You Deserve It( - and my process), 6x6 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

Dead of winter... halfway through.  I have friends who are at the beach, soaking up the sunshine, playing and dining outdoors, in warm places.  No.  I don't resent you - YOU DESERVE IT.  And honestly, this winter, despite a couple of weeks of rough patch, has been sort of kind.  I hope you exult in your warm days, your tan you tried not to get (right...). Kick off your flip flops and walk the beach, let your mind wander and R-E-L-A-X.  Because... yeah... you deserve it.

And here's a sneak peek at a Work In Progress (or maybe it's done, I never know).  See, our Girls Just Wanna Paint topic this month is "Palette".  You know, like our artist's palette.  So... first I made many sketches in my sketchbook of one of those hand held wooden palettes.  My personal palette is one of two: a clear glass piece on a kitchen cart, or a disposable palette, with about 20 sheets of waxy paper.  

I. Was. Bored.

So, I thought, what if I made a wild garden (the only kind I can grow) and made a flower for each color on my palette?  I use a limited palette (to start with, anyway) of

Titanium White

Cadmium Lemon

Cadmium Yellow Medium

Cadmium Orange

Cadmium Red Light

Quinacridone Rose

Ultramarine Blue

Path Blue and

Burnt Umber

So I took a canvas and over about 4 days laid down the 'darks' of the leaves, stems and loam, and the 'light' of the sky.  At least 2 layers for the sky - at least 6 for the darks. Then.... I COULD NOT BEAR to put the flowers in!  FEAR OF FAILURE.  A friend whose opinion I respect came by and I asked her and she said,  no, no flowers.  I agreed.  Mostly.  Decided to start from scratch with a completely different idea. 

BUT THEN... I was cleaning my other house's studio out and found a big piece of mylar (clear sheeting).  I taped it over (you can see a piece of tape on the upper left corner) the painting and proceed to paint as I had imagined it.  And I am very glad I tried this.  I don't know now, if I will paint this design on the actual painting or simply adhere the mylar with the paint on it on TOP of the canvas.  But it came out exactly as I imagined it.  

Lesson:  Trust yourself.

Garden Of Color, 16x20 Inch acrylic painting by Kelley MacDonald

 "Garden Of Color" 16x20 acrylic on canvas, and acrylic on mylar

Is it March ALREADY????  Giving thanks for a not-too-horrible winter! And yes, it's GirlsJustWannaPaint day, too!  So, this month our topic was "Palette".  As usual, I tried out different ideas in my sketchbook.  What I decided on was a 'garden' depicting each color of my limited palette colors.  A limited palette is when an artist uses just red, yellow and blue (usually, like in my case, a cool and a warm of each color) plus white (and burnt umber).  

So I did my foliage, kind of happy, dancing leaves, etc. and was more than happy with it.  So happy, in fact, that I feared putting in the flowers.  What if that was a bad idea?  I'd ruin the foliage I liked so much.  I decided to take a piece of mylar sheeting and lay it over the canvas, to fit exactly, and paint on TOP of that, and then I could see if it would work.  It did.  But it worked too well.  I was extremely free and loose with the strokes for the flowers, and I like how they came out, like those exact brush strokes, very much.  I knew I could NEVER recreate them exactly.  So I am trying to see how to affix the mylar topping over the canvas.  Even though I've been told I can't do this (which is EXACTLY what to sat to me if you want me to break my head trying...) I love the 3-D effect having the mylar sitting atop the canvas gives.  Below are some close ups... (sideways of course... it's been that kind of day)

For now... it's just sitting.  Any ideas of fixing it to the canvas  LET ME KNOW.  :)

Hopper's Light, 8x10 inch Acrylic by Kelley MacDonald

Well, it's the 1st of the month, and that means Girls Just Wanna Paint!  This month Mary Sheehan Winn chose the theme "Paint Like A Famous Artist".  I was stumped, stymied and s-l-o-w.  I've always loved Hopper, and his bare, lonely lighthouse paintings, so here we are.  I'll tell you trying to copy another artist's work is so much more difficult than doing it yourself!  But I do learn, every single time I do things like this.  This speaks to me of every lighthouse I've visited.  Especially Maine, where Hopper took a lot of inspiration.  I love everywhere he painted.  Anyway, it's an 8x10 on gallery wrapped canvas (no need to frame).  I can't ship it till after our monthly meeting on the 6th, so bear that in mind!  Stay safe if you're in hurricane areas!

Serenity, 6x6 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

I haven't painted in about a week.  Life keeps getting in the way.  And it's not going to ease up for a couple of weeks, so when I GOT a small, teeny tiny block of time, I grabbed my paints and the reference photo that I loved and went to town.

It's a place I want to be.  It's a sight I love to see.  Massachusetts, in particular, has a lot of gorgeous marshes.  But I don't really remember where this one is from.  I love the clouds, the sky, the reflection.  

Wishing you all peace, and a bit of serenity. :)

Serene Bride, 7x5 Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

NFS

Here it is, the 1st of the month!  And you know what that means!  Girls Just Wanna Paint produces our response to this month's topic:  Bride.  Check them out HERE.

I'm going to a wedding next week for a very lovely couple and my very own daughter is recently engaged and we are looking forward to THAT!  Every bride is beautiful.  City Hall brides (my mom and my friend Susan), Beachfront brides, Cathedral Brides, Flower Power brides and every type of bride in between.  Something about celebrating finding the love of your life, I think, makes you shine from within.  

Memories, 6x6 Inch Acrylic painting by Kelley MacDonald

This month the Girls Just Wanna Paint challenge was to paint a treasured object.  I've kind of trying to adopt a Buddhist attitude, of detachment, and not letting material things mean too much to me, but this little pitcher was my mom's and I think was actually a creamer.  My son, knowing how I love pussy willows, actually GREW some this year, and put them in a floral arrangement he gave me on my recent birthday.  Well the flowers are gone, but the pussy willows remain.

SO.  On to the fun part here.  Today, being behind the 8 Ball with my painting schedule, I packed up my paints and drove to Sally Dean's studio where we decided we would simply get in her studio and CRANK out this month's Challenge. We did it, then went looking at some awesome pottery and glasswork in nearby Norwell (behind Trattoria San Pietro). So... here is mine.  Please check out the rest of the GJWP Challenge paintings HERE, and Sally's blog HERE.

"Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends... " yes I do, and I want to say THANKS to Sally for a great art date day!

Magical Moonlight

The first of the month always brings my painting for my Challenge group, Girls Just Wanna Paint.

This month our theme was "Magical"... and to me, moonlight on snow is just about as magical as you can get.  It's a tiny, tuckable painting, and I also like that.  I have lots of these, done by myself, or my Daily Painting friends, tucked in corners all over the house.  I love coming upon them, they comfort or inspire me, remind me of places or fun times, or just beauty.  

I know a lot of us had to wrestle joy into the Thanksgiving feast this year, but I hope you all did.  Aside from personal challenges of our own or our loved ones, the media has been doing it's level best to divide us and make us angry.  Please lock the door of your heart on them.  Let in only the joy from the smiles of your favorite family and friends, and the let in only the love from their hearts to yours.  

And if we have to buy presents at the holidays, try to do so from small businesspeople.  We won't make a hill of beans of difference in buying something from China.  But our local shops, and craftspeople are our neighbors and need our support.  Of course shopping this way won't get you your Lexus in the driveway on Christmas morning... but trust me, it will be as nice a surprise a few days after Christmas when the dealers are trying to get their numbers in before the 1st!!! Ha! 

Stand At Pardon Gray, oil painting by Kelley MacDonald

This 8x8 in painting will be hanging at the North River Arts Society's Members Show opening this Friday night.  I won't be able to attend the Opening Festivities, unfortunately.  I have posted this painting before, as it was the Girls Just Wanna Paint submission for August.

If you DO go - how's about taking a photo of it - and you - and sending it to me? kcareymac@hotmail.com.  Muchas gracias.  Enjoy - this opening is FREE to the public!

I'm a bit off my game today - my husband was invited to attend an event Tuesday night in NYC, and he didn't want to stay over, and asked me to take the drive with him, and keep him company (have I EVER turned down an opportunity to go to The City? No.).  Should have been 3 1/2 hours or so each way.  Try FIVE and a half, each way.  We made a speedy trip to Manhattan, then as soon as we got off the highway (brilliantly coordinated with the UN letting out of their Climate Change event) the many blocks surrounding the UN were all blocked off - and you KNOW that's where we needed to go.

Coming home, every city in CT closed down most of 95N, resulting in a lovely slowdown - especially in New Haven at midnight, sitting stock still for 1/2 hour.  I wanted to get out of the car and pave the road myself - I think I could have been quicker.  Anyway... just a little sleep deprived (in at 3 a.m.) and cranky - off to bed now.... a deliriously happy day of painting tomorrow!

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.

Blue Moon…. 8x8 inch Mixed Media painting by Kelley MacDonald

When my children were young, I sang to them every night.  They each got a story (or 2, or 3) and then a song or two.  My youngest, my daughter, got to a point where she only wanted me to sing "Blue Moon", which would have been fine, except I couldn't really remember the verses.  I knew about 4 lines, which she had me sing with more and more emotion and vigor… until I think my neighbors must have thought I was a little soft.

This month my Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge was to do a mixed media piece.  Here's the story:  At some point this was a reeeaaallly bad painting I had done.  I painted over most of it, leaving bands of color in strips here and there.  I called paintings like this "Recovery Paintings", and in my mind I was thinking of the people I knew who, through illness or situations, were re-making their lives.  What I saw was that their recoveries made them stronger.  I thought… maybe my 'recoveries' will have a new lease on life!  So I took a 'recovery' painting, and used ink to place the moon.  Then painted over most of the recovery painting.  Then added text and some images of birds (returning to us now that the winter is waning).

So, though layers and layers of paint, ink glue, paper, and even on the 'snow' some iridescent glitter, I hope there is strength to be found here!

Black Magic, 6x6 inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE to Purchase

This is my submission for the Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge this month, which is "MAGIC".  You can see the other artist's pieces HERE.  

I"m not much for actual magic.  The magic of love?  Yes.  The magic of a miracle?  Absolutely!  But regular magic is so fakey-fakey, you know?  And a lot of people associate black cats with magic (witches, etc.).  Well, I had the most wonderful cat in the world about 20 years ago - well, he was my daughter's but he was mine in my heart.  His name was Max.  (He looked like this but this is not him)  He was huge - not fat at all, just a big boy - 18 pounds.  And you did NOT mess with him.  He refused to go into the house through the door, once he figured out that the bulkhead led right up to a kitchen window.  Yes, everyone in our house knew that he would meet you at the window if he wanted 'in'.  He was very affectionate to me, and had rules.  One rule was - beds made first thing in the a.m.  No dilly dallying.  He would block the doorway to my bedroom, staring at the bed, at me …. then at the bed… just blinking.  And I knew.  So as soon as the bed was made he'd hop up and curl up in the middle, against the pillows.  I'd give anything, ANYTHING at all, to have him boss me around just one more time.

Just Like Mommy, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

Well, it's the first of the month and let me be the first to say "Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit" for good luck this month!

Also, as you probably know, it's the day the Girls Just Wanna Paint group posts their response to the monthly topic.  This month the topic was:  Makeup.  Boy, you could do so much with that!  I will let you go to our blog to see the various Makeup paintings, and I think you will be surprised!  Click HERE to see our paintings!  I chose little girls playing with makeup as a theme.  This little girl ALMOST got it right - and she must have seen her Mom purse her lips - she is just a BIT smeary!~  I thought I wouldn't enjoy this painting, but I did, I really really did!  I can't wait to see her framed up and hanging at the show at the Thayer Academy Gallery later this month.  

November 18th - December 18th

Opening Reception with all the artists: Thurs. Nov. 21st 5-8.

I believe we are having Prosecco -  you just come on and join us!

"Me With My Dog" 6x6 Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

This month the Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge was the word: "With".  I've had this old photo for a long time.  It actually was in black & white.  It wasn't 'me' but it really could have been.  All my life I've loved animals.  No secret to anyone who knows me that sometimes I prefer their company.  They never let me down.  Their response to my care and love is astounding.  Dogs & cats - and I'd love to try horses - are incapable of duplicity.  Forgiving, honest and dependent on our generosity and thoughtfulness.  I worry about animals who don't get water in clean bowls, who get left outside, or pushed aside... animals who 'belong' (through no fault or choice of their own) to people who care more about the fabric on the couch than on their pets.  Anyway - how'd I do 'colorizing' this?  It was harder than you'd think!

Want to see what the rest of the Girls chose to paint?  Look HERE!

These paintings are all being reserved for our show at the Thayer Academy Gallery in November.  More to come on that.  

Oh, The Places You'll Go.... 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

This month my Challenge Group is painting "Travel", and I love the look of old-type suitcases. Back in the day, I guess, when we didn't pack all the comforts of home!  I  love suitcases, and the whole thought behind them, that armed with a suitcase or two, you can go to exotic locations, learn about a different culture, visit beautiful sites you'd always dreamed of.  I think everyone should visit as many places as they can, inside the USA and out.  I'm dreaming of France these days, but I've had many wonderful trips,.... and btw - my art equipment needs it's own bag!

Visit all the Painting Girls' take on 'Travel' HERE.  These paintings will be available and on view for our Girls Just Wanna Paint Show at Thayer Academy - in mid November....

Listening To The Heartbeat Of The Sea, 8x8 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

This painting is in response to the Challenge of our Girls Just Wanna Paint group.  The topic was a line from an e.e. cummings poem.

maggie and milly and molly and may

  by E. E. Cummings

             

maggie and milly and molly and may 
went down to the beach(to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang 
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing 
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone 
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me) 
it's always ourselves we find in the sea

-

"For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), it's always ourselves we find in the sea...." I myself am always drawn to the water, be it a stream, pond, ocean, pool, etc.  I stand at the ocean's edge and feel my heartbeat sync to the lapping of the waves.  I feel like I can find the solution to any problem there, and that in the end, it will all be OK.  This couple must feel the same way.  In Maine lots of people walk out on to the rocks, as in this painting, and sit and just experience the deep, cool, peace of the water's edge.  This painting, as well as the others posted today on our blog, will be shown at our show at the Thayer Academy gallery mid November - December.  Please plan to stop by! 

Do Not Disturb, 8x10 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

I'm celebrating!  Just had such a great, fun weekend, glamorous partying with friends under the stars (some of whom I have not seen in a LONG time!), hanging out in the garden and getting a few new plants to tuck here and there, running into a friend at the garden store, and going back to her summer place to see so many of my paintings hanging there, looking so happy... exciting news of new babies (no, not in MY family), engagements (again...not in MY family)... so enjoy, not only the 'insider's price', but free shipping!

So I also got in some much needed studio time yesterday, and this painting just flew off the brush.  It was like I wasn't even there.  I'm thinking this gal needs a day.  No work, no cooking, no shopping, no laundry, errands, kids, men, etc.  Just the sounds of the waves, a good book, the smell of the ocean.... HER time.  And... she's totally coordinated :)

Also... this afternoon I started getting texts and emails that alerted me .... to an article about aforementioned glamorous friend Pam Copeman being written about in the Boston Globe Magazine, with photos - that show my paintings in her sumptuous home!  Look HERE.  Pam is a friend, a fellow Girls Just Wanna Paint girl, a fabulous artist and a sublime decorator.  Her whole condo is done is sunset colors - brave and glorious.  I would trust her with any design project - seriously, she can do it all!  I'm so proud of her!  My sunset paintings are very happy in her house!

Manhattan, 5x7 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

Hey, TGIF, right?  Apparently there are a few people out there who like the Mad Men cocktails... Manhattan!  This was fun to paint - I could almost smell it as I painted it.  It's the weekend, and I am stacked up - Class on Saturday (we're having a 'cocktail' party - and we have a couple of slots open due to travel, so.... you're welcome!), then the Spring Bull opening, where I have 3 Gull paintings, then the Girls Just Wanna Paint will meet at my studio on Sunday.  All good things.  I am grateful for all my peeps, and for the art in my life!~

Greening Up, 6x6 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

This was the painting I WANTED to do for my Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge for Sunlight.  But being me, I 'lost' the photo before I could paint it.  And as it usually happens, as soon as the Challenge was done... you guessed it, I found it.  This is a big old tree in our neighborhood.  I've love the shadows on grass as well as snow.  I started this as a demo for my Providence Art Club class as an example of 'negative space'.  Took it home and completely reworked it, so I'm happy now.

During my class Monday I started getting tons of messages, and phone calls - unusual, since everyone I know KNOWS I teach Monday afternoon.  It wasn't till I spotted the message that flashed on the screen  that said "I'm OK Mom, don't worry..." that I decided to look at the other messages, and realized something was very wrong in Boston.

Took a long time to be certain my kids and friends were safe, as cell phones were not working from Boston due to the bombing.  Texting, however, still worked, and I literally spent over an hour texting everyone checking to be sure... 

My daughter was supposed to be running the Marathon this year... for a couple of reasons she decided not to... but that was right around the time she usually crosses the finish line, and we've been IN that crowd, waiting, and were 'supposed' to be there this year....  angels watching over us, I guess.

  

Evil is resilient .... but goodness is even more so.  The messages from friends and strangers across the country in support of Boston was... incredibly moving.  From a day filled with heartbreak, I am coming away with hope, and strength, and confidence that goodness will prevail, that we are One.

Now For Something Completely Different

"Angels Watch Over Her"

6x6 inches

Well, it's about time I published the collage I did for my Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge for January.  I was flummoxed over a collage, remembering my really bad attempts in high school.  So I took a painting I'd done a long time ago, and touched it up, and cut and tore some paper for it and voila!  

The studio move is over... and now just the sifting and more tossing out is ongoing!  I had a couple of new students in my Saturday Class (which is ongoing, and on a drop-in basis, just email me for info), and they were Angels themselves for putting up with the chaos. "I'll make everyone tea.... oh, wait, water boiling... where's the tea? Where are the cups? :)  It was better than this photo by the time class started, and will be MUCH better next week!

Starry, Starry Night, 8x8 Inch Oil Painting byKelley MacDonald

SOLD

This month the Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge is to "Paint Like Van Gogh".  I thought this was a fairly brilliant topic, as I am a huge fan of Vincent.  But what really happened, when I tried to copy (a portion of) Starry Night, what that I LEARNED so much!  At first I thought it was going to be easy-peasy - what's so hard about blobbing paint on the panel or canvas, right?

Well!  He was a spot-on-master of value, for all his fame about color.  And if you think it's easy (as I did) getting that thick paint to lay down on top of other thick strokes, you've got another think coming!  Ah.... I love it when I'm learning and painting.  So... check out the other Girls' paintings HERE.  I think you'll enjoy it!  Hey - it's December.... Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit (for good luck!).

Enjoy the Season... what ever your family's traditions are!