"Whitehead" 12 x 9 oil

Looking forward to heading off to Monhegan this summer for a couple of weeks.  The bins are out, packing has commenced, lengthy lists becoming less lengthy.  We have been spending time there each summer for almost a decade.  We are blessed.

"Overcast" 14" x 11" oil

I love painting by the river on this type of day.  It's overcast, which keeps the heat down, and there's just enough air moving.  I painted this as a quick block in with my class, very washy, intending to add more definition in the sky later.  As often happens when students are scattered about, I don't spend much time at my own easel. The painting was tucked away in my "Look at this again later" pile.  

By the way I highly recommend several piles of work aside from "Finished" and "Unfinished" in your studio. I have "Just off the easel, look objectively over the next couple of days", "Use as a study for something larger", and "Not a complete success,  why?", among others.  Looking at "Overcast" recently, I decided to leave it alone.  I can feel the air that day when I look at painting.  That works for me.

$225 & $10 S&H
 

"Birds of a Feather" oil 8 x 12

Last fall, Maggie Price asked me to participate in a book she was editing.  Exciting!  The book's subject: strategies for breaking artists' block.  Would I like to participate, did I have any favorite strategies, could I meet deadlines with iterative demo photos, copy, and delivery according to North Light Book's specifications? This was new to me, but of course, I agreed to the challenge.  I learned a lot in short order, and, thanks to a couple of friends with the right photographic capabilities, it all came together.

"Birds of a Feather" is the result of my first painting demo.  My strategy was to paint in a different size than you're accustomed to.  The size needn't be drastically different, just different for you, which results in a different energy, different relationship to the edges, and the underlying diagonals.  I paired several vintage props from my studio with the Winslow Homer postcard including the pair of friends.  The complete demo, including photos from thumbnail sketches through completion will be available in the book  "Creative Freedom: 52 Art Projects, Exercises & Techniques to Overcome Your Artist's Block" available in spring, 2013.  More news when the release date gets closer. 

"Quiet Corner" oil 12 x 8

This is the main intersection at Humarock Beach, bustling in the summer with a cafe, ice cream window, and that great type of convenience store with the worn plank floors and beach necessities next to the day's newspapers, wine, and a packed bulletin board.  I like painting "through", and am drawn to architecture that offers that option, sometimes through windows, sometimes through a skyline, sometimes through a porch... double-decker porch?  Bonus.

A few weeks ago, I took my painting class down by the local beach.  We met in the parking lot, spoke briefly about a plan for the morning, but I could see they were itching to disperse, to discover their own subjects and to dig in.  Usually, we try to stay within a reasonable distance so that I can circulate and paint as well.  This was a not that kind of day. Have you ever dropped marbles onto the floor?

We met at the end of class for a critique.  Everyone had terrific results, and an interesting variety of subject matter. And, one of my thoughtful students surprised me with a bowl of chowder from the cafe, which hit the spot, as it was pretty blustery.  Nice day.

"Harborside" oil 8 x 9

 

 

   $125 & $10 S&H

Our spring weather has been a bit upside down.  In April and May we enjoyed  day after day after day of beautiful sun and crystal clear air, wonderful for painting along the coast.  Day after day stretched to week after week, each day more lovely than the last.  Now it is June and raining and gray.  We need it.  Not a problem.  Here's "Harborside", a study I painted with my class back in the sunny spring - kinetic energy, waiting to be released.

Always at the Ready oil 6 x 6

"Always at the Ready"  6 x 6  $125 & $10 s&h

My first challenge entry as a new member of the Girls Just Wanna Paint group. Check us out, eleven local women, posting our response to the month's challenge on our blog.  We welcome comments.  This month's challenge was "Tools of the Trade".  I mulled options, sewing tools, ice cream scoops and cones, playing cards and dice, vintage tools, lobster and crackers... and landed on my watercolor and sketching kit that travels with me, compact, available, complete.  Thanks for looking.