She Has Such a Pretty Face 8x10" oil

This is a quick oil study in broad values. The title is a phrase I always hear people use when they are referring to a chubby girl. I painted this at a model session at the Chaffee Art Center and when someone saw my painting that is what they said.I am grateful to have the opportunity to do this once a week because it is such a good exercise. This model was really good and was able to strike interesting poses and hold them. Mostly I drew in charcoal but I painted this at the very end. #102

Going Out II oil 5x7

This is the second version of a little painting I really liked. I was going to change the shoe color, but I just like this. There is no red in this painting, and I think it still works! I guess I could make her toe nails red. #101
SOLD

Can We Go Now? 5x7" oil

This stance just says to me impatience which is why I titled it "Can We Go Now?" It was fun doing the pant wrinkles. This is my 100th posted painting!#100
SOLD

"My Feet" by Eva 4"x4"

My friend's daughter's daughter (geezz I'm getting old) was given the camera and she took a lovely photo of her feet, so I painted it. I really like that there is still an imprint from her sock. She clearly thought to take her socks off to do the photo. These are really beautiful feet...or 'tootsies' as her mom calls them. Thank you Eva! #99

Not In the Kitchen 8x8" oil

I have been painting lots of pale yellows...I wonder what that means? This woman is in her mid-fifties. She really is this pretty and this young looking. If she wasn't so nice we could easily hate her! She loves working out with the kettle ball (the weight) therefore she has her kettle in in the gym, "Not In the Kitchen." #98
SOLD

Waiting On the Edge oil 4x4"

I liked her Robin Hood boots and her kind of pigeon-toed stance and the fact that she looks like she is standing on the edge. #97

Chaffee Chair..Ink and acrylic on canvas

This is a little different. The Chaffee Art Center is having a fundraiser of chairs painted by artist. My chair is an antique school chair, which I love. I didn't want to reduce the value of this antique by refinishing it, so I made a slipcover to look like commercial antique tarps from Europe. Then I added a couple of quotes and few little images and my name translated to French. I like the faded old look to the canvas and the chair under the cover maintained its integrity. I got the idea from some catalog that was selling pillows and bags made from these kind of tarps. #96
SOLD

Water Weights 5x7" oil

Call me crazy, but I love this painting. This is one of those "white on white" deals and I love all the variations of white and gray and the abstract composition and the warmth of it. #95

Relax 8x8 oil

The colors aren't right on this...it is actually much warmer. (I uploaded another shot on the top...which is now a little too yellow!) I adjusted the colors to be right, but now that it is on blogspot, it doesn't look right. The learning curve never ends! This is another one of my Pico Sports Club series. After all that exercise, a hot tub is a real treat. I wanted to capture the image and personality of the people and I am happy with the results. #94

Overdue 5x7" oil

I took the photo to do this painting in a very dark room so I used a flash, thus the reason for the "glow" around her and the sharp face shadow. It is a little odd, but I like it. Amity teaches very rigorous exercise classes. She was overdue in this photo and delivered a 7lb. 8oz. baby girl a couple of days later. She also has two other kids. I was standing, she was peddling. #93

Acadia 12x18" oil

I painted this on coastal Maine and then fiddled with it endlessly at home. I finally gave up and by posting it am calling it done. I hate fiddling....it always makes it look "nervous"! #92

Look Up! 5x7" acrylic

One of the most exciting parts of the season is to get out in the woods and look up. I love nature's abstract composition. #91

Happy Feet 4"x4" oil

sweet little feet and graphic abstract lines of the stroller....nice combo I think #90

Early Morning Fog 5x7" acrylic

I photographed this before I finished it and then I took it to the gallery without re-shooting it. So here it is in its unfinished state. I should go down and take a photo of it. Hopefully it will sell. I am going to challenge myself to do a series of simple still lifes and practice Carol Marine's encouragement to do a dominant value, a smaller secondary value and a smidge value. This was not considered when I did this foliage scene. #89

Me 5x7 oil

Someone sent me a photo of myself drawing. I had to add it to my group of artist working. The perspective really makes the hand look small...I may have to enlarge it to create a more realistic design. I guess I should have done it before the post, but that is the nature of posting each day I think. #88

Koko 5x7 oil

This is James Kangoroti. James is known as Koko at the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center (www.carvingstudio.org). He is a wonderful Kenyan artist who did a residency there this summer. Mostly he sculpts exquisite pieces from wood, like this abstracted horse. He also is a really nice, and funny guy and his trip to Vermont this summer was his first outside of his native country. It was a challenge for me to get the texture of the wood right...it was still at a "choppy" stage. #87

First Stroke - Carol Marine 5x7 oil

This is a portrait of another fabulous artist, Carol Marine, who was kind enough to post it on her blog. #86

Demo - Karin Jurick

I took a workshop with Karin Jurick in late May and am finally getting around to doing a portrait of her painting her first demo. I love the way she chisels her faces and gives them sculptural form and the depth of colors she uses are just so exciting. I did a couple more portraits of favorite artists which I will be posting in the next couple of days. #85

Expressionist nude 8x10 oil

This is the last of my recent nudes. Given the chance to do it again I will. I think painting people as they pose is such an excellent exercise. This model was exceptionally overweight and it made for interesting curves and creases. I did this in a few minutes, just trying to capture interesting shapes to suggest her pose. #83

apple and leaf pastel 6x6

I am traveling and didn't bring painting materials. I thought I would post one of the paintings I did last week, but I forgot to email it to myself. So I started scrounging for some materials for today's work and came up with a limited number of pastels and a piece of cardboard. I can see why pastel artists use so many colors. It was a real challenge to get the colors even close. #82

Seated Nude - quick study 8x10" oil

Another quick study of a model. I really like the effects of just putting it down...trying to get the broad value changes. Not a masterpiece, but it was fun. #81

Quick Study - Nude 8x10 oil

Had the opportunity to attend a life drawing session, which I don't often get to do. I did several very quick studies in oil. #80

Circus Feet 4x4" oil

These aren't really circus feet, they were a woman's feet I saw at the State Fair. Her pose seemed to suggest she was about to walk the tight rope or mount a white horse with a big plume on its head. I liked the matching nail polish. What came first...the polish or the shoes? #79

Red on Red oil 6x6

I painted these lovely little apples on a red background and put in the greenish/yellow cup for some added interest. It is a plastic cup and is a frosty translucent. So, I think it came out pretty good. #78

Oranges Oranges Everywhere

These were from value studies at Carol Marine's workshop. It was not really a "fun" exercise, but it was good for forcing us to really look at the values in a simple subject and try out different background to see how they affect the colors in the oranges. #76 and #77

GO! (IDIC Benefit Race) 8"x8" oil

This was a commission for the IDIC 15d benefit 5K/15K race. I have wanted to do a crowd scene for a while, but have been intimidated about it, so this gave me an opportunity to do it. I am pretty pleased with how it turned out. #75
SOLD

Boomer 8x8 oil

This is Boomer, a really fuzzy guy who is pretty aggressive, but a nice guy if you let him know you won't put up with it. It is a sketch for a commission. He is the slobberingest dog I have ever seen. The owners said, "don't paint the snot on his face!" I love all the squiggly edges. #74

Tess oil 8x8

This is a sketch I did for a commission. #73

Pepper, Scapes and Onion 6x6 oil

Looks like spaghetti is on the menu. This was painted outside in diffused cloudy light on a chilly day. Having strong light really makes still life paintings zing. But, you can't always control the conditions you paint in. Maybe I should have done a landscape instead. I did this at the Chaffee Art Center too. #72

Small Lantern with Chair and Plant oil 8x10

This is a little different. I went to the Chaffee Art Center and quickly painted this still life on mat board with limited odd oil colors using terrible bristle brushes that were a million years old and used by a thousand school kids! Never-the-less, I like it! This is the 73rd painting I have posted since June 25, 2010....and counting. That is more than 1 per day. #71

Judy's Daughter 5x7 oil

This was a commission based on my previous painting "Harvest Days." I put in lots more sunflowers, made the lovely lady taller, got rid of the sunglasses and cowboy hat, and changed the mountains into trees. #70
SOLD

His and Hers Tuxedo Feet 4x4 oil

This is another one of my small feet paintings. I called it Tuxedo Feet because the woman and man were not "together" but they both had on deep blue/black dress slacks and almost the same shiny shoes. They were talking on the "red carpet." #69

Brandy Sniffer 4x4 oil

I was inspired to do this brandy sniffer after the Carol Marine workshop. Several artists did glass vases and they were so beautiful I wanted to give it a "shot." Here is my attempt and I am happy with it. My friend and fellow painter Heather Shaw suggested that I close the gap on the right side, but I like the lost edge and that is really how I saw it. Carol suggested painting glass like it is not there....really good advise. #68

Three Auberginettes 6x6 oil

This was fun to paint because of all the purple. It is hard for me to stick with the grays but I am working on it. I got a Carol Marine painting of eggplant and it is full of beautiful gray. It is a reminder to me. #67
SOLD

Lime Reflections 4x4 oil

I re-shot this photo but it looks blurry too. I don't know what the problem is. #66

Lime, Apple, Orange

This is another painting I did at Carol Marine's workshop. She really worked with us on getting the values and reflected light right and I am happy with how this turned out. At first I didn't like the orange because we had done exercises all morning and I painted an orange 10 times trying to get it right, so by the time I did this one I honestly hated oranges! I like them now and I love the shadows on this orange. Compositionally it looks like a giant moon revolving around two little planets! #65

Lemon Trio 4x4

Carol Marine's workshop was fabulous. It is so impressive that such a young woman has not only the skill and vision for her work, but is such a good instructor and is so organized. This was my first attempt on the first day. I was happy with it, but I think my final attempt of the class shows improvement. I will post it in a couple of days. #64

Going to a Carol Marine workshop for the next few days so I won't be posting until Wednesday. Today I went to the Sculpture Center and Carving Studio (the "Carrara" of America) Sculptfest, which was fabulous.

On the Edge

This is a conundrum I sometimes face when painting from photos: how do I add something to the painting that is not expressed in the photo?My photos are generally pretty amateurish, so I don't worry about this much, but when I paint from a great photo, I sometimes wonder what I added to an already fabulous photo. The photo this painting is based on was taken by my extremely talented niece Samantha Kehl. I enjoyed this painting and it adds something of interest to my series of "feet" but I think the photo was a true piece of art. On another front, I hung 25 pieces in galleries today, which makes it a very busy day for the business of making art. I put in another order to Carl (my husband and frame maker) for 70 frames. I think I am getting serious about this.#63

Brothers

These guys are adorable. This was a commission and I am really hoping I got it right. #62
SOLD

Rudbeckia Hirta

I am afraid this is going to be one of those that I re-work once I figure out all the changes I need to make. I wonder if I should post a painting like this, feeling it is not right, but it is a promise to myself to post every day I can, and I ran out of "extras" over the Labor Day Weekend. I think my painting break is showing. I love the intensity of color that Rudbeckia brings to the late summer garden. I also like this glass blue and green vase and the way the shadow reflects some of this color. I also like the jiggly shadow of the flower. I will call this a work in progress and change the photo when it is correct. #61

3 Pears

I am going to be attending a Carol Marine workshop soon so I thought I should practice doing some simple still lifes of fruit and plates and cups. I was really hungry when I did this one, so it was done super fast so I could eat one of the pears! I may have to try this method again! #60

Dancing Feet

I love this one with the strappy sandles, leggings and swishy skirt of filmy material. #59

Casual Feet

These are the casual feet of my friend Mary. There is a certain relaxed but commanding posture to her feet. She is one of those really kind, and funny people that everyone should have as a friend. #58

Playing Feet

I am really enjoying doing this series on feet. Someone suggested I call the series "Foot Fetish." I am not too sure about that one. This is one of those scenic binocular stands you pay for on the ferry to Martha's Vineyard. These little girls couldn't actually reach the eyepiece, but they had a great time playing on the stand. Kids know how to entertain themselves in any situation. We adults have something to learn about this. #57

Shopping Feet

I love doing feet. They tell a story in themselves. These feet look tired. They are spread wide to carry the weight. #56