"Loose Screw"

"Loose Screw"

4" x 4," Oil on Board

I must've had a loose screw to attempt this. All those what you call em's, oh I looked it up, threads. On a 4" x 4" painting! I count 14. So I wiped the piece back down to the underpainting, which looks pretty good compared to what I just deleted. Maybe I will re-attempt this, I'm thinking very transparent and let the underpainting do the job.

"Cadmium Red"

"Cadmium Red"

6" x 6," Oil on Wood

There was a challenge on Daily Paintworks to paint art supplies. I've never done that! So here it is, my first.

SOLD

"White Pitcher"

 

"White Pitcher"

6" x 6," Oil on Board

I've been on vacation for almost two weeks, and this is the first painting I've done since. It's always tricky doing that 'first one' and it was kind of tough, but then I got into adjusting the curves and edges. 

Exciting day at the library tomorrow - Adriana Trigiani, yes that Adriana Trigiani, is coming to speak at a fundraiser.

Update: she was great!

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"Goldfish Buddies" February 8

"Buddies"

Oil on Canvas, 5"x7"

Are these guys cute or what! Arriving home from Mexico today, back to the snow and cold.

SOLD

"Audubon preserve, Martha's Vineyard" - February 7

"Audubon Preserve, Martha's Vineyard"

Oil on Canvas, 9" x 12"

 Well, this is a blast from the past. This was painted from a photo that was taken before the wicked winter, back when warm yellows and oranges existed in nature. It's funny to look at in February...the colors are a little intense! 

"Stanford, New York" February 6

"Stanford, NY"

I was coming home last October from a painting workshop with Andrew Lattimore.

There is a a strange phenomenon: after painting all day visual sensitivity becomes heightened and colors, shapes and lines seem irresistibly beautiful.

It gets a little crazy when I'm looking at a dull grey landscape and think "This is absolutely gorgeous."  On the other hand....sometimes it is! In this case however, the late afternoon sky was 

utterly dramatic.

"Snow at the Boat Yard" February 5

"Snow at the Boat Yard"

 It's tricky driving around in the snow taking pictures, but it was so beautiful out along the Hudson River. I didn't see any other cars, everyone was staying home!

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Up the Taconic, Feb. 4

"Driving up the Taconic Parkway"

 I have no idea what this little building was for. Gas station? Snacks? It seems closed right now. My husband and I were driving up to the FDR museum and it caught my eye.

On the Road to Senasqua II, February 3

"On the Road to Senasqua II"

Third and last in a series of snow paintings along the Hudson.

"On the Road to Senasqua I"

I took a drive on a snowy morning and shot a series of photos. 

I love the quiet colors of winter in the northeast!

SOLD

"In front of Senasqua,"

First, for 30 Paintings in 30 days, February 2018. Thanks again Leslie Saeta for hosting.

I was surprised this piece ended up so warm in color for such a cold day. I do love how it makes the blue hills in the distance stand out. I'm a little rusty because of the holidays and planning a trip to Mexico to see my son before he undertakes a biking trip to the very bottom of Patagonia,

but there it is. Thanks for following!

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"Hilltop Hanover House"

"Hilltop Hanover House"

Oil on Gessobord, 10" x 8"

I went plein aire painting at a local farm with the amazing Jessica Miller.

It was several years ago and I can't remember what her painting looked like

but it was probably wonderful. This kicked around in my studio for a few years, 

and then sold at last weekend's Holiday Boutique!

SOLD

"Lemon and a Slice II"

Oil on Canvas, 5"x7"

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"Measuring Tape," 6" x 6"

When you paint an ordinary object, it becomes a thing of wonder!

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House in Potsdam, NY

"House in Potsdam, NY," 7" x 5," Oil on Wood

Here is another painting from awhile ago. 

We drove to Potsdam, NY to pick up our son from college, and

it was freezing and icy! This yellow house 

across the street from our B&B was so darling

amidst all that cold snow.

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Red Building in Ossining, NY

"Red Building in Ossining, NY"

We kicked along Ossining on a beautiful sunny morning awhile ago and saw this building

lit from the back. So we returned later toward sunset and the front of this

house just glowed! ...and that's the Hudson River just behind it.

Now I've heard they are going to eventually

tear it down  :(

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"Oregon Field," 8x6 inches, Oil on Canvas

Landscape is my first love in painting. I used to drive through the  

Illinois cornfields and wonder at the beautiful changing skies.

Oregon is just as gorgeous!

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Block Island Rooftops

"Block Island Rooftops," 8" x 6," Oil on Board

This was the view from my hotel room. Block Island is filled

with gorgeous views everywhere!

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A trip to Amenia

"Approaching Autumn, Wethersfield New York"

8" x 10" Oil on Wood

After this hot October, of all the days to suddenly cool down, it had to be the first day

of my plein aire painting workshop with Andrew Lattimore.

I f r o z e. My hands were shaking. It was Mohonk all over again, Lavinia!

Anyway, I'm happy with the result. 

Wethersfield is a dream place to paint, and I have 3 more days to work there!

October 2 - "Stillness, Croton Reservoir"

"Stillness, Croton Reservoir"

10" x 5," Oil on Wood

The water was glass smooth and the reflection of the clouds were stunning

and seemed a bit unreal.

October 1 - final collage

Final Collage of Paintings

done in Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge,

September 2017

This has definitely been a learning process

and I look forward to painting more for my December show!

The October exhibit with Lavinia Wiggins and Peg Taylor is up

and we open next week.

Many thanks for following and for your wonderful comments!

October 1 - "Sauvie Island Approaching Sunset"

"Sauvie Island Approaching Sunset"

10" x 5," Oil on Wood

I went to this quality lumberyard named Condon in White Plains

and said I wanted hardwood faced plywood. Yes, maple's good.

Well, you have to buy a 4 foot x 8 foot sheet. That's fine, but I need it cut up

like this: 8x10's, 5x7's 6x8's 5x10's etc. Inches, that is. In other words, a million cuts.

Guess what? they did it. but I gave the guy a good tip.

Day 30 - "Slice"

"Slice"

4" x 4," Oil on canvas

Painting this little guy was like walking a tightrope.

Every stroke was so precious. I'm very happy with it -

happy I finished without falling!

Thrilled but sad thirty paintings in thirty days is over.

The best part is going to the studio daily and getting a painting done,

no interruptions please. But it will be nice as I told my friend,

not to schedule every ten minutes of my life.

Day 29 - "Lemon Half and a Slice"

"Lemon Half and a Slice"

8" x 6" Oil on Wood

I just saw something that needs fixing, the highlight on the cloth on the

fold closest to the right. I'll update this post when I add it, but it probably won't be 

til after the show at he library..

3 people, 30 works each. I asked Lavinia did they know they 

we're getting 90 pieces - the max is supposed to be 60. 

She said "probably." So imperturbable.

If you're reading this from halfway round the world (Laurelle for example!)

hope we can meet sometime. But if you're closer, stop in at the opening.

Mahopac Library, Sunday Oct. 8, 2-4 pm.

Bad picture but fixed the fold!

Day 28 - "Seagull"

 

"Seagull"

8" x 8," Oil on Masonite

I painted this guy in the morning before work.

 So it was a bit of a rush but sometimes that's good.

Focus is intense, details are not fussed over and surprises happen.

Like all that yellow on the left, but I think it works!

Day 27 - "San Juan Lighthouse"

"San Juan Lighthouse"

12" x 9" Oil on Canvas

My husband was cycling with his brother and sister-in-law

up in the San Juan Islands and shot this picture for me.

Day 26 "Pomegranates on the Tree"

"Pomegranates on the Tree"

8" x 6" Oil on Canvas

Talk about complementary colors.

Normally I'd shy away from a red-green composition,

but this doesn't bother me too much. Maybe because there is a lot of 

bright pink and blue green

I'm to deliver these 30 paintings to Mahopac Library

in 3 days, framed, labeled and well, finished. Yikes!

Day 25 - "Pears," finished

"Pears," finished

8" x 6," Oil on Wood

These were posted earlier on June 15 but I was unhappy with them. The background 

was brown but it needed to be cooler and darker. Check.

Also there was something wrong about the highlights.

Much happier now!

Day 24 "Venice" finished

"Venice "

8" x 6," Oil on Wood

So it's day 24, twenty four pieces in a row.

I feel tired, but also that I grow as a painter by working daily.

There is flow...what I think about one day is fresh on the next. More importantly, 

I think less and paint more...which brings me to new places than I've been before.

Process takes over and rumination fades away.

Day 23 - "Portrait of a Pear"

"Portrait of a Pear"

6" x 8" Oil on Canvas

Again I am grateful to the photographers at

morguefile.com. They are creative and generous with their work.

This pear is so beautiful a painter doesn't just do a still life,

they do a portrait!