East Meets West

11"x11" original oil painting

So...this may not be my most brilliant painting, but I learned a bunch doing it. I think I achieved the feeling of the place, even though I beat it to death with my paint brush back in my studio. I wish I had photographed it along the way because I made so many changes including removing a barn, numerous boulders and added a few bits too.  What I can say is that it was a really beautiful spot that is hard to capture...not impossible, but it offers plenty of challenges.  I would love to know what you think!

To find out more  or to purchase this painting go here.

Artist's Studio

original oil 11"x11"

I started this one plein air and finally finished it in the studio, after making some changes.  I find I really enjoy just letting a painting tell me what to do.  If something isn't working, change it or eliminate it.  This really gives me a feeling of creative freedom.  When I look at this I can remember how it felt to be there;what the temperature was and how the air felt. 

To find out more or to purchase go here.

A Crowded Room

3"x7" original mixed media

I went to a workshop with abstract artist Mareva Millarc.  She utilizes the "left over" materials from her husband's workshop.  He is landscape painter Peter Huntoon who does beautiful watercolors and oils.  Mareva's method includes, music, mixed materials, freedom and identifying the interesting shapes and lines needed to make a statement.  Mostly it was just a lot of fun to try out someone else's method.

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.

Sumac Triptyque

7"x12" original oil painting

I love Sumac! I love its bony structure that casts beautiful shadows, its horn-like berries sticking up on top, and its brilliant red in the autumn!  Today is a typical early November day in Vermont, meaning it is cold, rainy and very gray.  This explains why this photo looks so dark.  I shoot my images outside and the weather affects the result.  I should have tweaked it in editing before posting it.

In Good Hands

7"x7" graphite drawing SOLD

Here is something different!  I haven't done a serious drawing for a long time...years in fact.  I do love to draw but most of the time I am just doing sketches without shading and modeling.  I was asked to do this image and decided pencil was the way to go.  I had much fun doing it and it makes me want to do more.

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.

Wash Day

8"x10" oil

I love how these sheets have this spectacular view!

To purchase this painting go here.

Bridge

original oil 11"x11" 

To find out about purchasing this click here.

The morning was chilly and I stood in the shade painting and shivering.  As soon as I finished I stood in the bright sunshine all afternoon trying to warm up. I didn't pay much attention to my location, other than facing directly into the sun, but this is what I saw: a lovely bridge with flower baskets over a beautiful river lined with rocks and boulders.  It was a good afternoon!

Lemon Tree

7"x7" original watercolor

I decided to post drawings and watercolors on the weekends.  My painting friend, Betsy Moakley had the photo reference for this painting, but was uninspired to use it so I tried my hand at it.  I like the abstract elements in this.  I like watercolor more every time I try it.  I have a long way to go in learning it, but it is nice to be working on something new.
To purchase this please contact me.

Chairs By the Pond

original oil 8"x8"

This was painted at the end of Sept. when the brightest of the trees were just beginning to change.  Now, only the yellow leaves are clinging to the branches.  It was a very chilly day so I kind of rushed this one and had to do some re-dressing back in the studio.  Everywhere you look there are Adirondack chairs in Vermont.  I think we should come up with a variation and call it "The Green Mountain chair!

To find out more or to purchase this painting click here.

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.

11"x11" oil

This is a view to wake up to!

To purchase this painting go 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.

Play By the Wall

8"x10" oil

I think I am finally over the flu, although there are symptoms that appear to be very fond of me and want to stick around for a while.  But, I went out today!  I am itching to start new projects and paint up a storm, so I think all systems are 'Go!"  The paintings I am posting this week are ones I did in Sept., plein air.  I really hit the darks hard in these.  I think that is because I was painting in bright light, as opposed to painting in artificial light inside.  Since I am a neophyte at this process, I think my methods should improve with time.  I don't think I will be like Eric Tobin or Peter Huntoon though, who paint outside all winter long.  I was drawn to the bright light on the field behind the wall, and the setting which suggests children playing.

To find out more about this painting, and purchasing information click here.

Moody

original plein air oil 8"x8"

The title says it all.  My daughter and her family left to move to Oregon today.  I am elatedly happy for them and seriously sad to be missing them already.  They sold their house yesterday...how fortunate is that, since they only put it on the market 2 weeks ago?!  Anyway, this painting is titled "Moody" and that is how I am feeling.  Thank goodness for Skype, unlimited long distance, and jet airplanes!  I can't imagine how mothers felt when their children took off from the East to travel the Oregon Trail.....yikes!

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.

Side Yard

original oil 11"x14"

 Recently I was wishing for some time to be bored.  Be careful for what you wish.  I realize that there are a few things that will guarantee having boredom time, one being getting the flu.  I don't recommend it and being bored is overrated anyway.  I just felt like I was over-scheduled and over-committed. The only way to slow time down seems to be having lots of time to do "nothing."  Apparently being confined to bed is my only option at this point.  This painting was from a workshop I did with Randall Sexton.  His advice helped push me to make bolder strokes.  It was a plein air (outdoor) workshop in Vermont just prior to peak foliage.  This day I was enchanted by the way the light fell on this hilly back slope of a beautiful colonial house right in town.  I set up my easel in the shade of the house and proceeded to freeze all morning painting this.  In the afternoon I moved into full sun and finally was warmed up.  Honestly painting, particularly plein air painting, stops time if only for a few minutes.  It is one of the reasons I love to go to that place...the zone.

For Purchase information go 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.

Final Grouping

These are 29 of the 30 paintings I did for the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.  The last one was a watercolor so I didn't include it here.