Message In The Clouds, 30x40 Inch Original Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

30x40 inch oil painting. (LOOK how tiny my initials on the right look!)

One of my favorite scenes, which I personally witnessed and can produce the photo - I have painted this before but never this big.  The paint is thick especially in the cloud area, and when I look at the water it brings me right back to the beach I was walking that day.

It was a difficult time.  I didn't know how I could manage more... more... more.. you've been there?  Well, in a prayer, I asked for a sign... a sign to help me gather strength, a sign of love and support... and I looked up, and no kidding....  It looked impossible.  All of a sudden the beach was empty (it was September, but there had been other walkers besides me) and I stood, slack-jawed... and thought... "Yup, I can do it..."  and I did, and came through it.

This will be at my Open Studio - along with fun little paintings which are inspired by the foam edges of the gentle laps of the water nearby.  They are coated with resin, which makes a rock-hard-glassy barrier.. and makes the colors just sing!

If you follow my blog, and come to my Open Studio - TELL ME or the person at the 'desk', and I will enter you in a raffle for a FREE resin-foam/bubbles painting! (you'll just have to put your address on your entry so I can ship it - also free - to the winner, hopefully YOU.)

Example of Foam/Bubble painting before the resin coating:

Last year I had Blog friends from every state in New England, and more - it was such a great thing!

Good LUCK!

More Playing...

Providence, 5x7

WATERCOLOR  :D

Oh, I don't know how these watercolorists do it.  I USED to know, but the knowledge fell out of my head!  Today I spent a couple of hours in the studio working on my BIG Waterfire painting (in oil), then I took Tim, his Mom, sister Patti and our son Conor to lunch at the Providence Art Club.  We had a lot of laughs, and a very nice meal.

So you know I'm kind of officially taking the week 'off'.  But the minute I think I will be separated from my paints, that's the exact moment I NEED to paint.  My kids gave me a wonderful gift certificate to Utrecht, and I'm having visions of sugarplums (canvases, boards, paints, brushes, oh MY!) all day long!  

Passing Storm, Acrylic 6x6

sold

This is what they call 'isolated thunderstorms' and it was rapidly moving up the Bay. I felt like 'Quick Draw McGraw' (for those of you old enough to remember that cartoon) rapidly, rapidly getting down the shapes and colors. I had just come home from a fruitless trip to pick up my paintings at Pembroke. This is the story of my life. The pick up, aparently was a 4 o'clock sharp. Since it was my son's birthday and I was preparing a feast, I, in my mind, assumed they'd be there till 5 p.m. and since it's an hour's drive, I told my family I had to leave by 4 p.m. Well, when I set the cake in front of everyone I said "Anyone know what time it is?" When they said "5 o'clock" I grabbed my car keys ("Happy Birthday!!!!" ) and tore off up the highway at 80 mph. I arrived at 6:03 to find the tents being rolled up and my paintings locked in the bank across the street. So I used a 1/2 tank of gas for nothing!!!!! But this view was waiting for me when I got home, although all the guests were gone, and the birthday son was at the beach on a run....

Here's Your Answer, Acrylic 6x8

This is from one of my all time favorite images.  A few years ago we spent the 'off season' living on the beach in Hull, MA, and I was going through a pretty difficult time in my life.  I would walk the beach every day and ask God for help and strength.  One day I was feeling particularly low, and alone, and I asked for a sign (you know how you do that when you're feeling desperate?) that I was NOT alone and that He/She was going to stick with me.  and I looked up and I swear there was a perfect heart shape breaking through the clouds.  I said to myself "That's a pretty great 'sign'!"  and snapped the photo, because no one would believe me.  Periodically I re-paint it.  The original, large size painting went to a friend who has a very large burden to bear in this life.