Plein Air - Pink Evening, 9x12 Oil

This was a quick sketch done in oil of the sky and water across from my house.  I had to work really quickly, so it's very loose.  You guys have seen from my unenhanced photos that I'm not making this up - the sky at sunset here causes people to drive off the road!  Probably due to air pollution, but nevertheless breathtaking.  I like how the little house had lights on already in one room, too.  Because it's a 'Daily' painting, even though it's larger than my usual Daily Work, it's priced at

$100 & $10 S&H via Paypal

my email: kcareymac@hotmail.com

Enjoy your long weekend~

White Peonies, 6x8, Oil

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*note... I accidently priced my small paintings $25 less than 
my last event - $50 each at Art In The Barn, North River Festival! this weekend only!*

When I was a young and very foolish woman I actively disliked Peonies.  I had my husband dig up (I'm shuddering just thinking of this) vast beds of them around our first house because they had ants all over their flowers.  Years later when I learned how wonderful gardening is and flowers in general I repented - and then begged for Peonies all around the yard.  I know now the ants help eat the sticky stuff off the petals so they can open.  I have 4 beautiful varieties in the yard, now, these being the simplest, just white - with, occasionally, a streak of magenta along the edge of a petal. 

Sublime.

$100 & $10 S&H via PayPal

Woo-Hooo Duck! 6x6 Oil

In a lighthearted mood... this little duck was given to me for my birthday, but I keep him around everyday because he makes me smile.  Reminds me that friends make me laugh, and so, he's my little 'party animal'!

I promise something more serious for the next post!  In the meantime, I'm excited to go to the Gala Opening of the Art Festival in Marshfield tonight - it's never happened that I got two paintings in, so I wouldn't miss this for the world!  And Sunday I will be painting there from 1-5, which is like Old Home Week - sometimes I have to finish the painting afterwards.  Last time I spent a lot of time taking pictures of all the cute dogs!  Don't think I'll do it this time, I don't want to make Paco jealous!

And, in case you think I took them for granted, I realllllly appreciate your comments guys.  It tells us bloggers that we're not 'blogging into the wind', to paraphrase....

Plein Air - Beach! 6x8 Oil

My monthly Challenge Group meets next week, and the assignment this month was "Plein Air - Beach"!  So Paco and I headed over to the beach across the street before anyone else was there (hence the long shadow from the Lifeguard's chair.  The view is looking down the river, past Little Gould Island, with Aquidneck Island (think Newport) on the right bank and Tiverton and Little Compton on the left - of which you can only see a little peek of Tiverton in this painting.  The little piece you can see is called "Fogland" - and I just love to go there when it is foggy - it's like another world.

Now, here's the scene from my evening walk with Paco - facing the opposite way up the river...

Peace.

Bloggers don't forget Leslie Saeta's Radio show "Artists Helping Artists" today - noon-the topic is "Selling Art While You Sleep" - which is OK in my book!

Little Blue Birds, 6x6 Oil

A couple of weeks ago my Challenge Group met at my studio in Warren, RI.  A couple of girls came down early and we hit the antiques stores (we have REAL antiques stores, where you can really find good things!) together.  At the Wren and Thistle I found these two ceramic birds - irresistible!  So different from painting plein air, and tough to shift gears.

This painting is $100 & $10 S& H via Paypal

I want to share some valuable information with other bloggers, too.  Today I found Leslie Saeta's blog and saw that she has a radio program on Thursdays at noon about Artists Helping Artists.  She has the links on her blog so if that's a bad time for you it's there when you can listen at your leisure.  Thusday's topic is:  Sell Your Art While You Sleep!  Check it out!

Hazzards Of Plein Air

This 8x10 is one I left for my hostess at the beach house.  I loved the way the light hit the closed green shutters! I did it at early light, and it is a house across the street that you could see from the kitchen windows.  No fear, I did it outside.  However, I foolishly laid it down on the patio to dry out a little in the heat of the day, and left to paint somewhere else - and all kinds of sand, dirt, and debris blew onto the wet paint.  When the paint is dry she can brush this off, but sheesh!  

I love doing this, leaving a painting for the owner of a place I've gone to paint.  I have another paint-a-thon coming up this Fall on Cape Cod, where I get to stay the week and paint like crazy, and they get to choose a painting.  Wonderful for me, I hope also wonderful for them!  They get to collect original art and it's off-season, so they're not really losing any money!  So!  If you know of anyone who has a vacation home and would like to trade a painting for time spent there in off-season, let me know!

Sue's Shed, 8x10, Oil

This was the plein air piece that was my favorite from my Marshfield paint out!  At this point in the day a few other painting buddies had arrived and we staked out this shed in the backyard of where I was staying - positioning ourselves around it.  My favorite part is the buoys hanging on the shed.  Or maybe the shadow from the overhang of the roof. It just flowed... bing, bang, boom.

*A note about the DailyPainters.com contest... only one vote per IP address counts, so that's good!

This painting is not a Daily Painting per se, and I am reserving it for a summer art show entry.

At Rexhame Beach, 6x12, OIl

Plein Air Perfect Day!  It was warm and sunny, very little breeze.  This is of the marshes in the back of Rexhame Beach - those buildings run along the dunes and beach itself - which was so, so gorgeous I couldn't hope to capture it!  I was painting with a friend who is a master of buildings in a landscape, so was inspired to do this view.  Tomorrow I'll post what I think was my best piece this week!  I've been internet-challenged for a couple of days - no email, posting, or even Facebook!  I think it's like fasting... something you should do every once in a while to get you grounded again!  Apparently evil squirrels had chewed a hole in the cable running across the street from the utility pole into our house.  The man fixing it said he'd never seen anything like it.  Welcome to my life ;)

Chocolate Lentils, 6x6 Oil

My Mom's favorite candies were chocolate lentils.  Last week for our Challege meet-up, my friend Jeanne MacFarland, a fabulous painter, brought these lentils as a treat.  There are only a few left, and I put them in one of my Mom's candy dishes.  Haven't painted glass in a while, and was feeling a little rusty!  Plus there were etched flowers - what was I thinking????  Oh, it was fun and you know I love a challenge.  My favorite part is the sparkle of light on the 'base stand' - I have no idea what the right name is for that!

Thanks, too, to all of you wonderful friends who voted for me in the DailyPainters.com contest.  The voting continues till June 18 (can you believe it?).  I will keep you posted!

Good News...HOORAY!

This morning I was thrilled to get an email telling me that I was in the TOP 20 artists who are eligible to win a membership in the DailyPainters.com!  I have submitted to this group a couple of times before, and have made it a goal to someday be a part of this fabulous collection of artists.

So now I'm shamelessly asking for your help at this point in the process!  This round is Open Voting, which means anyone can vote.  To do this go to DailyPainters.com and scroll down to "Kelley Carey MacDonald", and click on the 5 Yellow Stars.  THANK YOU!

Some of my best blog friends are also nominated...

*This painting "At The Feeder" was the other painting I got in to the South Shore Art Center Festival - it's 11x14, and is oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas - for those of you who asked!

Reflections On Clouds, 8x8, Acrylic

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With this painting I was just experimenting with surfaces.  I'd made the canvas very 'textured' with layers of paint and medium, just playing with how one of the sunsets would look.  I think I still prefer a nice smooth surface for the sunsets, or for plein air as well.  This is kind of fun with contemporary subjects, or something kind of abstract, but I think it makes a person confused as to what they're supposed to be looking at.  Maybe.  I must say that the camera exaggerates the texture.  In person it's less defined.  I think this will be NFS, and I'll hold it out for my Open Studio Tour in July.  Hope you all had a nice weekend - it was perfect weather here in New England!

*Big Grin Today*

Guys, I have tried to paint today but I'm just too excited!  A few rare things have happened to me this week.  First of all, on Monday I learned that 2 of my 3 submissions to the North River Art Festival Juried Show got in. (It's been a while since I've been accepted into this show..), then, yesterday I found out that two of my 3 submissions to the South Shore Art Festival Juried Show got in... and one of them got First Prize in Oil (shown below - Mexican Memories.. 30x30 inches), then this MORNING I got my letter from the Providence Art Club telling me the Art Qualifications Committee has approved my application unanimously, and after posting my name for one month, I will be voted into membership!  So.  I know too well how it feels to hear 'No', so I am grateful and thrilled that this week I heard 'Yes' three times.  These are the submissions I've been working on like a lunatic.   I should buy a lottery ticket, I think!

Thunderhead, 6x12, Acrylic

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I'm finally rested after the huge push last week.  People (and there were quite a few of you) emailed me to remind me I'm not 25 anymore.  I couldn't accept it, but after the last submission I practically collapsed!  Have been 'tuned out' for a couple of days to charge my battery.  This is a small version of a big painting I've got planned.  The thunderhead was amazing, but I really loved what happened to the sky UNDER the cloud, too.  It's a little terrifying to be able to see the weather approaching all the time!  Trying to stay loose, and layering, this was fun to do!

$100 & $10 S&H via Paypal

Cape House, 20x24, Acrylic

A few years ago my friend Phyllis invited a bunch of artists to stay with her and paint at this little piece of heaven in Truro, MA, on the inner arm of Cape Cod.  It is a truly magical place, a few houses down from Hopper's house, that I recently posted a painting of.  This house has historical significance in terms of the art history of Provincetown, MA, an art colony that was the birthplace of the Cape Cod School of Art.  This house was funky to say the least and probably could sleep - I don't know - 20?  This is the entrance, the back of the house.  Pretty sure the story is this place was designed by 2 RISD grads.  Cape Cod Bay is in the background.  I loved the door!

Almost Done...

Finished up my submissions big and small, and continue to wrestle with Photoshop (I really should quit painting for a week or two and just TACKLE that).   This mailbox is almost done.  I don't want it to look too 'finished', so some edges need to be softened, and I think I need to make some of these birds female! 

Blast From The Past, 20x24, Acrylic

This is from a couple of summers ago I went with a few artist friends to the Cape to paint.  Cape Cod is a world unto itself.  This was painted of Edward Hopper's house, overlooking Cape Cod Bay.  The house sits high on a bluff, and is simple yet breathtaking.  The day holds many wonderful memories, and just looking at it brings them all back!



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40 Years And Counting, Oil, 24x24

I literally 'stalked' this older couple (they're at LEAST ten years older than me, so, yeah, 'older').. walking behind them taking shots inconspicuously with my camera.  This is a lovely section of the beach I used to go to where the beach curves out to a pennisula.  I loved how sassy she was and of course, his Rhode Island uniform of black high socks and shoes at the beach.... :)

Finally, Joan! 6x8 oil

Well, I struggled and struggled (I may have spent more time on this 6x8 than any other) but I finally threw in the towel, and said 'enough'.  My husband kept looking at it and saying 'the eyes are too big' and I would make them smaller, but then they would - on their own, I swear, drift to the left, to the right, closer together... uuugggh!  Funny how when you look at it online you can see things you wouldn't notice in person - the eyes, the forehead, still not right.  She's much, much prettier and more vivacious than this ... but just for comparison I'll repost the one I did in acryilic....

So maybe if you combine these two paintings you'll get a more accurate image of the 'real' Joan?