Throwback Thursday -- "Nantucket Christmas"

"Nantucket Christmas"
9.25" x 5.5"
(matted and framed watercolor on paper)
$185

Click here to purchase.

This painting served as one of my Christmas cards last year.  This year I'm hoping that the original painting will find a good home so I can make room in the studio for some new paintings.  As a little extra gift, I will throw in a box of 10 of "Deerfield Wreath," this year's cards, with the purchase of this painting.

"Deerfield Wreath"
2017

`Tis the season and thank you for all your kind comments and support throughout the year.

Getting Engaged? . . . Paper Heart No. 1

"Paper Heart No. 1"
6" x 6"
(watercolor on paper)

Click here to purchase.

So I've been going through some of my older paintings and thinking of different ways to market them. Besides this one going into a little girl's room, or as a Valentine's gift (all great ideas), I thought that it could also be a lovely gift for someone who is getting engaged. Can you just picture it? It's Christmas -- and the recipient might be expecting an engagement ring but first opens this instead, which of course under normal circumstances would be a perfectly lovely gift. 

(thought bubble: Thank you honey, but where's my ring?) 

Doh!  Another gift.  Oh boy . . . out comes the little gift-wrapped box.  Hmmmm . . . a little paper heart like the one in the painting.  (thought bubble:  Oh wow . . . now that's really disappointing.)

Oh, but wait . . . no worries . . . there's another gift . . . (cue the little box, the violins, the kneeling) . . . "Will You Marry Me?"  

Why of course!  (Oh joy!  Crisis averted.)  :)

framed

This painting comes matted and framed under plexiglas, as shown above, and is ready to hang (commemorating your special event).  And included is a paper heart like the one in the painting. (Unfortunately I think the original heart is long gone, but I made a new one just like it.)

And don't forget . . . if you are around Central Massachusetts, please come by my Open Studio on Dec. 2nd or 3rd.  Karen Healey of "The Dappled Ewe" will be here with me. She dyes wool, hooks rugs and makes decorative hangings.  Her work is just beautiful. You can read more about her here. 

It's also "White Christmas" that weekend in the center of West Brookfield with lots of shops to visit and food to eat, not to mention my friend, June of  "June's Bakeshop" is just up the road.  She has a charming shop full of beautiful cookies, cakes, cupcakes and other treats.  

Mill No. 1 - A Throwback Thursday Production

"Mill No."
6" x 6"
(watercolor on 7/8" cradled aquabord)

Click here to bid.

Every so often I find myself longing for sepia tones. This little painting is of a mill in a nearby town. I just love the way light plays on the geometric structures of factory architecture. And New England mills are just a delightful subject in general don't you think?

I painted this last year as the beginning of a series of 6 sepia mill paintings.  Admittedly I'm still haven't moved on to No. 2 yet.  Doh!  Oh me and my "big" ideas. I have problems. Maybe 2018 will be the year to see this series through, eh?

"hashtag: startingthingsandnotfinishingthem"   :)

And in the spirit of the season . . . let's open an auction on this baby and start the bidding at the bargain-basement price of $85 -- Holy Smokes!  I need to make room for some 2018 paintings.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Little People Prints

Looking for some art for your baby or toddler's room?  Or maybe you're just a vintage Fisher Price fan like me.  I've recently uploaded these images onto my imagekind.com gallery.  You can access it through my website here.  At Imagekind you can choose your size and whether you want a stretched canvas print or one on paper.  They will even mat and frame for you!  

I'm hoping to upload some more images in the near future and am presently working on a new desk calendar for 2018 so stay tuned!

Holiday Open Studio

Come join me on December 2nd and 3rd at my studio and start your Christmas shopping!  There will be a door prize . . . Christmas cards, original paintings and other gifty items. My friend, Karen Healey  of The Dappled Ewe will be here too with her amazingly beautiful hooked rugs, patterns, and wool. And just up the road is June's Bakeshop, an absolutely charming shop full of fancy holiday cookies, cakes and other tasty confections. 

Also that weekend the town will be abuzz for its White Christmas celebration and is sure to get you in the Holiday Spirit!  HO! HO! HO!

Throwback Thursday

"Baby Dahlia"
8" x 8"
(framed watercolor on aquabord)
$175

Click here to purchase.

I'm throwing it back to this little ditty. A couple of years ago, a delightful man who visited my studio during The Backroads Studio Tour brought me a bouquet of dahlias from his yard. This little one was just so sweet it begged to be painted. It has spent some time in my studio and is now looking to find its "forever home."  With Christmas approaching, perhaps it will get lucky.

Have a happy Thursday!

Flags, Flags and More Flags

So this painting has been spending quite a lot of time on my easel.  I've had to take a lot of breaks from it though. Painting stars has me going a little googly. On the bright side I finished at least 4 paintings and began a bunch more since I started this one. 

But alas, I must get this done as it is going to be my July painting for my 2018 calendar and I must get those ordered . . . so I'm off to paint and finally finish it.  Wish me luck!

Yellow House & Alphabet Soup

work in progress
12" x 12"
(watercolor on aquabord)

I began this painting a long time ago. It's one of my first attempts on aquabord.  And boy did I HATE it - the painting AND the aquabord!  I didn't throw out the painting but I stopped painting on aquabord for a long time before trying it again. (and well you know how that story ends) . . .  

Anyway, the other day as I was scrounging around I once again became reunited with this little yellow house.  I found it in my "where-paintings-go-to-die drawer" to be exact, and thought I'd try to breathe some new life into it. After performing a little CPR and giving it some TLC I'm happy to report that it's on the mend. Having learned over the years that aquabord requires lots of patience and layers and layers, I'm hopeful that after a couple of days in ICU it will head for some PT and then a forever home!  :)

Hope you are having a creative day. Thanks for stopping by.

The Happy Patient

"The Happy Patient"
8" x 8"
(watercolor on aquabord)
nfs 

I finished this little ditty today for a dear old friend who is a pediatric surgeon.  Below is what it will look like when it's all framed (in an Ampersand floater frame).

I'm on a Fisher Price still life kick again, having ordered a whole bunch of "new" vintage toys from ebay.  I'm very excited!  :)

Enjoy your day.