Figuratively Seaking - Idyllic Happiness

8"x10" oil

What is "Idyllic Happiness" to you?  This art lover is probably feeling pretty happy looking at beautiful paintings and carrying around her front papoose.  Giving birth to a perfect and healthy little one is a pretty good moment.  They painting she is looking at is by Gauguin, painted in 1897.  It is a representation of  Vairumati who is a legendary figure of the Maori people.  Gauguin was at a low point in his life when he painted this scene representing "Idyllic Happiness."  His colors are bright and cheerful even though he was suffering from syphilis and was feeling suicidal.  It is weird how so many artists of fame have such tragic stories and yet they have brought such joy to millions who have viewed their art.  Ironic isn't it?   Go Figure.... 

Bleu Lavande

8"x10"It

This painting was done at the Beu Lavande farm near Magog, Quebec.  It was a beautiful day when I arrived and set up.  Then I realized I had forgotten some really important colors, so I did what I could.  As I was working on it, dark stormy clouds suddenly moved in over the distant hill.  Quickly I packed up and made it to the picnic shelter before I got soaked.  My painting however was quite altered by the rain which quickly turned into hail accompanied by fierce winds.  I made a new friend with a young woman playing the harp until the noise from the storm drowned out her music.  Finally I headed home in torrential rains, dodging downed branches on the road.  When I crossed back over the border the US customs agent was unnecessarily rude.  He accused me of lying when I told him I hadn't bought anything.  I guess he never encountered a plein air painter.  I showed him my painting supplies.  I get the importance of vigilance at border crossings, but being rude because you have the power is just not OK.  The Canadian crossing authorities had been very friendly, thorough, and told me to have a nice day.  Something is wrong with this scenario.

Guest House

8"x8" original oil

This painting was both a challenge and was freeing for me.  I somehow deleted the photo I had taken of this guest house at my friend's home on the cape.  I had done a sketch which I based the painting on, but I hadn't made color notes.  The challenge was to get enough detail to create a mood and try to capture some of the details which originally enchanted me.  The freeing part was not being tied to a photo and getting to lmake it up as I went.  What I really like about this lovely cabin is the turquoise used for the trim and flower pots and the metal sun sculpture hanging by the door.

This is a better photo of yesterday's painting.  I am still thinking about making some changes to it.

In the Swing of Things

8"x8" oil

Truth be told, I still love to swing.  I would love to fly if I could, but swinging is an approximation I think.  It is pretty special when you get your first swing.  When I was little, a first swing was a board hung by ropes or a tire swing from a tree and then we would graduate to a rope swing over the creek.  As a young adult I swung from a tree swing that was suspended from a huge tree over a gorge.  That was clearly the most thrilling and the most dangerous and if it hadn't been for my own perceived peer pressure, I would never have done it.  Anyway, this little one is clearly enjoying her first swing in spring.

It Was a Good Ride

8"x10" oil

There is always some apprehension about trying something new.  You go through the checklist of skills you have mastered that should allow you the capability to accomplish the new task, but then there is that tiny bit of hesitation to overcome.  Well, a new slide can be that obstacle and the joy experienced by the fast but safe trip down can be exhilarating.  Do you remember that feeling?  When was the last time you successfully overcame an obstacle and was thrilled by the result?  We all need this in our lives.

First Ride

8"x10" oil

I thought I would post the first stage of the painting with transparent paints and the finished product.  I wanted to capture that happy moment of wobbly success.

Give Away

8"x8" oil

I am giving away this painting.  I really like it because it has all those ingredients that make it a lovely story with true romance!  A picnic in a meadow...a young couple....a kiss.....a baby in daddy's arms...what more can you ask for?  I got the idea from watching a production on Netflix.  It is a period piece with episodes and I am sure it is on TV as well although I don't have TV so I can't say for sure.  It is a popular show.  To win this painting, guess the name of the series.  If I get more than one correct guess, I will randomly choose a winner.  I have been thinking about doing this painting for a while and am so glad I finally got around to doing it.  I did it with a very limited palette (green, red, yellow, blue and white and kept it very loose so that I didn't overwork it.  You can register your guess by making a comment here, or on my facebook page. The value of this painting unframed is $180.  I will choose a winner on Friday.

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Babushka Baby

8"x8" oil

One of the reasons I write a blog is to catalog my work and the thoughts involved in painting it.  This way I record something about my frame of mind as well as the process of discovery and growth that I am experiencing on the journey.  Of course I also do it to expose an audience to my work and hopefully create an interest for buyers and those who want to have a commission done. I read other artists blogs to get insight into how they work and because I am so amazed at how well so many people tell their story through color and brushwork.  This little one gave me fits!  I spent so much time on this painting which really looks straight forward an d simple.  I tried painting it loose and I tried painting it detailed.  So what did I learn? (that is what Jo MacKenzie always asks in her blog).  Once again I am reminded that the tools you use make a big difference.  The texture and quality of the panel, the consistency and color of the paint, and the brushes and other tools all have a big impact on how it will turn out.

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The View

8"x8" oil

I did this painting in acrylic but was not happy with the results so I changed some things and re-did it in oil.  I am really disappointed in how the photo looks because the colors are all wrong, but this was after multiple attempts so I am going with it, and after the snow storm which is burying us right now, I am going to change up my indoor set up and come up with a better way to take photos!  So, use your imagination with this one!
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Still Life 9

8"x8" oil

I think I am about done with this series.  I may do a couple more, but I am thinking about my next project.  I am currently working on these, a series of portraits of kids and families, and I have been thinking about a series of abstract landscapes I want to do.  Today I was listening to a classical radio station and they were featuring a violinist and quoting this musician about how he came to the understanding that thinking about his performances in terms of being the best or not good enough limited his ability to fully experience his art form.  He realized they were never as good as they could be or as bad as he thought they were so he quit designing his programs around these ideas and just started to enjoy his own work.  I think this applies to so many aspects of our lives.  We tend to live in a state of comparison and we need to free ourselves to do what we love and share it with others.  So this is for you in hopes that you get some enjoyment from looking at it!

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Entertainment8"x8"

8"x8" oil

The inspiration for this was and old vinyl album cover I saw.  I have great memories of listening to records with my sister on an old player like this.  My mom didn't learn how to read until she was an adult because she was severely dyslectic.  When her mother died, she had to stay home and help raise her brothers and sisters.  She kept this a secret for most for her life which just goes to show how brilliant she really was, as none of us knew and she was a bookkeeper in the Navy.  Anyway, she gave us many story and music albums when we were little because she didn't read out loud to us. One of my favorites was Peter and the Wolf, which also was a method for teaching different instruments in the orchestra.  Mom eventually became an obsessive reader.  I have great admiration for her all the things she overcame to become an artist and fabulous person.
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Forgotten

8"x8" oil

I sometimes feel like I am always in school...never becoming the expert...the professional...but always the student stumbling through the exercises, trying to learn new things.  This applies in most aspects of my life.  Maybe it isn't so bad and maybe my brain will benefit from it in the long run.  Anyway, this painting reflects experiments in many things including using a palette knife and in creating the effect of snow.  The values show up better in person, and so do the colors of the snow.  It is still winter where I live and we are hoping to stretch out the ski season until we are all just too exhausted to put on so many layers.  I have been wanting to paint this little cart since Christmas.  It is located outside Greenbrier Gift Shop in Killington, VT.....a really fun place to spend some time.
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A Mother's Joy

8"x8" oil

I needed a change from painting still life paintings so I decided to do a series of portraits of children.  They are adorable, don't you agree?  That makes them especially fun to paint.  I haven't been able to paint as much lately because life and other responsibilities keep getting the better of me.  I am busy working on the annual fundraiser for the Carving Studio, which is very time consuming, but rewarding as well. And, the best distraction in my life, my grandkids, are another excuse!

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Patterned Pears

8"x8" acrylic

This painting was inspired by Nancy Colella's patterned painting exercises.  I am not sure I got it right, but it was fun to try and I do like the graphic effect.  The idea is to flatten the colors and values so that they are represented by a specific shape and then use lines to add compositional interest.  I think I will try this again tomorrow.

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Lobster Buoys

8"x8" oil

I have not painted as much as I would like but I have been artistically busy.  I went to the Vermont Arts Council retreat for 2 days this week on the invitation of the Director, Carol Driscoll, of The Carving Studio and Sculpture Center and not only got to stay the very cool Grand Isle Lake House, but also got to meet and see how the minds of some very smart and creative people work.  I did a demo for the Chaffee Art Center Open Studio event this past weekend.  So my question is:  how loose is too loose?  In the above painting, I kept it very loose because I wanted to pack up and go home.  The environment was challenging for me because there were some significant distractions,  I thought about working on it some more in my studio, but the more I looked at it the more I liked it as is.  I know what I painted (lobster buoys hanging from a rack which also holds an inverted row boat).  At first I was really interested in the shadows and light falling across the rowboat, but then the dancing shapes of the buoys just looked so cool to me that cut loose of the highlights on the boat.  I also thought that more detail would only confuse the composition.  Anyway, I would love to know what you think!

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Queue

8"x10" oil

I have been busy (who isn't) having my biannual panic attack about having too much stuff and needing to purge.  It is easy to avoid the process because it is so time consuming and there's no tangible benefit until everything is organized, at the dump or donation shop.  Art supplies are my worst offense because I always think I need everything.  My big goal (along with the millions of drawers, closets, cabinets, etc) is to really ruthlessly clean my studio and set it up for maximum utilization as well as aesthetics.  I thought saying it out loud (aka blogging about it) would make it seem more doable but in actuality, I am feeling the panic more acutely!!!!   I  picked it up and it is already organized, and I got a bunch of boxes for the sorting/purging part....then...... I painted this quick acrylic as a reward.  Purging comes next week!  Speaking of next week, if you live in the area, I have a painting class Wednesday night at the Chaffee Downtown...come down and have some fun!
This is Vermont's Open Studio weekend.  Hope everyone has a great time this holiday weekend.  What are you doing?

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By the way, Sunday is the last day to enter my triple painting give away!  This is how:

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Finding the Story (Blue)

8"x8" oil

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Family Tragedy

8"x8" oil

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Four Act Play 8"x8" acrylic

All four acts put together.  I have wanted to do a painting like this for a while so it feels good to finally do it.  It is such a spectacular time when the lilies bloom.  On these frigid days it is hard to remember what summer feels like, but I think it is great to have all seasons...especially because I get to paint them!

$180 $10 ship