Party Jellies, 6x6 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

I posted this painting on Facebook as a WIP (Work In Progress) and someone said it looked like a 'selfie' taken at a party.  OK, it's a donut party and the jellies are really having a wild time!  :D

I saw on the Dunkin Donuts Facebook page that some shops still carry the 'strawberry filled' jelly donuts of old.  So I wrote to the company to find out which stores, since those donuts really give off a jewel-like drip of jelly (yes, I know how crazy that sounds but here I am, saying it!).  My answer was that they DO NOT KNOW which stores carry it.  (simple enough - which ones do you SHIP the donuts to - they used to be made in the shops, but that was years ago.  Now they are all centrally baked and shipped).  I do, I know, know WAY too much about these donuts!

Point being, if any of you stumble across a Dunkin Donuts in NEW ENGLAND that has Strawberry Filled Jelly Donuts - PLEASE let me know.  kcareymac@hotmail.com.  I will be forever in your debt - and you get a donut painting half off!  :D

Jelly War, 12x12 inch Framed Acrylic jPainting by Kelley MacDonald

I had so much fun with this painting!  Very contemporary, and framed in a black floater frame (which I am including free - and can be purchased without the frame as well), it was fun from start to finish.  After I painted it a friend said it looked like the jelly donuts had been fighting, and one, well, did better than the other - yes, the Mike Tyson of Jelly Donuts on the lower right ;).

People ask me "Do you prefer Oil or Acrylic paint?"  And my answer, unqualified, is "YES".  When I'm using my oils I sink into their juicy glow.  When I'm going to town with my acrylics I glory in their ability to stay with my plan, even when I change it - they're fun, they're unapologetic, they take to chunky strokes, and can disguise themselves as oil paint.

This gang got a lot of attention at my Open Studio, and I have to say I just love the assortment.  BTW I 'discovered' a new donut shop in Fall River this week.  Look for new, crazy donuts coming up soon.

Jelly Bomb, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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Oh MAN, this was the perfect Jelly Donut!  Out of the lineup of plump sweet filled jellies, this one was the star.  And usually I have to do quite a bit of coaxing to get that perfect 'drip', but this one just erupted with that ruby goo!

So, was it coincidence that this painting just 'slid off the brush'?  I think not.  I especially was challenged, but LOVED painting the doughy spot to the left of the jelly - apparently this donut was joined to another and this was the 'tear-spot'.  I thought, at first - "I can't do that!"  I thought about ignoring it... surely I've painted enough of these to know what a non-torn piece looks like!  But then.... ah... I have a little motto... "Do one thing each day that terrifies you..."... so I went for it.  And am happy with the result!

Are you enjoying October?  I HOPE so - it's my favorite month!

Finalists, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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Oh, YUM!  Soft, pillowy, sugary sweetness, one on top of the others.  It's like they're the 3 finalists for the Miss Donut Beauty Contest.  It's a real art, you know, coaxing just a dribble of that jelly out.  My family thinks I'm dotty because I first suspend them opening-down to get the jelly to pool in front… then I gently squeeze till just one ruby droplet peeks out - ahhhhhh…. perfect.  Lights… Paints… ACTION!

Starry Starry Donut, 6x6 Inch Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

After pushing 41 small paintings out of my studio last week for all the various holiday shows, believe it or not I could not WAIT to paint something I wanted to paint today.  So I told my husband not to eat breakfast, and hopped in the car and drove to Bristol, RI to get some donuts.  Mind you I drove by at least 2 Dunkin Donuts to get to the downtown Bristol shop.  They take great pride in generously filled and frosted donuts, and they are very artfully decorated.  I know, I know, they all get the same donuts, but (trust me on this, I know) some owners/franchises are waaaay better than others.  So I was disappointed to see the 'star mania' already.  I mean, when you want a filled donut you want a ROUND donut, right?  But these bismarks were winking at me.

So this series I'm doing of donuts won't probably be out in the world till December, and maybe not even then.  But it was very freeing to just go with this shape, this filling and of course, the jelly!

My good friend Patti Gray (former teacher and Maine-r friend) came to the Opening of Girls Just Wanna Paint at Thayer last night and snapped this photo of my husband, Tim, and I.  We both have our eyes open!! (and by that I mean me!)  Thanks, Patti!

NOW.  To get ready for Sunday, when my gallery, The Art Stable Gallery, is having our Holiday Open House!  We're roasting marshmallows and serving Champagne.  I dare you to stop by!  We've had recent renovations, and new work, and a POWERFUL spirit among us!  Really.  Champagne and marshmallows…..

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Always, always a 'story' with me.  I knew there were cosmic reasons to paint something 'light' and frivolous on Sept. 11.  Although I know 2 wonderful people with birthdays today, I seem to be unable to stop bumping into remembrances that bring me down.  That being said - I go out of my way on this day to look for the bright side.  For example:  I pulled into Dunk's this a.m. for my coffee.  And what do I pull up next to?  THIS car, with THIS license plate (jellie)...

So, yes, it made me smile.   And I decided that it was a sign, and I should paint jelly donuts today.  So I went in, rather than driving up, because you can't trust anyone to pick out a nice, round, non-sweaty jelly, can you, but yourself?  And who do I stand next to - as I bought ALL THREE of the last of the jellies?  Yup, Mr. Jellie.  Who is dissolving over my purchase.  I was just about to cave and give up one ... just one, mind you... when the girl at the counter literally squealed, "LOOK!  We have 2 coconut/jelly sticks left!"  "THANK GOD!" He yelled, and happily trotted back to his car.  I was enthralled.

SO.  Here's a bit of the jelly process:

I have such a fun Thursday planned - meeting a Blogger/Facebook friend, and visiting Page Pearson at her Artist Residency in Provincetown.  I will tell you all about it in tomorrow's post AND give you a bit of a surprise twist on the jelly donut painting!!!!  Have a great day!

Just One Bite, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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Well, here's the last of last week's jellies!  This was actually earlier than the other stack of 3 jellies, yes, before they were halfway devoured ;)

I have really been pulling out of the Winter Doldrums!  My classes, both at the Studio and at the Art Club, are chock full of fun, fabulous artists.  I have a zillion ideas for new paintings, and thanks to an artist friend, am VERY close to announcing a new, fun event at my studio.  Set aside a Thursday night or two and grab some good girlfriends, that's all I can say for now... but soon.

I guess just like writing, a cure for a painting block or an artistic block is to JUST KEEP PAINTING.  Because eventually things start seeming exciting again, and there's that swish in your step, or at least in your brush.  I even am tackling organizing the new space with less trepidation.  And it will make people who have recently purchased my paintings THRILLED to know I have finally, finally located the box with the packing tape, so I can put it on the ready-and-waiting boxes.  Feeling sheepish, but there you go, the tape was not exactly where I would have thought. BEHIND me now! :D

In The Pink, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting of a Donut by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE to Purchase

Some days posting is easier than others.  I've been posting, as of this month, for SIX years!  Over a thousand posts over six years may not sound like much, but I think one thing you can say about me is I have grit. :)

In these 6 years I've had 3 computers (really 2 because do you count the one I spilled water on? - actually the CAT spilled water on it.  See... I was spending too much time typing on a keyboard and not enough time petting the cat...) 5 cameras (you have heard the saga of each one) and a lot of different ways to get the image of the painting on the blog.

Now I have an iPhone and take my photos on it.  Trouble and joy of it is I can edit (crop) the photos right ON THE PHONE.  But you realize how SMALL this image is?  I ended up bad-cropping this painting t-h-r-e-e times.  So when I tell my audience at my Blogging Talks (one coming up 1st week of March in Marshfield) that it takes me 5 minutes to post a blog - tonight is the exception to the rule.  It took forEVER.  Crop, email it to myself, re-crop, re-mail it... you get the gist.

Done boring you.  Have a bite of this Strawberry Donut.  I thought you might be getting sick of the jelly. 

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Another do-nutty kind of day!  I feel like I really let loose with the jelly bellies in these two open donuts.  When you first *ahem* 'tear' them open the jelly might sit in there, but as time goes by gravity pulls it out... not that in real life it would get that way too often!  

Sorting through the studio, coming upon old studies and paintings from a while ago, it's like a trip down memory lane.  But I try to not get too distracted, as Saturday is coming, and my students have been PROMISED a more put-away work space!

Many thanks to the patient people who purchased paintings during the move.  Everything is more or less located now, in terms of packing materials, and things are on their way to their new homes. :)

Double Decker Donuts, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting of Donuts by Kelley Macdonald

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Ahhhhhh.... donuts... it's going to be THAT kind of week, I think! :D

Been a long time...

Boston Cream Donut! 6x6 Inch Original Oil Painting

$100 & $10 S&H

Nom nom!  My husband's favorite kind of donut.  He rarely eats them, but he could SMELL the donut under the lights as I was painting it.  When I was done he walked up to the easel and said "NOW I want one of those!"  Too bad, as the one I had bought died under the hot lights~  

Funny little story - I had gone to Dunkin's to get JELLY donuts to paint for the upcoming Open Studio.  The manager greeted me, and when I told him I wanted jellies to paint he got all excited - But you HAVE to see the chocolate frosteds and Boston Creams today - they did an EXCELLENT job with the frosting! (so, OK, I agreed, and bought this one!).  But it's weird because I have really 'leaned on him' about the skimpy frosting on their donuts at this shop!  I told him "Anyone who wants to buy a frosted donut LIKES frosting - not the illusion of frosting!"  And I have not purchased (or painted) a frosted donut from his shop in months and months!  So  - here we are.. drool away!

Excited as tonight is our Girls Just Wanna Paint meeting - it's at Nancy Colella's house and it's usually a PERFECT evening at the beach!  Check out our paintings for "HEAT" HERE!

Ooeey Gooey Stack of Jelly Donuts, 6x6 inch Oil Painting by Kelley Macdonald

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Today was Donut Day in my studio.  While yesterday I labored over 4 large sky paintings, today I bought a box of donuts and set about to getting some inventory for my Open Studio.  While the Donut War has wrapped up (both sides winners), I found myself diving into this painting and just having a ball withe the drippy jelly and the powdered sugar.  And, no, I don't paint the 'dots' of sugar one by one! :)

My second donut painting needs more work before I show it to you.  It was a victim of ungodly humidity in the studio.  While the overall temp was mid-high 80's, the humidity was raging.  My hands were sopping in my gloves, and I was getting cranky, I tell you!

But for fun, here's a slew of works-in-progress, where I am inspired by the foam at the tips of the small laps of water here on the river.  I have decided I am just going to play with colors, matching them up as I like, just favorites of colors.  I still have some to do on each, but this is the general gist.  And THEN I'm planning on trying to cover them with resin for a glass-like finish.  I am so excited about these.  They'll be on a table of their own at my Open Studios on the 18th and 19 of this month.  Enjoy the colors...

  

  They are all 6x6 or smaller.

Dribble, 6x6 Inches, Oil

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I confess I've been missing my donut paintings!  For a while there I was a bit 'over' them... now I want to do them now and again!  

I stopped into not one, not two, but THREE Dunkin Donuts shops before I found 'good looking' jelly donuts.  And at that I had to ASK for 'not-weepy' jellies.  With the warm days the donuts don't cool down very quickly, and they stick them into stacks, where the sugar coating melts.  NOT appetizing.  However, the wonderful woman at the donut shop offered to re-coat them with sugar.  Made all the difference in the world.  How great is that dribbly jelly?  This piece will be nicely framed in a (famous) randy Higbee Frame, and will be offered in my new Art Stable Gallery.  Let's see how people in the area like donuts!

Favorite Jelly Donuts, 6x6 Inches Oil Painting

$100 & $10 S&H 

This is "The Daily Paintworks Challenge" for this week!  Carol Marine asked me to come up with a 'challenge' and... OK, it's paint your favorite donut~ (*wink*wink*).  I must be really missing the Donut War with Susan Roden, no?

I invite all artists out there to do their darndest, and post their efforts on the Daily Paintworks Challenge Page!  The bottom donut in my painting, btw, was filled by a joker at Dunkin's - they put the jelly in on the flat part of the donut that sometimes happens when 2 donuts stick together - looks like a bulls eye!  Where was Quality Assurance?  

Donut War Day! Valentine Heart! 6x6 Inches, Acrylic

$125 & $10 S&H

It's Monday, Donut War Day, and Suan Roden had better DUCK!  I'm feeling better and hit my local DD's (Dunkin Donuts) for a 6-pack of heart shaped sugar volleys!  Susan is so nice and always writes little poems, and I've never even been able to recite poems OTHER people write... so I'm slinging a proper custard bomb her way.  This donut is a heart shaped Boston Cream... (or Creme), kind of a local treat.  I remember when I was a young mother, making a Boston Cream Pie from scratch - yes, it was the best we'd ever tasted, but it took ALL DAY... maybe someday I'll try it again, who knows?

Paco has sent out his Valentine cards - I thought I was done with this when my daughter hit Middle School, but noooooo... Paco has friends from BC to Wales, UK, and he NEEDED to send them love notes.  Yes, my husband says I've lost it.  The question is... WHEN did I HAVE it?  :D  Happy Day before V-day.  It's not about who loves you... it's about who you love!

xo

*My talk "Blogging Your Art Sucessfully" was rescheduled to THIS Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the North River Arts Society, Marshfield, MA*

*Sign up for my 2-Day Painting Workshop in my Warren studio at the top right of my Blog*

Donut War! Jelly Heart, 6x6 Inches, Acrylic Painting of Dunkin Donuts Jelly

$125 & $10 S&H

Monday is my appointment with my Donut War Rival, Susan Roden, and this week... I am UNBEATABLE!  Because I "have a heart"!  Dunkin Donuts has started their ramp up for the big V day, and they had 3 different kinds of heart shaped donuts.  Well, the jelly had me at 'Hello'....  Take THAT, Susan! (Let's check out what she's slapping me with HERE!)

My daughter hosted Paco for the weekend in Boston, and I went to pick him up - I would have missed him more but was a bit under the weather - but was SO glad to see him (and vice versa!)  And as we arrived home, we came down the hill to see this view across from our house.  Sweet, no?

*Also I have added a new Page to the top of the blog - on how I wrap and package my paintings, for those of you that have asked!*

Donut War! Pink Donut x2, 6x6 Inches, Oil Painting of Strawberry Donut

$125 & $10 S&H

It's Donut War Day!! Here's the fun thing about this painting... the donuts are on a cloth that has random green 'donuts'!  Susan Roden is my California adversary... I have no doubt she's prepared something sweet & gooey to fling back at me!  See it HERE.

*NEWS*

Painting Workshop

at my studio in Warren

February 23 & 24

See Top Right Side of my Blog for more info!

Donut War! Bismark! 6x6 Inches, Oil

$100 & $10 S&H

I hope you all had a happy day yesterday (Sunday).  I'm having to pull out all the stops to aim this Bismark all the way to California to land on Susan Roden!  I had to hold a couple of paintings out JUST IN CASE I needed to replace them at the Providence Art Club Holiday Sale, and this was one.  But not that the Sale is over (3 paintings sold - *big grin*) this luscious baby is available!  Ooooh, the light, delectable cream.... ahhh, the sweet strawberry jelly... Mmmmmm... the dusting of powdered sugar - this one just killed me!

Anyway, I think this volley in the Donut War is Shock and Awe time!

*And Merry Christmas to Susan & her delicious pastries!*

Check her out Here...

Jelly, Oh, Jelly! 6x6 Inches, Oil

OK, I decided to offer this baby to you guys - my online buddies!  I was thinking of putting it in a show, but ... hey, a Jelly is a just a Jelly, unless (Oh, God I can't believe I'm saying this) it's a Kelley's Jelly! (I'm just a little goofy after a grueling week! - oh, is it only Thursday?)

For quick little gifts locally - I have small works at the Providence Art Club, and at Nest in Dedham, and at the James Library in Norwell!  

Be Merry! Be Happy!

Bismark, 6x6 Inches, Oil

$100 & $10 S&H

Have you ever had a Bismark?  Light fluffy donut filled with whipped cream and jelly - oh.my.GOD!  Well I stumbled into a Dunkin Donuts last week, and they not only decorated their own pastries, but they created this one!  I just had to paint it.  If one more sells at the Providence Art Club I will pull this one off the blog (for sale) and put it there.  The two paintings that have sold there so far are jelly donut paintings!  This one just flowed off the brush - don't you just love it when that happens?

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving.  Ours was quiet but wonderful.  One week from today (Friday) the Girls Just Wanna Paint group will be having our Opening:

And I'm making my (almost) famous sweet and sour meatballs... tiny, tender...oh, so worth it...  Come see us!