Just Like Mommy, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

Well, it's the first of the month and let me be the first to say "Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit" for good luck this month!

Also, as you probably know, it's the day the Girls Just Wanna Paint group posts their response to the monthly topic.  This month the topic was:  Makeup.  Boy, you could do so much with that!  I will let you go to our blog to see the various Makeup paintings, and I think you will be surprised!  Click HERE to see our paintings!  I chose little girls playing with makeup as a theme.  This little girl ALMOST got it right - and she must have seen her Mom purse her lips - she is just a BIT smeary!~  I thought I wouldn't enjoy this painting, but I did, I really really did!  I can't wait to see her framed up and hanging at the show at the Thayer Academy Gallery later this month.  

November 18th - December 18th

Opening Reception with all the artists: Thurs. Nov. 21st 5-8.

I believe we are having Prosecco -  you just come on and join us!

This One's For You, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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You know you want it.  I know you deserve it. Tender white cake with creamy home made frosting - and just a light sprinkle of colored dots.  A celebration, a treat, an indulgence.  Just this once….. I made it for you!

All that's missing is my little block signature.  Coming tomorrow. and almost dry!  Seriously, can you tell how much fun this was for me to paint?  Yesterday in my Small Painting class at the Providence Art Club we first made a number of little Value Studies, where you just use one sort of neutral color (I used Burnt Umber) and white, and establish the darks and shadows, and get yourself a good composition. Then paint it … and then eat it.  It was a gift to my students who had such a great attitude and aptitude this Fall.

What I liked about this cupcake was the view (well, ONE of the things I liked about it - it was dee-lish, I  tell you).  It was monumental looking for a small piece of cake topped with dreamy frosting.  Here are my value studies:

I'm like an athlete in training (stop laughing!). Painting every moment, getting ready for the Little Pictures Show at the Art Club, The change-up of paintings at the Art Stable next week, and the North River Arts Holiday Sale.  How could I forget… Girls Just Wanna Paint group is having a SHOW at Thayer Academy's Gallery!

Annnnnnnd… I'm moving out of my studio, stuffing the contents of a 1,100 sq. foot studio into my living room.  Never a dull moment in my life!  Wish me luck!

Lobsta Commission 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

I've painted a few of these bad boys in my time.  This one is my absolute favorite!  He's giving you that "Are you lookin' at ME?" look!  Well, he was, before he was edible, anyway.

I find that when I paint the same subject a few times, I get looser and more comfortable.  Hence… the donuts, the cocktails, the coffee!!!!

Anyway, I thought I'd show you before he gets shipped off.  I haven't had too much extra time to paint paintings that are available for the blog - I'm moving out of my studio *sniff*… but it's all good.  Now I get to paint in my pajamas!  And my cats will be very happy!

Off to rest, to paint some more!  Be well, friends….

Nom Nom Nom! 6x6 Inch Painting by Kelley MacDonald

Eeeeps!  WHO loves their work more than I do?  I will admit this time, that Boston Creme donut got gobbled up soon after the painting was done.  Not my fault.  I had to take not one, but TWO bites to get the creamy filling to show!  (normally I do not even LIKE this type of donut, but when you are very hungry, and have to taste it - twice……)  This is a commission for a Facebook friend who used to share the same building where I had my very first studio.  I hope she likes it.  I certainly had fun doing it!

It is amazing to me how fast time is flying and that the holidays are just around the corner.  

As we age, I guess, the pages of the calendar flip faster.  With that in mind…

Pour Vous, 8x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

Today's lesson at the Art Club was "color matching".  That's when we take little squares of random colors from magazines and tape them to a piece of canvas, then 'match' the color - it always has to be mixed, and even the most veteran painter can have a bit of a struggle.  After everyone successfully matched their colors up we painted - from life, or a photograph, if they preferred ... but we made sure to 'match' the color correctly.  Our room was filled with silver pitchers of roses and hydrangeas from a recent wedding.  I grabbed this lovely bouquet - then instantly regretted it because I hardly ever paint flower bouquets.... but is really enjoyed it and just was fearless about all those petals and colors!

Sunday was the Hingham Arts Walk - it was a blast being with my art buddies from the South Shore, and seeing 'blast from the past' friends who stopped by!  One lovely woman insisted I looked ten years younger than the last time she saw me - and that alone was worth the whole day!  Thank you Page Railsback for hosting and doing all that work for the Arts Walk, you rock!

Let's Call It A Night, 6x8 inch Acrylic Painting by KelleyMacDonald

The background is a little darker, but at 6 p.m. it is tough to get the right light to photograph a paining!  

Well, the Cosmo's drained, and it looks like Mr. Wine has had his couple of glasses and the bottle is empty.  A lovely evening, I'm sure.  A delicious dinner.  Perhaps a sunset.  Reminiscing.  Inside jokes.  Good laughs.  The glow of feeling connected.  Love.

This year for the Providence Art Club's Little Picture Show in December I'm doing 3 "6 a.m." paintings (donuts & coffee) and 3 "6 p.m." (cocktails).  This is a p.m. for them.

SUNDAY!!! If you are around the South Shore or Boston, stop in at the Hingham Arts Walk!  I'll be at the North Street Studio!  

And if you are in RI, Westport, etc. Please stop in and see the AMAZING art show at Kitty Lovell's studio in Tiverton 4 Corners, "Birds Of A Feather"- Opening 3-5!.

15 Minute Painting

Today's class at the Art Club was a lesson on getting it GOING~!  For a lot of artists, doing a small paining, soup-to-nuts, in an hours is UGH.... impossible.  Well, this painting was done in 15 minutes.  (I am getting a supreme kick out of the fact that I simply FORGOT to put the string on the tea tag!)  Every single person in the class did a great job on a 15 minute painting.  Below you'll see the first painting of the afternoon - done in just over an hour.  To the right, the same subject, done in 40 minutes.

Truly, when I was doing the first one, the hour-long study, I was silently thinking to myself "WHAT were you thinking with this drippy/lopsidedly glazed mug, a teabag package, and a tag????  But you know... when you are under the gun, so to speak.....  And here I want to say all the students were very accomplished! 

 

 

 

Once Upon An Island, 5x7 inch acrylic painting by Kelley MacDonald

This weekend, I was lucky enough to spend time on a little island called Cuttyhunk. I was with artist Susan Medyn, and we painted up a storm! This view was the first thing I painted. It is looking up a hill from the gloriously clean, fine-sandy beach. The wind made it a bit raw, but we tucked back into some boulders and were protected. I was immediately attracted to the lone house on the bluff, the wind-shaped trees and the bruise-color of the sky, as a storm passed by.

Everything about this painting made me happy.. I was just in a zone. The tiny town of Gosnold on the island is charming and completely walkable. With incredible vistas from every step.

This painting is $100 plus $10 for shipping, and if you'd like it as a place to 'get away' in your mind, just email me at kcareymac@hotmail.com.

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Torture By Counted Strokes

Today's lesson was one I call "Counted Strokes" (Inspired by Peggi Kroll Roberts).  My wonderful class at the Providence Art Club is very game and will endure almost anything!  We divided our panels into 4 parts.  Starting at the top left, we painted a small still life of our choosing, trying to be economical about our brushstrokes, but simply counting as we went... seeing how few we could use.  I wrote the number I used on the top right of the painting - 65 for that bare-bones painting.  

Top right square - we attempted to limit our strokes - to 25 strokes!  (You'd think, knowing this, I would have chosen an apple, or pear or something, but noooooOOOoooo... I have to do a Dunkin Donuts coffee and a jelly donut.  Oh well).  

Then, taking the lesson of 'thoughtful' brushstrokes to heart, with absolutely no 'house painting', we painted the subject again in the lower left.  Using as many strokes as we needed, but just being sure, pausing between strokes.

I was pleasantly surprised at the intensity the artists in the class showed, and the capability to do a great job with minimal freedom.  Thinking between strokes, and getting a big brush all filled up with juicy paint, in a well planned stroke really makes for an interesting painting.  

As always, it was a fun day!

(the dots and strokes on the right lower section are the 'counted' strokes - every time I put down a stroke on the top 2 paintings I 'marked it')

Which One Is Yours? 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 P&S

Click HERE To Purchase

Friday I had the good fortune to be the Artist In Residence at the Furnace Brook School and once again, really enjoyed sharing my painting process with the kids.  I set up two easels and I painted on one, and every middle schooler that WANTED to paint, could on the other one.  

Every year, every single boy asks if they can eat the props.  This year a huge black fly kept alighting on them, but even telling them that, most of them still said they'd eat them.  These days I'd probably go to jail for letting kids eat donuts at school, so I always say "I wish I could, but :D no...."

This day, with all those kids who maybe never put oil paint on a canvas before joining in... is a highlight of my year. Thanks to the Parent-Teacher organization for sponsoring it every single month!

A Man With His Fish, 6x8 inch oil painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

Something new...

"Me With My Dog" 6x6 Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

This month the Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge was the word: "With".  I've had this old photo for a long time.  It actually was in black & white.  It wasn't 'me' but it really could have been.  All my life I've loved animals.  No secret to anyone who knows me that sometimes I prefer their company.  They never let me down.  Their response to my care and love is astounding.  Dogs & cats - and I'd love to try horses - are incapable of duplicity.  Forgiving, honest and dependent on our generosity and thoughtfulness.  I worry about animals who don't get water in clean bowls, who get left outside, or pushed aside... animals who 'belong' (through no fault or choice of their own) to people who care more about the fabric on the couch than on their pets.  Anyway - how'd I do 'colorizing' this?  It was harder than you'd think!

Want to see what the rest of the Girls chose to paint?  Look HERE!

These paintings are all being reserved for our show at the Thayer Academy Gallery in November.  More to come on that.  

Cloud Study #1, 4x4 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

This tiny painting is one of my favorite subjects:  skyscapes.  Clouds in particular, are difficult to paint but are so meaningful to me.  You remember "I've looked at clouds from both sides now.. from up and down, and still, somehow.. it's clouds' illusions I recall.  I really don't know clouds at all..." from Judy Collins.

Sometimes you see the clouds from above - fluffy, fun, playful.. like as seen from far away, or even from an airplane.  Other times they seem to cover the world with dark gray.  They can be so dense they confuse you as to what time of day it is.  They can be oppressive.  But, I try to keep in mind that whatever way they appear right now, things will change.

A New Path, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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Sometimes in life we think we've chosen the right path, but it becomes all tangled and hard to see.  Then we see a New Path... and everything becomes clearer, and traveling it seems just so right.  Well, here's a New Path... and it can be yours.  Or a friend's.  I know sometimes the path we're on seems so hard.  This one, however, is easy peasy (Plus it leads to the BEACH!).

I am working on a crazy series of larger paintings like my last post.  I'll put them up on my Studio Blog when they are ready (they are incredibly time consuming but the excitement literally is consuming my every waking thought - and some thoughts in my dreams as well!).  Maybe this is a new path for me.  We'll have to be open and see, right?

Also... please pass on to interested parties - we are filling up, as we want to keep it small...

And Now For Something Completely Different.... by Kelley MacDonald

Today was a day to just push!  I took some older acrylic paintings that just weren't what I wanted, and I messed them up.  This one was a pinkish sunset with boats and purple skies... and I played 'peek-a-boo' with the original painting, putting a couple of layers of white over selected areas, leaving dark and light pink and purple areas peeking out.  Then I added some clear magenta to a whole scoopful of glossy gel medium and went over the white.  When that was done I popped in some colors.  I chose the colors by instinct, as I chose the exposed shapes.  I was thinking of a lot of things: bedtime stories, indian weavings, nautical flags, bubbles and sunsets.  Don't judge - I have a very active imagination!

Then I poured out some more gel medium, letting pink mix with some dull yellow... just in spots.

I had FUN.  By myself.  On the porch. Smelling the water. Making up stories in my head.

18x24 canvas, acrylic.

Ready For A Close Up, 5x7 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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OK, so not health food.  But sometimes, just sometimes, comfort food is called for. IRL there is a bit more black on the top that accidentally got cropped off.  I'll run a true photo this weekend.  I'm staying out of the studio and painting at home all day Friday.  Double treat for me, after taking Thursday OFF, totally, and painting in my pj's on Friday.  

I have a painting in the NEST show in Dedham (their anniversary show) Friday (the 20th) night Party 5-8.  I'm hanging with some pretty heavy hitters!  Beth Dacey and Kim Morin Weineck are two that I know of and admire.  

Today I met up with fellow Blogger and Facebook friend Judy Joy Nocifora, while she and her husband were visiting Cape Cod.  SO great to finally meet someone I've admired and liked so much, through Social Media, and she's even sweeter in person!

Following our Donut-meetup, I swooped into Provincetown to see my friend Page Pearson Railsback, who is doing an art residency there.  Loved her little apartment and her studio, and well, you will love the work she's doing here - very courageous and beautiful!

And while I was visiting her, Lisa Daria Kennedy dropped by - on the day before she defends her Thesis for her Masters Degree (right downstairs from where Page is staying - yes, I snuck in to see her work - all in it's own room, huge, powerful, colorful and draftsmanship that blows me away....)... so I totally lucked out and had a blissfully happy day!  I spent the afternoon in the galleries of Ptown, and am all revved up and inspired!  

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Always, always a 'story' with me.  I knew there were cosmic reasons to paint something 'light' and frivolous on Sept. 11.  Although I know 2 wonderful people with birthdays today, I seem to be unable to stop bumping into remembrances that bring me down.  That being said - I go out of my way on this day to look for the bright side.  For example:  I pulled into Dunk's this a.m. for my coffee.  And what do I pull up next to?  THIS car, with THIS license plate (jellie)...

So, yes, it made me smile.   And I decided that it was a sign, and I should paint jelly donuts today.  So I went in, rather than driving up, because you can't trust anyone to pick out a nice, round, non-sweaty jelly, can you, but yourself?  And who do I stand next to - as I bought ALL THREE of the last of the jellies?  Yup, Mr. Jellie.  Who is dissolving over my purchase.  I was just about to cave and give up one ... just one, mind you... when the girl at the counter literally squealed, "LOOK!  We have 2 coconut/jelly sticks left!"  "THANK GOD!" He yelled, and happily trotted back to his car.  I was enthralled.

SO.  Here's a bit of the jelly process:

I have such a fun Thursday planned - meeting a Blogger/Facebook friend, and visiting Page Pearson at her Artist Residency in Provincetown.  I will tell you all about it in tomorrow's post AND give you a bit of a surprise twist on the jelly donut painting!!!!  Have a great day!

Glow At Bristol Harbor, 12x12 Inch Acrylic Plein Air Painting

ONE more from the Paint Bristol weekend!  This was so fun to paint and I had a blast with the many layers of blues and greens in the very 'active' water!  The end of the day brings a pinkish glow over Popasquash....  how lucky am I to get to paint in beautiful locations, both near and far?  Again I will honor the $325 price from the weekend for a week.  Email me if interested at kcareymac@hotmail.com

I start my class next week at the Providence Art Club.  We're calling the class 'Small Format Painting' for 2 reasons... so many artists think they can't paint 'small'... and after we work together, they find that they can work as small as 4x4 inches - and STILL come out with a compelling paintings.  Painting small lets you finish - soup-to-nuts, solving all the problems a painting requires, and the more you do it the easier it gets.  Also we dropped the 'Daily Painting' from the title of the class because so many people had no idea that Daily means... well, daily, or even almost daily.  :)

I look forward to teaching again, and having my own class at my studio on Saturdays.  That will start in a couple of weeks, always a hoot.  Always great people.  ALWAYS a lesson learned.

Yellow Gingerbread, 8x10 inch Acrylic Painting done Plein Air

This weekend I participated in a first-time Plein Air event in Bristol, RI called Paint Bristol.  Bristol is a very picturesque town, which is very walkable, with lots of cafes and restaurants, galleries and very cool shops.  I painted this in the morning, a cute little gingerbread Victorian right on Hope Street, which is the main drag.  The owner stopped by and was telling me the story of the house, and the close-set house next door to it.  Apparently a single lady lived here, with a nice big lot.  She had a friend who fell upon hard times, and she offered the yard to her friend.  Seeing as her friend was totally without means, she bought a house and had it ROLLED through the streets of Bristol, where it was set up on her land. The two lived amicably side by side into their 90's.  I told the owner it seemed to me always that the spirit of this house was a happy one, and he confided that he actually thought there was a ghost, albeit a friendly one, in the house.  He said he often smelled cooking cinnamon and baked goods, when there is no good reason for it.

I offered this today for $325, framed in a gold plein air frame.  I will honor this price for this week, email me at kcareymac@hotmail.com if interested.

Morning Ritual, 8x8 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

This painting was done for my Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge this month. The topic? "Ritual".  There were so MANY I wanted to paint - girlfriends walking the beach, nail polish and cottonballs, a Rosary, a pug in the lap of someone (ahem) meditating....  But when I found these green cups and saucers at a friend's cottage.... I was hooked.  Then I had to go BUY a newspaper - first time in a long time - and I loved it.  Reading the newspaper was a habit for years and years.  The Boston Globe in the morning, the Patriot Ledger in the afternoon.  I read ENTIRE articles, not just headlines.  I read different points of view.  I read ads.  Classifieds.  OK, Obituaries.  Now... I never know who's alive or dead.  I guess that might sound wrong.... but I"m not going to get online and LOOK UP Obituaries just in case someone I know might have died.  But I digress.

No, in case you are wondering, and I think maybe you are, I never ever sat with a donut on a plate and a coffee cup and read the newspaper.  That would be 'wasting' a plate, don't you think?

Anyway, check out the other very cool responses to the "Ritual" Challenge HERE.  :)

And have a great Labor Day - and a rest from your labors...

Live A Little, 8x10 inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

A morning on the placid lake.... Loon ooodling in the distance, sun just hitting the tops of trees... Blood pressure dropping..... I am utterly enchanted, reveling in art time, girlfriend time, peace time. No TV, phone ringer silenced, reaching deep inside for true inspiration and centering. I can't believe it's already Thursday. I am geared up to do my Challenge painting tomorrow.....

Sweet Life, 8x10 oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

So blessed to have some time on a lovely little lake in Maine this week. Traveling with Paco has it's moments but for the most part we are Content (capital intended). Vast views, quiet, loons and a schedule of exactly NOTHING.... To rejuvenate, reconnect with friends, and try things out on my canvas. I am grateful.

3 women, 2 dogs and a million memorable moments......

Today was the first day of August Open Studios.  Why, you ask, would someone put themselves through the agony and tremendous work TWICE in a summer?  Well, for one thing if I wasn't open this weekend I would have missed meeting fabulous painter and blogger Fay Terry!  I've been following her work for a looooong time, enjoying every post.  She's up this way from North Carolina, and meeting her in person was beyond beyond.  Sweet, kind, fun, (SO fun) and talented, it felt like I'd known her a long time.  I hope she enjoys her time in New England, and comes back again soon!

And this is what my fortune cookie said last night. So... I won't.

Fun, funky and returning friends came today.  At least 2 people told me they read my blog faithfully - one said it "makes her morning"... another said when she wakes up she HOPES I've posted.....  (and one person said I'm even nicer in person... thanks ;)

I had my trusted friend Jane by my side.  She knows almost as much about my journey as I do, and she handles every sale with aplomb.  Nothing throws her.  Not a non-cooperating Square credit card reader, not lack of change, not oversized work being sold or dogs growling at her feet.  Yes Paco... growled because the chew toy he STOLE from my son's dog suddenly was very precious...

Well, Sunday is another day!  New friends to see and meet!  I love it that people were taking advantage of the chairs I put out on my front lawn... many people sat and looked at the water after stopping by.  A great way to wrap up a visit, I think!

(two of these paintings are still available...)

Final Open Studio for the Summer!

I have some new pieces, and new studies as well... I am so excited by the volume of people who have let me know they are coming!  It's so easy to start at my studio and then visit tons of other artists, or go have a great lunch, tour the South Coast area....

Take Route 24 South into Rhode Island

Take Exit 5

Go Left off the exit about a mile

#1888 is on the Left, right after Cumberland Farms, 

and Coastal Roasters

I'm #9 on the map - which is irrelevant ...there is no rhyme or reason for the numbering

*I am the FIRST Studio you will encounter on Main Road*

Box O Donuts, 12x12 inch oil painting by Kelley MacDonald

Ahhhh... We had a session and these were the 'runners up' that didn't get picked for paintings... so I gave them their own 'crowd shot'...  A bit of glare on the photo, but... hey, it's too late now that I've noticed it to take a new photo. I loved painting these donuts - I let myself be a bit more expressive than normal, and you know what?  It felt great!

I am ready!  For the Open Studio this weekend.  I have a number of new paintings, both in the 'Studies At Reasonable Prices' area, and the 'New Work for Shows, etc.' area. :)

I'm so looking forward to seeing everyone!  Good weather is predicted.  Donuts will be available (till they run out!) on Saturday!  Paco, Harry & Isabelle have promised - NO PET DRAMA this weekend!

Sakonnet Glow, 12x12 oil painting by Kelley MacDonald

This painting is featured this week (maybe 2) on the main wall at the Art Stable Gallery.  It's a white wall and I'm beyond thrilled to have my 3 Coastal Skies paintings on it (see below)

I am madly painting and prepping for my upcoming Open Studio Tour as part of the South Coast Open Studio Tour.  There are 2 during the summer and this is the final one.  The top painting is available via the blog as well - email me for info, it is 12x12 inches on a cradled board.  

I've had a weekend of animal mishaps and it has swibbled my mind.  My beloved orange kitty was sick on Friday, Paco my Pug played Houdini and escaped on Saturday, running into busy traffic on Main Road, and Sunday morning a neighbor's dog broke free and did what Paco did in front of our house, but wasn't as lucky as Paco and got his lead caught under a car.  Survived, though, and that's what's important.  So... it's been hard to concentrate and I'm a bit behind.  Wish me a clear head this week!

Right now.... there's a meteor shower....

Sweet! 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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Well, maybe all these donuts look alike to you... but I guess, like a mother, they look unique to me!  Today I went to not one, but two different donut shops and drove the poor girls crazy selecting the perfect donuts to paint.  I have another Open Studio coming up in 2 weeks, at the South Coast Open Studio Tour for August (the 17th and 18th) and I know for sure I'll have friends from the blog and from Facebook, looking for donuts to satisfy their sweet tooth!  So today was pretty intense!  I did this 6x6, then a 10x10 inch, below.... (this one includes a CREAM and jelly donut... yes, Paco & I took a bite out of this one)

Then, just before cleaning up for the day.... I grabbed a 12x12 inch canvas and belted this one out, below:

This one is not the best photography job.... it's far, far better in person, and if I think to do it I'll re-photograph tomorrow.

Oh, The Places You'll Go.... 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

This month my Challenge Group is painting "Travel", and I love the look of old-type suitcases. Back in the day, I guess, when we didn't pack all the comforts of home!  I  love suitcases, and the whole thought behind them, that armed with a suitcase or two, you can go to exotic locations, learn about a different culture, visit beautiful sites you'd always dreamed of.  I think everyone should visit as many places as they can, inside the USA and out.  I'm dreaming of France these days, but I've had many wonderful trips,.... and btw - my art equipment needs it's own bag!

Visit all the Painting Girls' take on 'Travel' HERE.  These paintings will be available and on view for our Girls Just Wanna Paint Show at Thayer Academy - in mid November....

The Path, 6x6 inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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 I've painted this path to the beach before, but honestly, this is the one I'm happiest with!  Little 6x6, I look at it and say "Yes, I can see my path...."  I love painting of paths, beach paths, forest paths, etc. and for some reasons the brushwork in this turned out EXACTLY as I imagined it.  Live and learn, as my Mom used to say...  Here's your path... take the first steps...