our topic was 'Storefront' and in another life (i.e. another computer, that recently died) I had some great photos of storefronts in NYC - one, in particular, a tiered display of Barbie Dolls in identical pink princess outfits  in one window, and blue princess outfits in the next window - it was fabulous.  BUT.... they are somewhere on an external hard drive that I don't know how to access!  So here is a really fun shop in Provincetown, MA, at the very tip of Cape Cod. I was trying to stay very loose - which is much harder than you would imagine!   I love, love, love Ptown, so here's my 'ode' to my favorite spot on the Cape!

Donut War! Jelly Heart, 6x6 Inches, Acrylic Painting of Dunkin Donuts Jelly

$125 & $10 S&H

Monday is my appointment with my Donut War Rival, Susan Roden, and this week... I am UNBEATABLE!  Because I "have a heart"!  Dunkin Donuts has started their ramp up for the big V day, and they had 3 different kinds of heart shaped donuts.  Well, the jelly had me at 'Hello'....  Take THAT, Susan! (Let's check out what she's slapping me with HERE!)

My daughter hosted Paco for the weekend in Boston, and I went to pick him up - I would have missed him more but was a bit under the weather - but was SO glad to see him (and vice versa!)  And as we arrived home, we came down the hill to see this view across from our house.  Sweet, no?

*Also I have added a new Page to the top of the blog - on how I wrap and package my paintings, for those of you that have asked!*

Live In The Present, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting of a Present

$125 & $10 S&H

A dear friend gave me this beautiful present at the holidays, and I thought it was so beautiful I re-wrapped it to paint it.  I am still writing thank you notes, so I will not let myself USE it till I write the note ;0  Don't you just love the sunset colors?

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

*Workshop at my studio Feb. 23 & 24, see info at top right of my blog - 

come sharpen those skills and have FUN with us!*