Lemons, Lime and Quimper

Oil on Board 5"x7" NFS

I love using this plate. The color and detail provide a visually appealing base for what sits on top. I bought this citrus when we were having an unusual warm spell. I had visions of summer cocktails on the deck after the fruit had finished modeling. The black flies think my plan a good one and wait for me outside.

Urn with Saucer of Orange Slices

Oil on Board 6"x6" $75 +s/h

Now this one was fun to set up, because I had to eat the rest of the slices. I tried to capture the translucence in the sections of orange and the glaze on the urn. The colors!

Fruit on White

Oil on Board 5"x7" NFS

When making an apple pie, it's a good idea to squeeze a little lemon juice on the apple slices to keep them from turning brown. You see, this is useless information cluttering my brain because I don't make fruit pies. My husband doesn't care for them and they just seem too much (work and calories) for one person.
It was great fun to paint these fruits, however. They are so full of personality!

Aquijitas, Bahia Drake, C.R.

Oil on board 5"x7" NFS

Threatening storm clouds but they stayed over the Pacific. We stayed in a great lodge which was like summer camp for grownups. Meals with guests from Sweden, Denmark, Japan and Canada. This little painting helped me get through a Vermont February.

Perfect Rose on Water

Oil on Gallery Wrapped Linen w/black frame 14"x18" $575 + s/h

Gloucester harbor on a foggy day. Lots of old friends, memories, emotion.

Lilacs/Glove/Clippers

Half way into it.


Oil on board 8"x10" N/A

Here's the lilac redo that I mentioned 2 days ago. The glove was a challenge, as was the bunch of lilacs, the white cloth, the copper chocolate pot, and the green spurge. The clippers were fun, though. :-) Oh, and the background was also problematic. Originally black, I wiped the flowers and background off completely and redid them. Better, believe me. I was going to show you the first rendition but can't quite manage the technology.

Citrus on Linen

Oil on board 6"x6" $75 +s/h

I was hoping to post yesterday's painting of a bunch of lilacs but it needs a redo.
This one is from March. Pre blog. I arranged this orange and lemon trio still life to see if I could balance the physical placement of the fruit with the energy of their direction. I also wanted to see if the shadowed folds in the cloth would hold enough sway against the subdued orange in the cross diagonal. In the end, my initials became necessary!

Two Tries at Tom Torak's Tableau

In March, 2008, I had the window of opportunity to attend Thomas Torak's ( www.dammiicolori.blogspot.com ) Still Life Workshop at his (and his wife, Elizabeth's) studio in Pawlet, VT. What a great weekend. An easy and beautiful commute over dirt and next-step-up roads to their place. The studio is fabulous with cathedral height, two rooms with small gas log stoves and easels. I was a little late so took the remaining easel which was worth the price of admission on its own. Maybe Tom will comment and give you the accurate provenance, but it was OLD and HUGE. I think if I had one like it my painting would exponentially improve. Elizabeth (www.etorak.blogspot.com), having been displaced from her studio for the workshop, brought us delicious tea, coffee, scones and cookies. Sound like the last workshop you went to? I didn't think so.
It wasn't until I got home with my painting that I realized, duh, that using Tom's easel meant I had the same view of the piece that he'd had. Check his link, above, to see. Well, I didn't like my composition, really. I had way too much drape on top. I'd already fabricated some white drape on the upper left which I think was an improvement over the brown burlap, but the green needed breaking. Time to trash the closets, looking for the right addition. I think the ropey braid works.......
So, now I wonder what the proper etiquette is for paintings done at a workshop. Do I title it with that info? 'T. Torak Workshop Still Life' or 'Pitcher and Pears from TT's Easel'? Or do I put it away and not show it? I know some exhibitions don't permit paintings done at workshops. I (probably regretably) wiped off the grapes that Tom painted on and painted my own, so it's all my paint. But, certainly, I had guidance from him and his easel. After he showed me the way that he approached the cloth with lace, I wiped my initial effort (dark on light) and started with dark, which worked better, I think.
Comments and advice are appreciated.

"Torak's Arrangement" Oil on Canvas 24"x30"

Six Bananaquit

Oil on Board 8"x10" $175 + s/h

We had the good fortune of being invited to Pauli Mar, a vacation home on St. Martin, during the winter last year. These gorgeous little birds flocked to the sugar water feeders in the sea grapes. I took lots of photos and then choreographed my own bird feeding dance in oils. This is the remaining one of the series, the others having found homes.

Hema

Oil on board 5"x7" $75 +s/h
Every now and then I do a painting from internal states, rather than external. Something within needs out. This could be my brain under pressure.

Boys in Wet Sand

Oil on Board 5"x7" sold
I put this one up so that I could practice typing in a red "sold". But, alas, it defeats me. When I tried to start the body of the type it remained bold. So, now I will try adding the "sold" after I've done the description.
I tried to keep this one moving under the blast of light diffused by moist atmosphere. Not really satisfied.

On and off the French Plate

Oil on board 5"x7"
I'm going to post as many as possible today. Practice, etc. Even though I have a Lady's Mantle and Painted Lady seeds to get into the ground. First, though, I need to get the lattice attached to the side of the house. I stand outside trying to imagine how strong the support needs to be to withstand an August T-Storm.

Off RT 30, Dorset, VT

Oil on board 6"x6" n/a
HA! Success at last. I know you all are wondering what was so hard about posting. This odd little heifer was quite the sight late one day. No idea what the breed is. I think the reason that cows tend to be a popular painting subject is their relief from the color green.
My next mission, technologically, is to figure out how to put paintings on ebay. Time for breakfast.

On the French Plate

Oil on board 5"x7" SOLD

Painting is a snap, compared to starting a blog and trying to learn how to post. I started doing a painting a day in mid February and it is now three months later as I still struggle to get the images on the blog. Funny, I've also been taking riding lessons in order to learn how to post. That's not going much better. Comments are appreciated. If this works, I'll post another.