Three Little Quinces, Oil, 6x6

Three Little Quinces, 6x8

$100 + $10 S&H via Paypal

These are 3 of the 4 quince that one of my quince bushes produced. I don't know if anyone does anything but make jelly with this fruit, but I don't have enough this year to put up. I was, once again, looking for a monumental feel to a small item, seen from eye level. I pile up about 6 boxes to get them to this height, and set the lamp right at the edge of the set up. Working on my sky series today, I took a slightly too-bright and sweet sunset, and dulled it down to the point where it is boring and gray. Tomorrow - CPR for that painting!

Jelly, Jelly, Jelly, Oil, 6x6

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I found this place called Supreme Donut ("Our name says it all" it says on the box.) in Seekonk, MA, and although they actually don't have very MANY donuts, their jellies are far superior to Dunkin or anyone else's I've found in terms of pillowy texture and drippy jelly (if you like that kind of stuff, which, ... I do when I'm painting them!). I was going for a 'monumental' feel in this little painting, and also a sort of empathy, which I was trying to achieve with loose brushstrokes. I know, empathy for what???? But that's what I was going for!

In Little Compton

Yesterday my friend Sally Dean, of the 365 Flowers Blog fame, came by to paint. We went to Little Compton, to a magical property owned by a generous woman who told me I could paint there - and every turn was a beautiful view. We were overwhelmed. I started with this little 6x6 inch oil, above. The view was east-ish, actually over their wall into the land next door.

Then, afterwards, I turned west, towards the Sakonnet River, and painted a corner of their house with hydrangeas in an 9x12 format. Thank you, Mary, we had a wonderful day!

Mushrooms II, Oil, 6x6

My Challenge Group this month, I think I mentioned, was about 'mushrooms'. So I have spent HOURS this week constructing elaborate set ups and piles of this veggie. Wipe off after wipe off. Finally, this one came together, and even though it's a bit 'dotty', I like the mushrooms. The soft skin of the 'shrooms was very reflective. Trying to keep it loose.

Also yesterday I hung the my show at the Tishman Speyers building. I will send out a 'shout out' about this, but for you bloggers, a sneak peek... (this was me, after TWO paintings fell right off the wall and completely wrecked the frames - note to self - the smooshy walls there need LONG nails, and also a Lucy-and-Ethel scene of Tim & I taking two dollies loaded with paintings and getting stuck in an elevator, getting out, getting back to the guard upstairs, getting back down, having to go though a maze which led to one street length OUTSIDE the building in order to reach the atrium where we hung the paintings. Other than that it was a snap. :)

Because I need 8 paintings for an upcoming submission, I really only had a few from this summer to hang :(

Wok'in, 6x6 Oil

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My Challenge group is doing a 'mushroom' theme this month. So I thought about a stir-fry... also I loooove snow peas, and was getting hungry in the produce aisle ;) So if you're in the Challenge group - close your eyes! Mushrooms might seem boring to paint, but they are actually, if you study them, lustrous and reflective. These positively lit up with the orange reflections. Slaving away getting ready for a show I'll tell all about this weekend!

Iced To Go, 6x8 Oil

Well, I guess I never get tired of painting snacks. There were a few people interested in the last one, so if you wanted one and didn't get it, here's your chance. And for my son Conor, who is always looking out for my health - I ordered it with HALF the regular sugar. ;)

Last of the Blues, 6x6 Oil

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A very small hydrangea flower and a cosmos in a jar - the garden is winding down. Too much glare in this photo - I didn't notice it till I posted it. Hope everyone's having a good weekend!

Sketchy Days

Inspired by other bloggers sketchbook pages, I'll include some of mine from my trip to Europe a couple of years ago. Just because I found Paco chewing the pages, and it made me flip through it again!

DD Iced, 6x6 Oil

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People seem to get a charge out of paintings of donuts, donut shop stuff like iced coffee. Since I'm mildly addicted to the iced confection, I bought TWO today. One to paint, one to sip!

**And I'd like to announce - that barring any delays in getting him outside.... PACO IS HOUSEBROKEN!!!!!** YAY! What a good dog!

Pepper Gymnasts, 6x6 Oil

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I'm not going to say too much about these peppers, except that if I were to paint them again, the cloth I set them on would have more orange in it.

And below, a gift to my friends, a shot of last night's light... enjoy!

For Claudel, 6x6 Oil

I couldn't paint yesterday. This painting was after a couple of wipe-offs. Sally Dean made these little tiny (2 inches, no lie) buckets with fresh flowers from her garden as gifts the other night. So my plan was to paint it, but it was difficult, because all I could think about was this wonderful young man (29 years old), a brother of a dear friend of mine, who died in an accident at work the night I got these flowers. For you, Claudel, with thanks for being the kind of person who brought sunshine into the lives of all you met.

Chinese Eggplant, 6x6 Oil

Our garden was like everybody else's this summer - a little disappointing - but these Chinese eggplants were abundant. I have to say I'm married to an incredible gardener. So I held these three out to paint. I was working on a triad of light green, dull yellow and purple. IRL the green is a little deeper.

And I am excited to announced (sorry if you've gotten the email or the Facebook notice!) that I got interviewed by an Laura Tetrault who has an Art Blog in England, and you can see the interview here. It was fun! Thanks for checking it out!

Chocolate Glazed From Twin Donuts, Oil, 6x6

Chocolate Glazed 6x6

$100 + $10 S&H via Paypal

My daughter Molly's boyfriend kindly brought down a bag of donuts from Twin Donuts in Allston (did I spell that right? Geez, I used to LIVE there!) for me to paint. By the time I got around to painting them, the only one that held it's 'character' was the chocolate glazed donut. I love the 'drippy' side (not that I'd ever EAT a chocolate glazed donut), and thought it would be a good challenge to paint.

And CONGRATULATIONS to Mary Small of RI for winning the "Stacked Colors" pictured below. I just love giving my paintings away, because people write to me and say what they love about the painting, so I get a lot of feedback that people don't leave in the 'comment' area. I was happy and surprised when I realized it was Mary, because I didn't recognize her email address. I met her and her lovely daughter at my Open Studio in August - and I liked her right away. We spent a lot of time chatting, and now I get to see her again when she picks up the painting! We'll do another raffle at the holidays... so don't get discouraged - there's better odds than with the Lottery!

Cream & Sugar, Oil 6x6

Cream & Sugar, 6x6

$100 + $10 S&H via Paypal

I hope you're all having a wonderful Labor Day weekend. Really, we couldn't have asked for better weather. We had the best ever clamboil and lobsters yesterday. While doing the errands for the Big Event, I stumbled upon this tiny creamer & sugar bowl, in this gorgeous color. I think they looked great on my (only) nice tablecloth, so... with a recovering (from a sprained ankle) puppy in the crate next to me, I sat in the garden and did this.

Thanks for all the interest in the Stacked Bowls giveaway - it's still 'open' till Tuesday night. And welcome to all the 'new' people who signed on as 'subscribers' (on the right hand side of the blog, under the 'Google Groups' sign - as soon as I learn more HTML I'll get rid of that title!).

Stacked Colors, 8x8 Oil

Taking a little break from the 6x6, and enjoying the 8x8 inch format.  These bowls were a Christmas Tree Shop find.  I wish they were brighter colors, but there you go.  I know I told you I just got my 100th subscriber, and when I went in to check two people has opted out, so I'm only at 98.  But who cares, right?  Let's give THIS baby away!  IF you subscribe to this blog (get it in your inbox as I post it) email me if you'd like to have this painting for just the $10 shipping and handling.  I'll close the raffle on Tuesday night, so you can still 'subscribe' and be eligible through then.  I'll put all names in a hat (Paco will help) and announce the winner on Thursday!  Good luck, and thank you ALL for your support, encouragement and enthusiasm!

Ta-Da! Hydrangeas III, Oil 8x8

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Well, back at the studio this morning everything is 'taken care of' (you know what I mean in terms of the little mouse). I think I like this hydrangea the best, or maybe I was just more relaxed doing it. I hope you all have a FANtastic weekend. Clamboil and lobsters at my place tomorrow! :)

Thank God I Don't Have A Real Job....

Because the SMALLEST thing throws me!  This is not a 'Daily Painting' - it's an abstract sunset done a couple of days ago, and it's 11x14, done in acrylics.  My actual Daily Painting is loaded in my camera at the studio, which I forgot when I bolted out the door today.  See.... yesterday there was this ADORABLE tiny mouse in the DRAIN of my sink - hiding there because he (or she) heard me when I came in, and it couldn't get out.  So I left it alone, and washed up in the bathroom sink before I left so I wouldn't disturb it.  Well, today I came in and....hmmm... still there, standing on my chunk of brush soap, EATING it.  It occurred to me - the mouse COULD not get out of the slop sink!  DUH!  How thirsty/hungry must it have been to have been drinking the soap water and eating soap???  So, I made a 'ladder' out of scratched cardboard, gave it a little bit of fresh water in a jar top, and bits of muffin and left it to figure it's way out.  Only it couldn't even make itself eat or drink, it was so sick and weak from the soap!  So as I painted today it slowly DIED - and although I did two daily paintings (the final hydrangea, I promise, and a really different painting after that) I was a little freaked & sad about the (now expired) mouse.  So I ran out (with Paco, of course) and left the camera there.  I'll grab it tomorrow a.m. and post.

AND I'm celebrating - I have my 100th subscriber!!!!  I'm going to have a giveaway next week to celebrate - I'll post a painting and anyone who wants it can email me, I'll put names in a hat and whoever wins gets it for $10 postage.  Yay!!!!  Thank you all, you are amazing!

Hydrangeas II, 6x6 Oil

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A little better? Thanks everyone, for your comments, and your personal emails with tips on how to tackle flowers like this! Soooo appreciated! Let's see if tomorrow's is even better!

Hydrangeas, 6x6 Oil

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Sometimes I think - "Why do I do this to myself?" Hydrangeas, one of my all time favorite flowers, can be so HARD to paint. There are zillions of painted hydrangeas that are bad examples floating around. I did not want to get into painting each petal (as Camille Przwodek says "dibby-dabby-do-ing"), and I knew I'd never be able to do an M Collier masterpiece, but I wanted to just indicate the gorgeous, lush blooms. I just went back to the studio this a.m. to retrieve some things and saw this, that I did yesterday, and noticed that the peach cloth was much darker than I have painted it. I could go in and fix it, but I may, hopefully, just do another one. Sometimes the second pass is much better. The third, as the saying goes, is the 'charm'.