Scotch, I Mean Butterscotch, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

These little sweeties are going to be in the Valentine show at the James Library in Norwell, MA.  I'll have 4 candy paintings and hopefully they'll make someone's sweet tooth smile!

I did this as a demo for my Saturday Class, which is fun in very many ways, and will be a mix of people who can commit to the 8 weeks, and those who can't and just drop in.  We're going over the basics, which everybody can benefit from, right, from time to time?

Today was "Composition Day" and we talked about things to avoid, and had, I thought, a simple subject - candies.  What I hadn't thought about was 1) my students are artists in other mediums and were thinking about values, edges, color, etc. etc.... ACK!  I thought candies were just shapes.. but they also had cellophane, and at least 2 levels of highlights...  Well, they did just great, even with all those other concerns!  Happy, happy day.

Orange You Good For Me, 6x6 Acrylic

This was the most luscious orange!  When I sliced it for breakfast I knew I had to paint it.  Things are hopping these days, getting ready for all the early Summer shows.  It doesn't help that it coincides with a Nor'easter-like urge to start new paintings - I should be simply wrapping up, framing, photographing and submitting this time of year.  Instead I'm stocking up on canvases, sketching out and making notes for new paintings, techniques I want to try... etc.  I'm hopeless.  

Butler's Creme's, Oil 6x6

The end (for now) of donuts.  I'm thinking of doing larger pieces, but not (NOT) these Cream Donuts from Butler's.  #1 reason is that they're very difficult, being sliced almost all the way through like hamburger rolls then filled -I don't like the hard line on the soft pastry, and #2 reason is they are VERY difficult to resist.  Fabulous pastries.  Real sweetened cream and pastry that is just so fresh.  They fill them as you order them on weekdays. The long rectangular one on top, with the jelly, is called a Jolly Roger or something!   I think these were the least successful of the donut grouping because of the sculpted cream.  Either that or I should do 3 paintings of them - which would be deadly for my cholesterol levels ;).   I've posted a couple of new pieces on my studio blog - trying to get ready for the  Spring shows.  

Powdered or Sugared? 2 6x8 Oil paintings

SOLD

Also apologies for all the glare on this photo.

The alternate title for this one is "MEDIC!  Rocco's been bit!"  Based on how the two towers look like they're either fighting or playing polo, AND the fact that I saw a little baby named Rocco this weekend.  Yes, I live in Rhode Island - that's one of the ways you know!  It's kind of comforting to know that in the world full of Phin and Hazel babies, there are still Rocco babies, too, don't you think?

Anyway, this is the NEXT to the last of the donut paintings, so you can relax if you just hate them!  Hopefully tomorrow's will be a treat (Thursday's if not tomorrow's) I promise.  I'll be going to Butler's Donut Shoppe in Somerset, MA, and yes, there'll be leftovers if anyone wants to stop by the studio around 2 before I dispose of them!

Today's donuts are from Sip 'n Dip - much fresher, and more 'pillowy' than Dunkin's.  I was really getting to enjoy the texture of the two types, the ones on the left, coated with powdered sugar, the ones on the right tossed in regular granulated sugar.  Pretty soon I won't be able to even look at a donut - lookin' forward to that day....

Odd Man Out, 6x12 Oil

Still inspired by Emily Eveleth (imagine if her mother named her Evelyn instead?) I'm onto #2 in this little series.  This one's dedicated to Valerie Vitalli's granddaughter because she liked the Strawberry one.  Today I was less cheap and invested in a half dozen donuts.  It being Dunkin Donuts, though, they were a little hard (?) and I had to 'encourage' the jellies to relax and sit loosely on each other (notice not much jelly escaped during the 'encouragement'!  They could put more in!).  The frosted Cake donut is the odd man out.  Probably fresher, too!  I approached it like a plein air painting - not so much seeing the 'donuts' as the shapes and values... it's getting easier!

Strawberry Doughnut, Oil, 6x6

I swear I had no intention of doing this as a Daily Painting today - honest - I was on my way to CHURCH this morning, but when I pulled up to the building I could see that a funeral was going on, and I didn't want to intrude on that.  So - and I live in the LAND OF DUNKIN DONUTS - where there's a DD's at every 4th corner - I pulled in for a coffee to take to the studio, and they'd just put out a tray of fresh strawberry frosted's.  Had to.  Had to paint one.  With no nod to Wayne Thibeault - I heard of him after I started daily paintings.  But I was 'surfing' through the Blogland the other day and - darn if I can find it again! - I stumbled on an artist who painted a pile of jelly doughnuts (let's not even go there...) which looked like a landscape.  They were so soft and 'pillowy' it was amazing.  If I can find the artist through 'History' on my other computer, I'll edit this post to include it.  Anyway, I don't say it often enough, but thanks for looking!

Thanks to Valerie - who gave me the name of my 'inspiration' today : Emily Eveleth