Sand Play

6"x6" oil Price $100

It is hard enough for adults to gracefully navigate deep sand, but for a little one whose balance is questionable to begin with, it is quite the exercise.  The cool thing about sand and going to the beach is that it truly is ageless entertainment.  Tiny people to really old people love to just be there and it requires very little to keep them entertained.

The fishing Expedition

6"x6" oil Price $100

This was fun.

Calm Morning

6"x6" oil $100

I love the idea of paddle boards.  I love the idea of doing yoga on one.  I love watching people navigate waves and dance around a body of water.  But, they are HEAVY and really big and not cheap!  It is on my bucket list, but I am going to choose a lake where I can unload where there is a boat access.

And the Road Goes Here

6"x6" oil Price $100

This young man on the right is giving engineering layouts to his patient dad while little brother gets to work on his part of the castle.

And the Road Goes Here

6"x6" oil

Kid's with their dad on the beach are a compelling subject matter.  What really got me about this trio where the dynamics of their personalities, which I hope I captured here.  The older brother on the left is clearly the engineer,  dad is patiently taking instructions while little brother has no patience for all the talking and planning and he just wants to get to work.  They actually weren't all dressed identically, but I thought that brought unity to this piece.

This dog is not happy to be dragged into this crazy, swirly, loud movement of waves.  His owner is trying to convince him but it is a no-go as far as he is concerned.  It was a good idea on the drawing board, but alas, it doesn't always work out.

Morning Walk

6"x6" oil Price $100

Every morning this lady does her fast walk along the beach. I thought she was bold to wear a bikini because....well she wasn't that young! I also kind of admired her boldness...what difference does it make anyway? She is out taking in the beauty of the ocean daily. Her life is good!

Skimboarding

 

 

6"x6" oil Price $100

This is one of those cool sports that is really fun to watch and kids can do it with some practice.  I love watching people play at the beach.  Besides swimming, body surfing, splashing in the waves, building sand castles, flying kites, throwing things for dogs to fetch, surfing, paddle boarding, kayaking, gymnastics, there is always the fascinating sunbathers and those crazy people in the sky, like those parasailing.  All in all, the beach is quite entertaining.

I Can Do It

6"x6" oil

Day 9 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge.  She was so serious about trying to catch the ball.  She clearly didn't understand that holding rigid and not moving does not aid catching the ball!  We just hoped she would loosen up and stick with it without giving up out of frustration.  My granddaughter is trying to learn to do a handstand and all I can do is encourage her to keep trying.  I would show her how, but I just don't trust my joints to that extent! 

Pastoral Setting on Ocean Bluff

8"x10" oil

This was painted in June at Cape Cod.  It was a wonderful trip and I am so happy that my friend Paula Hult was such an awesome host and painting buddy.  Since then I have been really busy and will post some photos soon showing what I have accomplished.

Marshes At the Cape

8"x8" oil

I painted this with some friends on Cape Cod a few weeks ago.  It was a lovely time with perfect weather.  This is a view from a high dune looking over the marshes towards Provincetown.  the challenge for me was keeping shapes that made sense, capturing the light correctly, and creating an interesting pattern with the shapes and values. On another note, I haven't posted for a while.  A friend asked me today if I was ever going to do the daily painting again and it made me realize how quickly my presence disappears when I don't post.  I need to create new habits.  It is a disappointment to me when I break habits I have spent time developing.  I will say more about this in future posts and show you some of the things I have been working on.  What things interrupt your preferred activities and how do you reclaim them?

Stranded

3"x9" oil For sale by auction on Dailypaintworks.com

True story:  on a sailboat in the Bahamas enjoying the sun, breeze and beautiful water.  See a puny little island off in the distance.  As we get closer, there is a car and a lone palm tree on it.  So, I am thinking that the only way that car could get on that island is by helicopter.  What?  Why?  I have no definitive answer, but a good theory.  What do you think?

Waiting

6"x6" oil

Waiting for the wave to crash!

Work of Play

6"x6" oil

When watching kids at the beach, it is easy to be drawn in by their wild enthusiasm. But, it is hard work having that much fun.  There is the digging and the pulling and the riding of the body board and the fighting with the waves to regain air.....so much work of play.

Pink and Green

6"x6" oil

Can you hear the music of the waves?

Courage

6" x 6" oil

A 3 foot wave may not be surfable, but to a pre-schooler, it is daunting.  The child on the right is crouching down like a prowling cat ready to pounce on the wave if it gets close enough, while the toddler in pink is fascinated by the little rivulets of waves lapping at her feet.  Gramps is ready to grab the first one to get in over her head.

Coffee and Tidal Pools

This is another painting with tiny little people.  So I asked myself "why" did I put this burden on myself????  I guess the answer is that I liked the story and it was a challenge.  I like how the rocks, thick with sea weed and moss, turned out.  Grandpa is enjoying watching his grandsons look for critters in the pools, Dad is carrying the baby and trying to drink his coffee.  Mom is having one of those rare breaks.  She is focused on enjoying her coffee and a view that sweeps her away to a lovely sailboat in the distance.  Nice story, don't you think?

Lighthouse #5

3.5"x5" watercolor on 400lb. paper

I have been experimenting a lot lately...drawing, watercolor and I even took an abstract painting workshop.  I find I tend to do this when I am full of ideas with no clear direction I want to take.  There is value in sticking with a subject, style, palette, medium, to master those things...to become really familiar with them and know what to do.  On the other hand, experimenting reminds me why I work so hard at this.  I have fun, learn some things, and come back to what I do with a fresh perspective.  I also think it just might push me onto a completely different path that might be the journey I should take.  I am trying to relegate my watercolor and mixed media experiments to the weekends.

30-30 17&18

each 2"x4.5"

I went nautical for these too and I am so excited to say I have caught up!  I am amazed at how much I have learned, how much fun I am having, and how cute a tiny painting can be!

Time to Sit

6"x8" oil

I have a stack of paintings that I just never have been satisfied with and I pulled this one today and reworked it so now I do like it!  It is very satisfying for me to work on a previous painting and end up happy with it.  Some paintings...well there is no hope for them, but sometimes I am close to getting it right and it just takes looking at it for a while to figure out what is wrong and then being at the right place to correct it or improve it.  I had a meeting with my art group today so there wasn't much time for painting.  I feel like I used the little time I had in a productive way.  All is good!