"Mystic Crossing" 8" x 6" oil

A couple crossing the drawbridge in lovely Mystic Connecticut. I love the architecture, the bridge and the iconic red and white striped crossing gate on this spring day.  

See "Mystic Crossing" in the juried art & sculpture show at the North River Arts Festival in Marshfield Hills, MA this Memorial Day weekend.  I'll be painting out on the street with many other artists during the weekend of celebration... music, art, photography, artisans, and a giant book sale at the Clift Rodgers Free Library.  Hope to see you there.
Thanks for looking.

Mom, Maine and me - Pemaquid's rocks

Mom on Kresge Rocks 1995

 My Mom was a prolific, talented artist with a work ethic beyond compare. She was well-educated, graceful, funny, beautiful, industrious, retained information like no one  I have ever met.  Mom's passion for learning was evident her whole life.  She was wise.  Mom was my hero.   She passed away on an evening with a glorious sunset, (much like today's promises to be.)  

Mom and I both painted along Maine's coast, specifically on Pemaquid point at Kresge Rocks... decades apart.  I joined Mom in Maine for a late summer week every year, but I was a vacationing software engineer.  Life was busy, and I hadn't discovered the artist inside.  We'd read, and talk, and antique, and cook, and talk some more.  I would sit by her and read while she painted.  I cherish those memories.  When I did begin to paint, I assumed Mom and I would have years and years together to enjoy these magical places.  I was naive.  So... Mom and I have painted in the same places, but not together.  Her spirit surrounds me when I sit on the Maine rocks hearing the gulls, the waves and feeling the salt air.  Below are some watercolor sketches from Mom's sketch book.  She is standing on the same rocks above. And below is my painting from the same place a couple of years ago.  I love that she and I saw the same contours, the same rocks, the same striations.   I miss her every day but I feel connected across the years.

 Thanks for looking.

From Mom's sketch book - Kresge Rocks

Sun Kissed by Jody Regan - Kresge Rocks 2011

"White House" 6 x 6 oil

The theme for Girls Just Wanna Paint  in April was "white".  I debated setting up a white still life, painting boats, clouds, laundry....  or something or one named "White".  Each Tuesday I take my teen daughter to an evening college class, and spend my time in the nearby library grading my math students' tests and quizzes or lesson planning for the 3 hours.  This past week, I decided to paint.  As we drove to the college-class destination, I had her look up "white" in the vicinity of the college.  She found White Road, White Street, Grumpy White's Bar.. intriguing. I the end, I decided to do a little exploring after I dropped her off.  I found lovely neighborhoods I had never seen, and decided to plant myself next to an interesting intersection where this lovely bungalow sat across the street, caught in the late afternoon sun.  I painted from my car, amid the hubbub of the neighborhood, children on bikes, commuters walking home, joggers, walkers, mailboxes being opened, pizza delivery men coming and going... and I listened to NPR while I painted.  Great way to spend some time.  I love evenings in the spring.  Thanks for looking.