My Prizewinning Buddies

Nancy Colella, 1st Place Oils, North River Art Society Juried Show in Marshfield, MA - Yay, Nancy!

Paula Villanova - leaves her job to paint and immediately gets in two very tough shows - the North River Art Society and the South Shore Art Festival Juried Show - and won a prize in the NRAS!  (truly, I forget which prize - but it was for Hopper's House, below - I accidently posted this image of Paula's painting of San Miguel, and can't delete it!).   Congratulations, Paula!

And above is Phyllis Dobbyn Adams' piece that won a Composition Award at the North River Art Society Juried Show - as well as a prize in a New Hampshire show and one at the Portsmouth Art Guild.  Phyllis won an award as well for the painting below in the Juried Figure Show at Portsmouth Art Guild.  AND she won a 'first place' award for a piece (God help me I've lost track of which one) in the Cape Cod Art Association Open Juried Show.  Way to GO Phyllis - what a Spring you've had!

AND Denise Zompa won an  First Place award for (not this) a landscape at the Creativity Show at the Cape Cod Art Association Gallery Artists Juried Show.  I'm sure I'll be corrected as to the title of the Show, but that's OK, I'll correct it.  Go Denise!

And below is Sally's Dean's 1st Place, Mixed Media piece (which I love) "Miss August" - congratulations, Sal!

SO!!!! Congratulations to all my 'peeps' who are out there submitting and winning!  I'm thrilled for all of you, and proud of your achievements!!!  Happy Painting, all!

** Links to these artists are all to the right under my links!  Visit their sites, they're all up to wonderful things!~

Tiny Clamscape, Oil, 5x7

The series I'm doing is called "Clamscapes", and in it I'm exploring the colors and textures of Little Neck clams.  Why they are called this, when the 4 I've kept as 'pets' for this series have grown their necks to (and I am not kidding here) 4 inches long.  Now their shells are less than that.  WHERE did these necks come from?  Yesterday 2 of them had little, respectable 1/2 inch necks, but this morning all 4 had 2 inch or longer necks.  Tonight, they are grotesquely extended to 4 inches each.  They are going back into the Bay tomorrow.  EEEeeeeuuuwww.  But it is awfully interesting to extract and exaggerate the colors, as you can see better on my Studio Blog.

Radish Rainbow, 5x7 Oil

I found these multi colored radishes at the Fruit Center in Hingham, MA yesterday (one of the reasons I love the South Shore of Boston!).  Jim Kubiatowicz, a wonderful artist and the President of the Art League of Rhode Island, checks in on my blog periodically (he says every day, but... sure :) to see what's for dinner!  Well, tonight is going to be Radish Salad with these gorgeous little veggies.  They look like a bouquet of flowers in my favorite colors.  I really want to do a BIG one of these, too, like my big clams on my Studio Blog.

AND if you're in the neighborhood of Marshfield, MA this weekend and want to see some spectacular art, stop in at the North River Art Society Festival.  If you come on Sunday afternoon I'll be painting there, so stop and say 'hi'!

 

Green Eggs, No Ham, Acrylic, 5x7

Do not adjust the color on your set!  These eggs are (naturally) the palest green.  Gorgeous.  I will paint them again.  I also have a few new pieces on my Studio Blog and would love feedback.

AND I'm demo-ing at the North River Art Festival in Marshfield MA on Sunday all afternoon.  If you're in the area, it'd be great to see a friendly face!

Steamers-To-Be, Oil, 6x8

You know, I don't even LIKE clams.  To eat, that is.  I have no opinion of clams personally.  But at our Labor Day Clamboil last year I took a few out and positioned them on the counter and took their pictures, and in looking at the images this week I was intrigued by the subtle colors and the glistening of the neck things.   And then the shapes grew on me and I started drawing clams... after I did this I took out a bigger canvas, 14 x 18 - and sketched on it, but it was not big enough.  So I grabbed a 16 x 20, but once again... not big enough.  I think I finally settled on a 20 x 24 in canvas - let's see how that goes!

Beach Towel Twister, Oil, 6x8

Little green and red flip flops, a colorful beach towel - really, throw in a bologna sandwich and it's a perfect day!  I finally have my camera back, and am crossing my fingers that it's finally 'sand free'!  I haven't worked on that 'blue bucket & flip flops' painting - I may just paint over it.  So glad to be back blogging.  Thanks for being patient with me!

The Wanted Poster (For All NRAS Friends)

To all my friends who will be attending the North River Art Association's Opening Reception for the Art Festival this Friday night:  If you see the two smiling faces pictured here, please introduce yourself and say 'hi'!  This is Phyllis Adams and her husband Rich, who will be at a NRAS function for the very first time.  I encouraged Phyllis to submit something for the Juried Show, and not only did she get in, she got a prize for composition!  (errr.... I did not get anything in.... in the spirit of my almost completely rejected Spring...).  SO... she's going to the Opening, but doesn't know a SOUL.  So I told her how friendly everyone there is, and there will be tons of nice people to talk to.  Don't be shy!  I hope you all have an awesome time, and congratulations to marvelous artist Nancy Colella, as well, for a BIG prize there!!!!  Check out their websites and blogs, and enjoy yourselves!  I will be attending another Opening for another friend that evening, not sitting home and moping!

Bristol Gallery Night

I'm so sorry I've gone 'dark' on you - the little episode with the sand in my camera has left me Post-less!  My son Conor is traveling in Italy this week and I lent him my big camera, so I have to wait till my little one is fixed (or declared dead) to post again.  SOON.  Anyway Friday night was Gallery Walk in Bristol and my friend Denise Zompa kindly opened her walls to me and Phyllis Adams to join in the fun.  Lots of people, a fun and interesting evening!

"Where's Your Other Flip Flop?" Oil 6x6

I'm trying to submit paintings to the many Juried Shows that crop up this time of year, and it's keeping me very busy.  But with beach season in mind, and an upcoming show (July, Marshfield... details to follow) with a theme of 'Beachscapes', I set up this little still life to paint yesterday.  In my mind I was reliving our trips to the sand and sea, with the problem upon arriving home, of the missing flip flop.  I really don't like the all-blue (and being literal, there was only ONE pail in the 3 stores I went to and it was the same color as the little flip flops), but hey, it is what is is.... don't you just hate that phrase?  Anyway, wish me luck with my submissions to the juried shows and the art association I'm trying for....

Orange You Good For Me, 6x6 Acrylic

This was the most luscious orange!  When I sliced it for breakfast I knew I had to paint it.  Things are hopping these days, getting ready for all the early Summer shows.  It doesn't help that it coincides with a Nor'easter-like urge to start new paintings - I should be simply wrapping up, framing, photographing and submitting this time of year.  Instead I'm stocking up on canvases, sketching out and making notes for new paintings, techniques I want to try... etc.  I'm hopeless.  

Keens on the Sand, 12x12 Acrylic

This is a Daily Painting even though it's larger because it's so simple and I did it in 1 1/2 hours last night.  I've been very busy painting and have posted a few new ones on my studio blog.  I think my friends have found me extremely anti social lately but I really have been working away on projects that keep me up at night thinking.  Now I'm getting ready for my show with Bonnie Hobbs at the Ventris Library in Marshfield (June 28 - more on this later) so I'll be doing a LOT of beach scenes, since 'Beachscapes' is our theme.

Featured Artist - Mary Sheehan Winn

I thought I'd feature friend and fellow painter Mary Sheehan Winn today.  She's the smiley one on the left - on the Right is Sally Dean - also a fellow blogger and wonderful artist who will be featured at a later date!  I'm sure all of you have seen Mary's signature on various comments throughout Blogland.  She is the one responsible for my beginning to blog, and I'm very grateful to her.  Her colorful, spirited paintings are a joy to see, and they look even better in person (I  think everyone's do).  She splits her time between Marshfield, MA in the warmer months and Naples, FL in the winter, with a bit of time in Mexico and Nova Scotia thrown into the mix.  Nobody I know has more enthusiasm for art or anything else, and she is fearless - going for her goals with determination and gusto!  Check out her blog, then her website.  I think you'll be glad you did.

Garlic Cloves, Acrylic 6x6

Sometimes I can only wonder at the things that occur at the easel.  If you compare this with my "Orphans' Day Out" on my studio blog you'll never believe they came out of the same studio.  I had every intention of proceeding in a loose, but controlled manner, when I started.  Then I just started slathering on the paint, layer after layer.  I started with a wet black canvas, and the black kept bleeding through and getting picked up by the brush, so I started gathering lots more paint and putting it on gingerly, then using the palette knife on the background.  Inspired by Carol Marine's garlic cloves of about a year ago, I guess I made a departure.  Oh well, this is what happened!

Also, as recommended by Katie May on the comments of yesterday's post, DO check out Ed Carson, a Massachusetts painter - very nice work!

Butler's Creme's, Oil 6x6

The end (for now) of donuts.  I'm thinking of doing larger pieces, but not (NOT) these Cream Donuts from Butler's.  #1 reason is that they're very difficult, being sliced almost all the way through like hamburger rolls then filled -I don't like the hard line on the soft pastry, and #2 reason is they are VERY difficult to resist.  Fabulous pastries.  Real sweetened cream and pastry that is just so fresh.  They fill them as you order them on weekdays. The long rectangular one on top, with the jelly, is called a Jolly Roger or something!   I think these were the least successful of the donut grouping because of the sculpted cream.  Either that or I should do 3 paintings of them - which would be deadly for my cholesterol levels ;).   I've posted a couple of new pieces on my studio blog - trying to get ready for the  Spring shows.