Come Sit With Me, 6x6 Inch Original Oil

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There's a spot in a little town called Bristol, RI, where you can sit and watch the sunset on a wrought iron and wooden bench.  In winter, at a certain time of day, the sky is yellowish, the water is ice blue and the snow is lavender.  The fishing boats wait in the harbor off to the right for the tides and fish.  It's beautiful in it's loneliness.   I just wanted to share that place with you.

Outdoor Seating, 6x6 inch Original Acrylic Painting

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Here we are, buried in snow (again), and the weather men are saying we may get snow showers tomorrow, another small storm 3 days from now, and a larger one in 5-6 days.  About now I just need a break from the shoveling!  So I'm re-posting a painting I did a while ago, of my husband's favorite Summer place to eat - the Bayside Restaurant in Westport, MA.  We've nicknamed it "The Palapas" because of the feathery umbrellas.  Join me for a cool drink under a hot sky!

Three Werthers, 6x6 Inch Original Oil

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Here we are again, with the butterscotch candies!  I just felt like I needed to remind myself about the reflective qualities of metallic gold.  Also, I love these candies!

Below is the demo for the 1st class of this 'term' in my studio.  We have a couple of students who have never painted before, so it's all new to them.  I like to do demos because sometimes it's the smallest thing, like how to scoop up paint on a flat brush, or how to lay down a layer of paint over another without smearing it through, that makes an impact.  I'm hopeful that what they take away from the class is the love of painting, and the desire to always learn more!

Cup Of Comfort, Oil, 6x6

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Woooo!  Can you say 'glare'?  This, I guess, is a particularly *sparkly* painting.  Also I waited a little beyond the prime time to photograph it.  Enough, no excuses!  I found this cup and saucer at a local antique store - I just love 'lusterware'!  It's so reflective, too.  This is Green Tea with Peach.  Verrry comforting, and healthy, too!  One interesting thing about this painting - I kept seeing very pink reflections on it and couldn't figure out why (on the handle, on the outside of the cup) till I was done, and  then I saw that I was facing a big canvas that I'd primed with magenta!

January Shadows, 6x6 Original Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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I don't know about you but I'm always entranced by the shadows of trees on snow.  Well, actually the shadows of anything on snow.  So after admiring other artists' work I decided to do a few studies of them myself.  I know it's not a unique subject, but seriously, what is?  Nudes? Cups & spoons?  Apples? Kids at the beach? Pets? Mountains?  Crashing waves? Flowers?  Nope.

The thing is, every artist has to explore (or should I say 'gets' to explore) all these subjects on their own terms.  So if you sit and worry that artist 'X' may get upset because you're 'taking' their subject... just get over yourself.  And his/herself, too.  If you think your art can only be valid if it is completely and utterly unique, well... good luck to you.   Well!  I'm thinking about these things because I'm reading "I'd Rather Be In The Studio" by Alison Stanfield.  I have been a hand-wringer, searching for 'my' style.  And actually, though you can copy other artists, if you paint enough, your own style will come through.  So I'm seeing now, my paintings do absolutely have my 'hand' on every one.  And that's a good feeling. :)

"Race!" Original Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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This painting is being reserved pending admission to a show - temporarily unavailable

Here's another from my little Laguna boy series!  I'm so excited about how they're turning out I'm thinking of doing a large series of them.  I love how they're all 'action'.  Thank goodness I'm taking a figure class at the Art Club.  Not that it will help so MUCH with a child's proportions.

But I really agree with Ken Auster's take on figures, too.  You KNOW what people are supposed to look like!  Have some common sense when you're giving the painting your final approval - if the limb is wider near the wrist than at the shoulder - it's wrong!  Same with the ankle, etc.  If the head is too big or small - you know it!  He said to think "What if this figure was coming towards you on the street - would you run in horror?"  I love that.  To that end, I do know that my other 'little boy' I posted last week had an extremely pointy elbow.  When I was painting the sand around him it covered up that bit of his arm. I may fix it, or wait to make it right on my larger piece!

Now For Something Completely Different

A few years ago, fellow artist Paula Villanova and I visited San Miguel, Mexico.  Actually we've been three times, but this particular time there was a celebration of the native indigenous tribes, and their various groups had costumes and danced in a huge parade that lasted  - well, it felt like hours.  I snapped a shot of this girl, and I have always loved it - she was spinning and dancing in a group, but totally self absorbed.  Behind her are the men of another group.  Thinking of 'motion' paintings for an upcoming juried show.  I am just doing a lot of little sketches here...

Cherry Blossoms, 8x8, Acrylic

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It is a snow day here in RI - a couple of storms have collided overhead and given us a nice Nor'easter.   After shoveling and cocoa, it was time to break out the paints!  I'm already tired of snow, so it helped that I got a commission to paint Cherry Blossoms.  I could really live without the lawn and fill my yard with flowers and flowering trees.  That would probably make me the crazy cat/pug lady with the weird yard. But they're so beautiful!

I had an image to work from - no, they're not blooming here in the snow!  And I just had to keep in my head the voices of all my teachers "Simplify, simplify, simplify..."  And words of wisdom from Peggi Kroll Roberts : "Be a designer!"  So without the background and the zillion of other branches, flowers and such, this is what I came up with!

Soft Landing 6x8 Inches

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This is a little chickadee landing in the snow - I've had a photo of this for a long time, and this time of year there's so much whiteness and gray... Here when I look out the sky and the water are all gray, but the little birds are so cheerful (to me, anyway).

I loved al the colors in the 'white' background.  I used a palette knife, and then got involved with the whirling of the snow and wind.  I don't usually use the knife, but I liked the calligraphy of the whorls.

Jump! 5x7 Inch Original Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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I'm using photos I took at Laguna Beach a few years ago to work on some paintings about kids at the beach.  I figure it'll take my mind off the cold here!  I'm also warming up for a figure class I'm taking at the Providence Art Club.  I've always loved figures but never did too much with them.  It'll be fun!

Also my classes are starting next Thursday at my studio in Warren, RI.  It's beginner+ level, and I still have a couple of spots left.  I'm keeping it small, because that way everyone gets attention.  Email me at kcareymac@hotmail.com for info!

Om, 6x8 Original Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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6x6 Inches

This little guy was a present from my daughter to me at Christmas time.  She has a matching one, so we're 'together' in this.  It's called an "Om", and you can see more, and the story about them (and their blog) here.  It's about 3 inches tall, and sweet as can be.  The story is about how we're all connected, and alike, I guess, in some way.  I feel that way.  I don't feel that because someone lives in a different culture they're 'less' or 'more' than me.  I think there's a link.  I'm not going to get religious on you, but most religions emphasize this link (Christ talked about us all being brothers, Eastern religions seem to have a 'oneness' aspect, too).  I think in general we are connected, so we should care for each other.  When I look at this I know that my daughter was thinking of me, and that makes me happy. And I feel a sisterhood with women around the world - OooooommmmMmmmmm!

Gulls and Goals

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Yes, I was at my studio early on New Years' Day!!!  And NOW for something a little different for me.  I live along the water, which I have mentioned, but with that comes seagulls.  I'm fascinated by them (even though they ate my lunch one day while I was painting!).  This summer at the Wyeth show in Maine I saw paintings of gulls in action, and was inspired to paint my own.  So for the new year I've decided to indulge myself.

Here is my first attempt.  Boy is it different from painting cups and donuts!  I'm not going to commit to a series, but they'll show up, hopefully more skillfully done, throughout the year.  

I'm making a list of goals, but the Irish in me won't let me share them with you, because it'll jinx them!

We had a nice New Year's dinner in Boston last night with my son Conor and my mother-in-law.  Paco waited for us in the car, and then was rewarded with a romp on Boston Commons with the trees all lit up and the skaters on the ice rink!

Snowmen Snowglobe, 6x6 Inch Original Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

Happy New Year to all of you!  Now I can think about putting away the decorations, such as they are, and get on with my goal setting for 2011.  I don't do 'resolutions', because I've never been able to keep one!  But goals, yes.  I can dream and find my way to places I've wanted to be, personally or professionally.  I'm kind of contrary like that.  I listen to Leslie and Dreama on their Blogtalk Radio and they are really inspiring me to both dream and make those dreams a reality, at least most of them.  

I am so grateful to you guys for walking along my journey with me.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  

And to quote some guy on TV:  "Here's your moment of Zen..."  This a.m., although awakened by the hunters with new guns (sad that I know the guns' rhythms), I came downstairs to see this outside my window - I did no color adjusting, it was a pink world..