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

Fill-In

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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.