December 14, 2009 - Custom Note Cards

I've been making custom note cards from my images and have decided to add them to my offerings on my website, here, and my Etsy site. They are 5.5 X 4.25 inches on a nice quality white mat stock with envelope, and blank inside. Any image from my portfolio of small landscapes (see website) can be chosen. I particularly like the square daily painting images in a vertical card format (left), but they do work well as a horizontal card too. Individual card with envelope will be priced at $4.00, a set of 5 cards for $17.00 or 10 for $32.00. I hope to have them posted to my Etsy site this week, but I will sell directly in the meantime.

December 8, 2009 - Sketches yield surprises

I was going through a pile of little gouache sketches I did back in October while visiting a friends farm. My intention was to use them as inspiration for larger paintings, which I will still do...but after not seeing them for a couple months, I found some of them really intriguing on their own. The color is quite vibrant...not like my pastels or oils, and the total abandon with which I did them yields a fresh, abstract expression. I am going to mat and frame these three for sure. The first two I may mat and frame as a diptych.

And, I have know clue as to why the images won't line up. Never had the problem before. Annoying but I'll keep on trying.

December 4, 2009

Hard to believe it's December already, and that it's been six weeks since I've posted. Spent October working on three commissions, none of which I can post yet since they are to be holiday gifts. A wonderful week in St. Louis, followed by a bout with the flu, followed by a Thanksgiving trip...all leaves me low on small paintings for my Etsy site. I've closed it temporarily until inventory is back up. My few remaining 6 X 6 oils are hanging at a wonderful little salon in Bangor, About Face, thanks to the graciousness of owner Kristen Ames. Her studio is at 124 Lancaster Street, off of Essex Street in Bangor where she offers a menu of hair, skin care, and massage services. I'll be back to a regular painting schedule hopefully next week.

October 20, 2009

I've put my small daily paintings on hold the last couple weeks to work on three commissioned pieces which I would like to have done by November. In the meantime, I am wading through a collection of monotypes and other mixed media pieces that have been accumulating to load to my Etsy site. Hoping to have a variety of pieces to gear up for holiday gift giving. Here's one that I had forgotten about and kind of like. Any thoughts?

Lakeside Birches. Monotype on paper. 5 X 7"

October 9, 2009 - Maine Farm

Another piece in my Maine Farm series. I came upon this view, driving along the tractor road to the lower fields. I just loved the grasses and cattails against the bright reds and oranges.

6 X 6"oil on panel.

October 7, 2009 - Leaf Peeping

The rains this week will surely finish off the brilliance of the foliage here in Maine. Fortunately, I've been out and about sketching and painting, and also taking lots of photos to reference for ongoing pieces. I spent a couple different days hanging around the farm of a friend which provided some wonderful colors and compositions. I am doing a series of small daily paintings - Maine Farm series - to post as they are completed. The Lower Field (bottom) is the first, accompanied by another that came from my general wonderings about. I just love the lusciousness of this season.




Foliage 1 (top): 6 X 6" oil on panel
The Lower Field (bottom): 6 X 6" oil on canvas
Both available at http://mainepainter.etsy.com

October 2 - Tidal Falls

This is a place that I used to frequent back when my son was a lobster cooker at the little shore-side restaurant there...a real Maine summer job. We used to enjoy our lobster at the picnic tables that sat near the shore and watch and listen to the tidal whitewater and marvel at the reversing falls. Lots of shore birds too. This is a 6 X 6" oil on panel.

September 30 - Zoom in, zoom out

Bangor Art Society's summer project was to choose a subject and zoom in close to it, and zoom out for a broad view. I chose one of my favorite Maine spots, Flye Point in Brooklin, Maine. Great color at low tide. The little spruce trees on the island really do grow like that! The broad view is 6 X 8 and the closer view is 6 X 6. Both oil on panel.

September 25 - In the fog, sometimes

Months have passed since my foggy week residency at Great Spruce Head Island, and the experience still affects me in some way, every day. For my small daily paintings I try to plan out my subjects for the week. Some days either my planned painting doesn't feel right, or I just go into the studio without a plan. On those days I find myself going back to that week, and drawing on those images...the spruce, the fog, the subtle but powerful colors. This was one of those days. Fogged-in. 6 X 6 oil on panel. Sold.

September 18, 2009 - Thinking autumn

The crisp cool air brings thoughts of autumn, and that always makes me think of the wonderful coastal blueberry barrens in their brilliant crimsons and oranges. They aren't there yet, but will be soon. I used to paint them a lot, and then stopped because it seemed so many Maine painters were painting them...but now, with a commission for one in hand, I decided to make a few small studies in preparation for the large one. In doing so I remembered how much I loved the views. These are all 6 X 6" on masonite panel.

September 15, 2009 - Seeing the same landscapes in a new way

At a recent art talk by Connie Imboden, she talked about her creative process over the decades. She's a photographer but her process and thoughts on creativity cross all disciplines and media. I felt she was speaking to me and my endeavors, and I'm sure every artist in the room felt the same way. She said that in our process we don't need to find new landscapes (for example), but find new ways to see the same landscapes. That is exactly what I strive for in developing my new work. I had just completed these little pieces before attending the talk, so I felt really great! These are small pastels of familiar places reduced to large shapes of bold vibrant color.

Sept 8, 2009...Long weekend

I'm regrouping in the studio after taking the long holiday weekend to work in my garden...the process of reorganizing the garden is much like taking on a new painting. It is in the very early roughed-in stage, and an ongoing project through the fall to have everything just right for spring blooms. So, today I've been regrouping in the studio, planning out what will be worked on this week, and going through older pieces for selections to add to my Etsy shop and perhaps something to submit to the Arts Are Elementary 10 X 10 benefit show. This is an older monotype print that I've always loved, calm and energy at the same time, so I posted it to Etsy today. "Contentment."

August 31, 2009 Painting large(r)

Today I finished a couple larger paintings that had been in progress, one in oil on 24 X 24 panel, and one in gouache on paper, about 12 x 22 - done on Monhegan but needed a little something. These are large for me, having been focused on the small 6 x 6 alla prima oils for some time. Finally I have a small inventory of these little 6 x 6s available for sale, so I'm moving onto the larger work. I will continue to produce the small ones, at least a few per week. They are great for "warm up" and are also serving me well now as "sketches" for my larger work.  Am also preparing to begin work on two commissioned pieces that I hope to have done in September.  Posts of the paintings to come...they need photographing.

August 24 - "Borrowed Views" from Starboard Watch

Working on my greens during this week. It's a color that's always been problematic for me, especially in summer landscape painting...getting the right values especially. These three were done plein air. From left: The Neighbor's Meadow (sold), Summer House (Sold), and Lilies in the Garden.

August 21, 2009

Another in a series of island views inspired by my experience on Great Spruce Head Island in June. I am finally catching up with these small paintings to get some ahead. People are finding that they make great wedding and housewarming gifts, so I've been very fortunate that they sell very quickly. A nice problem to have!

Sold.

August 12 - Starboard Watch

I spent the last week, August 11-17 at Starboard Watch in Sargentville, Maine, the home of my dear friends, Bob and Jane. It was a glorious week of spectacular weather and great outdoor painting, looking out over Eggemoggin Reach. Having lived for 13 years in that town, this visit was very special to me. I enjoyed meeting and visiting with fellow house guests Nancy and Deidre of Manhattan, who went home with this little painting, hot off the easel, inspired by my week on Great Spruce Head Island in June. Thanks, Nancy and Deidre...hope you enjoy this little reminder of Maine. I will have more paintings from this week to post soon.

July 11-18, Monhegan Island

I also enjoyed working in my sketchbook more than ever.  Mostly pen and ink sketches like these.

July 11 - 18, Monhegan Island

I also did some experimenting with Yupo paper...  it's a synthetic surface, not like paper at all, on which the paint just sits on top easily moving around after application that can make interesting textures and mixtures. I enjoyed the happy accidents that frequently happened.

July 11-18, Monhegan Island

I worked in gouache and pastel for the entire week, sometimes combining the two. These two pieces are among my favorites. The view of Manana is gouache with some pastel worked in; the other shows my fascination and love for the delicious color of the rocks and low tide treasures surrounding them.

July 11 - 18 Monhegan Island, Maine

The week was a wonderful and challenging experience for me. I tend to be a solitary painter, and I also have had little success painting plein air. But, the color and the light were so inspiring, and the company so encouraging and nurturing that I found myself producing work very much outside my comfort zone.

This photo is from my first day at Burnt Head. It shows the essence of Monhegan, for me.  It was all about the rocks and the water which provided me with an all new palette. The painting here was done sitting on the rocks in gouache on watercolor paper.

July 11 - 18 Monhegan

My first ever trip to Monhegan Island, Maine, describe as " a small, rocky Island ten miles from the nearest mainland and scarcely a square mile in area. It is accessible only by boat and there are no cars or paved roads on the Island. For more than 100 years Monhegan has been a summer haven for artists and others who appreciate its isolation, the beauty of its wilderness areas, its quiet relaxed atmosphere, and its unhurried pace."

I was so fortunate to be invited to join  15 other painters (self-named the Plein Air Heads) for a week of (miraculously) beautiful weather. We shared an incredibly funky converted fish house right on the beach. When looking out any window, all one could see is water and rocks.

July 7, 2009 - New daily oils

Some new 6 X 6" oils on masonite. One from a few weeks ago and one from last week. Have been working mostly on larger pieces (24 X 24 and larger) inspired by the Great Spruce Head Island experience.

First one: A coastal landscape...I just love the ochre colors of low tide. Second one: The Kenduskeag Stream not far from my home.

July 5, 2009

Just returned from the Turtle Gallery opening for my dear friend Linda Funk, showing her stunning botanical paintings through August 1.  I can't recommend this show highly enough. Showing also through August 1 is Larry Moffet's work: oil and pastel landscapes and his new jewelry work. Was great to see him again, and timely, as he is the first person to tell me about Great Spruce Head Art Week.

July 4, 2009, more Art Week work

These are two small pastels done on one of the painting porches at Great Spruce Head Island. The foggy islands are typical of the weeks' views and the other is my version of what I might see on a clear day. Maybe next time!

July 3- The one afternoon of sun...Art Week

I did get my easel and pastels out to the orchard during the brief period of sun one afternoon.

July 3- Island woods from Art Week

While the island offered wonderful coastal views, I found the woods equally colorful and intriguing. These are 3 small, 6 X 6 inch oils on masonite. Two were from views from the various painting porches and the last from memory of a wooded path that I walked the day I arrived on the island.

July 3 - Art Week food

The food was incredible during the week, thanks to our culinary artists, Barney and Kreston. I wish I had photographed some of the presentations. All homemade meals with locally grown fabulous produce, and desserts to die for. I did this little gouache of a bowl of peaches one rainy day.

June 20-27, 2009 Art Week at Great Spruce Head Island

An extraordinary experience. Art Week is an annual event centered at Fairfield Porter's family summer retreat on Great Spruce Head Island, and graciously hosted by Anina Porter Fuller, herself an accomplished painter. Since 1993, each summer Anina has invited a group of 12 artists, (painters, writers, sculptors, photographers) to Great Spruce Head Island. The island offers not only bold and majestic views for inspiration but an environment of quiet simplicity where little has changed since the island was purchased and the 12-room summer cottage was built in 1912. It was a time of creativity and sharing that I will treasure forever. If you are not familiar with the work of Fairfield Porter, you can view online a large collection of his paintings at the Parrish Art Museum of Southampton, NY. We shared the weather that most of New England had during that time, but it did not dampen our spirits in the least. We still hiked and explored the island and painted outdoors in the light mist and fog, and during steadier rains many of us turned to painting interiors and still life which we hadn't previously explored in our work. These posts are such interiors, one in gouache and the other in pastel. A new subject for me, I was completely enthralled with the succession of windows in the home and the reflections and dramatic light that they presented.

June 15, 2009

Attended the Island Artists Show at Courthouse Gallery yesterday afternoon. A wonderful sampling of work by Fairfield Porter and artists that have attended Art Week at Great Spruce Head Island over the years. A great way to get inspired for my own attendance starting next Saturday the 20th. In addition to the inspiring art, I saw many old friends including one of my favorite people and painters, Sarah Faragher (www.sarahfaragher.com) who first told me about Art Week. For information about the show, visit: www.courthousegallery.com

June 12, 2009

Had a fabulous event last evening at Deighan Associates, Registered Investment Advisors. A great friend of the arts, Deighan Associates hosted an invitation only reception for artists that the firm has featured on holiday cards each year for the last 9 years. Each artist hung a selection of works for sale and Deighan Associates is making a contribution to the Maine Community Foundation's new Penobscot County Fund, based on 10% of sales for the evening. The event was great fun. I got to meet artists that I hadn't known, the turnout was terrific, and sales were brisk. Only thing is, I brought my newest island paintings previously referenced in this blog, but I hadn't scanned them yet for posting. And they all sold. So, my promise of new postings will be postponed probably until I return from Great Spruce Head Island at the end of June.

Thanks so much to Deighan Associates for doing so much for artists and the community. Visit their website at www.deighan.com as well as Maine Community Foundation: www.mainecf.org

June 10, 2009

More island paintings drying and today am prepping for one special night "private" showing on Thursday along with some very accomplished and established artists. I'll be showing some pastels and a few small oils. More images for posting coming soon.

May 28, 2009

Dreaming about my island trips coming up this summer, I've started a little series of island paintings. These are the first two inspired by photos from a trip to Lubec last spring. I love the morning light there, the sky is like pink champagne.

SOLD

May 27, 2009

Blueberry Land. A familiar sight here in eastern Maine. Most artists, including myself, paint the blueberry fields in autumn when the fields become a fabulous vibrant red. I thought I would try to do a summer field. Well, this one too was not done in one session. I really struggled with the values and the line of trees in the back, and am still not completely sure what I think of this piece. 6 X 8" oil on masonite.

May 26, 2009

Finally the second forsythia painting is dry enough to scan! Truthfully neither of the forsythia paintings were painted in one session. The yellow needed lots of layers to achieve the true-to-life brilliance. The paint is really really thick on these. 6 X 6" oil on masonite. Sold.