Clouds Over Paris, 8x8 Inches, Acrylic

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Maybe it's because someone I know is in Paris right now, and another blogger 'friend' who blogs about Paris is on her way(fabulous blog, check it out!), or maybe because it's "April In Paris"...  I have a longing to go.  For our 30th Anniversary my husband and I went to Paris and Madrid - a trip of a lifetime, I tell you!  OK, he actually worked most of those days, but it was an unforgettable memory nonetheless.  The art, the food, the way people took such care and pride in what they did... the clothes... well... suffice it to say I'd love to take you ALL!

This was the view if you hung over the scaffolding on our balcony and looked right.  Literally I was risking life and limb for this view... 4 floors up.   Worth it?  I'd say so!  At night, as you probably know, the Eiffel Tower is lit up, but there was no way to put a tripod on the thin air outside the balcony to take a night shot!  The values in this were extremely challenging.  Here's the photo, below .... go ahead - take a shot at it - I'll publish it on the blog if you send it along to me!

If two of these images show up - I apologize ... Blogger told me only one was there, but I see two!

One Pair, Original 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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The only thing about painting with a glossy black background is it is a bear to photograph.  Suffice it to say I'll get a better shot and substitute it!  

These Asian Pears were SO beautiful I bought a bag full.  Examining each one for a graceful silhouette, I'm sure I looked a bit (to say the least) odd at the market, holding each huge pear at arm's length and squinting at them, putting some aside, some in the bag right away.  Some were more golden orangey and some more yellowy-green. FULL of personality.

At the end of this painting session my dear husband said "Are you going to leave it like that?"   "Like WHAT?"  I (kind of) nicely asked.  "Well, all stroke-y..." he said.  And I must have looked at him like a grizzly, because he said "Of course you are!  They look great.  I was just asking..."

Ask away.....

A Salty Dog, Original Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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This lucky dog was heading out (and the fact that I have to explain that they were heading by some HUGE boats says I should maybe have done something differently in the painting) for a fun day on the water with it's people. A friend of mine had a wonderful yellow lab (now gone) named 'Salty', and she was just the BEST - so this is dedicated to her. Paco... do not be jealous.. you have a wonderful life!

Every day I'm getting ready for the Open Studio - today I actually painted a biggish painting of hollyhocks for the Bargain Table! I'm getting CRAZY!

Rocket Launch In The Donut War, Original Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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In a spirit of friendship, and painterly competition, my fellow Daily Painters Originals member Susan Roden and I are deep into a Donut War. Painting something so simple as a ball of fried dough, dusted in sugar, with juicy jam spilling out is an EXCELLENT exercise for our skills. It's all in fun, and no donut was devoured in the making of this painting....

This is a Dunkin Donuts Jelly

WHAT KIND of donut should I paint next?????

Think Outside The Box!

At the North River Arts Society, they have a fun event that's coming up.  Artists get an 8x8 inch square of foamboard and they have to think Outside The Box (or OTB) when they make a piece of art on it.  The pieces are not signed, rather they are assigned a number, and throughout August people can bid via Silent Auction on them.  So I was working on mine, and there's NO WAY I'm putting it up here, but I'll show you my brainstorm pieces - and my submission is inspired by one of these.  

The Opening is open to the public (and a good time will be had by all, I assure you!) and is the 7th at 7 p.m.   Join us if you can!

Also:  below, my Ammo For The Donut Wars:

Happy Birthday to my son, Conor!  

It Takes Two, 6x8 Original Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

The Donut Wars have begun! My blogger friend Susan Roden and I are engaged in dough warfare - I promise it's a fun 'fight' - and are painting our hearts out in donuts! This morning I trekked over to Allie's Donuts (the box, I swear, says Allie's Donuts... Rhode Island... as if everyone just KNOWS where it is), and yeah, we got lost .... twice. Finally enough of the "Don't you have your iPhone?" and "I thought you KNEW where this place was..." and we remembered - in our new car we have a built in GPS! D'OH! Rhode Island is a tiny state, but we had to drive over 2 islands to get to Allies, and pay EIGHT DOLLARS in bridge tolls! Yeah. For donuts.

I struggled a bit with the acrylic paint for no good reason. I am used to the creaminess of the oil paint, although I did the painting BELOW in acrylic, in a trip we've made an annual pilgrimage to P'town last Friday. No problems with the paint that day. With the perspective, with the flag, with the fleeting light, but the paint was fine! I hope you all had a good weekend, too!

Manager's Special, 6x6 inches, Original Oil by Kelley MacDonald

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I hadn't done a donut in a while, and this looked so tempting at Dunkin Donuts! A fellow painter at Daily Painters Originals keeps doing donuts and gets my craving going! So I'm fighting fire with fire - I'll TAKE your vanilla frosted, Susan Roden, and RAISE you a strawberry frosted with orange and pink dots! :) And yeah, I ate this one, after it sat under the lights filling the studio with the smell of warm dough and strawberry!

Doesn't it look sweet in the tiny donut box they gave me for the model?

Happy, 5x7, Oil

Pomeranians always look happy, and this little guy, who I met during the Scottsdale Gallery Walk a while ago, was no exception. He acted like a 'big dog', in that he was calm, and had a big presence. I let my brushstrokes emphasize his gregarious nature. He was quite a lot of fun to paint!


The previous post of the horse & buggy were from Quebec City!!!! Congrats to those who guessed it!

Taking The Romantic Route, 6x6 Oil

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Can you guess where this is? Guess and I'll tell you tomorrow. I always felt so bad for these horses in the heat, then when I walked around the block I saw two horses with their muzzles down in a low fountain. OK, if they get a good drink between rides. Otherwise, I'm thinking "Black Beauty" - which I must have read 4 times as a kid!

End Of Day Reflections, Acrylic 6x6

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Another view down the river. I never tire of it. This morning I woke up and saw the moon setting - I took photos and hopefully soon I'll show you that.

Are We There Yet? 6x6, Acrylic

This gaggle of Canada Geese was crossing the road down the street from me. It was a family - 3 youngsters and 2 adults (well, that's what it looked like), and reminded me of my own family and trips we'd taken. There was always the question, "Are We There Yet?" and my husband and I would look at each other like the 2 geese on the right. With a *sigh*.

Also, yes, these are "Canada Geese", as opposed to "Canadian Geese" as you sometimes hear... they don't have Canadian passports....

My husband's favorite part of this painting is the guardrail. Yup, the guardrail....


If you're down in the Duxbury way this weekend, I have 2 paintings in the Midsummer Members' Show at the Duxbury Art Association! I also have 20 little paintings at goooood prices in the members' studio sale!

Last Light, 6x6 Acrylic

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This painting was from a photo I took in Marshfield, MA. It's such a great place in the summer. I love the peach sky and the pale blue water. You know the time of day... everyone stands transfixed by the play of light between the sky and water.

Naptime, 6x6 Acrylic

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Oh, he's too warm to do too much else, here in July!  But truthfully... Paco is a CHAMPION napper. He can fall asleep sitting up.  Or licking my face.  I love the red blanket, too, it's almost like he picks a 'paintable' background sometimes!

I had a wonderful Open Studio weekend.  This was my 'soft' weekend, without invitations, etc.  The BIG one is in August - believe it or not,  it will probably be cooler.  I met so many interesting people, and saw lots of friendly faces from last year - it was great!  Lots of people were interested in classes and workshops, too.  I'm thinking of a couple of Painting Safari's - one in the RI area and one in Hull - where we paint outdoors at a different wonderful location each week.  I'll demo, then we'll paint and do a critique -it'll have just a nominal fee. Beginner to intermediate levels.   Shoot me an email if you're interested, and I'll put you on the mailing list.

Maine Morning, 8x8, Oil

I just realized I've hit 600 posts - this is an amazing thing for me.  How quickly time flies!  I can honestly say I've enjoyed every post, and doubly enjoyed the new friends I've made through blogging! 

This was a plein air study done on the dock on the last painting day in Maine.  I loved the pink buoy!  I've got a bit of traveling to do, a little anniversary trip to Quebec where we spent our honeymoon, 33 years ago.  Aside from that I wrenched my neck and shoulder walking Paco last weekend, (he saw something behind us and ran full tilt while I was walking the other way!) and have been unable to paint!  Hopefully by Tuesday I'll be in the swing of things again, and I'll return dying to paint (I am already!).

Fragrant Mock Orange, 11x14, Oil

This is a view of part of the porch at the Maine farmhouse.  The Mock Orange  bush was in full bloom when we arrived, and more beautiful flowers bloomed daily.  If you've never smelled them, they kind of smell like Lilies of the Valley - on steroids.  My husband's grandmother, Margaret Croft, introduced me to this plant, and every time I smell them, I think of that generous and gracious lady.
$150 & $10 S&H via Paypal
Email me with questions at kcareymac@hotmail.com

On The Rocks Of Maine, 11x14, Oil

At Pemaquid Point, I believe.  A devilishly hot day, with gorgeous blue water and slab-y rocks.  I know the rocks were gray but I could see all kinds of color in them.

$150 & $10 S&H via Paypal

Island at New Harbor, Maine, 6x8, Oil

Blue, blue... my world was blue... sitting on the rocky coast painting the islands around New Harbor, ME last week.  Funny, when I was done painting this I packed up and turned around for a last look, and the water was FILLED with bright buoys!  I guess all the lobster traps got filled!

Maine Boathouse, New Harbor, 8x8, Oil

This painting is of one of the boathouses across from the dock of the farmhouse in Maine that I stayed at last week.  It was a wonderful, exhilarating week, with some fabulous artists in an enchanting location.  Where to start?  The little cove that the property fronted on?  The amazing rocks that met the ocean at every turn?  The gorgeous boats, the pines that line the shore?   *sigh*  I have enough sketches and photos to last a year or more!  This is the first, from the first, clear, beautiful morning I was there.

Puttin On Airs, 6x6, Oil

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So these jellies (from Dunkin Donuts) wanted to hang out in a cut glass dish... who am I to deny them?  That top donut was so full it DRIBBLED down the side of the bottom donut and globbed up at the bottom of the dish!  Unless this gets sold beforehand, it will make it's debut at Oceanside 17 Gallery in Hull on Saturday evening, which is hosting a dinner for the South Shore Art Festival (where I am getting my first REAL 1st place award).  Now I can say that "awards don't mean anything".  Before I got this, they were elusive.  I know plenty of gorgeous paintings get passed up for awards at these shows, but every once in a while, it's so nice to hear that a judge liked what you did!  And that's the last you're going to hear about this from me. :)

Japanese Irises, 12x9, Oil

Sat in my garden and painted these last night.  I didn't have any of my small panels or boards, so I used what I could find - a 9x12 canvas.  The surface was a bit absorbent for some reason, and the paint went on in a washy, watercolor-like fashion - you can really see it on the bottom two flowers.  My irises are very special to me, and I have 3 types, bearded black, bearded ice blue, and these.  The black ones have gone by, and the ice blue ones got stomped by the small pug who runs my life.. :)  Oh, Paco!!!!