New Auction

"Dancing Silhouettes"
8.5" x 13.5"

Click here to bid


While I'm working on some new blue paintings, I thought I'd stick with the theme and put up for auction this painting I did last year.  It's more contemporary - but I think it could be striking in the right home.  Anyway, we'll see how it goes.  I hope to have a new "blue theme" painting tomorrow.

Diggin' the Blues

"Stand Out"
6" x 6"
SOLD

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What can I say, I'm lovin' the blue paint these days.  As I explained over at the DPW site, I'm not in a "blue mood" though, (in case anyone is worried), even as we hunker down for the hurricane.  Yeesh!  Hoping that it doesn't do any damage, to us or anyone else out there in its path.  Perhaps it will diminish its strength significantly and/or change its course. One can always hope.  Be safe out there.

Something Old, Something New . . .

"Something Blue"
6" x 6"
SOLD

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This is my entry for the latest DPW Challenge: Paint a Superstition.  I put a little twist on the wedding tradition:  "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue"  I used an old linen napkin, the bowl is borrowed from my friend Annie, the blueberries are "new" and well -- you can figure out the rest.  :)  I hope you enjoy it as I had a lot of fun painting it.  Have a great day.

Exciting News . . .

"White Pitcher with Grapes" - watercolor on Bristol
6" x 6"

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I was recently invited to become a Featured Artist over at Daily Paintworks and am very honored to join the ranks of some extremely talented painters, many of whom are listed in the column to the left.  If you are new to this blog and haven't ever heard of DPW, visit www.dailypaintworks.com to check it out.

I've done my best at matching the colors in the above image to its original although  I find it tough to accurately reflect colors in the red family.  I would say there should be a little more blue in the grapes, or perhaps they should be a tad bit desaturated -- a little more "purple-y".  The table top as well should move a little closer to neutral.  But overall this should give you a decent feel for the painting.

Anyway . . . have a great day -- paint on!

Happy Birthday Carol Marine . . .

"Birthday Reeses"
6" x 6"
$50

Over at the Daily Paintworks site they are celebrating artist Carol Marine's birthday in this week's challenge.  Here is my entry.  If you like this painting and would like more information about it, or to bid on it click here.

Backroads Studio Tour

I recently dropped off the new Backroads Studio Tour brochure design to the printers and this is the front cover. I thought I'd share it with you.  For more information regarding the tour, you can go to www.backroadsstudiotour.com.

It's a really great event -- especially when the weather is good, you can't beat New England in the Fall  :) -- and this year we have two new stops on the tour - Sue Morello from Sheldon Farm Baskets and Rick Hamelin and Garine Arakelian specializing in early American redware.  So if you get the chance and are in the area on October 1st and/or 2nd - please check us out.

A full .pdf of the brochure is available on the Backroads website which lists all the artists and our sponsors as well as a map of the area so you can find all of us.  Oh . . . and did I mention there were snacks?  Many of the artists provide little snacks or beverages at their studios so you can munch while you browse.  :)

Hope to see you!

What a Treat!

I returned home from running some errands today, to find a very kind email in my inbox. It was from Nuria Mejias an artist and fellow-blogger from Spain who has included me on her watercolor blog,  "Amantes De La Acuarela." I am honored and very humbled to be included among some extremely talented watercolorists. (I have so much to learn.) I encourage you to check out her blog -- you too, will be inspired! You can also see some of Nuria's lovely watercolors by visiting her personal blog, "Acuarelas Nuria Mejias." Thank you again Nuria!  :)

One other little tidbit is that the giant 4' x 8' panel I painted is up!! The Art Wall has been constructed and is on display throughout the remainder of this month on 111 Main Street in Southbridge at the Quinaboag Valley Council for the Arts and Humanities until its auction on August 28th.  If I did this correctly, you can see the short video of the wall's installation below.  If I didn't . . . well . . . you won't be able to see it.  I'm crossing my fingers!  :)

Framed!

I thought I'd show you what this newest painting would look like framed.  Isn't Photoshop a wonderful thing?  I've been having fun "virtual-framing" some of my paintings.  Now I must go start cutting some REAL mats.  :)

Back In The Saddle Again . . .

"Morning Tea"
6" x 6"

I finally sat down and did a little painting.  Good grief!  Sometimes it's so hard to make yourself do something, even when you so badly want to do it.  So this is my latest submission to the DPW Challenge.  This week's challenge is to paint your mug - drinking vessel, not face.  (I never got around to doing that challenge . . . hmmmm . . . )  You can read more about the challenge here.  And if you'd like to bid on this painting, you can find my DPW gallery page here where you can click on the painting and place a bid.

Anyhoo . . . it's good to be back.  Three cheers for painting!

Old Painting, New Auction

"Homespun"

I just put this painting up for auction on the DPW site . . . click here if you're interested in bidding.  I look forward to posting some new paintings tomorrow!

New Things For Me Over At DPW!

So for most of today I got myself all organized to sell paintings . . . or should I say, TRY to sell some of my paintings.  It's such weird thing for me . . . hard to find that "just right" price point . . . it makes me nervous.  Anyway . . . I told myself that by the end of August I would sign up with Daily Paintworks for use of their auction and gallery space.  So that's what I did today.  I put up 17 paintings -- mostly small ones.  I have a few others, but they're older and so I'm going to wait to auction those.  I also put up my first auction.  It's the above painting, entitled "Quiet."  I posted it here a few weeks ago.  The painting doesn't come framed, but it does come matted.  The folks over at DPW suggested that a photo be taken of what the painting would look like framed so that potential buyers could get a better idea of what could be hanging on their wall.  :)  (hence the above photo).  So if you'd like to take a gander at my new gallery page, click here and you can also take a looksee at what the auction page looks like.  I'm excited to get back this week, to painting and now "auctioning."  Wish me luck!  (I'm excited, but a little apprehensive too).

Well, it's about time!

My Little Town
4' x 8'

Yippee!!  I can't tell you how happy I am that I'm finished with this panel.  Although I could've given it more life -- cows, more little details, I must admit, I was ready to be done.  I think though, that for my next "naive" landscape I will try my hand at little more whimsy -- adding people and animals.  I am horrible at rendering both, so at the point that I was ready to add them to this painting, I was feeling "done" and not ready to tackle more stuff.  :)  Anyhoo . . . this panel will be on display on the lawn of the cultural center in Southbridge, MA along with 24 others as part of an "Art Walk" -- a 100' fence made up by the 25 panels by 25 artists residing in the 25 towns that are members of the Quineboag Valley Council for the Arts and Humanities.  For more information about this organization and its events, you can click here.  The display will last from August 8th - 28th -- all day, everyday, then on August 28th at noon, each panel will be auctioned off.  Hopefully someone will bid on mine.  I've participated in one other auction like this, and it made me very nervous.  It was a very good outcome, but beforehand I couldn't help but feel like I was going to be the last kid picked for dodgeball in gym class!  Ha!  One never knows how it'll turn out.

So that's all . . . now it's back to weeding the gardens (they are out of control!) and cleaning the house (I could make pillows out of the dog fur!) and alas -- watercolors!  I'm happy to be back!