The House On The Rocks, 6x6 Inches, Oil

SOLD

As you go over the Newport Bridge towards the island of Jamestown, RI, if you look to the left you will see, perched on a tiny island of rocks, this beautiful house.  It is, in good weather, surrounded by sailboats, with the lights of the bridge (the Pell Bridge is the actual name, although I've never heard anyone call it anything but the Newport Bridge) serenading it in the evening.  I imagine living there, with no car to pop into to run errands, being isolated and surrounded on every side by views of the water, Jamestown, the West Bay, and Aquidneck Island (Newport +).  I took this shot on a hazy day - everything was kind of blue - it was hot AND overcast.  What I enjoyed were the close values, with the hulking house dark and dominating the scene.  The challenges of painting architecture are exciting to me.  I don't know why I don't do it more!

Bristol Sunset

$100 & $10 S&H

One day I was driving home from the studio, and just as I was getting on the Mt. Hope Bridge (which is a very pretty bridge - if you've never seen it) and I noticed a pattern of vivid light on the clouds over the sunset on my right.  Now.  I'm in the car, in a single line of cars, and there's no way I can stop and get a shot - so I opened the sunroof and wildly snapped my camera - with no idea if I was getting this wonderful light show.... and I was lucky.

So today, after a wonderful breakfast out with my husband, his mom and our daughter, feeling so happy and full of gratitude, I pulled up this photo and tried to do it justice.  It's in acrylic, and sometime I'd like to do one in oil as well, just to see the difference.  I did it while listening (at last) to the Artists Helping Artists radio show I missed on Thursday - "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Paints" - and boy, I wish I'd listened to it live - I have definite opinions on the good and bad ways to bring your paints, various easels, and getting your paintings home safely!!!  Check out this one, if you have plans to go plein air painting - which, if you're a painter, of course you should!!!!

What I'm Up To....

I've been AWOL for a few days.  Aside from the dizzying annual event that is Kelley's Birthday, I've been focusing on developing some paintings from my NYC trip - and I'll show you one small study, it's a 6x6, but I want to do it bigger - just wanting to see about composition, etc.

This is a little girl whose parents, with me, were resting their feet at the edge of Central Park, and she was ANTSY to go-go-go~  She was rocking, tapping, humming...  backlit, with traffic in the background, and pigeons at her feet.  I adored her little outfit and her cute hairdo.  Well, I like this (and I know what you're all going to say) but my husband thinks her face is too much the same value as the building in the back.  I said that her actual face had lighter parts that I didn't paint in because it's a Work In Progress- not the finished piece.  And besides, what's wrong with a lost edge here and there?  

Anyway, between this and the 2 'wipers' this week, it LOOKS like I'm on vacation - HAH!

Rocky Road, 8x8 Inches, Oil

SOLD

This piece is a commission - Rocky Road ice cream!  I had just been thinking I'd like to paint ice cream, and I was contacted to do this - so I was really excited.  I'll tell you the first attempt was excruciating.  The ice cream looked a lot like this - but I put a light green/gray background.  Then I painted a darker green over that - then I put it aside.  I waited a couple of days and started fresh, and it just flowed.  The pale lavender blue was just right. 

Frenchies, 6x6 Inches, Oil

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French Bulldogs, or 'Frenchies', are just so darned adorable.  Similar to pugs in that they have a smaller snout, they have bat-like stand-up ears, no tail, and sturdy little legs.  They are very sweet, as a breed.  They come in lots of colors - fawn, brindle, white with black or brindle markings, etc.

Anyway, these two were from the Dog Show I go to in December...

I want to thank everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes!  I am a birthday celebrater - getting older is an option I want!  I took in a matinee, had my favorite dinner,  and enjoyed the evening with my older son, Paco and the cats, (husband is traveling).  Pretty great!

I Love New York, 5x7 Inches, Oil

SOLD

Ok, today is my birthday.  My treat this year was my trip to NYC last weekend.  In Times Square I spotted - and couldn't believe it - a sign of a Dunkin Donuts coffee cup.  Below that were words flashing on a red screen. When I snapped the photo the word was 'GREAT'.  So the cup, and 'GREAT' were stacked up - I couldn't resist!  It was quite early, so the crowds were kind of thin, and there was this installation, below, of ... sheep... maybe that's what got me in the 'sheep' mood last week!  That's me and them, below....

I think they thought I was their leader, in my puffy white coat...

Butt, Butt, No Butt! 6x6 Inches, Oil

SOLD

It's a 'sheepy' week, I guess!  I did this demo this week in my class to gives examples of hard vs. soft edges (and we even have some 'lost' edges in the distant shrubbery.  These, once again, were those lovely sheep from the Poppasquash Farm in Bristol, RI.  It's a historic farm, and a couple of years ago Tim and I went to watch the sheep shearing, which should be coming up soon.  No fluffy sheep after that day!  ZZip, ZZZzip!  Crew cuts!

I wish each of you a wonderful weekend, full of who and what you love.  Sunday I'm attending an Opening at the Hingham Shipyard for the South Shore Art Center, then running to the Hingham Library to see Joreen Benbenek's beautiful show, then on to Lisa Daria's Opening at Bella's Restaurant in Rockland.  See them if you're in the area!

Just Amazing II, 6x6 Inches, Oil

This is a 3rd go at my favorite subject: the sunset across the river from my house.  I think this time I like the brushwork the best.  When you do a subject a number of times, it's very freeing, and eventually the essence of the subject comes out.  There's a confidence from knowing you're not re-inventing the wheel, and you can concentrate on what interested you about the scene in the first place.

And, for those of you who are not (yet) my 'friends' on Facebook, this is my (she says) oft neglected oldest kitty (8 yrs), Isabelle, in one of her favorite poses:

Popasquash Couple II, 6x6 inches, Oil

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Last week my class was about painting from photographs, and making them 'more' than the photos.  I had a pile of my older photos and this was in there.  I've painted them before, and I just love their rich, creamy fur.  They kind of had that 'What're YOU lookin' at?" attitude!

I think I neglected to mention that my Challenge, Group, Girls Just Wanna Paint, has our March submissions up and ready for viewing.  There's a link on the right to the article about us (with our photos, hamming it up) form the South Shore Living Magazine.  Fun!

And... now, your moment of Zen...

My Harry....

Chocolate Frosted with Sprinkles, 6x6 Inches, Oil

SOLD

I knew I had a commission for a chocolate frosted, sprinkled donut, and while in New York at Penn Station last weekend, I spied the most delectable specimen I've ever seen.  Bought it right there.  I also go a Krispy Kreme mug, with a ceramic donut inside - to be painted later.  The was such a joy to paint. I'm not just saying that - I've really come to appreciate the nuances of fried dough, gleaming chocolate frosting, and the shadow side of a donut.  

I know they're not health foods, but they're simple, and they are just what they are.  And kids smile when they get one in their hands - that's got to be good!

I hope you all are having a happy week so far!

Below is a better color shot of my Pink-a-licious painting:

Pink-a-licious, 16x20 Inches, Acrylic

Photo taken after dark, so... it's brighter, more - bubble-gummy and dark pink.  With lots of 'calligraphy'.  If you click to enlarge, you will see all of the bubbles, notes of color, flecks, etc.  Very inspired by Robert Langford's work, but still mostly like my own 'bubble/foam' paintings.  I have a series in mind.  I think of the edges of the little waves that come into the beach.  After the crash of the waves.  I've always wanted to try layering and doing monochromatic paintings like this, but for some reason needed to see Langford's work to give myself 'permission'.  His work is outstanding and I cannot hope to come close to it, but it gave me a lot of ideas about my own work.

I thoroughly enjoyed New York this weekend.  I met up with a friend I made at the first Carol Marine workshop I went to, and a familiar name, probably, to a lot of you bloggers:  Nancy Hartley.  She is just a lovely person and an artist to definitely follow.  We met up for a glass of wine, and to introduce Tim to Brian at Penn Station:

LIVE from the Big Apple

Sometimes you have to paint and sometimes you have to step off the train and just live.  So lucky me got to spend a few days in NYC this week.  As a member of the Providence Art Club we have a reciprocal arrangement with Salmagundi Club and the National Arts Club in NYC.  Of course did I have my current membership card with me?  No!  But a little phone call to the PAC, and all was well.  I took my husband, left and his business associate and all around nice guy, Dave Olive.  Here we are in the lavishly decorated club on Gramercy Park, after lunch.  I was actually asked for my card, my contact person at the Art Club, AND a photo ID.  Then was warned not to wander and not to 'touch anything'.  :)  The place is protected like Fort Knox.  Robert Henri and Fredrick Remmington were founding members, and they have a LOT of real-deal historic art in there.  And, no, I did not touch anything.  Yes, I took my own photo in the Ladies' Room - hey, the light was good - for Facebook.  

And then we headed off to the Red Dot Show I saw highlighted in the American Art Collector Magazine that I opened on my way to New York - there were 5 HUGE shows here this week.  I couldn't have hit it better if I tried.  Here's a couple of bad photos of some cool art I saw there:

Art of Anne H. Neilson

Bad photo of Robert Langford's work.  I actually was lucky enough to meet these two artists and they were not only really nice people,  but Anne gave me a book that she was inspired by, AND she is from Charlotte, NC, and knows my friend Kelley Sanford!

Then, across the street from Red Dot, while we were waiting for a cab to whisk us away to the Armory Show, we saw a shop with Dave's name on it.  Had to take a photo....

I have more photos but I just tried to upload them, but got a message that I am "out of space" in Picassa, and I need to purchase more space.  Which is strange because I didn't even KNOW I was storing anything in Picassa, and have no idea how to remove stuff from it!  Oh, well, hopefully more tomorrow! Stay tuned!

Reports Of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

"Spectaular" 

5x5 inches

Reserved

This is a scene I've painted before, but every time it comes out just a little different.  It is possible this may be for sale - there is a customer who has first dibs on it - so if you're interested check in mid week next week, it may be available.

This is the view across the Sakonnet River, with the sun setting over Aquidneck Island, RI.  The cloud cover cracks open, and light streams down, and the sun sets illuminating the underside of the cloud.  Gets me every time.    I love the shimmer of the colors in the water.  Could I ever live without this view? Sure.  But I'd have hundreds of paintings of this no matter what!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

I'm in NYC for a couple of days (and have had some personal issues that kept me away from the blogsphere for 7 whole days!) so I apologize for my absence, and I hope you all understand the craziness that our personal lives sometimes impose on us keeping us from our easels!

Below is the inspiration for a commission I'm working on.  When I arrive at Penn Station where do you think I head?  Krispy Kreme, of course!!!!  And being New Yorkers they feel compelled to tell us how many calories are in each kind of donut - you know, so you can choose the Original Glazed rather than the Chocolate Frosted Creme filled - for health reasons!!!