Flowers And A Sweet Treat, by Kelley MacDonald

These are my very favorite Peonies from my old garden.  What do I love painting more?  The lush pink petals, the frou frou white centers?  Or..... the GLASS?  It's funny, when I start to paint these flowers I always think "CAN I do this?"  then I just stop worrying, and just do it.  And most of the time... it works.  This is a great little gift for a June birthday, anniversary or a 'just because' thing (or for yourself...).  I never get tired of looking at these flowers. 

And, we have big doings this weekend as my oldest son is getting married Saturday (so excited!), but on Sunday you can bet I'll be at the North River Arts Society's annual Festival.  Saturday and Sunday... seriously, great juried show, great crafts, photography, music, food... and a truly amazing art sale (art in the barn).  Here are a few FRAMED paintings I put in.  Really good price.  I decided a couple of years ago that I would only put things in this sale that I would buy myself, or hang on my own walls.  No clearing out of stuff that didn't sell elsewhere, or paintings that just weren't good enough.  So.... here are the candy paintings that will be there:

I guess '3' is the lucky number for me, eh?

Poppies, 6x12 inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

As we drove to and from painting sites during our week in Maine, we were treated to gorgeous displays of poppies.  These, against the deep dark of the woods, were these brilliant glowing flowers! We took so many photos of them and I knew I'd paint them.  One thing I love about this painting is that the woods are not a flat black area, there is depth and branches and trees and all sorts of stuff going on there! A nice, 'tuckable' size, too, 6x12.  

I always see poppies as a hopeful sign, that the cold winter is really really gone, and the flora of summer is on it's way.

Romance, 8x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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There was a wedding at the Providence Art Club, and every table had a gorgeous silver vessel overflowing with old fashioned roses in whites and pinks.... perfection. ( The painting is so hard to photograph!)  But I love the little petals that fell around the base of the pitcher, and the reflections  too!

I'm about to delve into a week of painting in Maine with some buddies.  I look forward to this all year.  I may not be able to post, but I'll try.  A farmhouse on the water, filled with talented, generous, funny women - a whole week of just art, laughter and fabulous dinners - I'll think of you all!

Happy, 6x6 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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I labored on my paintings today.  I completely wiped down 2 canvases, and was feeling, well... discouraged.  I had the BEST subjects - roses, peonies, and ... more roses.  I had a perfect view of the morning on the river.   Yes, it was an early start to the day (waaaay before sunrise) because of an ongoing skirmish between my cats - enough said.  I think I may have been tired.  But then I took my acrylics out and plopped myself down in front of this vase of my favorite peonies and I felt.... just Happy.  Pharrell Williams Happy.  Foot tapping, humming, smiling and relaxed.  And then THIS happened.  Not my usual.  But very free... very...HAPPY! I hope it makes you happy too!

:D

This just may become a REALLY big painting.

Blue Grace, 10x10 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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This is 10x10 inches, and I was just so inspired by my Irises the other day that I dragged my easel into the garden and painted them as they were just unfolding.

My favorite time in the garden!  I ate my first strawberry from the strawberry plants today!  Like sugar on the tongue!  

I liked the unusual background, the blue just popped out against it.  

Tulips Open To The Sun, 6x6 inch acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

Hey beautiful…. yes, you!  You are making the Spring flowers bloom!  These are Passionate Pinks! I am always torn by my tulips (actually got the bulbs on a painting trip to Holland a few years ago)… whether to cut them and have them in the house/studio, or let them open up in the sunshine.  I usually dither so long they stay in the garden.  I completely understand Tulip Mania.

"Look here in the garden bed

Something beautiful is growing…

Bright, shaped like a cup - all red

Tulips open to the sun…."

When I was a little girl we sang this song in school, and I had no idea what a tulip was.  We lived in a multi-family house and there were no flowers in the yard.  My husband made sure I fell in love with all kinds of flowers, and now I can't see my life without them!  I think gardening is mind-expanding.  

These are fun, and they are the Girls Just Wanna Paint submission for the topic this month of "Open".  Check out the other paintings HERE.

First Tulips, 2014, 8x8 inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$150 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

Last week was my birthday, and one of my children gave me these beautiful purple tulips.  I've spent a lot of days recently trying to catch up on commissions, and putting bids out there for work.  But I just had to paint these heralds of Spring!  I wanted to keep it fresh and uncomplicated.  I love the dance that tulips do!

I'm working on some larger pieces, and maybe I'll give you a peek, although right now it's a struggle!  Be well!  Enjoy the warmer days!

Jar Of Joy, 5x7 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase!

I really changed gears last week.  It turns out there is so much wattage necessary to get ready and have an Open Studio that afterwards I was the equivalent of a wet noodle - could hardly paint!

But this little charmer made me smile when I painted it.  Something about the blue and yellow - always a favorite of mine... 

And then my class gave me a charge, on Saturday.  We chose squares of colors which were face down on a plate - cut from magazines.  When we got 5 or 6 we taped them to the side of a piece of paper, then set about to exactly come up with that color.  You might think this is easy - you would be wrong!  But it was fun and challenging, and then we were ready to get to our little still lives... and I took the bit again to dive into painting.  Good thing... I have the OTHER Open Studio coming up in a few weeks!!!

I promise I will start a newsletter soon, so every post is not filled with updates, but I was so thrilled to hear that 3 of my paintings were accepted into the Small Matters Of Great Importance Show at the Edward Hopper House in New York in August.  Here they are, below:

I'm crossing my fingers that my framer got the frame right - I wanted a floater frame with a gold liner.... 

Sunshine In A Vase, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald - Gerbera Flowers

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Although in real life, the green is more aqua blue, these flowers, a gift from my friend Mary Sheehan Winn, are just exuberant!  At first they were all orange... then the very tiniest tips became yellow, now they're about 1/2 and 1/2 yellow/orange - delightful!

I have a friend who drove down from Boston Saturday afternoon so we could figure out how to make prints.. and this, though exhausting, was exciting.  I'm such a literalist.    I am working my way towards a little bit of abstraction, but I'm not there yet!  So here, below, is my first try that I'm happy with. 

 Dancing Pugs:

Alternate Universe, 8x8 inch Acrylic Painting of White Tulips by Kelley MacDonald

$125 & $10 S&H

Click HERE to Purchase

A bit grainy photograph is what happens when you take the shot too late in the day, and the light is going.  I'll get a better shot tomorrow, and replace it.

My Girls Just Wanna Paint topic was 'white', and I had these gorgeous white tulips, but I was playing with two backgrounds.  Who knew so many people love the color purple?  I have a lot of friends who say it is their favorite color.  All artists, mind you.

I took a large part of today to PLAY.  I haven't had a day off in a loooong time, and with no wind and clear skies, Paco and I took off for the beach.  Good call... he loved it.  His blog is now happening again, feel free to visit!

It's Paco's Pugtails...

Also... mark your calendars!

Princess Tulips, 8x8 Inches, Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

This month, the Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge group painted "White".  Actually, for me the problem was not WHAT to paint, but what to NOT paint.  There were so many white subjects I'd love to do... clouds, white houses, white dishes, white ice cream, white dogs, cats, well, you get the gist.

But tulips were my big obsession this month, so, here we are.  SO much going on, and I want to thank each and every one of you who came out to the Sea Rose Cottage last week in Bristol, RI.  It was fun, right?  Lots of interesting artists studded the local businesses.  I made new friends and some of my favorite paintings found new homes :)

But coming up.....

I'll have 3 gull paintings at Spring Bull for this show.... and Newport is always interesting!

Flowering Quince, 11x14 oil painting by Kelley MacDonald

$350.00 & $15 S&H

Click HERE to Purchase

OK, it's much bigger than my usual Daily Paintings - 11x14 inches! This painting kind of came to me in a dream.  In that I dreamt about a design like this, knowing my two gorgeous flowering quince bushes were just bursting with blooms.   So, coincidentally, I stumbled on the glass panels I purchased TWO YEARS ago and promptly lost.... I knew it had to all come together.  I found a beautiful ultramarine tissue paper and put it under the glass, popped the little vase on top...and just reveled in the reflections. 

I put this up on Facebook and got record numbers of 'likes' (for me, anyway!).  I had been planning to save this painting to put in the Gallery this summer, but ... I was just so tickled that it got such a rush of good responses, I thought I'd like to offer it online.  Normally, framed, this would go for double this amount, but I just get such a KICK out of people being enthusiastic about a piece I LOVE, love, love, I am happy to offer it at this price.  So, I'd be happy to see it go to a 'good' home with one of my blogger friends, I guess is what I'm saying!

Be well, all... be happy, and enjoy the blooms of Spring!

Do Not Adjust Your Set... 4x4 Inch Forsythia by Kelley MacDonald

$65 & $10 S&H

Click HERE to Purchase

A different pink background, a different size.  I love exploring a subject in a series!  I have one other background I'd like to explore, as well... coming up Monday!  Two rather big happenings in the next couple of weeks:  

April 25, Thursday, from 5-9

I'm the Featured Artist at Sea Rose Cottage on Constitution Rd, Bristol, RI

Bristol Art Night 

Come, be a friendly face, and view the gorgeous decorating ideas at the Cottage!

 And for the month of May I'm one of the South Coast Artists showing at Spring Bull Gallery on Bellview Ave in Newport!

Forsythia In Pink, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE to Purchase

Had a hard time painting today... all my work on my big paintings has to be done over.  I could manage this small one, though, and am very happy with it.  I was talking it over with my daughter and she said she, and others with ties to Boston, is having the same issue.  It's like a hangover of grief.  Everyone will work their way through it, but yesterday and today it seemed like I was standing in wet sand up to my knees.  So PINK was the perfect remedy.  Be well, be happy...

Exuberance, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting of Forsythia, by Kelley MacDonald

 This week in my Saturday class we discussed composing a painting with Negative Space in mind.  That's the space BETWEEN the branches, the shapes being determined by their relative distance from other shapes.  I think Forsythia is an excellent example, although chairs, trees, and such do a great job as well. Well, too, the blue jar was as fun as the flowers to paint!

I hope you enjoy these lively flowers!

Joyful, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting of Forsythia by Kelley MacDonald

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 There's something about Forsythia that lifts the heart.  Those cheery yellow bushes reaching for the sky, and the vibrant blue of a Spring day provides the perfect backdrop for these symbols of new life.  I can never fathom the urge to crop them into little rounded bushes, because what I love about them is their reckless reaching out, the irrepressible nature of their outstretched limbs.  

Which, of course, I cut and put in jars and vases around the house!

So... a new spring, a new season, and new and interesting things to come, for each of us.

Fun Time Tulips, 8x8 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$125 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

Painting today was frustrating.  I wanted to paint shore paintings, gulls and plovers and children in the waves.  But after 3 tries, nothing was working.  Why?  I had great reference material... I had new-ish brushes and all my favorite colors laid out in front of me.  I had time and space to myself.. good music on....  I complained on Facebook, 'got it all out', meditated, took a walk, looked at other art I like...  Then I decided to clean up and forget today's work.  But I had a bit of paint on my disposable palette and I thought, I'm just going to design a painting of my tulips, and it can dry and I'll work on it tomorrow.  But when I got the design in I decided to pop in a few color notes, and one thing led to another and I was IMMERSED.  I had a blast!  It's a little different in technique, but hey, experimenting is good!  So thrilled with it I want to share it.  So instead of the usual $150 for this size work I'm offering it for $125.  And I'm going to do more like this!

My other title I was going to go with was "Exuberance!"  Do you like it better?

All Of The Tulips, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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The last of these gorgeous tulips.  Now I'm itching for other colored tulips.  I've never painted white ones, so there's that, but I do love the orange ones, and then the yellow ones always 'get to' me....  We'll see what looks good when I shop!

Happy Easter, Passover, whatever holiday you observe.  I'm going to try for an Easter without chocolate (I know, right?  What's the point - kidding!).    

Well, I'm thinking that the warmer weather will bring some fun plein air painting.  I'm going to do a 'Safari' again this Spring/Summer, where we go to a different location each week, with a demo, painting and then a supportive critique.  Also, if you are in the Boston/South Shore area and are interested in a one-day Plein Air Workshop, I'm thinking of putting one together.  email me at kcareymac@hotmail.com.  Again... FUN!

Also I have room for maybe one more person in my Saturday class, it's ongoing and there are some very cool people you would love to paint with in it!  10-1 at my Warren Studio.  Just email me to let me know you're coming.  It's week-to-week, $25 each.

Pussy Willow Shimmer, 6x6 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

Loving my pussy willows still... and in this painting I decided to use a bright gold metallic paint for the background. I love the way the blueish pussy willows stand out against it.  Just exploring paint and shapes and design.

Saw sunshine today.  Took THREE walks.  Ahhhhhhhh... I am SO ready for Spring this year!

The Gift Of Tulips, 4x4 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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I can't resist these tulips!  YES I have a list of paintings I'm working on or should be working on, but this little 4x4 inch panel just snuck up on my easel!  

We had snow yesterday, Thursday, but it was beautiful.  All the more beautiful, I think, because at this time of year we know it won't last!!!  

I'm doing the 21 Day Meditation with Oprah and Deepak... I'm not usually into them, but I tried the first one today (yeah, I have some catching up to do) and it was wonderful.  Anybody else have tears stream down their faces when they meditate?  It's just such a safe and loving place.... anyway.

ALSO - hey... maybe you're not an artist.  Maybe you have friends you like to spend time with. ?

I'm doing these Art Parties... on Thursdays, or by appt.  BYOB, we supply the art supplies and smiles for you.  You can book the whole night, or just COME ON BY.  First one is Martini Madness...  Next month:  April In Paris....