Tiny Island Cottage, 6x8 Inches, Oil

NFS

When I went back to Christmas Cove later last week, I concentrated on this small cottage on a tiny island.  It was connected to the land by a bridge.  No car gets to this island.  Everything has to be carried over the rather long bridge (see below).  

  A million paintings were sitting right in front of me!

But I'm glad I'm home, finally able to celebrate my anniversary with my husband, and have my pets snuggling with me.  

Turquoise House, Oil 8x10

Last plein air painting from Nova Scotia.  This sweet turquoise house had a big dahlia patch running alongside it.  I really enjoyed painting this, with thick paint, trying to lay down broad patches of color.  The arches of the bare trees made a nice frame to the house, too.   I could've made more, or less of the house, but that's something I may explore later on a bigger canvas.

Parrsboro, Day 2

Reserved

Here I've tackled two little cottages. The quiet here will knock you over. Fabulous. I'm trying to loosen up in my plein air, and the top painting is maybe a little too 'tight' for me. I do love the subject, though. The second one is a little more lively. What do you guys think?

We are in artist's heaven. Who cares what we eat or drink, or when we sleep (I took a nap on the bluff in front of the cottage next door - in the wonderful fresh air, with the scents of balsam and ocean wafting by - I tell you... Heaven....

Also you can check out Mary Sheehan Winn's blog for more photo's & links for this painting trip.

Salvia Cottage, 12x12 Oil

sold

On a trip to Ptown during a painting trip this week, we pulled in across from Days Cottages (Ptown, I think, or it could be in Truro....)  And having just been to all the fabulous galleries in Ptown I was  so psyched to get out the paints.  All these little cozy cottages are lined up along the road, perched on the edge of the beach - nothing between them and the gorgeous bay but a strip of lovely sand.  The neat and tidy cottages each bear the name of a flower - I chose Salvia, partly because of the red jeep with the green kayak in front of it.  The light was just starting to slant and there was fantastic 'bounce' of this yellow light up into the shadow on the right side of the building.  Anyway...this nice family from Western MA was staying there, and they purchased the painting right off the easel.  I hope they enjoy it as much as I enjoyed painting it!