12x9 oil painting of our model a couple of weeks ago. There are a few of us that get together on Tuesday morning to paint from a model. I love the company, the conversation, and some times come up with a decent little painting.
9x9 oil gallery wrapped. $375
Seems appropriate to post this painting, as I just returned from the Finger Lakes of New York, and horse country. I grew up in Geneseo, NY, a small town with big vistas and beautiful country side. My Mom is selling her house and I sorted, labeled and packed up her belongings, getting ready for the move. She is a trooper and has made it all so easy - something not everyone experiences when their parents are ready to start a new chapter of their lives.
I, on the other hand, have this small sense of loss. Not because of the home but for the land around it. I love the long fields of corn, the blue hills, and old barns in various degrees of decay. She will be living about 45 minutes away, so will still love to go back, get up in the morning, and go out and take pictures of the hills and valley. My two best friends from when we were little are still there, and I can go bunk up with them for a return trip, so all is not lost.
Meanwhile I am back in the saddle here at the studio packing up for a workshop. I have twelve eager students in Columbia, SC that are waiting for their two day workshop. I am very excited about the group and getting back to painting!
The weekend long event for the WPW show was just awe inspiring. Great artists, great paintings, - just inspirational people all around. The catalog that people have emailed me about is available, and is high quality, beautiful - not to be missed Just go to this link to order
24x36 oil . Gallery wrap frame
I'm back in the studio again - and back in the heat. It was a wonderful vacation in the FInger Lakes, with my Mom, good friends, boat rides on Conesus Lake and cool weather. One of my favorite nights was relaxing in Adirondack chairs at the top of Canandaigua Lake with old friends, watching hot air balloons float by, and sailboats trying to catch some wind. It was a great break - and both John and I were trying to figure out how to miss the plane so we could stay longer.
I just spent a wonderful week painting in the mountains of North Carolina. Great people, beautiful weather, delicious food, and hospitality that can't be beat. Being in the studio all the time, I so enjoy being outside painting and talking to people. I love the opportunity and the challenge of capturing the colors and light of my subjects en plein air (on location for all you non painters).
12x9 oil on panel
Doesn't look like I just had my cataract fixed, but this is the series I've wanted to work on for a couple of years after visiting Giverny, and Monet's Gardens. 18x18 oil on canvas
Let me know your thoughts.
It's been a long time since I painted out at Backmanns, and I forgot how much I liked painting there. Out painting with friends is such a joy!
11x14 oil
It's been a crazy, wonderful 17 days down at PIccolo Spoleto, and I will miss everyone down there (who will I have Happy Hour with at 4pm??). I work with an amazing group of artists and it's been great fun being with them and clients for 17 days. Lots of paintings have found new homes across the country (and Saudi Arabia and Switzerland) and I am so grateful to all.
I am also happy to have it over and get organized around here...then start on commissions.
The other nice thing - more than nice actually, is that I received the Figurative Honorable Mention Award at the Oil Painters of America 2014 National Exhibition at the Bennington Art Center, in Vermont. This is a huge honor to my work and I can not say in words what it means to me to not just receive the award, but to be selected for the show.
"The Commute" 40x30 oil
For the past week, I've been in a frenzy getting all the things done that need to be done for Piccolo Spoleto. Labels, postcards, books, framing, making sure i have all my essentials packed (sunscreen, corkscrew, screwdrivers, duct tape, etc) - all packed and ready to go down to Marion Square. The tent went up today, the weather was gorgeous, and tomorrow the real set-up with paintings. I love this part. The waiting part is hard, and now I get to hang all the new paintings for the show and see the clients, collectors and artist friends( that have been locked in their studios painting for the show also).
YEA - it's here!
Come see me at #78 near the Embassy Suites on Meeting Street - Starting Friday! MAY 23 - JUNE 8th Open everyday from 10-6
SOUTHERN BELLE 40x30
I loved painting these!
You never hear parents say "Oh, I just loved that 1-3 year old stage of my kid's life". It is a trial and test of supreme patience. And you never get a full night's worth of sleep. I remember it as "floating" through time - waiting for them to finish a meal, walk down the block, get out of the bath (that took you forever to get them into in the first place)
But as they move into the 4's, I love it. Everything is new and wonderful to them. I watched as my grand daughter played, and was in awe the imagination and creativity. Lining up stones and snails from the beach, making up songs (my favorite being one about "Mr. Potat"), listening to stories made up while she plays, and the amazing ability to tackle two languages at once. Rather than a "Why" child , she is "What?", as she looks up straight into my eyes, looking for the answer. It pulls you out of your own space, and into theirs, looking at things the way they do so that you can come up with an answer.
At home, I put away my suitcase and pulled out my small bag of rocks collected from the the beach at Marseilles. I carefully lined them up on the window sill, and as Stella would, assess the size and shape before putting them down in their place.
I started a small painting yesterday, and approached it with the same thoughtfulness - where does this piece fit, is it the right color and spot, and took joy that I had such a good teacher for two weeks.
I am so thrilled that my painting "The Commute", has been selected as a finalist for the upcoming 2014 OIL PAINTERS OF AMERICA NATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION. I love this piece and so appreciate that the judges did also. (For non-painters: Sort of like if you were a beagle and got invited to be in the Westminster Dog Show. That cool!)
The Commute", 40x30 $4800 AVAILABLE
Some more palette knife last week. Something about laying the color down like a pastel in nice thick strokes, appeals to me.
I like the way it sits on the previous color and you can see what happened before.
"In Full Color" 36x36, oil
Abstract? Yes. I have spent a week with a group of artists painting out at Sullivan's Island. Great food, conversation and painting with some really bright artists. Our one day challenge was inspired by discussions of how we work, what inspires us, and where we can push ourselves. So we all did abstracts for a few days and learned how to approach them and make them "our own" (guided by Karen Weihs). I have been leaning this way for a while and while I love what I do most of the time, I've wanted to push a little in the abstract direction. Loved the whole experience!
"Architecture #3"
24x18 gallery wrapped
"Fresh Cut" 24x24 oil on linen
