"No Sprinkles"

"No Sprinkles"

6"x8" oil on Raymar panel

This is my entry to this week's Daily Paintworks challenge, set up by Kelley McDonald. I couldn't resist adding the paperbag. And I promised to take the painting to my local Dunkin Donuts to show them the result of their care in packaging it all up for me. Fun!

I've put this painting in an auction on the DPW site. Here's the challenge page if you are interested. Click on my painting for the details.

Beaver Brook Plein Air Sketch

"Beaver Brook" plein air sketch

6"x8" oil on linen on board

It was 70 degrees today and sunny. What a day to paint outside! Now that spring is around the corner I'm starting to get used to the bare trees, and I'd like to master them before the leaves come. So here's another one.

This is my first painting on a Raymar linen panel (not toned). I loved it.

Winter Marsh Plein Air Sketch

"Marsh in Winter" plein air painting

6"x8"

It was great to be out last Wednesday, just in time to catch some of the snow before it all melted. I love the way last year's cattails pop up through the snow. This was painted in the marsh alongside the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in Chelmsford, MA, a really nice place for a walk.

My first thought was to leave the painting as it was painted (above), but my desire to improve the background trees got the best of me. And guess what? I don't like the newer version as well. Lesson learned.

"Gilsland Late Winter"

"Gilsland Late Winter"

10"x8" oil on Raymar panel

This is my second plein air painting this year, done on February 22. There I was, standing in the mud, loving every minute of it.

Please join us on Saturday from 4-6 PM at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery for the artist's talk on our French Show which opened in February. Joelle, Suzanne, Kitty, and I will all be there.

"Farm Pines February"

"Farm Pines February"

10"x8" oil on Raymar panel

The last couple of weeks I've been able to get out a few times to paint en plein air. This is my first of the season, from February 19th. Amazing to be painting relatively comfortably outside this time of year! And so welcome. I tried to remember everything we learned in our fall class with Tina Ingraham, and couldn't resist a little calligraphy in the treetops.

"Apples and Calvados"

"Apples and Calvados"

11"x14" oil on canvas

This painting is one of my favorites for the upcoming French Show at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery. Like this one from Tina Ingraham's class, the calligraphy is the last step, which is really fun. I love drawing, and it's drawing on your painting. In fact, I was kind of frustrated with the painting, especially the mustard jar which I had taken 4 runs at, wondering if the whole thing was going to resolve. So I thought, OK, calligraphy time, let's see what happens. And basically everything happened. You've heard people say "the painting will tell you what it needs". I would say it told me what it liked, as I tried various marks, wiped them off and tried again.

Please join us at the show opening, 4-7PM on Saturday, at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery, 720 US Route One, Yarmouth, ME.

"Normandy Trees"

"Normandy Trees"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

Here's another for our upcoming show featuring paintings of Normandy. I'm pleased with what I learned about painting skys on our recent trip to Normandy with instructor Carolyn Walton. The trip was organized and run by Joelle Feldman. Take a look at Joelle's pastels for the show on her blog. They are beautiful.

"Moonlight in Paris"

"Moonlight in Paris"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

The temptation to name this one "Midnight in Paris" was strong, but it wasn't midnight when Mary and I were walking along the Seine near the pont des Arts and saw the beautiful lighted dome of the Institut de France. Once again, for our upcoming show. Wouldn't it have been fun to actually paint this as a nocturne, en plein air?

It's really had to photograph something this dark, this is a little red despite my Photoshop magic.

"We're All Ears"

"We're All Ears"

6"x8" oil on Raymar panel

These guys are from a different farm than the previous pair, no brown spots, just black. Like our vanilla cows at the gite, they were marvelously curious, watching everything we did. And listenineg. They will go to the February show in Yarmouth as well.

"Curious Cows"

"Curious Cows"

6"x8" oil on Raymar panel

I was totally taken by the cows in Normandy. We had them right in our yard, though ours were solid cream color. These guys were really cute, I love the eye makeup. It's another for our upcoming show at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery.