The Maine Thing, a collage of Maine Paintings by Kelley MacDonald

I threw together a little collage of my most recent Maine paintings.  Most of these are available at my Open Studio this weekend.  I know I'm supposed to be organizing, hanging, spit & polishing, etc. but here is what I have been doing: 

Yup, painting MASSIVE jelly donuts, then trying to get a selfie wearing a hat because - well, it was a Bad Hair Day, that's all I'm gonna say about that.  So on the front of my house is a strange assortment of large paintings:  A red dory on a calm pond.... A Sun & fields with fractured paint - in thick squares and dabs.... and two massive jellies in a stack.  Still painting like crazy - thank God when I missed a step on the stairs on Saturday last it was my LEFT shoulder I wrenched.  

If you're in driving distance, and want to take a nice drive - we have dozens of artists this weekend who have opened their studios.... so ice cream (Gray's), seafood and art - does it get any better than this?

http://southcoastartists.org/sample-page-2/tour-brochure/

Those Luscious Lips, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

  Oh... those sweeties... and that top one was over-stuffed - don't DO that to me!!!  I have to fight my dog and my husband to get one of these! :)  I had these two picked out while I was in line at Dunkin's.  The lady in front of me acted like she was in STARBUCK's - she had questions about every beverage they carried, and she had a little boy that I was afraid was going to claim these excellent 'models'.  Turns out his 'event' was an in depth discussion about the merits of mixing flavors for a personalized 'Coolatta'  (at this point I have broken out in to a sweat, I felt like a junkie - wanted to place my hand over both their mouths and just beg "Please put the two middle jellies aside for me, OK?".  So, yeah.... I did a very small amount of foot tapping and eye rolling.. and then when it was my turn - don't you know I was 5 cents SHORT?  I had left my bag in the car and only brought in a little cash.  While I debated whether I should just get ONE of them, or neither, the lady who was in front of me reached over and tossed a dollar bill on the pile of money I had.  Yup.  Just like that.  I felt smaller and smaller (hadn't I just rolled my EYES at her?) and then, fortunately a dime fell out of my pocket, so I had it covered, but still.  Put me right back in my place, being patient.  Not judging.  Accepting what the Universe/God/Angles have lined up for me.

And I painted like the WIND when I got home!

Now - one of these days I'm going to do everyone a favor and start a Newsletter.  Yes, Leslie Saeta, I am!  But I want to tell you that NEXT weekend.........

You are all SO invited and would be extremely welcomed!  It's a wonderful Tour.  I can steer you to some of the most amazing artists!  Please introduce yourself (again?) to me, as I am swamped with faces those days... :D

Dreaming of Maine, 8x8 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

  Deceptively simple.  But like a dream, there are many layers of paint on this painting.  It has a solid 'structure' but then the paint just glided on...fluid and in ... well, 'dreamy' colors.  With a hint of what we call 'calligraphy' on the little islands, where I've carved through the paint.  I was going to save this for my Open Studio, but I though, ... no.. I had to share it.  Feel free to zoom in, you find all sorts of interesting things going on in this painting.  I don't say this about many of my paintings, but I love this piece.

Busy getting ready for my Open Studio next weekend!!!!!  I am inviting you all.  This year I'm leaving up a Work In Progress, and you can see my palette, my favorite brushes, and my colors.  I'd like to say I'm cleaning and organizing but I can't stop PAINTING.  You may show up to my usual disarray of stacks of paintings I'm working on, a table with acrylics set up, my oil paint set up, my colored markers - all in the midst of being used!

Old Barn, 8x8 Inch Oil Painting on Paper by Kelley MacDonald

8x8 Inch Oil on Arches Oil Paper

Another one from Hersey Farm in Hingham.  Loved painting the weathered wood!  Once again, keeping it loose.  It's funny, when I first started painting I wanted to be EXACT EXACT - totally realistic - photo realistic if I could.   I now think that it is actually harder to paint a good, solid, loose piece.  Carol Marine said once that you progress to a certain point, then you have to decide - extreme realism or expressionism.  The masses certainly admire extreme realism ("Ohhh, it looks just like a photo!" *cringe*).  But at this point I"m leaning towards a certain degree of expression.  Even though my darling husband will inevitably say "Couldn't you paint the shingles?

Well, here in our little corner of the world, we have had 2 beautiful days after the 4th of July.  So.... for all the kvetching and napping and reading that got done on the 4th - good!  Sometimes it takes an act of God to make me relax.  So... thank You!

Hersey Farm View, 6x6 inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

Last week I had the great pleasure of painting with some fabulous painters at Hersey Farm in Hingham MA.  We decided to paint in 'study' mode - not to get too wrapped up in detail, in a struggle for perfection, and rather to be more impressionistic, to be loose - but correct.  It was wonderful, and we all got a few nice pieces.  This on is a view up at meadow.. with a bit of standing water brightly reflecting the incredible blue sky that day.  The cows will be coming to this farm soon for summer grazing.  We've been invited back.  I cannot wait!

We saw at least 13 different sets of fireworks tonight.  You have to find things every day to be grateful for.  I am.  So grateful.  For my family, my friends, my work....

Independence Day!

11x14, Acrylic

Long May It Wave

This painting was done on location in the Long Pond area of Bristol, ME.  A 2 room home, it was restored lovingly by a family over 42 years.  I love, love, loved painting it.

Happy 4th!  May we ever be grateful for our wonderful country, and though we may have our  differences, we are one nation.  Every state has it's beauty and personality, each as beautiful as the next.  I hope you get some good family time, festivities and maybe a parade.  Enjoy!

Thoughtful Gull, 12x6 in Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

 $125 & $10 S&H

Email me at Kcareymac@hotmail.com to purchase

Summer is here, and the gulls are back!  I'm always inspired to paint them, and I think I am getting better and better at capturing our local gulls' likenesses!   This one, above, is for sale (see the close up below the entire piece) but the one below I'm saving for my Open Studios, coming up on July 19th and 20th of this month.

It's taken from Jamie Wyeth's painting.  That's one way artists learn, to hone their skills.  I'm no Jamie Wyeth, but I did enjoy painting this gaggle of gulls!

Farmhouse Bedroom, 6x8 Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

In a little coastal town in Maine, a group of artists gather every June.  Photographers, pastellists, oil painters, acrylic and watercolor - all sorts of art gets made.  Wonderful food is prepared and devoured.  Wine selected by an artist's husband (who really knows his stuff) and beer and cocktails.... all enjoyed daily.  The breeze floats right up from the cove, flutters the old fashioned sheer panel curtains... the quiet is so profound it's hard to get to sleep the first night.  All the beds are old and comfy, and when sleep does come you are truly in dreamland... until.... the lobstermen launch their boats - then we are privy to some very colorful language!

This big farmhouse is a haven for us.  We talk late in to the night about our lives, our art, our struggles, our successes.  We follow the progress of each others' work, year to year, as well as how all our kids are doing, our spouses, our houses and gardens.

AND we paint!  Morning, noon and night!  

A couple of larger pieces did not make it in here, but this is the bulk of all of our paintings!

Little Red Dory, 8x10 Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$250 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

Ever notice how first thing in the morning the water is like glass, only tiny ripples, and it reflects the sky so perfectly?  My favorite time of the day - oops, except sunset!  Anyway there are a few dories around here that sit so gloriously on the water at that time of day, it makes me almost compelled to get in, row off to my nice big sailboat (which, ahem, I do not actually have) and spend the day gliding through life.  This one is an 8x10, on a panel, and will pop into a ready-made frame.

So!  I couldn't resist taking another stab at the TURQUOISE Dory!  I basically punched up some colors, quieted down other colors, and added a small bit of detail to the lobster trap, and weeds. 

Turquoise Boat (WIP) Acrylic by Kelley Carey MacDonald

Every year in Maine I see this boat near Long Cove.  It sits against some nice dark foliage.  This year I'm painting it.  We had a discussion this month, at our Girls Just Wanna Paint meeting, about when to stop.  Our fearless Page Pearson Railsback told her classes "Stop at 75% finished".  So I'm stopping, and if anyone wants this 10x8 painting as is, email me before Friday.  Then I'm attacking it again.  

Maine was lovely. Rejuvenating and restful.  Yes, I killed my cell phone (drowned it dead) but going there with these friends is like hitting the 'reset' button on my creative life.   I came home raring to go!  More on the experience and the paintings I did in the next post!

Romance, 8x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

There was a wedding at the Providence Art Club, and every table had a gorgeous silver vessel overflowing with old fashioned roses in whites and pinks.... perfection. ( The painting is so hard to photograph!)  But I love the little petals that fell around the base of the pitcher, and the reflections  too!

I'm about to delve into a week of painting in Maine with some buddies.  I look forward to this all year.  I may not be able to post, but I'll try.  A farmhouse on the water, filled with talented, generous, funny women - a whole week of just art, laughter and fabulous dinners - I'll think of you all!

Happy, 6x6 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

I labored on my paintings today.  I completely wiped down 2 canvases, and was feeling, well... discouraged.  I had the BEST subjects - roses, peonies, and ... more roses.  I had a perfect view of the morning on the river.   Yes, it was an early start to the day (waaaay before sunrise) because of an ongoing skirmish between my cats - enough said.  I think I may have been tired.  But then I took my acrylics out and plopped myself down in front of this vase of my favorite peonies and I felt.... just Happy.  Pharrell Williams Happy.  Foot tapping, humming, smiling and relaxed.  And then THIS happened.  Not my usual.  But very free... very...HAPPY! I hope it makes you happy too!

:D

This just may become a REALLY big painting.

Red Sail, 6x6 inch acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

Across 2 bridges there's a lovely Rhode Island town called Bristol.  I've been there a few times when I've spotted this little boat in the harbor.  Eye catching, right?  And I think - who would buy a red sail, when you know it would fade .... someone confident, someone in love with bold color, someone who doesn't mind being noticed.  Hey... it just makes me happy to watch him/her!

Come Sail Away, 20x10 Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

I watch the boats drift up and down the Sakonnet River, and I have my very own (in my imagination).  Some days I just take that sailboat and gooooooooo......

The best part of the day IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) is when the sun has just slipped below the horizon, and the sky is creamy rose and gold, and the water is lavender and aqua.  It's sensory overload, but as much a meditation as an experience.  This one just slipped off the brush last week, and has been sold to a lovely Facebook friend.  I'm thrilled to know the people I do on Facebook.  Like you, they're kind, generous and so supportive.  Thanks, all!

Blue Grace, 10x10 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

This is 10x10 inches, and I was just so inspired by my Irises the other day that I dragged my easel into the garden and painted them as they were just unfolding.

My favorite time in the garden!  I ate my first strawberry from the strawberry plants today!  Like sugar on the tongue!  

I liked the unusual background, the blue just popped out against it.  

Honey Honey Honey Bear, 6x12 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$175 & $10 S&H

Email me HERE for a Paypal Invoice

It's no secret that I love Maine, and it's not only for the ocean.  I've got ocean.  It's for the fresh, straightforward, simple, way it has about it.  On the way to Pemaquid Lighthouse there's a little house that stacks jars of honey (and a 'honey' bear) on their porch railing.  I look for it every year, and last year I bought some of their delicious honey.

I gave myself one hour to paint this.  One of my favorite memories of my friend/teacher Ros Farbush was her response to people asking "How long did it take you to paint this?"  She would say "65 years plus three hours."  (or whatever it took)  Because every painting is a building block - a learning session.  

I was waiting for dough to rise for pizza tonight and as soon as I popped the dough bowl in the warmed oven I ran for my paints.  My photo reference was perfect, although sometimes it's better if it's not.  I truly let myself go on autopilot and just remembered the sights, the smells, the feel of the air against my skin, the happy days and nights with fun and talented artist friends... and let it rip.

Be Still, My Heart, 6x6 in Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

In my Challenge Group, the Girls Just Wanna Paint, this month's topic was "Delicious".  I was in a tither here, because this mont I had painted a stack of donuts I loved, a Manhattan and a pair of Martini's - all Delicious to me!  So here we are... the day of the submission... and I sneak up to my easel (supposed to be doing other things, OK?) and THIS happens.

It truly won my heart.  I've painted a LOT of jelly donuts, but this one...  I don't know.  There is something loose and beckoning about it.  The powdered sugar.... the skiddy, drippy jelly with it's deep darks and sparkles.... Yup.  THIS is the most delicious thing I've painted this month!

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit - Happy June!

*I slipped a little doing the cropping - there is a sliver of background on the left side - I'll fix it tomorrow.  Tonight (last night of May) I'm visiting with friends and I don't have to COOK!

Love On The Rocks, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

When I was small, my Dad loved a Manhattan on the rocks.  If I were VERY good, I would get a cherry.  (Or two.  Dad often gave me both of his, but my Mom needed one of hers!)  So... yeah, I was always very good.  When my sister came along she discovered that you did NOT have to actually be good - you still got the cherry even if you escaped from our booth or hid under someone else's table and made my parent's frantic.  Or if you mimicked the quirks of the other diners, their ticks and accents.  My parents actually ROARED at that.   Hunh.  My 12 year old self kind of though "All that time... and I couldn't gotten the cherries NO MATTER WHAT!"

:)

It all worked out - Dad switched to a Manhattan straight up, with a twist (and rocks on the side).  I'm going to have to paint that soon, too.  Miss you Dad....

To Us, 8x8 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

We have so much in common, but you like olives and I like lemon twists....  here's a toast to the best of times!

Spring is finally here in full swing, and everywhere we look there are celebrations - festivals, weddings, graduations, etc.  So... a toast to all the good things, and good people in our lives!

North River donation

Hard to see with the metallic paint, but this is my 20x20 inch painting donation for North River Festival. A bit on the right got cropped off. It has so many layers of paint... And small symbols in paint and ink.. I'm a little obsessed now with exploring this process!

Angel Heart, 7x5 inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

This was a gift for a dear friend.  Sometimes I just channel people when I'm doing the little angels, and they just seem to evolve without my input.  Which is silly, I know - of COURSE I'm making the calls - but it's so effortless that it seems to just happen.

I'm doing some commissions, and will show you when I'm done, but also... this is so strange ... I volunteered to do a mixed media piece on a big board for a fund raiser - and I'm having to learn a lot to do it.  All fun, and actually it's all I can think of.  The one I'm doing (and will hopefully post on Friday) is golds with red and turquoise accents.  There has to be a word on the board, so I'm still tossing that around.  But I've been studying so much and learning so much about acrylics that I'm obsessed!  I may do a whole line of small ones for my Open Studios this summer.  They are hugely time consuming, and control - well, that's out the window.  Experiment and be open and creative ... a whole new world for me!

Value Call

I've been working on a commission that has me painting a farm, and I'm about halfway done. A great thing to do at this point is to make it a black & white ... To see if the values are correct. This is a beautiful old farm, and I want to do it justice. SO much to do these days, I have to steady my mind before I paint or I go in to full panic mode!

Bubbles & Gold, 4x4 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$65 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

There's something about bubbles.  I like the bubbles on foam at the lapping water at the beach... the bubbles when you wash dishes, or play with toddlers in their bath.. I love blowing bubbles and painting them.  I have been experimenting with layers of paint, and gel medium in acrylics.  After the bubbles and layers of gel (which leave it with a sort of encaustic - waxy - look) I painted the rest of the painting with a few layers of gold paint.  It's not as orange as in this photo, but at night... tough to get the right look.

Spring has sprung and you won't hear me complain!  After this Winter we deserve some tulips and daffodils!  I'm back teaching at the Art Club after a brief  time off, and have a few nice commissions lined up.  I'll share them as they are presented to their new owners.

I've been feeling kind of bad because 2 real highlights of my year are to get paintings into the juried shows at North River Arts Society and the South Shore Festival.  This year, juggling jobs, teaching and painting (and having a life, which I have kind of given up on!) I missed the opportunities.  I didn't really have anything of size to submit.  With all the learning and playing I've been doing with my acrylics I took my eye off the ball.  Well, as a good friend always says "Education is expensive."  And this Spring, learning more about acrylics and design left me out of my usual pursuits.

There's always next year!

Field Of My Dreams, 5x7 Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

A friend of mine posted this lovely image as a photograph on FaceBook.  When I saw it I knew I had to paint it!  Even though I always think I don't want to walk Paco at night, as soon as I get out there, (if it's not below 20 degrees & windy) I feel like I'm floating.  Paco likes to walk up a steep hill near my house and I feel like I am IN the stars, so close to the moon.  It helps that at the top of the hill the street light is iffy - and it is very very dark, and velvety navy sky seems all around us.  

I thought about going back into this and refining the grasses, and maybe I will.

So was I thrilled to get to pick the topic for Girls Just Wanna Paint this month?  You bet - I already knew the painting I wanted to do!  So I picked "Nocturne" as a topic, and HERE is a link to our responses.

Tuxedo Bunny, 5x7 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

Isn't he adorable?  It's a companion piece to Honey Bunny, for that special little girl.  I have to say I love, love, love painting eyes, and glass.  :) 

I'm also thinking of changing the background on Honey Bunny to this color - too 'matchy-matchy'?  What do you think?

So much is going on - lots of deadlines.  I'm happy with them, though.  I'm enjoying my commissions, too, and only have a couple more.  Spring is the beginning of Plein Air painting, too.  And I'm thinking of putting together a Painting Safari Class - where we meet at a different location every week, with a demo, instruction and a critique if desired.  Anyone interested?  Let me know.

Chillin', 6x12 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley Macdonald

I've been struggling for a few days.  Many, many, wipe-offs.  Then I thought I'd start this painting from an image I really liked, and it literally 'fell off the brush'.  I really, really like it.  I'm conflicted as to what to do with it, as I painted it for a gallery… but I would also like to paint it larger.  Much larger.  And just putting it on Facebook has brought inquiries (and 107 'likes') literally within minutes of posting it.

So… my very wise husband says when you don't know what to do, doing nothing will reveal what you SHOULD do.  So, tonight I"m posting this just to show you I haven't been slacking off… and I'll decide what to do with it soon!

Honey Bunny, 5x7 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

Who doesn't love bunnies?  I hope a special little lady loves this one!  I enjoyed painting it so much I think I'll do more - The markings on this bunny are hysterical!  When you have an artist in the family, it's pretty predictable what the gift will be, no matter the occasion! 

Someone said the ears reminded them of Sister Bertril - remember her?  Showing my age…..

Ready For The Close Up, 7x5 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

This is where the jelly girls are ready for their close up! I love painting the drippy jelly - with all the layers of juiciness.  All the levels of highlights.  Did I tell you that in my last set up, my cat and dog got together and knocked over and ate my donuts?  Not only people like donuts!  Another thing I like about painting donuts, particularly jelly donuts, is that they are all different.  A puff of dough may come out very rounded, or get squashed, and the jelly sometimes spurts, and sometimes drools out.

Annnnd…. I will warn you… you might not like my unfortunate selfie.  It was a fabulous afternoon with friends at the Boston Museum of Fine Art.  We could have thought more about where we were standing….

You Are The Only One, 6x6 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

Nothing says 'Spring' like flowers!  I find it very hopeful to see yellow and blue bursts in the gardens and sides of the road.  In the language of flowers, Daffodils (even the mini's) means a few things - one of them being "You're The Only One".  Hyacinths - and these are Grape Hyacinths (blue) means "Constancy".  So I think they go well together, as a message as well as visually!  I love love loved painting the green glass mini bottle, too.  Picked it up at Brimfield, and it's a treasure.

I've been working at my 'other' job a lot lately, and that's a good thing because I like to eat, and turn lights on in my house!!!  :D BUT I did take a day out for fun, and met a couple of friends, and went to the Museum of Fine Art in Boston.  We took a rather unfortunate 'selfie', which I can post tomorrow if you want to see it.  Let me know.

Finalists, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

Oh, YUM!  Soft, pillowy, sugary sweetness, one on top of the others.  It's like they're the 3 finalists for the Miss Donut Beauty Contest.  It's a real art, you know, coaxing just a dribble of that jelly out.  My family thinks I'm dotty because I first suspend them opening-down to get the jelly to pool in front… then I gently squeeze till just one ruby droplet peeks out - ahhhhhh…. perfect.  Lights… Paints… ACTION!

Raphael, 8x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

This is archangel #2 for a collector who wants 4 archangels  - one for every corner in a very special spa room.  Now she has Ariel, and this one, Raphael.  Two more to come.

I went to Joreen Benbenek's opening at the Pratt Library in Cohasset tonight - fabulous work.  A lot of her paintings were from our Maine trips, although she had wonderful huge paintings of Marshfield landscapes - and a gorgeous Hummarock Beach painting.  It's really a great show, she's very talented and prolific!

It's going to be a jelly donut weekend for me… heh heh heh… so guess what I'll be posting next week! I have a friend running in the Boston Marathon Monday, so I'll hopefully get to see her at the finish line - no painting Monday! 

Anyway - 'hi' to Kathy, who I met in person tonight…. someone who 'gets' the angels… and the donuts!  Great to meet you in person, thanks for the comments on my blog!

Patchwork Fields, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100  & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

Things are starting to green up…. we are barely out of winter, but lots of budding going on - HOORAY!  There are farms around here, and I love the patchwork look of the fields as they get ready to dress for 'the season'.  Soon there'll be corn, potatoes, tomatoes, squash, hay… all kinds of things.  And I don't know about you, but I. Am. Ready.

I did my first plein air piece today at the beach.  It was a total failure, but it didn't matter because I WAS OUTDOORS!  I've spoken to folks who say this winter didn't seem so bad to THEM.  Oy.  They are welcome to my world, where I spent half the winter shoveling and re-shoveling paths for the dog.  Or whole evenings trying to convince him that there is NO grass available, as he gets more anxious as our evening walks progress.  Days where it was so cold IN THE HOUSE that I couldn't paint.  Just crawled under blankets with the dog and cats.  Yes.  Now we will have heat and ticks and mosquitos…. but I'm feeling grateful for this gentle warm up.

Angel Of Healing Love, 5x7 inch Mixed Media Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

I know there are some hearts out there that are hurting, and when I was painting this angel I thought two things: 

1) She looks like she's strewing love, a healing love, as she swings by, and 

2) I can make this even better for someone by absorbing the shipping cost.  So… my contribution to a healing heart.

In the photograph the weave of the canvas looks so prominent.  In person, it is less so.

I love her little purple and blue flowers in her hair, too. :D  Have a lovely weekend!

Tulips Open To The Sun, 6x6 inch acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

Hey beautiful…. yes, you!  You are making the Spring flowers bloom!  These are Passionate Pinks! I am always torn by my tulips (actually got the bulbs on a painting trip to Holland a few years ago)… whether to cut them and have them in the house/studio, or let them open up in the sunshine.  I usually dither so long they stay in the garden.  I completely understand Tulip Mania.

"Look here in the garden bed

Something beautiful is growing…

Bright, shaped like a cup - all red

Tulips open to the sun…."

When I was a little girl we sang this song in school, and I had no idea what a tulip was.  We lived in a multi-family house and there were no flowers in the yard.  My husband made sure I fell in love with all kinds of flowers, and now I can't see my life without them!  I think gardening is mind-expanding.  

These are fun, and they are the Girls Just Wanna Paint submission for the topic this month of "Open".  Check out the other paintings HERE.

How Fun Is This?

Do Not Adjust Your Set!

A friend of mine who is very talented took my recent image of a triple stack of jellies bound for a friend (BVL) and made this image - I just got such a CHARGE out of it.  There was actually more, but I couldn't make a screen shot out of the whole thing - it looks like such a fun pattern - are they really jelly donuts?

I'm very inspired, and thankful for your emails and inquiries… I see some more donut stacks in my future this week… Let's see if I can be creative with them!!!!

Dusted! 6x6 Inch Oil Painting of Jelly Donuts by Kelley MacDonald

Well, here we are, dusted with powdered sugar!  That is ALMOST my favorite part.  The jelly, always, is my favorite.  Same with doing dogs or faces - the eyes.  Because there are so many levels of light and color! So I'll let you know if the collector chose this one or THIS one:

*update* he chose the stack of 3 jellies*

Now, like a lot of artists… I can procrastinate with the best of them!  When I have a deadline I will do almost ANYTHING but work on the piece.  Why?  Why do we do this?  I think because, although it sounded like a good idea at the time, we are wrapped in fear.  FEAR that we will somehow screw it up.  Well, you know, don't you, that the only way to get rid of that fear is to FACE it.  And let Fear know NOT to MESS with YOU.

So… what did I do this morning?  A bad 6x8 selfie:

I was fighting bad brushes and dwindling supplies of paint.  Bad combo. I look really fed up, don't I?

Well, I put down that bad girl and went to the easel (I do the 'selfies' in the bathroom mirror) and finished the sugar on the donut, and finished an Archangel commission, and started another.  *BAM*

WIP, 6x6 inches, oil (or, Life And Death In DonutLand) by Kelley MacDonald

This painting just may be spoken for (a good blog friend has dibs), but I thought maybe you'd like to see a bit of the process of a donut painting, and to hear a bit of a saga that JUST MIGHT make you cry.  

OK, so this wonderful fellow artist/blog friend requested a 'triple decker' donut painting that was already spoken for.  Now, I believe donuts each have a personality, and individuality, so even though, after painting HUNDREDS of them, I could definitely 'phone it in', and just paint from my imagination, I don't.  I go get new donuts every time.  And no, I don't eat them afterwards.  I usually buy 4 and one doesn't 'make the cut' in the beauty pagent of Jellies. (THAT gets eaten, and I share with Paco)

So for this painting my husband offered to pick them up.  I agreed, since I was a little wobbly from the flu.  He's a darling man, but he came home with SQUARE donuts. ????  How could this be?  Well, some Dunkin Donuts shops are careless and squash those tender fresh lumps of dough, that's how.  So…. no painting them.  I actually threw them OUT.

A day or two later I got out early and picked 4 perfectly plump jellies.  Only…. I wasn't nearly really done with the flu, and the simple SIGHT of them made me run for the bucket, and nausea overtook.  

Fast forward to Feeling Better.  Yes, I've discovered, you must yield to the flu.  So I did.  And I got new donuts (let's just say my purse was empty after this particular trip to the donut shop, and I did not know when it would be replenished.  Let's just leave it at that.)  Well, of course I had my dog Paco 

with me, and as we arrived home the dog next door went wild (a lovely Rottweiler) started flinging himself against the windows of his house, howling and scrabbling to get to us so he could eat Paco.  Which caused Paco to jump INTO the box of donuts, dumping them all over the driveway, with me trying to catch him before he jumped into each and every one.

Yes.  I curled up in a corner of the bathroom and howled my despair at EVER getting these donuts painted.  For about 5 minutes.  Then I went into the driveway and found 3 that had not been squeezed jelly-less.  And I started PAINTING the DARN donuts.  And you know what?  I LOVED how they came out.  All that's left is a sweet dusting of sugar and the tablecloth that they sit on.

INSPIRATIONAL?  I think so.  I will not be daunted!  I'll show you the finished piece in a day or two! 

Be happy!

First Tulips, 2014, 8x8 inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$150 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

Last week was my birthday, and one of my children gave me these beautiful purple tulips.  I've spent a lot of days recently trying to catch up on commissions, and putting bids out there for work.  But I just had to paint these heralds of Spring!  I wanted to keep it fresh and uncomplicated.  I love the dance that tulips do!

I'm working on some larger pieces, and maybe I'll give you a peek, although right now it's a struggle!  Be well!  Enjoy the warmer days!

So Long Gone

I apologize for being absent but I've been laid low with the flu. But while I've been 'down', a rather significant number of folks looked back and back through my blog, asking for paintings that caught their eye. These boots went a-walking to a new home, as well as a couple more. There were some I KNOW are still available, but couldn't put my hands on. This has prompted me to think about an e-commerce site. Which, frankly makes me want to run far and fast! 

I'm giving a talk Wednesday on artists blogging at the Providence Art Club and I will be sure to mention how a blog 'works' even when you can't! I love helping other artists get their Social Media 'game on'!

Hope you are all staying healthy! Spring is just around the corner.

Martooni Time, 10x10 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

I made one more swipe at this one today after I photographed it, but couldn't get a photo without even this much glare!  So hopefully I'll get a better image tomorrow by noon, and replace this one.  This is another 'Recovery' Painting.  A painting that did not 'make the cut' getting another chance at life with a new painting over it.  I leave little strips of the old painting, which looks like colored stripes, peeking out… to remind the new painting that it has roots.  Hoping that the new painting is one that sticks, and gives it a new lease on life.  It's exciting and fun, and I can't even remember what the old painting was by the time I finish the new. 

I'm on a martini kick these days.  Lemon garnish coming later this week.

Blue Moon…. 8x8 inch Mixed Media painting by Kelley MacDonald

When my children were young, I sang to them every night.  They each got a story (or 2, or 3) and then a song or two.  My youngest, my daughter, got to a point where she only wanted me to sing "Blue Moon", which would have been fine, except I couldn't really remember the verses.  I knew about 4 lines, which she had me sing with more and more emotion and vigor… until I think my neighbors must have thought I was a little soft.

This month my Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge was to do a mixed media piece.  Here's the story:  At some point this was a reeeaaallly bad painting I had done.  I painted over most of it, leaving bands of color in strips here and there.  I called paintings like this "Recovery Paintings", and in my mind I was thinking of the people I knew who, through illness or situations, were re-making their lives.  What I saw was that their recoveries made them stronger.  I thought… maybe my 'recoveries' will have a new lease on life!  So I took a 'recovery' painting, and used ink to place the moon.  Then painted over most of the recovery painting.  Then added text and some images of birds (returning to us now that the winter is waning).

So, though layers and layers of paint, ink glue, paper, and even on the 'snow' some iridescent glitter, I hope there is strength to be found here!