Time To Get Painting, 11x14 Oil

This is the kitchen table at the farmhouse we stayed at in Maine.  The scene was to represent the end of coffee time and the breaking out of the paints and easels.  These were special mugs.  The one on the left is a Fiesta mug that I coveted, belonging to my first oil painting teacher and (now) friend, Valerie Vitali.  She brought it from home because it was important to have a cup you loved for tea/coffee.  I SO relate!  The other one was purchased ON THE WAY to Maine (my husband wasn't with me and thus couldn't restrain me as I approached the coffee shop and passed the Thrift Shop in South Boston!).  

Many of us were painting inside the house that day, Jody Regan and I were happily humming while we painted in the kitchen, and I must admit this painting was punctuated by frequent bursts of 70's songs sung by all of us in a most... er... enthusiastic manner (Think... David Cassidy - "I Think I Love You!).  At this point we were beyond feelings of shyness, and fairly rocked the house!
$150 & $10 S&H via Paypal
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Mushrooms, 6x6 Oil

Click To Bid

This little 'Daily' took about 6 hours, if you count the first attempt and subsequent wipe off!  The whole time I was thinking I really wanted to go for a walk, casting my eye out toward the sunshine that was slipping away, and not really focusing on my painting.  The first design was all, all wrong, and nothing I could do could pull it out.  Finally, about 3:30 in the afternoon, I wiped it off, said "To heck with it!" and went out for a stroll during the most beautiful part of the day.  When I got home I switched from the 6x8 format I was using, grabbed a trusty 6x6, and this painting fell off the brush.  I love to paint whites that aren't white, and these mushrooms fit the bill.

 Then back home, where they became part of a mushroom-spinach-rice concoction that gets scooped into a pita with a slice of cheese, and grilled till the cheese melts, mmmmMMMmm!

Red Wine Vinegar Cruet, 6x6 Oil

Reserved

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Away from flowers for today, and on to food! This is one of my mother's cruets, which, though not expensive, mean a lot to me. So since the only salad dressings I like are home made, I'm planning on doing a series, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, cider vinegar, and olive oil. I'm discovering the joy of painting glass, too. Don't worry, I'll mix it up with flowers & fruits & veggies, too. I think I could paint for 3 lifetimes at least and not run out of things I want to paint!

I spent today in Southie (South Boston) with Paula Villanova and Ros Farbush. I'll post that plein air piece on my Studio Blog. It's great to paint with Paula, always, and Ros, having celebrated her 80th birthday this year, gives me such hope - that loving painting can go on for a long time and bring a sparkle to our 'golden years'.

Peppers In A Bowl, Oil 6x6

I spotted these little peppers in the market and just loved them - of course I don't know exactly what I'd cook with them (and wouldn't now that they've sat under my light to 'pose' for me!).  Anyway the light and shaded portions of them were interesting to work with.  I tried to keep the light parts very saturated with color, letting the shadow part get darker and 'grayer'.  They have such great shapes, too!

Eggs-actly! Oil, 6x6

Here I was working with two green eggs and one brown egg.  I kept wanting to make the brown egg much lighter, I don't know why.  Also I hate that the eggs are matte and don't have a great reflection from the light - s-u-b-t-l-e..... is what they are.  so I put them on a pink plate, and laid them on a purply surface....  trying to stay loose.  Missing my clams...

Also got a couple of new things on my Studio Blog.

Green Eggs, No Ham, Acrylic, 5x7

Do not adjust the color on your set!  These eggs are (naturally) the palest green.  Gorgeous.  I will paint them again.  I also have a few new pieces on my Studio Blog and would love feedback.

AND I'm demo-ing at the North River Art Festival in Marshfield MA on Sunday all afternoon.  If you're in the area, it'd be great to see a friendly face!

An Apple A Day, 6x6 Oil

I tried looking down on this apple.  I was really into the varieties of reds in the shadow side.  Tried to keep it loose, and layered the background.  I was thinking I wanted to paint more food, but after this I think I'm going to look at flowers and birds again for a while.

The Monday Morning Painters, once again, were just Phyllis Adams and me - where are all you Fair Weather Artists who  - all winter - kept saying "TELL ME when and where you go out painting!"  Well, I'm telling, are you serious?

Honey Bear, 4x6, Oil

What's that phrase?  "Necessity necessitates?"  Well, there I was at the studio with nothing, NOTHING to paint for a Daily Painting.  I couldn't make myself paint another mug, although I got a cool one for my birthday specifically for the studio.  So to go with a nice herb tea I have a little 'honey bear'.  Put it in the black box and, voila`!

I also mistakenly posted on my Studio Blog instead of here, a  Featured Artist, fellow blogger, Phyllis Adams.  She does cool paintings of dogs, so check her out!

Also you may notice a Monday Morning Painters link, over to the right.  If any of you would like to paint with us, it's a weekly plein air session - no 'leader', but I'll post directions to the site every week.  It's not a club, it's just a weekly site - please feel free to join us!

Scottsdale Artists' School Mug, Oil, 6x6

Back to the studio and raring to go.  Finally over the sore throat caught on the plane, I could focus on doing my Painting A Day and not have it look like.... well, the 3 Coke bottles I've been trying to paint all week!  I am also fooling around in the studio with self portraits.  It's terrible when your model won't stay still - even more terrible when it's YOU who are the model!  I'll post those tomorrow on my studio blog for a laugh.  

This is the mug I got when I went to Peggi Kroll Roberts' workshop in Scottsdale.  Well worth the trip, and this was my souvenir.  Reds, as usual, a devil to work with.

You Say Toe-MAH-Toe, 5x7 Oil

SOLD

I think the third time's the charm.  This is (for now) the end of the tomato paintings. I like the way the composition worked out.  I also like the looseness of the brushstrokes, and I think I finally got a background that I like (radiant blue by Gamblin).  I hope to post again on Wednesday, but I'm going to try to set up a new blog for my trip to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.  I'm going on a painting trip with Paula Villanova.  This is our 3rd visit to San Miguel, so hopefully we'll hit the ground running this time!  I've also posted some new work on my Studio Blog, you might want to visit.  Let me know what you think about my 'departure' in style there, OK?

I Say "To-MAY-to", Oil, 6x6

SOLD

I decided to explore the tomato a little more and get a little looser (my husband is questioning my eyesight, saying I'm painting 'blurry' lines) and I like the background a bit more here.  I just have to say it - I LOVE oil paint.  Oh, I like acrylic, watercolor and pastels, too, but I love the feel of oil paint.

Fig Preserves, 6x8 Acrylic

I am supposed to be doing all the responsible things a person does when they've been awol for a number of days, paying bills, running errands, buying cat food, doing laundry, but I keep getting pulled to the easel by some unnameable force!  I've been on a jam buying kick lately, either for the beautiful shapes of the jars, or the lovely colors of the jams, like here, or, because FAUCHON is having a sale (I agree, $35 is a lot to spend on jam - so I'll have to justify it by painting them before I open the 3 jars).  

Here I thought the hardest thing would be the colors in the jam.  Nope.  Nailed it right away.  The hardest things were the stupid elipses on the top of the jar cover - yeah!  I will never be one of those people who takes drawing elipses for granted.  Anyway forgive my jam obsession ;)

Salt 'N Peppa, Acrylic 6x6

These salt & pepper shakers are favorites of mine, though it's so damp here we have to change the salt every time we use them I love the green glass.