Book - Apple Picking9"x9" acrylic

9"x9" acrylic

I have been working on a project to do paintings for a children's book.  I started it a few weeks ago and posted three of the illustrations.  I am doing this in what I call "coloring book" style.  I wanted them to look simple and childlike.  I must admit that I am enjoying doing them.  I have used my grandchildren as models for many of the illustrations and I always love painting them.  This was a really beautiful day when we went to the apple orchard around the corner and picked apples and had a picnic in the orchard.  Good memories.

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Snack Time

7"x9" oil

I wanted to see if I could do a figurative piece that had the same kind of color "pop" as the floral pieces done at Dreama Tolle Perry's workshop.  This is more subdued but I still think it has some of the pizazz I like.  It is a method I think I will continue to explore as I am more drawn to painting people and children than I am floral scenes.  Although, I do love flowers and gardening and certainly beautiful paintings of idyllic scenes...but I will leave it to others to do those subjects, at least for now.  Does this piece have appeal to you?  I am not related to this child, but she is a bit universal I think...round and sweet and curious.

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Window Box

7"x9" oil

This is a little painting I did using my image and the transparent underpainting technique.  Of course, I like the abstract quality to it, and the texture of the thick paint of the flowers.  It is a small painting and I quickly did it at the end of the workshop I went to with Dreama Tolle Perry.  I think when you work in time constraints it can either result in a rushed feel to it, or surprise you with capturing just what you need.  I am pretty happy with the result of this one.

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Cupcake

8"x8" oil  

This painting is the result of "Musical Easels" from Dreama's workshop. I started it and finished it, and then revised some things, and in the middle a lot of other people did something to it.  I think it would look great in a kitchen or in a bakery. It is a reminder of sweet things in life.  I have a question for other bloggers.  Do you find that it is difficult to have a consistent on-line presence and also have time to look at the work of others, or to make comments?  This is a challenge for me....staying connected in the myriad ways available.  I should go paint!

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The Wall

9"x9" oil

This is another painting I completed at Dreama's Workshop.  I came away from that workshop with a couple of reminders and realizations.  I try not to remember everything because I find I just feel confused and constrained when I do, so I choose to focus on just a few things.  One thing that really left its mark was that each participant's paintings retained their unique signature style even though we were painting the same image with the same palette and technique.  This kept coming back to me.  Another thing which I really wanted to latch on to, was how to get the brilliant color and little pops of color which is so evident in Dreama's work.  I feel like I achieved that in this painting.  I need to really think about what color combinations excite me and make that a priority in my work, if that is what excites me. 

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Inviting Window

9"x9" oil

I am back!  Hope you missed me.  I have been modem-less for the last couple of weeks and it has been just short of traumatizing for me!  Honestly I am embarrassed by how attached I have become to internet.  It is along the lines of indoor plumbing, electricity and telephone.  If you are familiar with Dreama Tolle Perry's work, then you will recognize this window.  I went to a workshop a few weeks ago and this was one of the exercises.  If your monitor does not show this as a vibrant, warm color scheme, then imagine it is, because her palette is the makings for lovely color.  She is awesome and her workshop was awesome and the other painters were awesome.  We (my friend and fellow painter, Heather Shay) had a great time!

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Nicky and Liam

6"x6" oil

SOLD

I have just returned from a workshop with Dreama Tolle Perry and as always, it was fabulous.  Today and tomorrow I am at "Art In the Park" in Rutland, VT.  So, if you are in the area, come on out and see what is happening.  It is a very fun event and it looks like we are going to have sparkling weather.

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The Good Father5"x7"

5"x7" oil   Everyone needs a best friend they can confide in.  There are lots of choices at Grandcamp.  This little guy is taking his monkey baby to the hardware store (his favorite shop) in his baby sling.

Playing Dress-Up

5"x7 oil

Who doesn't like to play dress-up?  Our fashion industry is based on the belief that we all like to dress up in the latest fashions and go out and show ourselves off.  Really I think designers sometimes just sit in a room with a bunch of kids who try on all kinds of crazy things and the designers quickly sketch out their choices and call it haute couture!  (or maybe they would be well advised to do this!)  This is another possible page for my kids book.

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Hello Rooster

5"x7" acrylic

Another favorite "Grandcamp" activity is visiting local farms to pick berries, pumpkins, apples, veggies, go to corn mazes and check out the animals.

A Walk In the Park

5"x7" acrylic

This is another illustration for my little book.  All of our grandkids love to go for walks in the woods and in parks.  It is probably my favorite thing to do with them because it is so easy and they love it so much. 

Hula Happy

5"x7" acrylic

I decided to write and illustrate a book for my grandchildren.  Right now I am working on the illustrations and when I get those all done I will attempt to do the text the way I want.  If I fail at that I will just simplify it and call it good.  The theme of the book is, "What Can You Do When You Go To Grandcamp?"  That is only a theme and a working title, not the finished idea.  When the kids come to visit we call it Grandcamp.  So, if it is at the beach we do beach things, like hula-hoop!  I am doing these with an outline and then painting in sections as if I was doing a coloring, kind of like school kids tend to do.  My grandkids are being raised to color outside of the lines...so we will see what will happen with that!  Anyway, this is a fun diversion and it is always great to work on projects for the kids.  This week I am taking a workshop with Dreama Tolle Perry, so I am mostly concentrating on that.

A Time Gone By

8"x10" oil

There is a story to this one.  Vermont is known for its quaintness.  There is a charm here because things move slightly slower than in large urban areas.  We try to protect the beauty of that without being too sentimental.  However, urban sprawl has made a foothold in our nation and is doing its best to creep into our area.  This building is the last quaint structure on the south end of Rutland on highway 7, the main road that runs along western Vermont.  It was a victim of our economic woes, and the business had to shut. The new owners are planning on tearing off all the porches and architectural features, cutting down the trees, putting in more pavement and opening a Dollar General Store.  I added the fence and the kids standing on it because I think about how our current trend of merchandising over quality of life is affecting the younger generation.  I am grateful that new businesses are moving in, but it makes me sad that they are more corporate and less "mom and pop."
I have included a close up of the kids.

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Happy Anniversary

4"x10'" oil

This was a small commission I did for an anniversary present from the husband to his wife.  He is really happy with it so I am too. 

SOLD

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Plum Island

24"x48"

This is the finished piece of my 30 paintings in 30 days project.  By working on one section at a time, I feel like I gave every part of this painting proper attention and the result is a rich mosaic of brushwork and color.  It was fun doing a painting so much larger than the small pieces I have been doing for the last couple of years.  It made me want to do more!

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