One of Those

5x7 oil Click to Bid

Yes, indeed, it is one of those gorgeous sunsets we all love to paint, where the colors are so saturated you don't think it is real.

Midday Break

6"x6" oil  Click to Bid

I started this painting totally different than my usual procedure.  I sketched it in in colored pencil and painted on top of that.  I like the results, but it was a lot of effort for a painting that is not significantly better than what I have been doing.  I feel like the drawing did not keep me from keeping it loose which can happen.  What really caught my attention with this image is the crossing lines and lovely design.  I didn't wanted to reproduce the flowers in detail but give an impression of what they look like in a glance. It took me a while to figure out how I wanted the background sky to look...but I like how it looks now.

Up On the Roof

8"x8" oil 

I was having a discussion with another artist yesterday about those paintings that just keep nagging you to do something.  I know a lot of artists ditch them when they don't behave, but I am of the inclination to just leave them hanging around until I figure it out.  This is one of those pieces and I am glad I didn't give up on it, because I like where it took me.

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.

Sunflowers

2"x4" miniature acrylic sold

I did another batch of miniatures of which this is one.  They are all sold, which is nice.  The painting is so much better than this image.

Church

original oil 8"x10"

IIt was such a lovely day when I painted this.  The sun was bright and the sky blue and it was just a tad bit cool.  The white against the blue and green and the plum colored maple out front all charmed me!

To find out more about this or purchase it click here.

Shed In the Grove

The way the sky peaks through the tall trees is what drew me to this composition.  It just seemed so lovely and simple, but not simple to paint.  It was actually pretty complicated and took some effort to eliminate confusing shapes and colors.  I wanted a feeling of late summer coolness and I think I have accomplished it.  It is just a little shed in a grove of tall trees.  A nice place to feel alive!

For more information about this painting click here.

Hay Bales

original plein air oil 11"x14"

My goal in painting this painting was to capture the light and the diagonals of the hills.  My painting friend Heather Shay, who has a really good eye for evaluating the things that work and don't work in a painting, didn't like the look or placement of the hay bales on the hill, but this was one instance where I didn't follow her advice (feel free to write a comment letting me know your take on this).  My eye was really drawn to those hay bales, and they do tell a bit of a story so I left their odd placement as my focal point.  Sometimes the rules need to be broken (at least this is my excuse).  The deep coolness of the copse of trees had a magical quality that I tried to capture.  When I started the painting there was a herd of cows in their shade, but they quickly got up and left and then returned as soon as I was ready to pack up.  I guess they were a bit self conscience.  I will try to capture cows on another trip.  Did I say, I love plein air painting?

To find out more about purchasing this painting click here.

Poles

11"x14" original plein air oil

This is a plein air oil painting I did while attending Susan Abbott's workshop.  It is a church in Plainfield, VT, a lovely, quintessential Vermont setting.  Susan emphasized having a visual idea to work with and having a plan that includes the structure of the space. There are a lot of things I like about this painting, including the three strong verticals with the poles and steeple.  The large masses of red and green trees with the white of the building and the electric/phone lines that dissect the space.  I highly recommend Susan as a teacher.  She structures her workshops with studio exercises and outdoor painting and she focuses on specific concepts to work with.

To Purchase this painting go here.

30-30 Challenge #28

2"x4.5" acrylic SOLD

This is an image I have wanted to paint for years, but never got around to it.  I took a photo when visiting Florida (my birth state) because I was so blown away by a garden filled with orchids.  They provide the image of such interesting structure.  I love how they smell and how they make me feel and I have the perfect place to grow them indoors, but I won't because I could not bare to kill them or let them die, and that is a very likely scenario!

30-30 Challenge #10&11

each 2"x4.5" acrylic

I am trying to get caught up because I am so far behind on my 30 paintings.  The top one is from a friend's photo which just captured my attention and the bottom one is of my favorite kayaking lake.

30-30 #2 day 10

2"x4.5"  acrylic

Day 9 and I am only able to post #2!  I finally figured out what I am going to do.  I prepared 30 little 2"x 4 1/2" panels and decided I would do miniatures.  Of course I totally underestimated what that meant.  I thought it would make it easier to do little ones, but since I haven't ever done miniatures, it is a whole new process.  What I have learned:  it doesn't necessarily take less time than doing a larger painting; like all paintings, if you don't get the values right, forget it; edges, brushwork, composition and color mixing are the same, except brush size is completely different, so that makes all the difference.  Bottom line, I am going to complete these and based on the first one, I am going to learn a lot about painting.  Oh, yes, these are also acrylic instead of oil, which is a whole other can of worms for me! ...and then there is photographing it....believe me the original looks a lot more in focus!

Book Illustration - Flying

9"x9" acrylic

I think this is the most fun I have had with these illustrations.  At Grandma's house we have a big blue flying chair and the kids have gone all around the world on grandma's flying chair.  Being at Grandcamp means using your imagination and taking a ride high up in the sky when you can.
To sign up for my newsletter go here
To "like" my fanpage go here
To go to my website click here
To see my DPW gallery go here 

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!

To Purchase this painting go here.

To sign up for my newsletter go here
To "like" my fanpage go here
To go to my website click here
To see my DPW gallery go here 

#31 and #32 of 32

These are the last 2 pieces of the puzzle.  Tomorrow I will post it all together!

#29 and #30 of 32

#28 of 32

#27 of 32

#26 of 32

#25 of 32