Martini & 3 and a Cocktail Party Invitation!

NFS

OK, I won't apologize for the photo, but bear in mind that it is nighttime and I finally found my camera (hidden in plain sight, of course!).  Well I promised my daughter another couple of 'drink' paintings so she can auction them off because they were so popular, and that's how this martini came about.  My friend Janet Kingan asked for 3 olives last time, so here you are, Janet!  I'm always inspired by Shawn Kenney when I paint martini's - he been an inspiration since I started blogging!

OK - I'm inviting all my fellow bloggers to send me an image they paint of their favorite cocktail - and in a couple of weeks I'll post them - lets' say by the 15th of March - so it'll be a 'birthday cocktail party' for me!  I'll post them all here.  It's a non-recurring challenge, and I just need to be able to upload your images, and have your full name and link.  Cheers!*

*My husband asked WHY I needed vermouth to paint a martini - "You can't SEE it..." he said... I guess I just need it to be authentic!!  And I think you can SMELL it....

Hendrick's Gin & Tonic, 5x7 Acrylic

This Gin & Tonic is NFS, it's part of the raffle I mentioned in an earlier post for my daughter to participate in the Boston Marathon.  Since I'm not a big drinker, I splurge when I do, so... it's Hendrick's. If you like gin at all, this is the creme de la creme.  This painting, in acrylic, done at home (with a zillion light sources) drove me batty.  Literally.  I cried.  I threw stuff.  I bent my brush.  This is attempt #3, and I can't bring myself to show you the 1st two - they looked like it was my very first painting.  Not used to painting glass with acrylics - and it's different, and the light... So my husband suggested I shut all the shutters in the room, and turn on my clamp light... now why didn't I think of that?  And really... try, just TRY to paint ice under a hot light!!!!  Suffice it to say that my house looks like a hurricane hit it after all my fits...

Now, I think I'll drink my subject... I deserve it!

Pink Carnations, Oil, 6x6

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I used to dislike Carnations, and still am not too keen about most of them.  There seems to be a variety without fringe, and I like those, and then there are these oversized carnations with a deep pink color - I like these, too.  Working on the drinks paintings, and thank you all so MUCH for your suggestions.  Good thing I'm painting them and not drinking them, or nothing would get done!

Bloody Mary Time, 6x8 Oil

NFS - Will be in Molly's Raffle for the Boston Marathon!!!

This is one painting I'm donating for the fundraiser that Molly's having to raise money so she can run the Marathon (it's donated to Brigham & Women's Hospital Charities).  I'm going to try to do a gin and tonic, too... what other drinks would be good/pretty/fun to paint?  I'm up for a virtual party!  Tell me, I'll be the bartender, and 'make' your drink!

Sunshine Award! And Roses, 6x12 Acrylic

Roses in February, 12x6 Acrylic

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One fabulous by-product of Valentine's Day is wonderful subject matter to paint!

And I have been honored (not 3 but 4 times!) by being given the Sunshine Award!  I need to notify my 12 artists that I'd like to pass this on to, and list them with a link to their blogs here.  So although 12 is far fewer than the number of artists that actually bring rays of sunshine into my life ... here they are (if you don't show up here, don't be despondent, I could probably list at least double this amount and it would include YOU!)

1. Sally Dean
2. Kendra Ferreira
3. Kristen Reitz-Green
4. Nancy Hartley
5. Jala Pfaff
6. Mary Sheehan Winn
7. Dreama Tolle Perry
8. Kim Muller Thym
9. Anne Winthrop Cordin
10. Kathleen Coy
11. Amy Hillenbrand
12. Diane Hoeptner

Countryware Teacup, 6x6 Oil

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In my former life I did things like collect teacups from china patterns that I liked.  This one was a Wedgewood pattern named 'Countryware' with leaf-like embossed forms.  

ALSO I got not one, not two, but THREE Sunshine Awards!!!!  I will post the award tomorrow with the folks that I'm giving this lovely award to - how COOL is that?

Also, my new subscription box (top left on the blog) actually works.  You can put your email address in and get my posts in your inbox.  I'm trying to enter all the people who WERE on my other carrier, so if it turns out you get two... apologies in advance, and feel free to unsubscribe.  But thank you so much for your patience!!

Grandma Nellie's Creamer, 6x6 Oil

Still in the mode of thinking about 'Grandma's Kitchen'.. This is from my husband's MacDonald grandmother's kitchen.  I drove myself nearly crazy trying to get the cut glass, the red .... the shadows, the highlights... oh my.  Funny how seeing it here, on the post, I see things I maybe should have seen before I 'wrapped it up'... but ... on to the next thing!
** ETA, I didn't actually try to paint the 'cuts' in the glass - just the light bouncing off it and the shadows under it, but still...

Cat In A Box, 6x6 Acrylic

This is my boy cat, Harry, who had the idea that napping ON the cat food in the box would be  really great.  He kind of glowed orange and yellow, and it was fun to put the details on the Fancy Feast box.  I think I've got a good service to send out the posts to people's inboxes so I'll start uploading the emails from the group.  Till I can import their subscription box to my blog, just email me if you want to be put on the list.  Really, I'm hoping that happens within the week.  Thanks for your patience.

Congratulations!

Carol Schiff was the winner of the Giveaway to celebrate my 500th post!  She chose the Gold Rimmed Teacup, and said it will be happy hanging with her Teapot Series!  Check her out. In the meantime I'm hunting for my camera... seemed to have misplaced it after the Blogging Talk in Duxbury.... Calling St. Anthony!!! (again!)

Karin Jurick, 6x8 acrylic

Well, I hope you are all having a happy Valentine's day!  Today, I'm posting my contribution to a tribute to Karin Jurick, who has tirelessly organized and produced Different Strokes From Different Folks, which, I believe, is one of the first 'challenge' groups for painters.  After her December assignment, which was to produce a portrait of another painter that she randomly assigned, one of the painters decided to thank her by having everyone paint a photo of Karin!  She made them into a book and sent it to her.  The cat's out of the bag, now (horrible saying, I think), and it's safe to publish and talk about our portraits.  The whole kit and caboodle can be seen here.

Let's Forget About The Snow And Cold!

Just a reminder that you can look over this week's paintings, which include

• The Valentine Pop
• The Baby Steps
• The Fortune Cookie
• The Gold Rimmed Teacup

And make a comment on that post AND send me an email if you'd like to be part of the Giveaway Raffle.  I'll pull a name out of the hat on Monday, and announce it.  There's not too many names as of today, so you've got a good chance.  And, Paco says 'hi', and he misses you all!

Gold Rimmed Teacup, 6x6 Oil, and a GIVEAWAY!

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I'm giving away a painting from this week!  That would include the Valentine Pop, the Baby Steps, the Fortune and the Gold Rimmed Teacup!  Help me celebrate my 500th post this week by

1. commenting on my blog under the painting you'd like, and
2. sending me an email, with the painting you'd like, and your EMAIL address so I can notify the winner.

My friend Sally Dean gave me this cup, and she has a matching one, that she'll paint and post on her blog, too!  Painting shimmering gold is so hard, but I do love a challenge.  I think this is not the last you'll see of this cup.  My new subscriber system will hopefully be chosen soon, I'll let you know the status of that!

Come See Me Tonight!

Details, in case you can't see them... Tonight, Feb 11, 2010 at the  Duxbury Art Complex, 6:30, Paula Villanova, Sally Dean and I will talk about Blogging and our art!  FREE!  Thank goodness the roads are clear!

Fortune, Oil, 6x6

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"He who climbs the high tree has a right to the fruit".  And I love the background.. it's called "Radiant Violet" by Gamblin.  Good 'fortune' to you!

Baby Steps, Oil, 6x8

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My mom had a pink ceramic baby shoe for each baby.  I THINK this one was my sister's, as I seem to remember a big chip in mine.  But the pink was so delicate it was a bear to paint.  I suppose putting it in front of a pink background only made it more difficult, but I tried putting it on bright, neutral and white backgrounds, and none looked 'easy' (that's what I'm looking for...;).  So this is a sentimental piece, I wish I had these for my own babies....

Valentine Pop, 5x7, Acrylic

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I'm a hopeless romantic, and Valentine's Day is a favorite of mine.  I don't care if it's a 'made up' holiday or not.  My Dad was my first Valentine, and never let the day go by without some little treat that said "I love you".  Now that he's gone I STILL think of him in a special way on Valentine's day - and in that vein I'm going to do a giveaway to celebrate this holiday plus my 500th (! I know!) post!  Details later this week!  Stay tuned!  And have a good week!

Last Light Over The Sakonnet, 6x8, Acrylic

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This is a little painting of one of my many sunset views, overlooking the Sakonnet River.  The land mass is Aquidneck Island, which is home to Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport, RI.  I have always loved to paint these sunsets, but since the Fall I'd not been able to bring myself to.  A rejection of these paintings, which I said would not bother me, apparently did, more than I realized.  But now I'm able to put it behind me and move forward, and love this every changing view again.

And because you are so wonderful to me I'm going to share a photo from our Challenge Group's Meetup last week - with NO NAMES attached (because I value my life) - trust me these were fabulous 'grandma's'  - and the strudel was TDF.

Grammy Croft's Cream Whipper, Oil 5x7

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This was a tall pottery container my husband's grandmother used to whip cream (I was astonished when I learned this as a young woman - I thought whipped cream came out of an Redi-Whip container!). My MIL has some gems like this from that generation, that I borrowed to paint for my Challenge group's theme "Grandmother's Kitchen" this month. It's updated and available for viewing HERE. Do you guys want to see some photos from our 'dress-up' gathering for that theme last night? It was fun, we had all 50's food, and we dressed like our grannies. A fun, wild night, and getting to see the paintings in person was amazing as usual.

Step On It, 8x8 Oil

The scariest thing just happened - I clicked on my blog title to go to my blog and post, and my blog showed up, but 30 seconds into it a different address showed up in the browser ON ITS OWN and then this spam page came up. I tried it again and again, and could not get IN to my blog. I had to get here from Paco's blog and hit the 'x' on the browser as soon as the SPAM address came in. Blogger is no help on this, either. So... here I am... having snuck in, hoping someone can see it. These shoes were done in Denise Zompa's studio, getting ready for a show in Newport. Tried to keep it loose. RESTRAINT is my guide these days.

What Laurel Said

In this exercise we 'massed in' our underpainting, after doing a small (see left hand side board divided by blue tape) prototype in dark neutral color, with linseed oil, just doing big shapes.

Then we gradually added the darker colors, keeping it loose...

and then the darker 'lights', like in the pitcher and the shadow..

A few of the 'lights' on the lighter sides of the flowers and the pitcher and the shadows on the white cloth...

Wrapping up with shape correction of the bunch of tulips, the interior light, the highlights on vase, flowers and tablecloth. At the very end I took out the 'light' on the far left tulip. Couldn't photograph that since I had to leave it in Austin because it was too wet. Amy will send it out when dry!

Day Two, Austin Workshop

This was my subject today - we used the 'massing in of shapes' method...

Tomorrow I'll post a step-by-step (right now I'm on my way to a Mexican Restaurant)!

These are some of our work from today...

And more of them..

Laurel working with Jane from CA....

Karen Martin's 'Warrior Painter' Stance...

Laurel and I..

Our Workshop Reunion Gals (Karen had to catch her plane)! A good time was had by all! Thanks Amy and Debbi for arranging this wonderful trip!

Austin Reunion/Workshop

THIS is the week the women from Carol Marine's 2008 Santa Fe Workshop gathered in Austin to have a reunion, and to take advantage of being in Austin and take a short workshop (just us!) with Laurel Daniel. She's a fabulous painter, and we spent Wednesday visiting galleries in town, seeing Laurel's work and Carol Marines big pieces, too. Other amazing artists, that you see in American Art Collector and Southwest Art are represented here, too. This photo is of Laurel explaining the finer points of the effect of light (and the lack thereof) on a lemon...

Blanking out on the art association (Laguna... laguna....), but there are peacocks in the park next door, and they come and make themselves at home here...

Thought the name would show up bigger, but this is Carol's Austin Gallery, the Wally Workman Gallery - to die for art inside...

Fabulous (and gab-u-lous) lunch at Corazon.. followed last night by an AMAZING sit-down dinner hosted by Debbi Smith Rourke (see her link on the right, check our her blog!) with Carol Marine and Laurel Daniel, and fabulous food, amazing conversations and a view of the city like you wouldn't believe!

And here, last but not least, is my hostess Amy Hillenbrand's (see her cool blog on my links, too!) lovely kitty, Sophie. Sophie shakes hands (yes, she does), and 'rides' a piece of clear plastic, which is pulled like a sled - and she stays on! Very sweet, and is a real character.

My painting today was.... 'less' than. Hopefully tomorrow's will be better. It is still wonderful to be here with such great women, and to be painting with Laurel - she is an amazing painter and teacher!

Grampy Croft's Lunch Pail, 6x6 Oil

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I'm trying to get my 'Challenge' painting done before I go to Texas next week. See how I said 'next week'? Well, I accidently bought tickets and packed and loaded up the car this past Tuesday. Uh, oh. Saved by a phone call from my friend and hostess, Amy (who has a very cool blog, too). I called my other friend Debbi (also a cool blogger) to be SURE that Amy wasn't pulling my leg! Nope. So after treating my incredibly nice husband to a delicious dinner out, I came home and re-booked my plans for next week. *sigh*

Anyway, this month's 'challenge' is for us to paint something from our grandmother's kitchen. My grandmothers had been gone for over 25 years when I was born, so I 'borrowed' Tim's grandmother. This is her husband's lunch pail. I think he worked in one of the mills in Fall River, but I'm sure I'll be corrected if I am wrong! This one painted itself. I was outside with Paco. Almost serious. ;)

Below is a couple of photos from my workshop this past weekend at Oceanside 17. Really talented painters, they did a fabulous job in the small format.

And here is what's going through my head... foam. Like the bubbles that waves make when they reach the shore. These are oils, but I've been doing them in acrylic, too. Close ups on my Studio Blog. Also, Paco's blog is being updated!

Workshop Demo

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This is the demo from the workshop in Hull!

PB&J, 6x6 Oil

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Lunch today. I was a little stymied because I still had the plein air paint in my portable easel and I painted at home. My Colin Page workshop had us use one red (ONE! My God I must have 15 reds at the studio!) and I find jelly to be so dimensional I like to layer a lot of reds. Bread was HARD (to paint... it was actually quite delicious, as I usually have a higher fiber bread, but wanted to paint the sandwich I ate at least 3 days a week for, like, 8 years.

New Vase with Tulips, 10x10, Acrylic

I don't know what it is about this time of year, but I HAVE to have flowers in the house. Just seeing them lifts my spirits and reminds me that it won't be 19 degrees forever. Although I have to say that Paco and I had a wonderful time at the little beach across the street today - there was no wind, and it was comfortable to sit at the edge of the water and meditate. (Well, I meditated, I am not sure that he actually did.) So when I came home I dove into the acrylics and did this BEFORE I head to the studio to do the oils!

I would also like to invite you all to see the Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge, which is finally up for the month of December, with the topic of "Lamp, or Light". Page Railsback was the moderator and hostess of the gathering last night to view all these paintings in person - wow, they looked great! We missed Mary Sheehan Winn and Paula Villanova. And if any of you don't know, a 'Challenge' is where a group of artists decide to paint a different subject/topic each month, and the results are posted on a blog. We'd love your comments!

ReGift, 6x6, Oil

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Well, technically not a real re-gift... I bought it to paint the week before Christmas, and.... here we are, finally! I love to paint the challenges - anything that scares me. So here we are - cellophane, a glittery ribbon, a logo! Getting ready for my workshop, AND for a trip to Austin next week, so it's busy, busy busy. Good busy, though, and I'm thankful.

Not A *Daily* Painting, But Still....

This is a 30x30 winter scene done in oils that I've been agonizing over since the SUMMER! On the left there are footprints (human and canine). It's a modified scene I stumbled upon after a snowfall in Westport, MA. I've never really painted a snow scene, because people always say "Oh, well, it's nice in the WINTER, but who wants to see snow in the summer?"

Me?

Leftovers, 5x7 Oil

The last of the candies (for now... you know Valentine's Day is just around the corner!). I've been really stretched for time lately, getting ready for my workshop, and also planning a trip to Austin for a Carol Marine Workshop Women reunion! We'll be visiting with Carol one evening, then we (no slackers here) have booked Laurel Daniel for a small 2 day workshop! Don't worry, Paco will be hanging out with my son Conor in Boston - a short walk from Boston Common, so he'll think he's on vacation, too!