Lemon #2 with blue jug

Lemon #2 with Blue Jug

5"x5" oil on gessoed paper

For the second lemon I wanted to add something, and I love this blue jug. And I like that it's the color of the background on Lemon #1. This time I used Fabriano watercolor paper with one coat of gesso, and roughly the same palette. I like it.

And thanks to those who made suggestions for what's next.

Lemon #1

"Lemon #1"

5"x7" oil on canvas panel

I started this blog in 2009 with a goal of improving my painting, by painting regularly and often, just like practicing a musical instrument. And it worked (compare the paintings from early 2009 with those in the summer of 2010). But after a while, I felt like I was doing the same thing over and over. And then life intervened, and I slowed way down. And I could feel how rusty I was getting.

So it's time to get back to practicing! And to give that some structure, here's the plan: each month I'm giving myself an assignment; a subject to learn to paint better, a process experiment, something to focus on. This month, I'm painting lemons. Here's the first one, really simple, a single lemon sitting on a cardboard box.

Any ideas for the next one?

"From Douarnenez Harbor"

"From Douarnenez Harbor"

6"x8" oil on Raymar panel
SOLD

I was putting together some paintings today to take to Yarmouth Frame and Gallery, and found one that I hadn't posted from my trip to Brittany this summer with the Wapping Group, one of the highlights of my painting year. This was painted from the coastal village of Douarnenez in one of the rare moments of sunshine we had on that trip. And now for sale at the gallery. It was such a fun trip and I met some wonderful UK painters. What a nice thought on which to end the year.

Happy Holidays!

Winter Stream

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

I apologize for showing a painting that has already been on the blog, but when I think about the holidays this one keeps coming back to me. And I keep searching for similar views when the snow flies, like it has done the last few days here in New England.

I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday week, and wish you a joyous new year!

Before closing, I'd like to point you to Katherine Tyrrell's Making a Mark blog. Katherine has gathered 16 paintings divided into 4 categories: still life, nature, portrait, and landscape, from paintings nominated by her readers. We are all invited to vote for one in each category. I've made my votes, and in some categories this was a very difficult choice. I hope you will take a look and do some voting yourself.

Life Drawing

Lounging at Concord Art - maybe a minute

On the Pillow at BFAC - 5 minutes

Seated at Concord Art - 15 minutes

Last week I had the pleasure of attending two life drawing sessions, one at the Boston Figurative Art Center in Somerville, MA, and the other at the Concord Art Association. At both sessions, we started with short poses (3 minutes at the BFAC, 5 at Concord Art), and gradually moved up to 15 or 20 minutes). The BFAC session was on Monday night, and I started with a pen, and moved to pencil for the 10 minute and longer poses. On Tuesday, inspired by the work of Rob Adams, who I met on the Wapping trip I took in June I did a little experimenting at home, and was ready to try water color on Wednesday at Concord Art. That was really fun, though I will bring more suitable paper next time!

Both of these groups have life drawing all winter long. The BFAC announcements are done through www.meetup.com, the price is $25 for a 3 hour session, and a reservation is required. At the Concord Art Association you just walk in, and it's $10 for a 2 hour session. Both start at 7PM, BFAC on Mondays, Concord Art on Wednesdays. Check to see when the next session is scheduled.

Yarmouth Frame and Gallery Holiday Show

Ornaments - SOLD

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

Acadia - SOLD
6"x8" oil on Raymar panel

From Meadow Pond Bridge
6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

Nauset Marsh
8"x10" oil on Raymar panel

These are my paintings for the holiday show at Yarmouth Frame and Gallery, which is opening tomorrow (Saturday) from 4-7. The gallery is overflowing with paintings (300 at last count) so you may just find that special something for your gift or wish list. I'll be there and would love to see you and to wish you a very happy holiday season.

4-7PM December 8th

Yarmouth Frame and Gallery

Route 1

Yarmouth, ME

Concord Art Association Holiday Originals Show

 Apple Versus Orange

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

$200

Farm Pond Pines

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel - SOLD

$200

I've put two paintings in the Concord Art Association Holiday Originals Show, which will be open
November 29-December 20, 2012. The open house is on Sunday, December 2, 2:00-4:00p. I'm not going to be able to be at the open house, but do stop by if you are in the area. They have wonderful paintings, jewelry, and other art related gifts. I'll be checking it out on the 29th.

Concord Art Association

37 Lexington Road, Concord MA 01742

978-369-2578

gallery@concordart.org

Nauset Marsh

"Nauset Marsh"

8"x10" oil on Raymar panel

Last month I visited Cape Cod with my dear friend Mary. We went gallery hopping and also managed to get out for a beautiful painting session at Fort Hill in Eastham. This is the view from the parking lot across the marsh to Nauset Beach and the old Coast Guard Station.

I've also included a photo of the painting at the end of that session. You can see that I had some adjustments to make, pulling in the marsh in the foreground and adjusting the values of the marsh grass (lighter) and water (darker). I don't usually modify my plein air paintings, but this one needed it. And if I showed you my original thumbnail, the composition would look a lot more like the finished painting...

Also wonderful on this trip, were the painters that we met. Our first morning, as we headed up Commercial St. in Wellfleet, we saw a fellow painting on the side of the road near Uncle Tim's Bridge. Of course we had to stop and admire his work, and it was well worth admiring. It was Michael Davis, and he very kindly answered our questions about the painting, and told us which galleries to visit to view more of his work. I don't think he has a website, so take a look at his work on the Kiley Court Gallery site (Provincetown) and the Left Bank Gallery site (Wellfleet). What a great painter and nice man!

Hurricane Sandy relief auction

 "Southport Harbor"

4"x8" watercolor on paper

at auction, startin bid of $40

 Sunflowers IV

3"x3" gouache on paper

at auction, startin bid of $40

 Sunflowers V

3"x3" gouache on paper

at auction, startin bid of $40

I know many of you are as concerned as I am with the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy. You probably have friends who were impacted, as I have. I was pleased when David and Carol Marine put up an auction to collect funds for hurricane relief, just like the very successful auction that they hosted for the tsunami in Japan. And I was remiss in not posting when I put my first painting in the auction, almost two weeks ago. What has surprised me is that only a fraction of the money has been raised in this auction for Sandy relief as was for the tsunami. After looking through hundreds of photos sent to me by a friend in coastal Connecticut, I know that we are far from being done, in helping out the communities that were devastated by this storm. So I've put in a couple of more paintings (the sunflowers), with the hope that they will attract more bidding. My first contribution came from my heart, since it is a painting of one of the harbors hard hit by the storm. The auction on that painting ends in two days. If you are interested at all, please go and take a look. And thank you.

I've also put these images on my facebook page (this is new for me!) in the hopes of getting some interest there. And thanks to all of you who also have paintings in the dailypaintworks auction. Here's to its success.

www.dailypaintworks.com

Art in Maine Exhibit at the BRAF Gallery

 "Diligence"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

"With Pie"

8"x8" oil on Raymar panel

It's been a while guys, and I'm sorry. It's not that I haven't been painting. I've managed to get out at least once most weeks over the last month or so, I just haven't been happy enough with what I've done to show it to you. I guess it's just one of those things I'll have to paint my way through.

But I wanted to let you know that I've got two paintings in the "Art in Maine" exhibit at the BRAF Gallery in Boothbay Harbor. The show runs through November 2nd. I was particularly exited to have my paintings included in this show, because the juror was Connie Hayes, whose work and encouragement of other artists I very much admire.

And interestingly, in my plein air travels from Maine to Cape Cod, I keep meeting the nicest and most talented artists. I'm even thinking of starting another blog to introduce them. Or would you prefer to meet them here?