Icing Over

Icing Over 6x6 Oil

Winter.

Bocas

Bocas 9x12 Oil

From my head as I remembered the view from the Dolphin Cabina in Bocas del Toro, Panama.
We had a good snow on Wednesday. 68+ mph winds. We had to use the generator for a while. Seemed like a perfect time to post this one. haha

Sage

Sage 9x12" Oil

Another portrait using a quick b/w sketch for a reference. Playing with skin tones, values, temperature. At times I had to really just go for it, not having a model in front of me. Fun.

Day's End

Day's End 6x6 Oil on panel

We had our official first snow on Saturday. It was very late this year so one might imagine that I was ready. Alas. My snow tire appointment is tomorrow morning. So it seems odd to be posting this one. My blogging friends in FL may not understand. haha.
I tried to stay true to the values in this one and really underplay hue. Except for that strip of green marsh grass. I couldn't stop myself. As the boat was coming in from Ipswich bay, the sail glowed with the warm, last rays of the sun. That was my priority. I'm not sure how well it worked. What do you see?

Straightening with Fun Tack

More views of my solo show at the Spiral Press Cafe.

I've been squirming about how crooked the paintings had become so this morning I drove to the hardware store where a helpful gentleman directed me to "Fun Tack" in the little stationary section. Off to the cafe with it and a small level.
It was fun to putter around as the cafe wasn't too crowded and there were a few artists there who introduced themselves and commented on different, favorite pieces. I was pleased to hear Phyllis, a local artist, bring up the psychological element of my two "figures on the beach" paintings. To me it signaled that she had really looked at the paintings. More than glanced. Ahhhh.
And another artist had been strolling around the cafe, coffee in hand. When we introduced ourselves he admitted, "I'm taking lessons from you this morning." The effect of the kindness of strangers simply cannot be overrated. Thank you all. And to remain humble I should also say that last week one of the cafe patrons told my friend that the work was all junk and he had much better stuff for sale. He was a mite embarrassed when I introduced myself............. but it's okay. To each his own. :)

DSB at the Spiral Press Cafe

The Spiral Press Cafe 11/18 - 12/31/09

The show is up on those colorful walls. I hope these large files don't crash everyone's computers.
What do you use to keep the paintings from shifting? I haven't found the little silicone dots. Maybe at a hardware store? Staples? We are so out in the boonies.

James Brook

James Brook Oil 5x7

Things are going pretty well with Picasa instead of M--ro--ft O--ic-. Except that I don't know how to put more than one image onto a post. Help would be appreciated.

This painting is done from a feeling and memory. When we lived in Groton, MA our back yard was Lawrence Academy's soccer fields. Abutting those is a beautiful marsh and in the middle of the marsh is James Brook. Beside the brook an unused track was converted to a railtrail, which was my gateway to x-c skiing in Phoebe Keyes woods, and my running route.

Fort Ti

Oil/Linen 30x40 Private Collection

A warm afternoon at Mt Defiance, looking down on Fort Ticonderoga and Lake Champlain. The Vermont farmland rolls into the Green Mountains. Nice day.

C's New Shawl

12x16 NFS

This painting can be viewed during my solo show at the Spiral Press Cafe, adjoining the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT from November 18, 2009 through the holiday season. Please stop in if you happen to be in the area, look at the work, purchase your favorites, and leave comments on the blog! If you would like to purchase this before the show, please email me: daleblodget@gmail.com


Back in June I started this portrait and actually thought it was finished but my daughter thought not. So I went back to it and then my hard drive crashed and I had no more reference photo as I hadn't printed it out. There are many lessons here. It sat as a reminder of them for a few months. Finally I decided that since it was a disaster the way I'd left it, I would work on it from my imagination with no references. I didn't worry about whether it looked like my daughter anymore, I just worked with cool light/warm shadow.

Little Rock Pond

Little Rock Pond 5x7" Oil Framed n/a

This painting can be viewed during my solo show at the Spiral Press Cafe, adjoining the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT from November 18, 2009 through the holiday season. Please stop in if you happen to be in the area, look at the work, purchase your favorites, and leave comments on the blog! If you would like to purchase this before the show, please email me: daleblodget@gmail.com

Up in the White Rocks National Park and part of the Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail, this pond has been our favorite destination for years.

The Lower 40 #1

The Lower Forty #1 5x7 SOLD

In my endeavor to get along without anything "M_c__soft" , I have discovered, thanks to my brother-in-law (who doesn't care to be mentioned) google docs. So, now with Picasa and the ability to paste my name across the painting (which I found necessary since I can't resize), I hope I'll be able to streamline the process of recording and posting.

I did this one in our lower field last month. The frogs were pretty quiet.

With Lipstick

With Lipstick 30x36" Oil on Linen framed $2700

This painting can be viewed during my solo show at the Spiral Press Cafe, adjoining the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT from November 18, 2009 through the holiday season. Please stop in if you happen to be in the area, look at the work, purchase your favorites, and leave comments on the blog! If you would like to purchase this before the show, please email me: daleblodget@gmail.com

As an art student in Toronto, I was working on a silk screen series using a fairly high key (pale color). Another student commented that I might need to check the iron levels in my blood. Hmmm Crazy or not? Conversely, can one energize by painting with brilliant colors? I think working on this one did have an energizing effect. I wonder though, if I took the painting further than it wanted to go. There's something about the progress stage just below. What do you think?

Broadside

Broadside 30x36" Oil on Linen Framed $2700

This painting can be viewed during my solo show at the Spiral Press Cafe, adjoining the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT from November 18, 2009 through the holiday season. Please stop in if you happen to be in the area, look at the work, purchase your favorites, and leave comments on the blog! If you would like to purchase this before the show, please email me: daleblodget@gmail.com

Returning to VT with my reference photos and lots of oil sketches, I set to work on the 3 boat series. Broadside is the third, following Ascending Sun, Returning Tide and Fan Out. Below are the progress shots for Broadside. They are just innocent little white boats. But the one in the upper right seems so vulnerable to the two facing it.


Thanks for looking and please leave a comment if you'd like.

3 Lemons

3 Lemons 6x6 Oil Framed $150

I use lemons to both identify direction in my work and to return to the familiar. Painting lemons is kind of like listening to a piece of music that you know. I think it organizes me. Helps me to make the next decision.

This painting can be viewed during my solo show at the Spiral Press Cafe, adjoining the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT from November 18, 2009 through the holiday season. Please stop in if you happen to be in the area, look at the work, purchase your favorites, and leave comments on the blog! If you would like to purchase this before the show, please email me: daleblodget@gmail.com

Orange You Glad?

Orange You Glad? 5x7 Oil Framed $125

This painting can be viewed during my solo show at the Spiral Press Cafe, adjoining the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT from November 18, 2009 through the holiday season. Please stop in if you happen to be in the area, look at the work, purchase your favorites, and leave comments on the blog! If you would like to purchase this before the show, please email me: daleblodget@gmail.com

That I didn't paint another white boat? : ) They will be returning, but I needed to shake things out a little. Squeeze a different tube of paint. Get some different neurons firing.

In Agreement

In Agreement 5x7 Oil on Linen Panel Framed $125

This painting can be viewed during my solo show at the Spiral Press Cafe, adjoining the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT from November 18, 2009 through the holiday season. Please stop in if you happen to be in the area, look at the work, purchase your favorites, and leave comments on the blog! If you would like to reserve this one before the show, please email me: daleblodget@gmail.com

One of the things that attracted me to these boats was their everchanging relationship to each other, depending on wind and tide. Sometimes two felt that the tide was coming in and the other was unsure. But the title explains...

Thanks for looking and please comment if you'd like.

Broadside Study

Broadside Study 5x7 Framed oil on Linen $125

This painting can be viewed during my solo show at the Spiral Press Cafe, adjoining the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT from November 18, 2009 through the holiday season. Please stop in if you happen to be in the area, look at the work, purchase your favorites, and leave comments on the blog! If you would like to purchase this before the show, please email me: daleblodget@gmail.com

Ready to be transported? On an August morning pack up your painting gear, easel, palette, umbrella, water bottle, paper towels, trash bag, brushes, hat, glasses...... I think that's everything. Out the back door, down the steps, follow the path over the granite chunks and set up on the Old Wharf Lot point in Annisquam, MA. Weigh down the easel with melon sized rocks, tape the umbrella to the easel, affix the linen panel. Gaze at the boats. Spray Off on your ankles. Gaze at the boats. Look between them. Keep your focus at the surface where the light smacks against the white sides and falls to reflection. Suggest the feeling of suspended motion between tides.

Fan Out

Fan Out 30x36 Oil on Linen Framed $2700

This painting can be viewed during my solo show at the Spiral Press Cafe, adjoining the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT from November 18, 2009 through the holiday season. Please stop in if you happen to be in the area, look at the work, purchase your favorites, and leave comments on the blog! If you would like to purchase this before the show, please email me: daleblodget@gmail.com

As you can see I almost covered every bit of the beautiful deep yellow (see October 5th post) with which I had toned this canvas. But still the painting was directed by that tone, as well as the desire to convey the dance of the light - on the boats, on the surface of the water, on the sand and seaweed beneath.

thanks for looking and please comment if you like.

Sailing Class

Sailing Class 12x16 Oil

Okay, this is one I did en plein air in August. Young sailors heading back through the channel to the cove where the boats are kept. Thanks for looking!

Building a series

Moving along on the second painting of the 3 boats. Above is the second progress shot. The first was on Oct 2. On this painting I used photos instead of an oil study. It certainly sent my work in a more detailed direction. Fine. I was ambivalent about key. Darker or lighter, darker or lighter. Sometimes it's tough to stick to my decisions. I'm sort of an I Ching painter. John Cage and Merce Cunningham influenced my choreographer identity. This boat series is drawing from those days. Positioning the shapes in space. All day and night, these boats are moving, changing direction, sustaining tension against their mooring lines, rocking with the passing wakes, responding to wind and tide.
This is the third shot in progress. Thanks for stopping by.

Large Mac

5x7 Oil

I think it's pretty bewildering that I find it more challenging to paint apples and onions now than I did 2 years ago. Maybe it makes perfect sense. I see more.

Onion

5x7 oil

Oops. This turned out in a smaller size than usual on the blog. I was revisiting the stems that so captivated my attention last winter. I used natural light here and, unfortunately, it came from a few directions. I think I'll get my black box out and try another with a little more control of the light.

Ascending Sun, Returning Tide done

Oil on REALLY coarse linen. At first I wondered if the texture was too much as I'm generally not too generous with the paint. But, I like the texture quite a lot. 30x36

These boats turn so much with the tides and the shadows change so much with the hours, I wanted to do another. Below is the first progress shot of Fan Out. More tomorrow.

Progressing on ASRT

This is what's fun about painting. Look at those gorgeous blues! I really missed the cad yellow deep background as I was painting so threw it on wherever I could. I also grabbed a large canvas and toned it CYD for a future effort. I really liked the bulky, lumpy look I had going with the boats on the study (see yesterday's post), so tried to retain that while the funny voice in my head yelled and whined about accuracy. I think this way one gets the feeling of swells. What do you think?

Ascending Sun, Returning Tide

The image on the top is a quick plein air study off the Wharf Lot in Annisquam, 9x12, that I must thank for inspiring many other paintings. I had used a panel previously toned with Cadmium Yellow Deep. Quite blinding out in the sun actually. But the ensuing chroma, hue and value choices intrigued me, so I began a series. The image on the bottom is the first progress shot of my first larger painting "Ascending Sun, Returning Tide" 30x36.
More later.

Garlic

Garlic Bulb and Cloves 5x7 Oil on Canvas panel

I know, I know. It's a bad photo. But it's good enough for a post. And we artists know better than to spend too much time trying to get a good shot of a painting with wet, blackish value.
I've missed my blog community and am glad to be posting again. The Champlain's Lake show is at its final destination of the State House in Montpelier, VT. The Dorset Library show was a really nice venue and some of my favorite paintings have gone to new homes. Thank you to my collectors! Currently, I'm working on some larger pieces for a show running mid-November to New Years. More on that later. Thanks for stopping in after my meager postings of the last few months. Have a beautiful day.

On the point

Tides. After I began painting this sweet group of dories, skiffs, or whatever they are called, I realized it would be smart to photograph them.

The two shots show the difference an hour makes.
I neglected to take a photo of the painting with the wrong-facing boat still all there. This one is of the third boat being sunk by me. What power I wield. It was actually enjoyable - sinking the offending vessel.

Off the Point 12x16 Oil