Playing Tag

Playing Tag

5.25 x 7.75 oil on cardboard

available for purchase

I started this one a few days back, and decided to finish it today! I began working on my commissioned pieces today, too. I did three small studies on loose canvas. I'm happy with two of them and am going to have to figure out a way to work out the other. I still have two studies to do for one commission, so those will come tomorrow. After doing the first three I just needed a change of pace, so I got out this little painting and finished it.

I'm so happy with this painting. I like the light hitting the clouds and the water and the right sides of the little boats. I also like the tree line adding that touch of color. I think I like the effect an underpainting can have on a painting. It makes laying down the top layers of paint so much more spontaneous and free. I also like how the underpainting peeks through in spots, keeping the painting look alive! So, this may turn out to be a study for a larger painting. I do have some larger panels lying around. This will be a project for AFTER Christmas! I promised myself and my husband that my commissioned pieces will be the last things I paint until after the holidays are over. We both agree that I need to center myself and focus on family right now! It will help me in countless ways to appreciate life more than I already do! Then there will be life in my paintings, too:)

Thanks so much for reading this blog and offering your support!

P.S. I'm so happy today, because the SUN IS SHINING!!!!

Little Red Boat

Little Red Boat

5.5 x 6 oil on wood block

Sold

Well, even though I have so many other things to get to I painted this today... I can't do much else on my list until Sam gets up from his nap, so this is what kept me busy! This is the same painting I started a couple of days ago. It's a small, chunky painting with a very simple subject and some subtle blue and grey tones. For whatever reason, however, I deem this one finished!

Here's a side shot so you can get a sense of how fat this painting is:)

Thanks for stopping in!

I'm really busy!

And that's a good thing! I've been surprised by how busy I suddenly find myself in this world of painting. It all started with my three aerial paintings I frantically finished in time to submit to the IMAGO show. That last minute hard work paid off, and now I have the artist reception to go to on Friday (which is also my anniversary)!

Then, I just packaged up multiple paintings to ship off to one person today! Incredible.

Then I am starting work on several commissioned 16 x 20's by Christmas! Aaah! But I am confident I can get them done. I sketched one this morning and will sketch the others by tomorrow. Then I'll do underpaintings on all of them, possibly on the same day. Then, I'll begin work on them one by one. I want them to have a cohesiveness, so it makes sense to work on them this way.

Then I've got 4 paintings to drop off at the Warwick Museum of Art for their Holiday Show. Then I'll be submitting 3 paintings to the Providence Art Club's Open Painting 2010 Exhibit. That's a very prestigious art club and this call to artists is worldwide, so the competition will be unlike anything I've entered thus far. But, it's worth throwing my hat in. Why not?! I'll be submitting my newest painting "Last Light Over Haarlem", but haven't decided which other 2 paintings I'll submit.

At any rate, I feel like the last 2 weeks and the next 4 weeks are going to be very busy for me! And then there's the holidays. I'm insisting on doing Thanksgiving in our home this year, so we've got friends and family coming for that (possibly 11 people in addition to our 3--am I CRAZY???) Then there's Christmas! Oh my!

Well, wish me luck. I hope I keep my head on during all of this!

Watercolor sketches...

So, since I have no new oil painting to show you today (and probably won't for another couple of days yet) I decided to post some watercolor sketches I've done in the last couple of weeks. Well, the two just below I did about 2 weeks ago, and the last three I did today. I went to a four hour "craft day" at my church today! So much fun! The women's organization in our church is called the Relief Society, and we meet together every Sunday, and sometimes as often as once a week on weekdays/nights, too. The group of women ranges in ages from 18 to...well, whenever:) It's like a big group of mothers, sisters, and daughters all meeting together to serve each other and be friends! It's awesome!

Today we had this craft day activity where everyone came and worked on projects together. There were some projects where people learned how to make different things like journals, rice-filled neck warmers, and knitted washcloths. I just brought my watercolors and sat around painting and talking to everyone. A lot of people brought their own projects, too. One friend brought a blanket she's been knitting for several years now--it's a blanket of the periodic table (hilarious!). We all got a kick out of that one:) I did learn a new skill today, though! I learned how to knit! Yay! Such a fun day, and I'm going to push for doing this craft day more often... Anyone in the area ever interested in getting together with our Relief Society, just let me know:)

Top sketch: A lone boat on the Taunton River in Massachusetts

Bottom sketch: A farm on Route 103 North in Massachusetts

Top sketch: A scene I've done a couple of times now, overlooking the Taunton River

Bottom sketch: Route 6 (?) driving toward Avon, CT

The view from the Mt. Hope Bridge driving from Bristol to Aquidneck Island. That lighthouse looking building is actually a tall condominium complex (a real eye sore!) on the banks of the Narragansett Bay. I figured making it look more like a lighthouse was my artistic prerogotive:)

P.S. Should I do a Christmas giveaway?

Boat studies and works in progress

So, I was very productive yesterday and gessoed about 10 panels and 4 wooden blocks. I also laid down some ground color on most of them. Today I spent a lot of Sam's nap putting the info for the Imago show all over the internet:) I had some time after doing that to sit down and eat. After I was done eating I decided I'd just paint a couple quick ones. This first one is more of a study, but it isn't really finished yet either. I am working on my boats, their shape and form. These images are so typical of New England.

Boats Study (WIP), 5 x 8 oil on cardboard

This one below is more of a work in progress. It's a more substantial piece, done on a 2" wood block (like my aerial paintings over at Imago). This is the block that was left over after cutting the other pieces. It's definitely still in its beginning stages, but will be a smaller sister painting to Alone and Solitude. Both of these paintings today are not from a photo or any particular impression, just some images from my head. Just trying to stay productive! I am thinking of a new series of larger paintings. But first I've got those 10 panels and blocks to paint up... Keep posted.

Boat (WIP), 5.5 x 6 oil on wood block

The verdict is in...

I have to tell you all that I will be sleeping tonight while my three aerial paintings hang in my very first gallery!! I called the IMAGO Gallery hotline today to find out if my paintings had made the cut. I listened with butterflies in my stomach while numbers were counted off. I was surprised by how many numbers were being skipped! Aaah! The suspense. My numbers were 41, 42, and 43... Then, I heard those magical numbers and realized that I made it in!

Several months ago I remember walking past the gallery with Peter and Sam on a walk. As we walked by I said aloud, "This is going to be my first gallery." Tonight I feel very happy that I was right! The exhibit technically opened up tonight, but I think the pieces were still being hung for the most part. I went to work with the young women's youth group at our church tonight, but Peter and Sam went on the nightly walk...and they walked up to the gallery. He went in and they took a look around! No fair! Anyway, he said it was pretty exciting to see my paintings hanging up in there with those lovely little tags with my name, medium, and title of the work next to them! Those tags always make the artist seem so important, don't they?! Well, that's right, I've got some tags folks!

As an artist just starting out I still feel like I have so much to learn, but I am genuinely thrilled to have this opportunity. I hope that I can remember what a gift it is to have the opportunities I have in terms of being able to paint. I feel that I've been given a gift. Hopefully this gift includes some talent, but mostly I am certain this gift lies in the desire to pursue my love of creating art! And I've got lots of desire to do that! So, I am grateful.

The exhibit entitled, "Paper, Fiber, Wood 2009," runs from today, November 12th-November 28th. The gallery is open Thursday 4-8, Friday & Saturday 12-8. Stop by if you are in the area! It should be a beautiful show!

Last Light

Last Light

18 x 18 oil on cradled board

available for purchase

This is the painting I started last week (I did an underpainting!), and I just finished it today a few moments ago. It is painted from a photo I took from the window of the train speeding across the Dutch countryside from one city to the next. This is Haarlem, The Netherlands. Even though I did the underpainting I didn't spend as much time on this painting as I have on other paintings this size.

I started with the fields in the foreground, basically just scumbling (artist term alert!) over the underpainting. I didn't want a smooth finish, so I left the underpainting grey scale color showing through in some places. Then I moved back toward the tree lines and open areas. I am still in awe at the ability some artists have to create depth (I learn more with each landscape painting I do). Then I added some color and altered the tone a bit on the tree line farthest back, as well as on the church steeple and other buildings in the distance. Then I just swathed the cloud color in big sweeping brush strokes, not even really being careful where the paint ended up. I worked in some yellow ochre and pale blue in areas, giving it some interest. Then I left the white edges of the clouds unfinished and didn't blend them at all. I finished off by scumbling some darker tones in the sky. I didn't spend any time blending the edges of dark and light, leaving the clouds choppier and more lively than I normally do. I am sooo happy with the result! I like the darker scale of this painting with the bright contrast of the clouds, giving the feeling of the last light of the day sweeping across the sky and over the landscape. Hence the title:)

I still haven't found out about my opportunity at IMAGO Gallery, but I'll post once I find out. I think I'll find out tomorrow sometime! Luckily I haven't had it really preoccupying my thoughts. I hardly thought about it actually until this morning. Then I got the butterflies, etc...and I'm back to being really anxious to find out what the verdict will be!

I'm off now to make some lunch for me and the little munch, Sam.