Update (Work In Progress)

Truly, I feel blessed these days.  I have an extremely supportive and loving family, pets I adore, many treasured friends who both guide me when I need it and encourage me when I need that.

A couple of years ago I tried for an artist membership at an art association, preparing 8 large (30x30 and 30x40) paintings of the sunsets I see from my porch.  The series was both personal and a reach for me, not being one who ever did much in the way of series.  To make a long story short, I was rejected for that membership, and the judges were pretty clear that they did not think much of my sunsets, both as subject matter or execution.  Later I talked to someone I thought was knowledgeable about selling art and she told me "Sunsets are a no-no.  Actual sunsets cannot be surpassed, although photography comes in a close second.  Painted sunsets are ... just 'too'...."

So I pretty much gave up painting them.  Although they still inspired feelings of peace and expansiveness and joy in my heart, I closed that door for my art.  Well, lately, and maybe it was seeing my work in Pam Copeman's wonderful home in the Boston Globe, and maybe it was just gaining a bit of confidence, warranted or not, but I decided to stick my fingers in my ears and hummm... and paint my sunsets that I love.  I had even AVOIDED looking at them, as if just seeing the rosy sky and golden tipped clouds would make my art 'smarmy'.  No more.  You can now find me on my front porch soaking in the glow.

So here's a 12x12 that I'm working on.  I'm about halfway through, but you can see where I'm going.  In this, the storm clouds are coming up from the South East, headed right for us.  When this is ready it will most likely show up at the Art Stable Gallery - look for it there!

Pink Light, 6x6 inches, Original Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

I adore the dusks when the sky is deep pink and the water is lavender with pink 'rivers' in it.  And then, when a sailboat comes by and catches a tiny bit of that pink light in its' sail....  perfection!

To my dear friends and relations who think I may have skipped the country:  I am buried in my studio, painting big, little, medium sized pieces, I'm just thoroughly enjoying myself and not even bringing the phone with me.  Sorry, sometimes I have to do that.

I will give you a sneak peek of a work-in-progress.  It's 36x36 inches, and is part of a series....

And if you think this is easy I WELCOME you to come and give it a whirl!

Picture yourself laying on the grass, looking up.....

biggest painting I've ever done.  I will hang them on the front porch the week before the Open Studio Tour, in August.  Try not to run off the road looking at them... :D

Magical Moonlit Evening, 11x14 Inches, Oil

I'm in a rush to post this because I'm going out (to a party - YAY!) and I've waited all day for my RSS problem to be solved, and it JUST was!  (I don't know how I got it, but it's fixed!)

This painting is a view of what I saw one night on Paco's late night walk.  It was as if the light from the moon just sang through the clustered clouds.  I didn't want to go back inside!

At any rate this is at my Nest show in Dedham, and it is a true bargain - $425 for an 11x14!  I don't know what came over me, but I was trying to keep the prices low for the show.  It can be purchased over the phone or via email with them, HERE's the contact info.

Painting class at my studio starts in October!  Contact me with questions!

Moonrise Over The Sakonnet, 6x8, oil

SOLD

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

Thunderhead, 6x12, Acrylic

SOLD
I'm finally rested after the huge push last week.  People (and there were quite a few of you) emailed me to remind me I'm not 25 anymore.  I couldn't accept it, but after the last submission I practically collapsed!  Have been 'tuned out' for a couple of days to charge my battery.  This is a small version of a big painting I've got planned.  The thunderhead was amazing, but I really loved what happened to the sky UNDER the cloud, too.  It's a little terrifying to be able to see the weather approaching all the time!  Trying to stay loose, and layering, this was fun to do!

$100 & $10 S&H via Paypal

Hazy Evening, 8x10, Oil

My plans were to go to the beach last night to paint, but it was so gray/silver with so much haze I thought I'd just wait till sunset to see if that brought any color.  It did, and this was a plein air piece done from my front porch.  Sorry it didn't make it into the post Thursday morning, my laptop 'mouse' froze up and I was WITHOUT INTERNET for the evening and morning.  Talk about withdrawals!

$100 & 10 S&H via Paypal  

Last Light Over The Sakonnet, 6x8, Acrylic

SOLD

This is a little painting of one of my many sunset views, overlooking the Sakonnet River.  The land mass is Aquidneck Island, which is home to Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport, RI.  I have always loved to paint these sunsets, but since the Fall I'd not been able to bring myself to.  A rejection of these paintings, which I said would not bother me, apparently did, more than I realized.  But now I'm able to put it behind me and move forward, and love this every changing view again.

And because you are so wonderful to me I'm going to share a photo from our Challenge Group's Meetup last week - with NO NAMES attached (because I value my life) - trust me these were fabulous 'grandma's'  - and the strudel was TDF.

Up To No Good, 11x17 Oil

A little blurry - I will try to replace it on the blog with a sharper photo. Today began with the SUN (we think... we haven't seen it in so long we're not sure...) and soon the western horizon started with a line of clouds, which are now forming the thunderheads that will douse us with rain this afternoon. I was thinking Colin Page again, trying to get the most out of his workshop. I used decisive brushstrokes and looked for nuances and color changes in every shape. Also his sparkle in the water, with a light touch, of many shades of white (yellow-white, rose-white, green-white, blue-white). As the winds pick up the sailboats are having a rough time of it, but this morning was beautiful.

And Paco slept against my ankle so I couldn't move away (or back) without him knowing it. Even though he was too hot and I had to keep wetting him.

Morning View, 5x7 Acrylic

Yesterday morning I was all set up on the porch for this soft view down the Sakonnet River....

ALSO I didn't realize that at the Pembroke Arts Fesitval Mary Sheehan Winn (whom you all know from my Blog comments) has a lovely painting, too!

Sunset Clould 5x7 Acrylic

Last night I sat on my porch and watched the sun slide down behind these gorgeous clouds, rimming them in gold and rose.  I really like the panel I used - I think it was some form of Gesso Board, but being me I didn't keep the wrapper so I have no idea what they are.  Fortunately they came in a pack of 3, so this morning I got another one in and have one left for the weekend.  I like the way I stayed loose in this - it's a struggle - and how the values are so close in range.

Last Night, 11x14 acrylic

sold

Amazing, gorgeous, clear warm evening last night, and while the sunset itself was jaw-dropping, the view up the river was soft and aqua/rose. So I grabbed my acrylics, and thinking of wonderful Marcia Burtt, laid in wet shapes with a big brush, then found it impossible to work with, but I kept at it applying more paint in washes, then in thick brushfulls for the land masses. My husband does not like the way I 'squared off' the land mass to the right, but I was abstracting it, not doing a portrait of Aquidneck Island. Well, I love the washiness of this, and though it's not a typical 'daily painting', I'm super busy this week trying to organize for my upcoming show and dealing with car issues ("Oh, Officer, is it reeeaaallly June already? I thought I still had a few days to get that inspection sticker! And you say I have a headlight out so I have to get that fixed first? NO problem!).

I can't believe how washed out the color is when it's posted! I'll try again in better light.

Plein Air Monday, Sakonnet Morning, oil, 9x12

The day dawned chilly but clear.  With ONLY four layers on, plus my Elmer Fudd hat (red plain wool, with ear flaps) I headed over to Grinnell's Beach across the street from me, thinking it would be a repeat of last week's plein air session.  But Phyllis Adams showed up this morning, and we found a spot out of the wind, where we only MILDly froze.  I used oils, she had her acrylics, and we happily painted for a couple of hours.  By the time we were ready to start wrapping up it got much warmer.  Once again I'll post it here, although technically it's not a Daily Painting per se, then after this I'll post on my Plein Air Blog.

When I got home I worked on a painting in acrylic from last summer that was a plein air piece - NOW I like it!