Droolworthy, 6x6 inch oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

"Droolworthy" 6x6 Inch Oil on Archival Panel

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Oh, I love these close up portraits of jelly donuts!  I particularly enjoy the jelly part (can you tell?).  Why?  Because it's the biggest challenge (hardest part, yeah..)!  How many layers of light and sweetness can you see?  I use about 7 or 8 colors here, the exact selection honed over about 7 years of painting donuts.  The jelly has layers, and so do the highlights.  In this way it's like painting colored glass.  

So... I just this morning begged my husband to stop at the donut shop after he picked up some dog food.  Nom nom!  But I'm getting in the mood to paint some pets, and I've exhausted my own.  If you would like to send me a head shot of YOUR fur baby or one you know, please do!  NO OBLIGATION, I'm looking for models!  Send them to kcareymac@hotmail.com!  THANKS... from me and.... Paco, who is having a very tough time between the 2+ feet of snow and the bitter cold! :D

This is Paco's "come hither" look...

Jelly Bomb, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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Oh MAN, this was the perfect Jelly Donut!  Out of the lineup of plump sweet filled jellies, this one was the star.  And usually I have to do quite a bit of coaxing to get that perfect 'drip', but this one just erupted with that ruby goo!

So, was it coincidence that this painting just 'slid off the brush'?  I think not.  I especially was challenged, but LOVED painting the doughy spot to the left of the jelly - apparently this donut was joined to another and this was the 'tear-spot'.  I thought, at first - "I can't do that!"  I thought about ignoring it... surely I've painted enough of these to know what a non-torn piece looks like!  But then.... ah... I have a little motto... "Do one thing each day that terrifies you..."... so I went for it.  And am happy with the result!

Are you enjoying October?  I HOPE so - it's my favorite month!

Finalists, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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Oh, YUM!  Soft, pillowy, sugary sweetness, one on top of the others.  It's like they're the 3 finalists for the Miss Donut Beauty Contest.  It's a real art, you know, coaxing just a dribble of that jelly out.  My family thinks I'm dotty because I first suspend them opening-down to get the jelly to pool in front… then I gently squeeze till just one ruby droplet peeks out - ahhhhhh…. perfect.  Lights… Paints… ACTION!

Starry Starry Donut, 6x6 Inch Painting by Kelley MacDonald

$100 & $10 S&H

Click HERE To Purchase

After pushing 41 small paintings out of my studio last week for all the various holiday shows, believe it or not I could not WAIT to paint something I wanted to paint today.  So I told my husband not to eat breakfast, and hopped in the car and drove to Bristol, RI to get some donuts.  Mind you I drove by at least 2 Dunkin Donuts to get to the downtown Bristol shop.  They take great pride in generously filled and frosted donuts, and they are very artfully decorated.  I know, I know, they all get the same donuts, but (trust me on this, I know) some owners/franchises are waaaay better than others.  So I was disappointed to see the 'star mania' already.  I mean, when you want a filled donut you want a ROUND donut, right?  But these bismarks were winking at me.

So this series I'm doing of donuts won't probably be out in the world till December, and maybe not even then.  But it was very freeing to just go with this shape, this filling and of course, the jelly!

My good friend Patti Gray (former teacher and Maine-r friend) came to the Opening of Girls Just Wanna Paint at Thayer last night and snapped this photo of my husband, Tim, and I.  We both have our eyes open!! (and by that I mean me!)  Thanks, Patti!

NOW.  To get ready for Sunday, when my gallery, The Art Stable Gallery, is having our Holiday Open House!  We're roasting marshmallows and serving Champagne.  I dare you to stop by!  We've had recent renovations, and new work, and a POWERFUL spirit among us!  Really.  Champagne and marshmallows…..

Nom Nom Nom! 6x6 Inch Painting by Kelley MacDonald

Eeeeps!  WHO loves their work more than I do?  I will admit this time, that Boston Creme donut got gobbled up soon after the painting was done.  Not my fault.  I had to take not one, but TWO bites to get the creamy filling to show!  (normally I do not even LIKE this type of donut, but when you are very hungry, and have to taste it - twice……)  This is a commission for a Facebook friend who used to share the same building where I had my very first studio.  I hope she likes it.  I certainly had fun doing it!

It is amazing to me how fast time is flying and that the holidays are just around the corner.  

As we age, I guess, the pages of the calendar flip faster.  With that in mind…

Ready For A Close Up, 5x7 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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OK, so not health food.  But sometimes, just sometimes, comfort food is called for. IRL there is a bit more black on the top that accidentally got cropped off.  I'll run a true photo this weekend.  I'm staying out of the studio and painting at home all day Friday.  Double treat for me, after taking Thursday OFF, totally, and painting in my pj's on Friday.  

I have a painting in the NEST show in Dedham (their anniversary show) Friday (the 20th) night Party 5-8.  I'm hanging with some pretty heavy hitters!  Beth Dacey and Kim Morin Weineck are two that I know of and admire.  

Today I met up with fellow Blogger and Facebook friend Judy Joy Nocifora, while she and her husband were visiting Cape Cod.  SO great to finally meet someone I've admired and liked so much, through Social Media, and she's even sweeter in person!

Following our Donut-meetup, I swooped into Provincetown to see my friend Page Pearson Railsback, who is doing an art residency there.  Loved her little apartment and her studio, and well, you will love the work she's doing here - very courageous and beautiful!

And while I was visiting her, Lisa Daria Kennedy dropped by - on the day before she defends her Thesis for her Masters Degree (right downstairs from where Page is staying - yes, I snuck in to see her work - all in it's own room, huge, powerful, colorful and draftsmanship that blows me away....)... so I totally lucked out and had a blissfully happy day!  I spent the afternoon in the galleries of Ptown, and am all revved up and inspired!  

Sweet! 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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Well, maybe all these donuts look alike to you... but I guess, like a mother, they look unique to me!  Today I went to not one, but two different donut shops and drove the poor girls crazy selecting the perfect donuts to paint.  I have another Open Studio coming up in 2 weeks, at the South Coast Open Studio Tour for August (the 17th and 18th) and I know for sure I'll have friends from the blog and from Facebook, looking for donuts to satisfy their sweet tooth!  So today was pretty intense!  I did this 6x6, then a 10x10 inch, below.... (this one includes a CREAM and jelly donut... yes, Paco & I took a bite out of this one)

Then, just before cleaning up for the day.... I grabbed a 12x12 inch canvas and belted this one out, below:

This one is not the best photography job.... it's far, far better in person, and if I think to do it I'll re-photograph tomorrow.

Isn't Life Good? Painting Commission by Kelley MacDonald

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This 6x6 inch painting was done for a fellow artist from South Coast Artists!  She loves the Life Is Good slogan and attitude, and I'm all for that!  I hope she likes it, and that it doesn't cause her lovely daughter to ask for donuts too often!  

This Sunday (today) I will be at the (Art Stable) Gallery, doing my stint as a "Gallarina", and I will be painting while I'm there.  I think, maybe, if you are out getting batteries and potato chips to insulate you from Hurricane Sandy you should stop by and say 'hi'.  I always love to see a friendly face!

I hope every one of you is spared Sandy's wrath.  They are talking about a 30 foot storm surge - and that's what took out the Stone Bridge by my house - in '38.  Be ready for the worst, and hope for the best. 

:)

Broken, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting of a Jelly Donut by Kelley Macdonald

$100 & $10 S&H

 This was one fun painting to do.  I broke it open, and, yup, gobbled up a piece I tore off.  I'm hoping that Wednesday is a better day.  Tuesday started with my loving orange kitty FLINGING a small dead bird onto me as I slept.  Then he pounced on it and practiced killing it again.  OMG.

But the day certainly picked up when I met a new friend for coffee in Providence.  Kate Hanley is a guru, yoga master, wise-beyond-her-years gal who is relatively new to Providence, via NYC.  She is bubbling over with ideas to help people (I know, right?) find balance, peace and health in their lives.  She has two pre-schoolers and is planning on giving retreats for people (I think: women) to show them how to center themselves and give themselves a refreshing pause when they need it.  She is very cool.  You will love her.  Check out her site HERE

The first session is a full day on Friday, September 28 - a day long retreat.  It's at the unbelievable price of $100 - I believe this is an introductory price.  Rehoboth MA, right off 195.  As soon as there's a paypal button, I'm on it.  I'll let you know.http://www.msmindbody.com/

Jelly, Oh, Jelly! 6x6 Inches, Oil

OK, I decided to offer this baby to you guys - my online buddies!  I was thinking of putting it in a show, but ... hey, a Jelly is a just a Jelly, unless (Oh, God I can't believe I'm saying this) it's a Kelley's Jelly! (I'm just a little goofy after a grueling week! - oh, is it only Thursday?)

For quick little gifts locally - I have small works at the Providence Art Club, and at Nest in Dedham, and at the James Library in Norwell!  

Be Merry! Be Happy!

Donut War Day! Take THAT, Susan Roden! Oil, 6x6 Inches

Donut War, Donut War... No Backing Down!  Take THIS jelly, Susan Roden!  In real life, this painting has less 'florescence' on the left side of the jelly.  As I didn't see it till I got home from the studio today, I can't re-shoot the image.  Truly, I think this is one of the best 'portrait' of a jelly donut I've done.  I was so totally into the Zone, and the jelly seemed to turn into 3D before my eyes!

I have some news!  My blog and art have been reviewed by Tony Moffit of Art.Blog.Critique!  You can read it HERE. Then 'like' or subscribe to get each new one.

Also.... a new Smile for you

Click HERE for the auction site.

This was especially difficult because, well, teeth.  Do I need to say more?  Also this model's skin and lips were the SAME value!  Just a mild color change.  Learning, learning, learning...

Sweet Jelly Donuts, 5x5 inch Oil painting by Kelley MacDonald

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As I told Susan Roden regarding our Monday Donut War... I'm a day late and a dollar short - but I'm blaming the hurricane!  Could not BUY a donut on Sunday, and today, truly, it was above and beyond the call of duty just finding a donut shop that was not sold out!  The towns next to me were still without power, so those shops were closed.  The town where my studio is - I kid you not - had a police officer directing people in and out of the chock full Dunkin Donuts lot - the line to get IN was 5 cars long on the road...  the next one - closed.  The first open one had (literally) one bagel, one cookie and one croissant - no donuts left.  You see, in the towns where people had no power, they could not get coffee - so they drove to towns WITH power.  

I ended up driving THREE hours, searching 4 towns - then actually calling ahead to secure my jelly donuts - but I always get my donuts, and here they are.  They will be in the show at Nest, starting Labor Day Weekend, in Dedham Center.  Opening 9/10 from 4-7.

And for all you guys who see our 'War' and want to paint donuts - PAINT them!!!!  We don't 'own' the subject, and I promise you, you will have fun!