On The Rocks Of Maine, 11x14, Oil

At Pemaquid Point, I believe.  A devilishly hot day, with gorgeous blue water and slab-y rocks.  I know the rocks were gray but I could see all kinds of color in them.

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Island at New Harbor, Maine, 6x8, Oil

Blue, blue... my world was blue... sitting on the rocky coast painting the islands around New Harbor, ME last week.  Funny, when I was done painting this I packed up and turned around for a last look, and the water was FILLED with bright buoys!  I guess all the lobster traps got filled!

Maine Boathouse, New Harbor, 8x8, Oil

This painting is of one of the boathouses across from the dock of the farmhouse in Maine that I stayed at last week.  It was a wonderful, exhilarating week, with some fabulous artists in an enchanting location.  Where to start?  The little cove that the property fronted on?  The amazing rocks that met the ocean at every turn?  The gorgeous boats, the pines that line the shore?   *sigh*  I have enough sketches and photos to last a year or more!  This is the first, from the first, clear, beautiful morning I was there.

Summer Sweetness, 6x6, Oil

Five years ago we planted a few strawberry plants in the garden - now we have strawberries filling every bed they can reach!  Like sugar, melting on your tongue, there is nothing, nothing like fresh picked strawberries....

$100 plus $10 S&H via PayPal

**I will be taking a Zen week this week, in Maine with some painting friends...  plein air paintings from this trip will show up here next week - see you then!**

Wonderful Night

Some of you asked to see the painting that got 1st prize at South Shore Art Festival this weekend - no, it wasn't a jelly donut, it was a painting of my pottery from Mexico.  Weird thing, the juror's comments were that he/she (I forget) liked the lemon and lime on the left side of the painting.  Yikes - I ALMOST painted them 'out' before submitting this!  It was so great to see my friends, (I had a friend drive for 2 hours on what should have been a 45 minute ride, and one of my sons spent THREE hours sitting in Boston traffic to get here, only to miss the ceremony by 20 minutes.  My husband's plane was late leaving, so he missed it, too) and Mary Sheehan Winn kindly became my photographer!  Valerie Vitali, an amazing, inspiring painter, friend, and my very first oil painting instructor, gave me a gorgeous bouquet!  After a scrumptious dinner at my favorite Chinese restaurant, I came home to this, below while I walked Paco.

And JUST TO PROVE that SOMETIMES I act in a domestic fashion, this is what I made for dinner last night: homemade jerk chicken and grilled sweet glazed grilled bananas... mmmMMmm  wish you all could have come and eaten it on the front porch with the above view!

Couple more things:  First, if you are on the South Shore and want to see some of my recent Daily Paintings, they are at Oceanside17 Gallery, 17 Rockland Circle, Hull, MA.

AND I'm on a painting trip with 7 fabulous artists in MAINE, all next week.  Internet is difficult.  I'll try to post, but will return with, hopefully, lots of new work!

Puttin On Airs, 6x6, Oil

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So these jellies (from Dunkin Donuts) wanted to hang out in a cut glass dish... who am I to deny them?  That top donut was so full it DRIBBLED down the side of the bottom donut and globbed up at the bottom of the dish!  Unless this gets sold beforehand, it will make it's debut at Oceanside 17 Gallery in Hull on Saturday evening, which is hosting a dinner for the South Shore Art Festival (where I am getting my first REAL 1st place award).  Now I can say that "awards don't mean anything".  Before I got this, they were elusive.  I know plenty of gorgeous paintings get passed up for awards at these shows, but every once in a while, it's so nice to hear that a judge liked what you did!  And that's the last you're going to hear about this from me. :)

Japanese Irises, 12x9, Oil

Sat in my garden and painted these last night.  I didn't have any of my small panels or boards, so I used what I could find - a 9x12 canvas.  The surface was a bit absorbent for some reason, and the paint went on in a washy, watercolor-like fashion - you can really see it on the bottom two flowers.  My irises are very special to me, and I have 3 types, bearded black, bearded ice blue, and these.  The black ones have gone by, and the ice blue ones got stomped by the small pug who runs my life.. :)  Oh, Paco!!!!

"Yes.....?" 8x8, Oil

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These sheep are favorites of mine, from a local farm.  I love to make the paint portray their wooliness.  I'm so grateful that I can get to these farms and photograph the animals.  They have such great personalities! 

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Questions? Email me at kcareymac@hotmail.com

Moonrise Over The Sakonnet, 6x8, oil

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This is a view down the Sakonnet River where I live, in Rhode Island.  The land on the left is a peninsula called Nanaquaket.  I love the moonrise, and especially when I have the glow of a sunset going on as well.  Thanks for voting in my 'Subject Poll' on my blog, so I get an idea of what appeals to people.

$100 & $10 S&H via Paypal

Email me with questions at kcareymac@hotmail.com

Wild Morning Glories, 6x8, Oil

One of those days when I couldn't find inspiration, and did everything I could think of to put off painting!  As I was coming back to the studio after a walk, I stepped over these tiny white flowers embedded in the grass near the bike path.  I bent down, and to my surprise, found these lovely white morning glories!  So I picked one of the vines, and padded the end of the vine in wet paper towels, and proceeded to paint.  Here's the thing about Morning Glories and why you don't see them in vases - as soon as the vine is cut, they start to die.  As I sketched in my shapes, I noticed the cups of the flowers were sagging... and by the time I was applying paint to the board - a dead droop.  But this is what they looked like when I first cut them.  Sweet!

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Email me with questions or help with purchasing at kcareymac@hotmail.com

Swirling Vase and Roses, 5x7, oil

My son made this pottery vase for me in kind of a 'swirl' pattern.  It's a creamy white and has spaces for about 5 rose stems to tuck in.  Roses continue to be a challenge for me, and so... I will continue to try to paint them! These were backlit - another thing I need practice on.

I have a poll on the top right hand side of my blog about my subject matter.  You can choose more than one.  I'm just curious about what you think my best pieces are.  

And thank all of you who voted for me in that contest.  I did not make it to the Top 5, but that's OK.  I enjoyed the ride, and, I'll keep myself busy....

A Cup Of Inspiration, 5x7 Oil

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Sometimes a cup of tea is just what you need.  This spicy tea has inspirational quotes - this one says "God has two homes, one in the Heavens and one in the heart of the meek and gentle.."  The cup was 'saved' from a tag sale, but I love the mint green with the little red design, too.

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Questions? Email me a kcareymac@hotmail.com

Vanilla Frosted, 6x6, Oil

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*Special Announcement*

I am thrilled to announce that I have been invited to join a NEW group of online Daily Painters, called the Daily Painters Originals.  You'll see a lot of new links on my bloglist, they are really fine artists, and hopefully there will always be fun, fresh paint for you to look on our new site!

On National Donut Day I went in for my FREE jelly donut at Dunkin's... so excited to paint it on this red checked tablecloth, and.... they were OUT of jellies.  Hmmmm... Strawberry?  Out.   Well, so they had Vanilla Frosted, and I'd never painted one of those.  I do have to say that sitting under the lights makes the donuts SMELL fresh - a torture, I assure you!

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Email me with questions at kcareymac@hotmail.com

Pick One! 6x8, Oil

Trying to get back in the groove of donuts, and feeling rusty!  I was listening to Leslie Saeta and Dreama  Tolle Perry on the radio show "Artists Helping Artists" about doing workshops.  I learned a lot, but I think I should EITHER listen or paint.  Today there was no option, as we have our Girls Just Wanna Paint meetup, and I had to run a bunch of errands, as well as whip up something tasty to share before hitting the road (not to mention puppy face-time!).  So hopefully more donuts to come.  

Our Painting Challenge for May is up and loaded - check it out!

I Love Peonies, 6x8, Oil

So that's just it.  I LOVE them.  These are the most amazing flowers ever.  I found this great vase at a yard sale, and the lady tried to tell me it was Depression Glass.  For $5, a big turquoise vase with glass polka dots... uh huh...  But it is gorgeous, and I knew I wanted peonies in it the minute I laid my eyes on it.  I loved painting every part of this - the variation in the white petals, the wonderful pinks in the outer petals, and need I say.. all the reflections in the VASE?  IThis little painting is going to be a reference for a BIG painting.  I'll let you know when it's done...

YUM YUM! 6x6 Oil

***Hooray, I made it to the top 10 of the Daily Painters' Contest!  Please go HERE and vote for me for this last round.  I'm asking that you click on the 5 gold stars!  The voting ends on the 7th of June - Thanks for all your help!***

The biggest reason I dislike Whole Foods market is the bakery department.  Man, I don't even have to be hungry to crave the beautiful desserts there!  This little 3 tiered cappuccino mouse confection was irresistible!  And, like a fool, I only bought the one, and wouldn't let anyone touch it, as it was a PROP for painting today!  As it sat under the lamp in my studio it slowly lost it's form, and turned into a gooey glob.  I, fortunately, had just finished my painting, so I grabbed a spoon to taste ONE bite!  MmmmmmMMmmm!  When I need something decadent, I think I'll hop over to Whole Foods from now on...  So fun to eat the little striped chocolate 'straws', too!

$100 & $10 S&H via PayPal, my email is kcareymac@hotmail.com

Demo at North River Festival, 6x8

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This painting of the Photography Exhibit Barn at North River was the demo I worked on on Sunday afternoon.  It was a beautiful day - the actual painting is brighter on the grass and on the tent top.  There's some really fine work at this exhibit.  The whole view, almost, for me, was in shadow, so that in itself was a challenge.  But I just kept plugging away, liking the way the orange underpainting was peeking though.  Thanks for those who visited, and who picked up the older Daily Paintings in the Barn...