Thursday, July 31, 2008

Garden Wall

This painting was done several years ago
for a Garden Tour poster. Always a nice way
to get your artwork out there and seen, give
a local organization the right to use your work
for their publication. This company made outstanding
posters and put them all over town to announce
their event. My three hour workshop went well last
night. A change for me, but none the less, lessons were
learned. I think taking a variety of workshops with
different artists is always good. It keeps the artistic
muscles limber. And might provide a new way of
looking at things.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Urban

Today I will be taking a quick three hour workshop here
in Northern Vermont. It's on painting Urban scenes...a
bit of a stretch for me, but should be fun. This was one
urban scene I did some time ago from my photograph of
Brugges, Belgium. Not immediately the "urban" we all
have in mind...I normally think of downtown Manhattan
or some other skyscraper city...so wish me luck and maybe
I'll have something to post and share, or hide and shred!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

White as a color

"Glorious" private collection
Painting white flowers is not easy...I actually do not paint
them that often. You really have to use the background
to shape them or invent colorful shades within the flower
to define the white. I've done daisies and this white poppy,
some tulips, peonies and roses. That takes me back to when I first
started painting with watercolors and leaving the white
of the paper was such a challenge. I really layered on the
colors and before I knew it I had created mud! But what
"they" say is true, practice, practice, practice.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Dates in history

"Green and Gold"
It was time to post another feathered friend.
My college colors were green and gold, so this
painting always reminds me of that. Not that
I played on any of the school's teams...I just took
the mandatory gym classes, which resulted in me
tearing my ACL in my left knee during racquetball class.
That twenty year anniversary I coming right up. It
happened a day after 8/8/88. This year the Olympics
will debut on 8/8/08...as will my watercolor workshop
in Woodstock!

Friday, July 25, 2008

Same fabric, different day

"Side by side slices" 7.5" x 7.5"
Another painting on the black and white cloth. It's nice
to have a recurring theme that connects one painting
to another. Years from now maybe I'll look back on this
time and think "oh yeah that was the time I painted that
one napkin in almost everything I did!" The curators of
the famous museums will be able to estimate when I painted
a particular piece :) It seems unknown Rembrandts and
Picassos still turn up at garage sales and flea markets!
(not any of the ones I visit, though)

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Red Barn

"Red Barn, Shelburne"
Another outdoor adventure from about two weeks ago.
I think I need to invest in an umbrella, because standing
in the hot sun is no picnic! Actually the hardest part of
painting along-side the road is finding a place to stand and
to park your car so it's not in the way of traffic. Maybe the
next "en plein air" event will be on a secondary road and not
a major thoroughfare...This was done on Route 7 South.
Once I accumulate a few more landscape paintings
it will be fun to frame them and enter them in some shows.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

More Tall Stalks

Private Collection

Here are some more tall stalks...the gladiola
are out and also available as cut flowers in the
stores. So many colors to choose from. Right
now I have a bouquet of peachy ones in the house.
Yesterday was spent in the field once again and
I will post a painting from one of those days soon.
Unfortunately lately we've had to dodge severe
rain storms around here..I'm ready for an extended
sunny stretch!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Tall stalks

"Garden Sentinels"
The hollyhocks are just about finished
blooming around here. Boy were they
tall this year...or is it every year and I
just forget. The neighbors have the most
awesome yellow ones and I saw some
really beautiful deep purple pink ones.
I took some pictures, so who knows they
might blossom up in some paintings in the future.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Arte Y Pico Award


Arte Y Pico award
This award was given to me by Myrna Wacknov, click
her name to go to her wonderful blog "Creativity Journey".
Here is an explanation of how the award works:
Arte y Pico is a blog from Uruguay whose blogger
has come up with this award.
To quote from the Arte y Pico blog: “What is the meaning of the expression?
Basically, and ironically, it translates into a wonderful phrase
in Mexico, “lo maximo.” It will never find its counterpart in English,
but if it HAD to, it would be something like, Wow. The Best Art. Over the top."
The rules:
Pick FIVE blogs that you consider deserve this award
for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also
for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
Each award has to have the name of the author and also a
link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
Each award winner has to show the award and put the
name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link
of “Arte y Pico” blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.
So this on-line honor has come to me...and since I have only been blogging for
a very short time, my list of visited blogs is short.
Here are my favorite five: you will find their links on the right side
of my blog.
Susan Abbott, a Painter's Year: a Vermont artist with wonderful
posts of her various paintings and sketches.
Carol Marine's painting a day blog. I am normally drawn to
other watercolor artists, but this oil painter takes the cake! Her
beautiful daily paintings are a joy to behold.
Laurelines drawings and paintings is a very special peek into
a tremendously talented artists' sketchbooks.
Laura's watercolors blog is one I check out on a regular basis to
see what Laura is painting. She challenges herself with various
"assignments" and encourages dialog.
Karin Jurick's blog is one I found through Carol Marine's links.
Another wonderful oil painter with great subject matter.
So there you have it...tomorrow back with a posting of
work I've been doing lately! Check out the other blogs if you
have a chance!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Garden view

I missed yesterday's post, because I was visiting a beautiful
spot for breakfast and then walked around their magnificent
gardens and property. It doesn't look like this painting, but
seemed appropriate as an association. The hollyhocks were
about 6 feet tall and the view to Lake Champlain is gorgeous.
It is also a site that hosts a wonderful art show in September.
Okay I'll give up the information...it's Shelburne Farms! I was
juried in to their show this year and I am really looking
forward to being a part of it again. Click the link to see what else
is happening at the Farm.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Announcing

"Unfurling" 30" x 23" framed
This painting is going to the Bennington Center
for the Arts for their Impressions of New England
Show. I also used the image on my postcard
announcement to my mailing list. So those of you
who are on my list should have gotten one by now.
The postcard had all my upcoming shows and
miscellaneous information on it. I send out about
3 mailings a year, including a holiday greeting. For anyone
who wants to get my mailings, send me an email...
getting snail mail sometimes is nice too.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Lusciousness

"Lusciousness" 7.5" x 7.5"
This painting is at the Small Works Show at the
Bennington Center for the Arts. I will be going down
there this week to drop off two more pieces for their
"Impressions of New England" show. The Center has
beautiful galleries and wonderful shows and also a
sculpture garden and a summer theatre. Quite the
destination location to visit sometime. Click the link
for more information.

Friday, July 11, 2008

photo finish

Whenever we record our travel memories, be it in a
sketchbook, with a camera or just by absorbing the
sights, sounds and smells in our brains, it is always
nice to revisit those memories. This sketch was actually
done several years after the trip from one of many
photographs that I took. So, photographic reference
can go a long way towards recreating the feel of vacation!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Summer heat

My French sketchbook week is coming to an end...
Summer is in full swing and the humidity broke at about
3 a.m. this morning, so the air is cool once again and
the wind is stirring the trees. It's amazing how slow
one starts to move in that kind of heat. Plus it doesn't
do watercolors any favors in the drying department.
It's incredible how atmosphere affects the painting process.
Today should be a better painting day!

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Vive la France

Les bateaux d'Antibes....Maybe it's the visiting French
Canadians or just scouring different blogs of artists
who are posting their sketches made in the French
countryside, but I wanted to add to the flair and post
my "je ne sais quoi" sketchbook entries. Or am I just thinking
of the wonderful time spent sailing several years ago
at exactly this time in July? Aaaahhhh memories!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Les Couleurs

Sometimes travel sketchbooks can capture more than
an image...they can bring back a sense or feeling of the
place visited. This entry was done while standing by a
fountain (which I used as my water source!) and I tried
to grasp the colors I had seen around St. Tropez that day.
Later, while perusing a french magazine, I added the names
of colors I thought went with the swatches in my book.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Island time

Aaaaahhhhh Bermuda! What a treat it was to be able
to paint on this fantastic little island. The architecture
is so unique and the water so so blue. I must have vacation
on my mind and will post sketches from one of my travel
journals this week.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Red, white and blue

"Primary Colors" 7.5" x 7.5"
Happy Fourth of July! This rooster profile has the red,
white and blue of the holiday represented..so I thought
I'd share it with you. Enjoy the fireworks, throw a burger
on the grill and relax! I'll skip my posting tomorrow and
take the day off like the bank, post office etc...see you next week.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Basin Harbor show

This painting was done several years ago for a
show that is held annually at the Basin Harbor Resort
on Lake Champlain. It is a fun program that invites Vermont
artists to submit their work and then they invite a select
group to come and stay at the resort for a few days to
gather up inspiration. At the end of the summer Basin
Harbor displays the works that were created as a result
of that stay. If you are around at the end of August its worth
a visit. I didn't submit work this year, but it's nice to see
what other artists' interpretations of the resort are.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Snow in July?

"Snow Cardinals"
I just signed a new licensing contract yesterday using
this image. The company is going to use it for paper
products, like gift bags and cards. Thought the image
might be refreshing for anyone topping 90 degree days,
or serve as a reminder that summer is short and to get
out there and enjoy it before we see the snow fly again!