Pug In The Sun, 5x7 inches, Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

I did this one a while ago, but kept it as it is a favorite of mine.  Almost abstract, the sleepy pug (yes, it's Paco) has snagged one of the choice spots in the house - on a dining room chair in the sun.  I didn't include it but there's at least one cat in an adjacent chair.  Never happier than when with me, he really suffers when he's alone…. and let me clarify that the cats or my son Rory's dog Charlie DO NOT COUNT.  He is either with me or alone, those pretty much are his two states of being.  We enjoyed a beautiful walk tonight and it was mild and the air was sweet.  It almost ended too quickly….. I think we could have just kept going….

*If you are interested just email me, as I must cull my collection since I moved my studio into my house…"

Santa Fe'in....

I've been in wi-fi 'lockdown' since I got to Santa Fe. For some reason our side of the building does not have working wi-fi.  's OK.  I'm loving it here.  Loving the scenery, loving spending time working with Carol Marine, and having fun with her and the 'super group' we've gathered here in the hills around Santa Fe.  We're practicing painting white, painting metals, painting bigger, painting glass, and reflections.  The group, who are painters who have painted with her before, for the most part, just give ourselves over and keep an open mind about learning.  

Don't believe the rumor that I TRIED to set the room on fire.  It was small, and the wall-to-wall rug was completely covered with thick plastic sheeting that was REALLY easy to melt.  So, in the words of Mary Sheehan Winn, I also cannot be trusted with Clamp lights (begins with 'c' so fits in her theory), and of Kathy Cousart (nobody was keeping an eye on me...) we all survived... the people who run the school and the monastery are very understanding..... and here, below, is an evening shot...

AND some man who was at the beach last week when I was walking Paco was intrigued by his wrinkly forehead.  "Is he worried?"  he asked.  "Well, yes,"  I said "about everything... and nothing..."  and this man just found my email address somehow and mailed me this cutie photo of Paco (whom I miss very much!)

"Puggie Love", 6x6 Inch Oil Painting of Pug Dog

SOLD

This Month my Challenge Group, Girls Just Wanna Paint had the topic "Love, appropriately enough for February.  I ran though the list of the usual things you'd think of - weddings, babies, romantic themes, but then.... there's this face that faces me every day, all day.  At 2:30 in the morning, if I open my eyes, this is what I see, in the dark.  First thing in the morning, last thing at night - the smile and adoring eyes never quit.  When I'm cranky, when I'm sick, when I'm annoyed (or when I'm annoying - yes, it happens) there is never a pause in the love.  Oh, Paco!

So!  As tough as it was to choose the subject, once I started it just flowed off the brush.  This painting will be seen in our group show at the Bumpus Library in Duxbury, MA in May and June.

Happy Valentine's Day 2012!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

From Paco and Me

*I just found out that my painting "The Cocktail Hour" sold at the Duxbury Art Association Winter Show!*

Strawberry Kewpie Donut, 6x6 Inches, Oil

SOLD

Though the frosting on top of this strawberry donut was a little skimpy, they managed to make it cute with the little tuft of frosting on the top!  OK, I apologize for being a day late for the Donut War - and Susan Roden may have 'stormed the coffee shop gates' on me.. but I was a little busy with opening my studio for the Warren Walkabout.  Pics of the studio below:

The entry way to the studio...

A couple of works in progress, and the current Daily Painting table...

The long view of the studio, with the 'clearance' tables, and my friend Jane snuggled on the couch at the end, being very brave but struggling with a bad cold.

Paco, exhausted from entertaining, being 'supported' by my son Conor - who was a huge help to me...

Pugspot, 5x7 Inches, Oil Painting of a Pug Napping

$100 & $10 S&H

My little studio assistant, Paco, is my assistant in all areas of my life.  He sits on my lap while I have my morning coffee.  Makes sure the cats do not get too many treats, by gobbling them. Goes to the supermarket (waits in the car) and updates my blog - that's what he's doing in this photo.  Although he prefers to do that half in my lap on the sofa.

I tried to keep this very loose, focusing on the shapes..  Funny how it works out even though I wasn't thinking "Pug"  I was just putting darks and lights in the right places next to each other.  Happy Nap to you!

Today, I'm hanging paintings and sweeping the studio!

Pug Love, 6x8 Inches, Oil, Pug Dog Painting

SOLD

Here's a painting of my little Love Pug, Paco.  I have to say I've had, and loved, other wonderful breeds and mutts.  But there's something about a Pug, and their hearts.  They were bred, for generation upon generation, to *need* people.  They are loyal, yes, like a lot of breeds, but they are devastated without their people.  They trust, and tune in to our every shift in mood.  Raise a glass to pugs tonight.  And.... I'm loving painting the pups - if you have a good photo of YOUR pup, I'd love to give it a try!

If you are on the South Shore this weekend, stop in at Kennedy's Garden Center on rte 3A in Scituate.  The Girls Just Wanna Paint Group will be painting there!!!  Come say Hi!

Little White Pumpkin, 5x5 Inches, Oil

SOLD

I got these little pumpkins from Walker's Roadside Stand and they have such creamy colors in them.  This funky - almost random dotty fabric has been just waiting for something to set against them.  I love days like this in the studio - fun and full of music and color!  I made pizza tonight for my husband and son - Paco is always so bereft that all he ever gets is tiny crusts.

Tonight I made this for him: 

The tiny one with just cheese & sauce was his.  About 3 inches across..  He LOVED it.  Please don't write to me and tell me that dogs should never have cheese or bread or tomato sauce.  Paco does not want me hearing anything like that. :D

Peaceful Garden, 8x8 Inches, Oil Painting of Linden Place Garden

SOLD

Today the Painting Safari was held at Linden Place in Bristol, RI.  (Our last one of the Summer!)  This lovely mansion is now a museum, and you can take a tour as well as walk the beautiful grounds.  Of all the places and things I could paint, I was drawn to this small garden area, with the beautiful green hydrangeas and pink lilies, not to mention the fabulous red, white and blue buntings.  Behind the fence was a sort of barn - it looked too lovely to actually house livestock, perhaps it was a carriage house.  When all the architecture is white, you have to squint down and look hard for color bouncing from all over, to make the white *delicious*.

A further upside to todays' effort was while I was about 2/3 done a beautiful pug wandered out from some door I couldn't see in the garden area.  I was in heaven, as I was missing Paco (I didn't think he'd be welcome there)!  And then... I kid you not, a beautiful orange tabby cat strolled out from the same area!  I met their owner, and we gushed about pug-love - she even has ANOTHER pug!  

Anyway, this painting was one of those that just kind of falls together - with a lot of measuring and squinting! :D

Hazy, Hot and Humid, 6x8 Inches, Oil Painting

This was a demo from my Painting Safari on Friday.  It was the OPPOSITE of hazy, hot and humid, and for that I was grateful, but no one was feeling intrepid, so we had the session at my studio and worked from photos.  I asked people to try to select from my photos an image that had close values, as much like the day we were experiencing.  This image from a past Summer did the trick.  I really, really like the way it came out, and truthfully, I've painted those 'lozenge' suns many times before and this time I got it.

I'm sorry for those of your who like hot weather, but I'm as happy as the clams here in Maine on my painting trip!  To connect to the internet I have to drive for 1/2 hour - for a public wi-fi, so there probably won't be many posts this week, and I apologize.

Please send Paco your good thoughts as he is on 'vacation' with my son, Conor in Boston.  As you can see above, he adores Conor.  But he still worries about whether his Mom will come home....

Olive-ya, Olive-ya, Olive-ya!!! 6x6 Inches, Oil

SOLD

Olives x3, on a mylar-covered cloth!  They are so fun to paint!  But I promise there will be other subjects...

OK, also, I'm getting ready for a painting trip to Maine next week. Aside from the devastation Paco and the kitties will once again feel... I'm pumped!  

Painting clothes:  packed

Painting gear:  packed

Now to decide: wine or vodka...

and brownies or banana bread....

Single Rose, 6x6 Inches

I did this as a demo for my class today.. seems the internet is a-buzz with red roses - have you noticed?  Well they are very difficult to paint!  My students did an EXCELLENT job - these ladies have been painting for a month and are really learning the language of paint.

My husband reminds me (a lot) that I don't like red roses.  Which, maybe once was true, but now I'm older and appreciate everything in this world a little more.  And I absolutely love the 'glow' when light hits the red petals.

I'm posting tonight with the laptop ON TOP of the dog.  He insists on being in my lap, under the laptop. And it's his birthday today (he's 2) so I am letting him....
*my 700th post!*

*A* For Atlanta Doughnut! 6x6 Oil

NFS

One of my most special memories of this FANtastic workshop I just took with Leslie Saeta and Dreama Tolle Perry (we're BFF's now, I think I can just call them 'Leslie and Dreama' - and not necessarily in that order!) was when Leslie's sister-in-law and good friend Aileen brought me an "A" donut from Sublime Doughnuts!  Yes, the 'A' is for Atlanta, and let me tell you... they KNOW how to make a donut here!  The donuts have a bit of weight - but not too much, and the outside of the pastry has an ultra thin crispness, with moist deliciousness inside.  My newly found Soul Sister Kathy Cousart - yes you know who she is - and I brought a dozen to the class to eat.  At first everyone was all so "Oh...I don't eat doughnuts.. ", but all I can say is after we cut them into pieces the box was emptied in short order.

ANYway Aileen saw my blog (and Paco's, thank you very much) and drove to Sublime Donuts and brought this in for me.  So I painted it - with help from Kathy - quick before class started today and asked Leslie to give it to her.  She - and this is unbelievable - opened her home and her arms to 24 perfect (in every way) strangers for TWO nights and we feasted on gourmet and comfort food, we laughed, drank, cried - there's a story there... later - and put up with us all!  She and her husband and son (and dog and 2 cats) deserve much more than a little painting in thanks, but this is what I've got... thank you Aileen, and I hope to God I'm spelling your name correctly!

More info than you really need to know, and I'm SURE I'll hear about this from MSW,  and though I originally published this without this last paragraph (how'd I do that?) I am forever indebted to new good girlfriend Karen Rose, who took good care of me when I realized I cannot locate my CAMERA, with this image on it - she sooooo kindly cropped and sent it to me - is she a doll or WHAT?

Pug Dreams, 6x6 OIl

SOLD

Feeling a little guilty that I haven't updated Paco's Blog in over a month. I am just wayyyy overcommitted at this point. Trying to pare it down, but still have a lot of fun and paint daily. This is my view of Paco on a daily basis, because watching me paint is... just boring! I hope everyone has a great weekend, and if you're in the area, stop by at my Open Studio on my lawn in Tiverton! It Exit 5 off rte 24 -one mile south of the exit. It's the smaller Open Studio - I gear up for the August one, on the lawn as well. Part of the South Coast Open Studio Tour!

New Vase with Tulips, 10x10, Acrylic

I don't know what it is about this time of year, but I HAVE to have flowers in the house. Just seeing them lifts my spirits and reminds me that it won't be 19 degrees forever. Although I have to say that Paco and I had a wonderful time at the little beach across the street today - there was no wind, and it was comfortable to sit at the edge of the water and meditate. (Well, I meditated, I am not sure that he actually did.) So when I came home I dove into the acrylics and did this BEFORE I head to the studio to do the oils!

I would also like to invite you all to see the Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge, which is finally up for the month of December, with the topic of "Lamp, or Light". Page Railsback was the moderator and hostess of the gathering last night to view all these paintings in person - wow, they looked great! We missed Mary Sheehan Winn and Paula Villanova. And if any of you don't know, a 'Challenge' is where a group of artists decide to paint a different subject/topic each month, and the results are posted on a blog. We'd love your comments!

Leftovers, 5x7 Oil

The last of the candies (for now... you know Valentine's Day is just around the corner!). I've been really stretched for time lately, getting ready for my workshop, and also planning a trip to Austin for a Carol Marine Workshop Women reunion! We'll be visiting with Carol one evening, then we (no slackers here) have booked Laurel Daniel for a small 2 day workshop! Don't worry, Paco will be hanging out with my son Conor in Boston - a short walk from Boston Common, so he'll think he's on vacation, too!

Cumpcake, 6x6 Oil

SOLD

Well, it looked a bit better BEFORE I dropped it and smashed it against the easel and had to repair it! When I was a little girl my best friend was this adorable little girl whose first language was Portuguese. She only spoke English at school, and for some reason she stuck 'm's in a lot of words, one I remember is 'cupcake'. She called them 'cumpcakes'. ;) Hey, she was little!

Anyway today was my first 'real' full day at the studio with Paco. All I can say is I STARTED putting paint on the panel at 4 p.m. There is a video and short take on Paco's Blog.

Geraniums Waiting, 6x8 oil

Finally today I got to drag out my portable easel and attempt to paint my geraniums that I got this weekend, but can't plant for a few more weeks. I admit it was tough with Paco racing under the easel, pulling on my jeans legs, knocking into the tripod legs and then making off with a brush that fell as a result! So the result isn't as finished as I'd like, but at least I got to paint!

Yesterday was dedicated to dropping off 3 large paintings (the sunsets from my studio blog) at the South Shore Art Center for the Festival Juried Show. I'm not counting on anything there. But Tim helped me carry them in, and so Paco got his first visit to his 'Dad's' office, below. I think he was a 'hit'. Then he went for his first walk on Wollaston Beach in Quincy, MA, and his first lunch at Tony's Clamshack. After we dropped off he had his first ice cream at JJ's Soft Serve, and then saw his first BIG dog (Jack Dicerson's - he lent me a crate for a grown up Paco). So it was a lot of 'firsts' - but no painting yesterday. Tomorrow.......
(Sorry, my laptop is CRAZY these days - it deleted the bottom image, and when I tried to re-insert it - it won't let me move it from the top - so... obviously, the top image is Paco & Tim, the bottom one is the geraniums in the entry....
........