Fall Open Studio

Well hello again. So I never really got things going on my new blog location. I can't seem to figure things out . . . I'm not feeling too tech savvy these days. And besides, blogger has just been so easy to manage. So I guess I will not be leaving any time soon and thus, I will try to update this blog like I used to. I really kind of just gave up after I mentioned that I'd be moving. And besides, it wasn't too easy to update from my phone! What's up with that?

So anyhoo . . . I'm hosting my annual Fall Open Studio on October 20th and 21st. If you are local, I hope you will stop by. Lots of new paintings . . . I'll be posting them here in the weeks to come.

Work-In-Progress

work-in-progress
12" x 12"
(watercolor on clayboard)

I was recently reminded how important critique is. A dear friend and fellow artist came for a visit and as usual we got around to talking "art." We were in my studio and I was voicing my plans for future paintings and what I hope to accomplish and achieve with regards to my artistic growth. It was so enlightening to hear an objective perspective and she helped me clarify what things I need to work on to strengthen my work going forward, putting words to my feelings; giving me a concrete path to follow.

We spoke in generalities and then specifically about this painting, which has been vexing me for a few days now. I'm looking forward to applying the direction I received and excited to execute what we talked about and finally finish this painting!

I was reminded that my paintings aren't the only "works-in-progress" in the studio. 

detail

Have a great start to your week!

Church Street Progress

4 1/2 Church Street - wip

Just giving you a little update.  It's shaping up nicely I think. Still have plenty of work to do though.

Revisiting Old Paintings

wips

I don't know about you, but I have plenty of paintings laying around the studio that I need to finish. So I am slowly working my way through them, while of course still starting some new ones. (Ha! I just can't help myself.)

4 1/2 Church St. - wip
8" x 8"
(watercolor on aquabord)

This is my first night scene. I started it sometime ago but abandoned it because it looked so lousy. But I'm back at it . . . trying to get it to a place that satisfies me. So far so good, I feel like it may come together after all. 

Thanks for stopping by.

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.

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.

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.

A New Little Painting

"Cape Cod Pumpkins"
11" x 6.75"
(framed watercolor on aquabord)
$250

Click here to purchase.

Last week I had the good fortune of presenting a demonstration at the Agawam Public Library to the Agawam Artists. It was a most delightful evening spent with some very lovely people. In preparation for my demo, I started digging around my pile of small, incomplete paintings and came up with this little ditty. The scene is from a charming little house on Cape Cod during the month of October. What a joyful time to be tooling around the Cape - with the crisp, cool air, clear sunlight and very little traffic!  Huzzah!

Using a painting I had already begun, I was easily able to show how I lift pigment out and spray water back over existing patches of color. Many thanks to the artists of Agawam, MA!  

Summer Reading and Commission

A couple weeks ago my husband and I stopped into our local used bookstore and I picked up this autobiography of Norman Rockwell. What a pleasant read! Like his paintings, his anecdotes are charming and detailed illustrations about very colorful characters. Loved it!

In other news . . . I can't remember if I shared my finished commission with you. It's a painting based on a few black and white photos of a childhood home. It's a little more interpretive than what I usually paint but most important was for me to portray a sense of place and nostalgia that would conjure up happy memories for the recipient. Hopefully I was able to achieve that. 

"Ebenwood Farm"
12" x 12"
(watercolor on aquabord)

I am always grateful when approached to do a commission. This was no exception . . . and a treat to reconnect with an old classmate.  Thanks, Mitch!  :)

"S" Is For Summer And Spontaneity!

Last week I had the good-fortune of taking a spontaneous trip to Nantucket for a couple days. My dear friends are vacationing there for a couple weeks and invited me to come stay with them. With my husband's blessing I hopped the ferry last Tuesday morning and came back late Wednesday night. It was a glorious break . . . beautiful, fun, artful and inspiring. Needless to say I have lots of photos and paintings planned!

I am back at work now, planning my 2018 calendar and working on paintings for Christmas cards.   

"Deerfield Door" - almost finished
14" x 11"
(watercolor on aquabord)

"Kringle Santa" - wip
12" x 12"
(watercolor on aquabord)

Have a great day!

Switching It Up . . . Again

work in progress
14" x 11"
(watercolor on aquabord)

Hello All!  My posts have been spotty at best this summer, but that doesn't mean I haven't been painting. Although I admit I've been spending more time working outdoors, reading and traveling around collecting photos for inspiration. 

In typical fashion, I've bounced around from painting to painting. I must finish the images for this year's Christmas cards, so I put my Baby Lilacs aside to again continue making progress on this little ditty. It's getting there . . . 
I hope all my Northern Hemisphere friends are enjoying your summer!

No Rest For The Weary

"Signs"
14" x 11"
(watercolor on aquabord)

I finished up "Signs" -- my fourth painting from my Amsterdam,  The Netherlands series.  I've also begun some new paintings.  I was inspired by my beautiful baby lilacs this season and have messed around a bit with the color.  So I have a couple paintings of this subject planned.  I'm also toying with architectural structures as a theme, so I've been playing around with some images I captured while visiting Georgetown (Virginia) over the fall.  (Don't worry, I haven't abandoned Amsterdam . . . I've got those paintings planned and ready to go.)

works in progress
left to right:  "Baby Lilacs" -- study?
Georgetown painting -- unnamed
Commission

Finally, I am working on a commission for a friend.  I will be very busy this week.  I've been painting a lot and so my house and gardens are a mess . . . ha!  Hopefully I can become a little more balanced in the upcoming weeks.  But I figure if I can paint enough, maybe I can hire a housekeeper and gardner!  Ha!  (one can always dream, eh?) 

Have a great start to your week!

Inching Along

"Signs" - work in progress
14" x 11"
(watercolor on cradled aquabord)

Just taking a minute before bed to post my progress.  Have a good night!

Signs Progression

#3 -- pulled out the lettering on the black sign
I like this much better

Thought I'd catch you up on my progress on "Signs." I can't remember what I've shared of this one already.  As you may tell, I paint things, then I take them out, then I paint them again.  I find this process adds to the realism.  (oh . . . and it allows me to try things that I can change if I want) 

 #2 -- More work . . .
got rid of the lettering on the black sign as it just wasn't working

#1 -- First pass . . . just laying down the basic washes and a some lettering
I masked out the lettering on the black sign, only to hate it -- ha!

Have a great weekend!

Laundry Day

"Laundry Day"
11" x 14"
(watercolor on cradled aquabord)

I let this one sit for a while and did a little more tweaking on Monday.  I think it's finally safe to say "she's done!" Now it's off to varnish!

Thanks for stopping by.

Framed!

"Princeton Barn"
12" x 9"
(framed watercolor on aquabord)
Sold 

I did some framing over the weekend and decided to share the fruits of my labor.  "Princeton Barn" is framed in a beautiful plein air frame from Randy Higbee's collection.  The other three, shown below are framed in Ampersand's black floater frames.

I am happy to announce that "Princeton Barn" has found its "forever home" (many thanks to my newest collectors) and now "Truro Light" is looking to find its new home.  I'm going to hang onto the Amsterdam paintings for shows, but if you are interested in "Truro Light" you can get a better view of it at my DPW Gallery.

"Truro Light" (10" x 8")
"Canal House Copper" ("14" x 11")
"Parked" (14" x 11")

"Truro Light" - $300 

Click here to purchase.

Have a great start to your week!

Almost There and Signs

"Laundry Day" - work in progress
11" x 14"
(watercolor on cradled aquabord)

I'm still here and working. Progress usually gets slow as I near completion on my paintings.  It takes time to work finer details and I spend a lot of time just looking and thinking, carefully planning my next move. So while "Laundry Day" may look finished, I have some more tweaking to do to get it just how I want it.

In the meantime, I began painting "Signs" (below). It's a nod to my friend, Debbie Shirley, she paints wonderfully colorful scenes of signs and other nostalgic items. As soon as I saw these signs and their perspective, I thought of Debbie!  Be sure to take a look at her work, it's fun and engaging. You won't be disappointed.

work in progress
14" x 11"
(watercolor on cradled aquabord)

Ciao for now! Thank you for coming by.

Getting Close

"Laundry Day"
11" x 14"
(watercolor on cradled aquabord)

Tweaking and taking care of the final details.  Hope you all had a lovely long weekend.

"Laundry Day" - work in progress
11" x 14
(watercolor on cradled aquabord)

I'm making progress on my next painting from The Netherlands.  Have a great weekend . . . hope it's a long one!  

Parked

"Parked"
14" x 11"
(watercolor on cradled aquabord - framed)

I've been painting, painting, painting, but didn't want to post anything until I had finished my second painting from my visit to Amsterdam. So here it is. Stay tuned for some more paintings from my trip. I have a few more planned and have even ordered more aquabord!  :)

Over the weekend I had a lovely time at our town's "Asparagus Festival." I helped man our Backroads Studio Tour booth with a few other fellow member artists.  The event is really well organized and run to perfection with lots of wonderful vendors, food and visitors. We all had a great time and met up with current and new collectors. Many thanks to all who came out to show their support of the Backroads Studio Tour.

Beautiful weather at our tent on the West Brookfield common.
(left to right:  Bill Kleinedler, Tracy Crane, me, Gail Bruce)