dale blodget paintings

2011-10-28T11:37:00.000-04:00

Case Study 16x20 Oil/Linen

When I title a work, I use the opportunity to crack myself up. These figures are inspired by some photos of my daughter, Casey. (I'm always on her case about taking some grad school courses while she works at Harvard.) Interpersonal relationships fascinate me, and these figures are another attempt to portray, using body language and spatial placement, a certain unease between the figures. "What was just said?"

thanks for looking. I love comments.

Line of Thinking

2011-09-30T10:04:00.002-04:00

Line of Thinking 20x16 oil/linen

Okay, the challenge continues. What is she thinking? I credit my husband for the title. The laundry is hanging in my yard, but the figure was transported from the Peggy Kroll-Roberts workshop last fall in Scottsdale. Yes, we do have summer in Vermont. It just doesn't last long.

This painting is available at the Concord Art Association, MA. I don't know why blogger doesn't give me an option now to make the image larger or smaller. Any ideas?

Thanks for looking.... and thinking.

Quick Draw in North Bennington, VT

2011-09-17T10:39:00.011-04:00

My chosen spot.

Paint for 2 hours.

Line up the show.

Park-McCullough Coach Barn Esso 12"x12" Oil / Linen $425
Honorable Mention

Available through Sept. at South Street Cafe in North Bennington, VT

This was my first Quick Draw experience. I loved it. Maybe I need pressure. Last year, in Peggi Kroll Robert's workshop, I whined (haha) about how fast she was making us do the warm-up oil sketches, but then continued working on speed through the winter in my clothed-figure painting group. So thanks, Peggi! This event drew around 70 artists, many of whom participated in a week long plein air competition (I did not make it into that).

Thanks for looking

In Concert

2011-09-14T17:04:00.001-04:00

In Concert 12"x12" Oil on Linen

I'm way behind on posts, I know. This painting is available at Gander Gallery, Manchester, VT. The figures are from a dance concert in the Art Institute of Chicago. Little did the dancers know that they'd be immortalized inspecting an antique bedspread for dryness. In a way, I imagine that painting figures into scenes of my own creation must be something like discovering characters for a novel. I start wondering about them. What they are doing. Why? What is their relationship?

thanks for looking

Don't Faint

2011-08-28T11:21:00.001-04:00

My sister, writer Melanie Sherman, claims that she will delete me from her blog roll if I don't post something.

Patissier 8x10 Oil on linen panel SOLD

What can I say? I had to capture this scene. The blast of sunlight from above pushed the rest of the Boulangerie into moody darkness. This is actually a study for a larger piece but I needed it for a show and now it's hanging in someone's house. I like it when that happens.

thanks for looking

Reach

2011-03-12T16:15:00.003-05:00

Reach 12X16 Oil SOLD

Dreaming of summer. Thanks for looking. Comments welcome.

Afternoon w/Dona

2010-12-03T11:41:00.005-05:00

12x12 oil/linen

My sister Nina and I had such a great time doing a portrait painting switch-off last spring, that I convinced my painter friend, Dona, to try it. The little one that I managed to start that day (previous post - months ago)before it rained us out, inspired me to have a go at it with photo.

Thanks for looking.

Friday 8mph

2010-11-22T22:03:00.002-05:00

5x7 Oil on panel SOLD

Still loving the laundry.

thanks for looking

A Flap Over Nothing

2010-11-15T13:06:00.002-05:00

5x7 oil on linen panel SOLD

This is going into a "Small Pictures" show at the region's art center.
Thanks for looking.

Portraits

2010-07-21T10:38:00.005-04:00

The long awaited portrait pleases the subject. Phew.

Maggie 18x24 Oil on Linen

It's satisfying to deliver the finished commissioned work. This painting was so much fun to do. I love challenges. If they don't happen on their own, I'll create them. We wanted this painting to include items from the family summer home. Wicker sofa, red begonia, art on the wall.
Thanks for stopping by. I'd love to hear your comments.

Friday Morning SOLD

2010-07-10T16:10:00.007-04:00

Friday Morning 12x12 Oil on Linen

Untitled (circa 1990?) 9x12 acrylic on warped Fredrix canvasboard

When I started making the transition from choreographer/dancer back to painter twenty years ago, the lower image was one of a few paintings I did of the shed/clothesline in our back yard. It vied with a view to the north for my personal Motif #1. As you can see, I was determined to include every angel head nail in my painting.

Carol Marine commented that when she felt she was at a fork in her development of style, she chose to eschew realism for a looser, more expressive style because she found that more challenging.
Her explanation really hit home for me. It is a struggle to resist becoming enslaved by what's there in front of you, and find the essence.
The top image 'Friday Morning' painting is silent poetry. An ode to the less-than-majestic sights that bring happiness. Kind of zen. Be Here Now.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. A special thanks to Denny for washing the (I'm embarrassed to admit - Martha Stewart)sheets every week.

Transition

2010-07-07T15:16:00.002-04:00

The View East 6x6 Oil on Board SOLD

My friend, Dona M., has loaned me a book by Lois Griffel. She writes about colorist vs. tonalist approaches to creating form, distance, etc. First attempt here. I used palette knife and paper towels.

Survivors

2010-06-27T14:43:00.001-04:00

Five Cherries 6x6 Oil on Linen panel

It was hard to get started on this one. At first I had about 10 cherries in a silver bowl. When I was done with the painting, I wiped it off and ate a cherry. Then another. Got rid of the bowl. Ate a few more. Finally, I saw the composition I should have done from the start.
Thanks for stopping by and I love to hear your thoughts.

Southerly Gust

2010-06-26T14:30:00.003-04:00

Southerly Gust 5x7 Oil on linen panel SOLD

I went into a frenzy of spring cleaning yesterday, having realized that it is now officially summer, AND it provided a procrastination opportunity as I thought about the subject for the day's painting. The white dresser cloths and a few curtains on the line provided the answer. It's been a number of years since I'd painted this view and I thought to dig up the old renditions to show you. Believe me when I say, this is livelier, looser and improved. I can't wait for the next sunny day to do the bedroom curtains!
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I love to hear your thoughts.

Afternoon

2010-06-25T09:58:00.003-04:00

Dona M 5x7 Oil on Linen panel

A painter friend and I got together for an afternoon of painting and posing. 15 minutes and then switch. My goal with this was to place the features accurately (50% successful - haha) and to apply each brushstroke with no blending (85% successful). Out the window went attention to temperature, color and logic. I think if I'd reversed the colors of her cheeks, it would have made more sense. And the shoulder on the left could use shade. I had to finish it at home because it started raining and I almost wiped it but what the heck. Here it is.

Strawberry Quintet

2010-06-24T11:15:00.003-04:00

Strawberry Quintet 6x6 Oil on Linen Panel

I was smarter this year and picked my berries just before they ripened, much to the birds' dismay. However, 2 or 3 berries every day are just not enough! So we went picking at a local farm and were swimming in them for 3 days. Yum.

Tulips

2010-06-19T21:24:00.007-04:00

Temple Favorite 5x7 oil on linen

Back in April, while in Oregon, my parents and sister and I visited Wooden Shoe tulip farm. There were also some monks visiting and the sight was unbelievable. Visitors were in a frenzy taking photos of the monks in the tulips, it was such a feast for the eyes. I'm kind of thinking we should all wear orange robes. Especially when the weather has been overcast for a few days in a row. I am definitely ordering some of these bulbs for my garden. Temple Favorite is the name. Perfect.

My Shadow!

2010-06-17T14:25:00.004-04:00

My Shadow 5x7 oil on Linen panel

The Foosball was no match when this young boy caught sight of his shadow. How lucky I was to have my camera pointed. I thought I was going to get a shot of him as he picked up the toy. I was delighted to catch this moment of wonder.

The Broken Egg

2010-06-16T08:01:00.000-04:00

The Broken Egg 6x6 Oil on Linen Panel

Another from Carol's workshop. Although I fussed with it when I got home because I was having medium issues last week. Too oily, the shadow wasn't sticking to the linen. And you know how annoying it is to have shadows lying about your feet.

Grapes

2010-06-15T09:35:00.002-04:00

Never Blue with Purple 6x6 Oil on linen panel

In the movie, the Door in the Floor, Kim Basinger warns her young tenant(? sorry, I don't want to get into the plot, here) about color compatibility. I think it was "Never pink with lilac". And recently a neighbor mentioned learning never to put blue and purple together. There are so many rules floating around that probably began as paragraphs with perfectly sound logic. But every time the rule is repeated, something gets left off and we end up with a pronouncement that makes us wonder. Huh?
Maybe two hundred years ago a farmer was mixing a salve for his horse's wounded leg and told his daughter, "Never mix gentian blue with purple loosestrife."
What do you think?

Keep it Simple

2010-06-14T09:20:00.000-04:00

Ovo Trio 5x7 Oil on Double Primed Linen mounted on panel.

In Carol Marine's Workshop, we had just completed some timed exercises in which each brushstroke is carefully laid down where it belongs, all happy in its correct value and saturation and LEFT ALONE.
So what do I choose as a layout to further practice these concepts? Eggs. Not the best idea. I ended up blending a little just so I could call it quits and clean up for the day.

Radishes Return

2010-06-13T14:15:00.000-04:00

Radish Bunch 5x7 Oil on Linen Panel

When I was visiting my sister and brother-in-law in Portland, they served radishes as an hors d' oeuvre. Sliced, with butter, sea salt and pepper. Yummy.
While I was painting these, Carol warned me that I would have only about 20 minutes before the leaves wilted away to nothing. I wonder why that happens so much faster than with other root vegetables?

Two in a row

2010-06-13T14:05:00.001-04:00

Apricot Quartet Study 6x6

More value and brush exercises. These were fun. Timed, fast, no fussing allowed. The lower right actually has a bit of Carol's help on the top of the fruit.

Guess where I've been

2010-06-12T12:06:00.004-04:00

Radishing 6x6 Oil on panel

Carol Marine really is an exceptionally good teacher. I was hoping for an energizing workshop providing an opportunity to focus on values and it exceeded my hopes. What a nice week.

I've added feedburner to my blog. I feel as if this may be laughably outdated. Should I be tweeting each post?

Inlet

2010-03-29T15:14:00.008-04:00

Inlet Mixed media 8x16 on warped Raymar Art Panel

My intention today was to paint something. Instead, I decided to tackle two of my largest aggravations.
1. Photographing dark paintings with the least amount of washout.
2. Finding a streamlined way to import the photo to the computer, edit (including reducing size {Microsoft Office Picture Manager =MOPM} and applying a watermark { Picasa}), and post to the blog.

On the photography section, -/@%$#&*! (here I am, back to try writing this all again after a slight brush with my thumb erased my initial post) (haha) (keep smiling) my third attempt was to face the painting toward a dark corner, tilted back about 20 degrees (or up towards the meeting of wall and ceiling). This was to reduce the effect of the windows behind the painting. I also set my camera on the backlight mode. In editing on MOPM, I decreased brightness to -11. Definitely the best of my efforts.

On the second part, I have to admit that once again, I don't remember all the steps that I took. But it seemed like way too many.
I think I had trouble at first because on my computer the window for choosing the method of importing photos was not opening. Once that finally appeared (after 45 minutes of pressing buttons and talking to myself, as well as escaping to a game of freecell) I think I chose to import to windows. Then I think that offered an option to OPEN the image in MOPM, where I edited. Cropped, adjusted brightness, and resized (I like to do this for two reasons which may be totally misguided. Is it true that a smaller size loads faster? And is it true that a smaller size provides more protection against images being stolen?).
Okay, then for the just mentioned reasons, I like to overlay a watermark, but haven't figured out how to do that on MOPM, so I go to Picasa for that step. From there, I hit "BLOG THIS". It irks me to do so. I consider blog to be a noun, against all logic. I post to my blog. I have a blog. But putting a photo of a painting into a blog usually is called uploading. I would prefer uniformity. "UPLOAD THIS to BLOG" would suffice.

About the painting. I'm about to try to add an image. Cross your fingers.
Okay it worked. This is the oil underpainting from which I began. I disliked the intensity of the Pthalo turquoise and Alizarin Crimson. So I started playing with my new Sennelier oil pastels. My goal was to darken and neutralize as much as possible. I guess I could have taken it even further than the current "Inlet", seen at the top of this post. It is March, after all. .

Comments? Preferences? Counseling? All appreciated.
Thank you all so much for words of encouragement over the past months. Thank you, Susie Gregory, for the award. I am going to try to attend to its requirements this week. :)

More than two hours

2010-02-04T09:51:00.002-05:00

Slope 6x6 oil on Raymar canvas panel

Kind of a small image, isn't it? This is why I stopped blogging. Since last July when hard drive crashed, NOTHING has been smooth with posting. And while I'm complaining, why does it take me more than two hours to get a good photo of a little painting that took less than two hours to paint? grrrrrrr.
So I guess I need to try harder. Or go skiing.
:)

Danby Mountain

2010-02-01T14:45:00.000-05:00

Danby Mountain 6x8 oil on Raymar panel

I know it seemed as if I'd disappeared. I've been having a blast teaching kids how to ski on Bromley Mountain. Then recovering from teaching kids how to ski on Bromley Mountain. Then psyching myself up to enjoy teaching kids to ski.............etc. The past two days of teaching were below 8 degrees, so besides teaching, the instructors have to keep a sharp eye out for frostbite. I don't really think that makes for a very good or fun experience for the kids, but amazingly, most seem to enjoy their days. I, on the other hand, enjoy the end-of-day soak in a tub of hot water (not to be confused with a hot tub). And today, after countless weeks of wiping every painting, I'm posting a new one. Perhaps the freeze is over.

Icing Over

2009-12-17T14:43:00.001-05:00

Icing Over 6x6 Oil

Winter.

Bocas

2009-12-12T18:29:00.000-05:00

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

2009-12-10T18:22:00.001-05:00

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

2009-12-07T09:36:00.001-05:00

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

2009-12-03T16:55:00.002-05:00

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

2009-12-01T17:23:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-29T19:48:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-20T06:04:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-18T16:40:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-14T12:16:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-11-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-05T08:00:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-03T08:00:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-01T08:01:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-10T15:05:00.004-04:00

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

2009-10-05T07:13:00.000-04:00

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

2009-10-04T06:49:00.000-04:00

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

2009-10-03T18:38:00.003-04:00

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

2009-10-02T07:08:00.002-04:00

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

2009-10-01T07:13:00.000-04:00

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

2009-09-30T07:13:00.001-04:00

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

2009-09-29T11:46:00.002-04:00

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

2009-08-23T15:11:00.009-04:00

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

Fill-In

2009-07-19T08:52:00.003-04:00

The Fill-In 5x7 Oil
Now you know why I'm not a writer. Hardly a mystery that I ate one of the apricots and then used a peach on this second "apricot" painting. I'm eager to see if this posts okay. Luckily my daughter showed up this weekend and has been my tech support in finding picture manager. Fingers crossed.

Fizzle

2009-07-17T08:59:00.002-04:00

Well, after my last post my hard drive crashed. I'm still in the throes of getting set up in a new OS. Finally got the printer to work with the computer. HA!
Unfortunately, I haven't figured out the whole picture manager deal yet, so no painting post today. Which leaves you all wondering what happened with the apricots..............

Apricots Hit Vermont

2009-07-03T18:02:00.004-04:00

Oil on canvas 5x7

I guess we all have complaints about weather and climate. Except for those who don't complain or those who live in places like Hawaii. I follow quite a few blogs of artists who live far and wide. I watch what they paint and have to laugh at my situation. The Texans are painting strawberries while our ground is still covered with snow, tomatoes before Denny does the first cut on the lawn, and apricots - everyone seems to have apricots before we do. An Oregon artist, Cathleen Rehfield, did such lovely apricots in June, I was inspired to go grocery shopping.

My mum turned the July 1 "Champlain's Lake"opening at the Boston Public Library into quite the celebration, with great crowds of her friends and our family cruising the show. Thanks Mom and Dad for your lifelong encouragement. :)

4 Lemons

2009-06-25T16:54:00.005-04:00

Oil on canvas 6x6 Sold
Okay, I think I have determined that I don't care for the canvas on this batch of panels. Too bad because I have a lot of them.....
This one was done while looking at the lemons. If I had more time I'd grab the last 2 lemon paintings for comparison. #1 from my head. #2 from #1. #3 from real lemons.
I haven't decided yet if I have a preference, but I'm leaning away from #3.
Thanks for stopping by.

Minor tweaks=big changes

2009-06-17T16:42:00.005-04:00

Art gazing study 12X16 NFS

Progress 2
I'm always amazed at how the tiniest stroke results in huge changes on portraits. The bottom progress shot shows that I darkened her chin today and made it a little smaller. I lightened around her eyes and took the arch out of her eyebrows, and repainted her mouth fifteen times. All while trying to get rid of a German Shepard interloper who spent hours tramping through my garden, peeing on everything. He's completely untrained and wearing no ID. No one has reported him missing to the general store or the library. I tried setting my old dog out to chase him off but that didn't work. The GS is completely lacking in social sensibilities and has no idea where to go. I also had to rescue a garter snake today. I had laid some bird netting over my strawberry patch because something had been snagging the berries before they ever have a chance to ripen. Not a red one in sight and it's June 17th! The snake had managed to catch itself up in the netting. I did not look forward to cutting the netting away from it until I looked it up online and learned that Garter snakes eat SLUGS and rodents. That changed my attitude. The snakes are my best friends now.

Um. Back to the portrait. On the top version, which I declare FINISHED, I lightened even more around her eyes.

Thanks for hanging in there for the diatribe.......

In progress

2009-06-16T19:20:00.005-04:00

Oil on linen 12x16 Still working on it.

Yay, I'm happier with the palette I used on this one. There are many areas that need addressing but I thought I'd post it before I wreck it. haha. I need to darken the chin and maybe make it a tad smaller. Reduce the contrast over her left eye? Undecided about leaving the background alone. this was very fun to do, though.

Thanks for looking. Reactions appreciated.

Friends

2009-06-12T22:27:00.007-04:00

"Friends" Oil on canvas 12X16

I posted the earlier version of this either last fall or winter. Go to the very bottom of this post and work back up. This final (I think) version solves the season puzzle.

Progress 2 Here I raised the viewpoint by adding some sky. Defined the buildings with light and such. I thought I was done (again) and resigned it. But after dinner I looked again and realized that the mountains were in winter. No good. I wanted to suggest that the higher elevations had started showing the autumn color, while it was still predominately green in the valley.
Progress 1 I blocked in some trees, creating the shapes of farm buildings a little way back from the girls.

Initial work.
I thought I was done. I signed it. I showed it. It came back. I decided to see if some changes might improve things.

Who's in Charge?

2009-06-04T15:07:00.003-04:00

Oil on Canvas 6x6
I did one of these months ago titled 5 lemons. It was from my head, not looking at any lemons. I liked the way it came out and had in mind to do a companion right away. Best laid plans, but at last I gave it a go. I found it interesting that it was so challenging to recreate the style of the brushwork of the first. Maybe the second canvas was single primed instead of double. Maybe I used bristle instead of sable brushes. Maybe I shouldn't have looked at the first painting, but done the second without reference also. Maybe I was listening to different music or my studio space was tidier. Hmmm. I'll try one with 7 lemons (from my head and with sable brushes).

Thanks for clicking.

Goldfinch #2

2009-06-04T14:49:00.004-04:00

Oil on Canvas panel 5x7

Thanks for clicking.

MS. X

2009-05-27T07:13:00.004-04:00

Oil on canvas 5x7 N/A

I had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend because my daughter Casey came up. She agreed to sit for a portrait but we got started late and only had an hour before Denny called us to dinner. She was sweet enough to sit again the next day for about 15 minutes before we headed to an art show. I think an hour should be enough time to get a likeness. I didn't manage it here. Wrong proportions. But my focus was on color and value. She seemed way too gray to me when I got any distance away from the painting so in the end I abandoned my piles of premixed paint and gave her some orange. If she ever agrees to sit again (for some reason she didn't rave about how much fun it was), I'll focus on a likeness. : ) Thanks Casey!

A Strange Sighting

2009-05-18T22:17:00.003-04:00

The strange sighting of the title is this. I was on a blog today, Drawing the Mot-mot. In a comment I asked the author to please send some of her blue buntings to me. Then I looked out the window and caught a glimpse of what I think was an indigo bunting. First I've seen in YEARS. Seemed bizarre to me. I wondered if I should request the winning lottery number......

Anyway, then the rest of the day was spent completely distracted as I kept looking out the windows for the bird. I didn't see it again. Hopefully tomorrow.

News of the Day

2009-05-14T10:35:00.000-04:00

Sometimes life is good. : )
Artist Doug Lazarus has put together, with the Willowell Foundation, a show of art with Lake Champlain as the subject. This year is the quadracentennial of Samuel de Champlain's exploration of the lake. It's been quite a project, spanning almost a year since the call to artists. I learned last fall that one of my paintings was to be included which made me very happy. Log onto the website for more info.
Champlain's Lake Rediscovered .
The show has opened at its first venue, Shelburne Museum, near Burlington, VT. Next month it goes to the National Arts Club in NYC.

Frosting on the cake is that my painting was included in Vermont Life magazine's article about the exhibition. It's in the summer edition, which just came out yesterday! I feel honored by the acknowledgement.

Shasta and Blue Salvia

2009-05-13T08:56:00.005-04:00

Oil on canvas 5X7
No, these are not blooming in my garden. Yet. It's been great weather, so I have no excuse for not going out to paint. The most difficult parts of this painting were photographing it and signing it. :) Below are the progress shots, bottom up. Obviously.

Thanks for looking.

Rose Breasted Grosbeak

2009-05-12T07:30:00.000-04:00

Oil on Canvas 9X12

A celebration of feathers. As you can see, this was not a mother. I'm unsure about whether the painting is finished. But I buried the bird in the garden yesterday. It was a little unnerving to try to prop it into realistic poses, and we weren't entirely comfortable keeping it in the fridge, even in a ziploc. Comment, suggestions, critiques?
thanks

Church Street Pond

2009-05-11T06:13:00.001-04:00

Oil on Canvas 6X6" SOLD

Vermont, except for along Lake Champlain, tends to be a little dry. A pond here and there. Creeks in the spring. A few rivers. Or maybe it's just this area. But I'm a water lover and enjoyed this location for a little plein air work today. Spring is still waxing. Plenty of barely budded trees yet.
comments appreciated!

Goldfinch Coming In

2009-05-10T08:00:00.002-04:00

Oil on Canvas 6X8 SOLD
The newly hung bird feeders have brought a cornucopia of birds. Most prevalent are the goldfinches. I think this one looks like a lemon with wings. As I was finishing this a beautiful Rose Breasted Grosbeak hit the patio door. She hung in for a while but then died. I am so sad. She's probably a mother! I have tape on the glass now, too late for her. My friend Jane, were she still alive, would paint the bird, so I shall do the same.
sorry to post a sad story. Thanks for looking.

Clipped Lilacs

2009-05-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

Oil on Gessobord 8X10

I brought out the painting from a year ago and reworked the vase and the background. It won't be long before they are blooming again.

Thanks for looking.

Rocky Road's Chickens

2009-05-08T11:38:00.002-04:00

Oil on Canvas 6X8"

On a beautiful afternoon I drove a couple of miles away from the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT and a distant farm caught my eye. Rocky Road. A mile down was not only the farmhouse, barn, herd of deer, llamas, river, and covered bridge, but these three brilliant chickens and a really beckoning chicken coop, made of a trailer with a shack plunked on top. So I painted this with the coop between the hens and the road. It was so cute I had to laugh. I asked another participant what was making the painting too trite. I didn't know if it might be the chickens. She suggested the coop needed to go. Now, I have to rethink my attraction to a scene in the first place. But at least I never considered putting ALL the charming components in right from the start.

Sarah with a Seashell

2009-04-30T07:41:00.005-04:00

Oil on linen 12x16

She was a great model for this challenge. And an interesting soul. Traveling, creating art, plunking down for a spell at various art communities. This second portrait gave her a little of the youth back that I had stolen from her in yesterday's portrait (see previous post).

Thanks for looking.

Greetings from retreat

2009-04-28T21:12:00.004-04:00

Yesterday morning I had breakfast dish duty here at the Vermont Studio Center, so I didn't try to take my paints to life drawing. Our model was still but had a hard time keeping his eyes open as you can see. This morning I brought my paints in before dish duty so was able to start painting the figure. The first one, of Steve standing, cannot be shown. Ick. But I decided to simplify and just do his portrait next. There he his with eyes wide open. The portrait of Sarah was done this afternoon. First I did a pencil drawing of full figure, then grabbed the paintbrushes to do a portrait, about 1 1/2 hours. At first it was truly terrifying but past the halfway mark it started to come together and actually began to resemble her. Today was better. And I'm all done with dish duty. Hooray.

Cripple Cove, E. Gloucester, MA

2009-04-26T06:49:00.002-04:00

6x8 oil on canvas

Today I'm driving to Johnson, VT for my much anticipated retreat week of drawing and painting. Yesterday it was so warm and lovely in south central VT, I hope Johnson isn't too far behind us, season wise. Apparently, it may be too bothersome to connect to the internet but I will try to post a couple of times. Thanks for looking.

Hens on the Loose

2009-04-23T16:34:00.002-04:00

Oil on Linen 6x6 SOLD

Another quick one of the neighbor hens. I kind of miss the red chicken coop (aka woodshed). She now has 6 more chickens of a different variety so I have my work cut out for me, I guess.

Thanks for your comments!

Sue's Black Australorps

2009-04-22T13:30:00.004-04:00

Oil on Canvas 6X6 SOLD

My friend Sue received these fine hens from her husband for her birthday. Eat your hearts out, ladies everywhere. Fresh eggs every day. I have to say that painting this was a lot of fun and I have no idea why I've resisted painting chickens all these years. I also just hung two of my old bird feeders out yesterday and filled them with black oil sunflower seed. The finches are here already!
Enjoy the day.

Still Seeking Loose

2009-04-21T17:48:00.004-04:00

Top one is a progress shot. I think I'm making some progress with a less compulsive approach. Letting go of some control issues. : ) Having fun. Playing with colors. Dreaming of the sea.

Thanks for looking. Comments welcome.

Dolphin Cabina View 3 Oil on canvas 9X12

Elusive

2009-04-18T12:22:00.005-04:00

Agua de Luna

Oil/C

6x8

On the left a fast laying in of shapes and values. I wasn't sure where I wanted to go. Or if I should have left it there. I think I will continue with this for a few days. I went back in this morning with a mind to add more contrast and applied DARK OVER LIGHT. egads. The art police will be along shortly.
I'm looking forward to my upcoming retreat week at the Vermont Studio Center for which I received a partial grant. I love that. I can't wait to have daily models.

Thanks for looking!

Simeon Creek Crossing

2009-04-10T18:09:00.002-04:00

Latest progress shot of Simeon Creek. This separates Manzanillo from the Gandoca Wildlife refuge and the Dolphin Education Center. I'm almost ready to call it a wrap. No hurry except that I fear overworking it.

In Progress-Simeon Creek Crossing

2009-04-10T06:19:00.000-04:00

Another in progress. Began with orange toned canvas. Burnt Umber wash-in of the dark areas. I let that dry for a few days then washed in some blue sky, light sand and tree trunks and a light blue oxford button down shirt with the sleeve buttons missing. Just kidding. Sort of. That was an example of my struggle against detail. To ignore what my brain knows is there and just suggest shapes, etc.

A Passion for Painting - Blog Award !!

2009-04-08T17:30:00.002-04:00

The View Toward Manzanillo, CR Oil on Canvas 12x16 Finished I think.

I am the recipient of the coveted "Passion for Painting" blog award!! Thanks - Jill Berry. Now I get to choose 7 others who share this passion; as well as list 7 things I love...

The artist/bloggers that I suggest you check out are ---

Connie Chadwick - Very expressive work, mostly figurative. An inspiration to oil pastel artists.

Robin Cheers - Through thick and thin, paint. She captures the body language of contemplation.

Loriann Signori - In the midst of her obsession with painting, she finds time to encourage the rest of us. Her landscapes take my breath away. And she presents current challenges and less than hoped for results, as well.

Dona Friedman - Quietly working away on landscapes, barnscapes, animals on the porch. Beautiful feeling to her work.

Thomas Torak - Tom's paintings are beautifully rendered and full of life (even when still). The colors are incomparable. (He grinds his own.) And the commentary always amusing.

Elizabeth Torak - Really lovely work in varied subject matter. Not a frequent poster because she's PAINTING.

Steve Goodman - Another whose paintings urge me to simplify. I'm tempted to count his brushstrokes and set that as a challenge for myself. "6x6 in under 35 strokes" or something like that. And his point is made beautifully.

Seven things I love, in no particular order.
1. Courtesy (I'm woeful at this.)
2. Honesty
3. Generosity (From me, needs work.)
4. Family
5. Edy's Lime Popsicles
6. New paintbrushes
7. Friends

in progress

2009-04-07T17:19:00.004-04:00

I started this painting last week. First an overall tone of orange. Then burnt umber wash to the darker areas of the composition. Luckily I remembered that I wanted to photo the process before I got too much blue sky going.
In the second photo I think I went with the dark green next and then I broke with my usual method and applied the lightest value. Just to see what would happen. Sometimes I really like the painting best at this "barely begun" stage.

Hammock w/ View

2009-04-01T08:28:00.002-04:00

Oil on canvas 6x8
Our last day at Tesoro Escondido, I stood on the porch to paint this as I evaluated the snorkelabilty of the water. My hopes would go up as I kept my eye on the coral beds just past where the waves were breaking. I'd picture myself swimming along above the beds. Then suddenly a wave would break right there and I'd picture a snorkel full of water and scraping my legs against the rocks. So I kept painting.......

Thanks for looking.

Dolphin Cabina studio

2009-03-31T18:31:00.001-04:00

This cabina at Tesoro Escondido in Bocas del Toro had a small table which was the right height to hold the clipboard w/canvas. An improvement over log-sitting. I think a dividend of painting while traveling is that you really burn in a memory of a place. At least I hope so. If not, I guess I'll just have to go back there.

Dolphin Cottage

2009-03-31T05:37:00.000-04:00

Oil on Wallis Paper 6x9

I lost hold of my intention here. I meant to just do a thinned wash as an undercoat for pastel work upon my return to Vermont. Making choices and sticking with them all the way. Something else to work on.
Anyway I loved this location! This was the view from our cabina at Tesoro Escondido in Bocas del Toro. The waves were incredibly loud, a little disturbing in fact, but every day they lost a little height and frequency, to the surfer's chagrin.

Manzanillo, Costa Rica

2009-03-28T06:30:00.000-04:00

Oil on Canvas 6X8 We were very lucky, as far as weather goes. It had rained for 2 weeks, ending the day we landed in San Jose. It took us two days to get here to Manzanillo. What beautiful beaches. The painting has a sand fly in the middle of a wave. They deserve their bad rep. Scroll down to see my beach studio. I spread a towel on a log and straddled it. When I felt the sun on my shoulder, it was time to pack up. But my left foot had already been lunch for the sand flies.

My tubing around the edges of the painting has a serious drawback. A frame won't quite cover it, so I had to go back in just now and paint the white spots (and while I was there I opened up some thalo blue). Back to the design board.

Art Material Solutions for Carry On Baggage

2009-03-27T07:00:00.002-04:00

My parents passed two extremely wonderful traits on to me. "Make it work" and "Invent a solution". Sometimes I have more fun thinking about solutions than creating art. For example, when our small flight from Bocas was overweight I came up up with a whole protocol to prevent future overweight flights. Admittedly, no one wants to hear my brilliant ideas. But I have this blog, so if you've logged on, you are about to see my solution to "carry on traveling with art supplies." : )

After trying out the watercolor and pastel idea at home, and hearing that pastels don't like humidity, I scrapped those media.
I tried the acrylics again to see how I felt about them at this point. Scrapped that idea.
Couldn't take oils because of the medium and liquid restrictions. So I decided on my Holbein Duo Aqua oils and Winsor Newton Artisan w/m oils. To solve the drying time issue, I slit some plastic tubing and placed it on the edges of the 6X8 Raymar Art Panels. I was able to fit 6 of those into an old Omaha Steaks carton. I folded up one paper towel for each canvas and stashed those in between. I also included some sheets of Wallis Paper. My folding painting glasses fit in one corner and a kneaded eraser in the other. I did buy some short brushes for the occasion. I used a limited palette as paints had to fit into a quart size baggie along with sunscreen, shampoo, conditioner and body cream. I took white, black, raw umber, yellow light, deep yellow, scarlet, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, cerulean blue. Next time I would change that a little. I couldn't quite get the caribbean blue that I wanted. The best thing I found was the little Loew Cornell covered palette. My paints stayed wet for days and days. Of course, so did all my clothes and sneakers, so the climate helped in that regard. At the LoganTSA, they weren't sure about the paints at first, but the swab showed that they weren't explosive, and I was good to go. Tomorrow I'll start posting the results and photos of the little beach studio and the porch studio.

Thanks for stopping by.

traveling for art

2009-03-26T10:39:00.003-04:00

I'm back in Vermont from our 3 weeks of travel. We began with a wonderful stint of taking care of our grandsons while their parents had a break. We love to make art together. I set up some clementines on the stainless steel range top but they preferred to find their own subjects. On the left is the seaglass collection above the kitchen sink. On the right a cantalope became a turtle. Magic marker on printer paper 8 1/2x11 : )

Rare sight

2009-03-14T16:37:00.002-04:00

Oil on canvas 6x6 SOLD
I don't often see a hummingbird at rest, but I think the young ones tend to get tired. Maybe that's not true. Does anyone know? Anyway, I was happy to get this one sitting on the bamboo pole that later supported the sunflower. This is March. I live in VT. This is not en plein air. I took a photo. I'm still away for another week, but thank you to anyone leaving comments.

Lone Deer

2009-03-10T16:32:00.001-04:00

Oil on canvas 6x8 SOLD
Another from imagination as I sit in the midst of winter. I could just look out the window, I guess, but I'm trying to loosen up the obsessiveness that accompanies my paintings from reality. This way has its pros and cons. As when I wonder what something would really look like if it existed.

My long lost twin?

2009-03-08T06:00:00.001-04:00

Oil on canvas sheet 2 of 3
2005

I actually tried to post these last year but was completely frustrated by my inability to put up the whole triptych. These were inspired by the marshland on the northern coast of Massachusetts in combination with some freshwater marsh areas in Littleton, MA. They were done shortly after I made the switch from acrylic to water-mixable oils so I was getting to know a new medium.
The reason I'm posting them now is that I recently found Dick Rink, a Nederlander painter who might be my long lost twin. Look at his painting by clicking on his name. It was done halfway across the globe on February 15! I love looking at his painting and think it's a finer job than my effort, but for me it evokes the same feeling and makes me feel a connection to him. He saw what I saw, and wanted to capture it. Maybe this is as common as dirt, but it hadn't really happened to me before. Anyone else?

brief rest

2009-03-07T10:29:00.000-05:00

This one is from a few weeks ago. I like drawing this model.

New Reason

2009-03-06T12:56:00.002-05:00

For anyone who does not have a blog, I found a new reason to start one. It's my newest fun-thing-to-do. Right up there with horseback riding and kayaking, almost. It's that little gadget on the right called Feedjit. They are not even paying me to write this. When I check in, I look at the map and see that someone from Australia had a look. Or Spain. All over the globe. No idea why I get such a kick out of it. Been in the mountains too long??

Back to it

2009-03-04T16:18:00.003-05:00

I'm having some posting issues, so I hope this goes up okay. From last week's drawing group.

Before and After the Fall

2009-03-01T18:07:00.001-05:00

Pastel and watercolor on canvas 6x6
Okay. I'm putting away the pastels until after my trip to humidity. As my previous posts explain, I'm trying some media that I'm not that used to. I think a workshop may be in my future. This is from my memory of kayaking and the 4th effort on the poor little watercolor wash with which I started. Maybe not thinking is okay now and then. Just see where the painting goes. It is not available because two seconds after taking the photo the painting fell face down on an old dishtowel and smudged up a bit. Not a good medium for traveling, my husband remarked.

After the Fall Pastel and watercolor on canvas 6x6
Something to post whether or not I ought.

The Gift

2009-03-01T17:29:00.004-05:00

Look closely. This is a box I made many years ago in art school. In it are pastels given to me by the aunt of my best friend at the time. They were the remainders of the aunt's sister's supply. I think I organized them once, but never got interested in using them. Dirty, dusty and missing many of the shades that one really needs. Not that I'm blaming my tools for the hilariously pitiful work that I've been doing for the past few days. In my younger days, I worked as a carpenter's helper and there were two sayings that Charles Parsons III used to repeat. "It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools." And "A craftsman is only as good as his tools." I've always thought the two were opposed, but now I think "Get properly outfitted and you may not need to blame the tools." What do you think?

Any tips?

2009-02-26T16:35:00.004-05:00

Nothing to show. I'm going to Central America in a couple of weeks and have been thinking-about-painting-there. Inspired by Loriann Signori, I decided to see if the watercolor/pastel combo would be a good solution to the travel dilemmas. Of course I have no patience so when my effort yesterday did not result in a masterpiece, I dismissed the idea. Last night (when I can't sleep I try to think about painting instead of the economy or other negative land mines) I decided to just take acrylics and be done with it. So, today I laid them out on a paper palette and found some brushes that I thought would work. Wow. It is not so easy to remember how they perform. Mix up a nice purple. Place a stroke on the canvas. Go back to the palette and the rest of it is dry. At one point the brushload dried while I debated exactly where to place it. Now, it's partly due to the woodstove heat, I'm certain. But I'm remembering that I used to lay a thin, wet sponge under the palette paper. Now, I remember I even soaked the palette paper first. I'll give it another try.
And I'll give Loriann's media another try too. Maybe I'll learn something.

Copper Guard

2009-02-25T06:25:00.004-05:00

Oil on Canvas 6x6 SOLD
You may think this looks familiar. The pears are the same but I changed the cloth and the copper teakettle. The original version is in the older post section. Maybe next month I'll change the pears...... .

Jar and Stem

2009-02-24T08:53:00.006-05:00

Oil on Canvas 6x6 SOLD
I didn't like the compostition below. It is funny how the photo of the painting helps me identify what I am unhappy about. I knew I was skating on thin ice with just the white plate and the weighty grapes sitting on the bottom of the painting, but I had to try it anyway. Then there was the photography issue of a dark painting.
Anyway, much happier with the addition of the mustard jar and brushes. Thanks for looking.