I have a show of my paintings coming up for the months of January and February at the Paul Pratt Library in Cohasset, MA. If you're in the area, please stop by for the opening which will be Saturday, January 9, 2010 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Would love to see you!

Peace on Earth

Wishing all a beautiful Christmas and happy New Year. For my Christmas Card this year I chose an image of my late grandmother's house where I have many fond memories...

Don't Leave Home Without It 6"x6"

This is my contribution to this month's "Girls Just Wanna Paint" challenge. I just plain ran out of time and ran to my studio and fortunately, had my cell phone with me since the subject this month was "Telephone." I have a REALLY old telephone, dial model that weighs about 10 lbs but I just can't find it...I was SO excited to paint it...arghhh...

Luxury Room, Plasma TV

One Sunday morning last summer, my husband and I took a ride by the beach. This motel (I've changed the name) had just remodeled and when I saw this photo shoot going on outside, I screamed at my husband to pull over so I could take a picture...interesting way to promote the place...

Fishy Wishy

My daughter asked me if I would paint a propeller for her rowing club's fundraiser. I said, "What the heck...why not..?" and so I did. I struggled with getting the time to do this, trying to come up with an image, and then, executing the image. Well, aren't I almost all done when I ask my husband if we had any spray varnish at home and he thought we did. So he brings the spray stuff up. Something doesn't look right but I figure, I'll try it anyway. I start spraying and, wait a minute, THAT'S not clear! That's white! I had to repaint it.

Big Red Glasses (Pablo, Frida, and Me) -detail

It's great to be back in the studio...at least a few hours a week. This is part of a self portrait...it may be all of it...not sure yet...but I wanted to post it anyway.

Painting Hiatus and Something New

As many of you have read in my comments, I have ended my year of painting as my main focus. With the advent of a new full time job, plus classes in web development, painting is not in the forefront in the practical sense, but it is always with me, whether I am actually painting or for now, just seeing. Anyway, I agreed to join fellow blogger and friend Kelley MacDonald's suggestion of a challenge among her painting posse...with the title, "Girls Just Wanna Paint." Each month one member of the group comes up with a subject for each of us to paint at a size of 6"X6" independently for a range of interpretations. This month, Kelley provided each of us with a starfish and Voila...above is my version. Please visit:  http://girlsjustwannapaint.blogspot.com/  to see some of the other entries. They should all be posted soon. 6x6 is not a size I'm used to, but it seems doable right now.

A Day in the Garden

So I was invited to paint at the Garden Tour for the Scituate Arts Association today and I was initially excited until I woke up and saw the weather which is cold, raw, and misty...great. It turned out to be a great day though and my painting sold! The Summer House which is the subject of my painting is the former garage which is now a guest cottage. The interior is beyond delightful. It is packed with absolutely beautiful things. What and eye for decoration this owner has!

A Southie Street Corner

I challenged myself to paint this view in South Boston. The old houses are so interesting with their sometimes inconsistent decoration and in this case, on a steep hill. Each house is so unique.

Looking down from Garita 11"x14"

When I went to San Miguel de Allende, we stayed at Casa Schuck a couple of times which is at the bottom of Garita which is pretty steep. The last time we went, we booked too late and had to stay at Casa Cordelli whichi is owned by the same folks but is WAYYY up the hill. It was really nice but I love the locale of Casa Schuck...especially when dragging painting stuff along, but I guess that all depends on where you're painting.

Pemberton Places 20"x20"

On the first fantastic day of the year (sunny, no wind, 70+ degrees), Kelley, Ros, Ros' friend Ginny and I set out for the very end of Hull, replete with many cottages and former cottages, all so unique.

For Sale on the Tamiami Trail

The former "Twistee Treat," currently resides in Sarasota, Florida along U.S. Route 41, locally known as the Tamiami Trail (the segment of the road that goes from Tampa to Miami). It is closed and for sale, but the sign out front still proudly states, "Vote Democrat, Thank U." Because this is reduced by quite a bit, it is hard to read. I am really drawn to quirky structures such as this one.

A Kodak Moment

Last May my daughter graduated from law school and her boyfriend took this photo of our family. I thought it would make a good subject for a painting as a genuine "Kodak moment," not a formal picture by any stretch...it could be any family. But it's not, it's mine.

"Painting is just another way of keeping a diary."

--Pablo Picasso

I'm probably a week away from posting anything, but that doesn't mean I haven't been painting! Hope to finish up some pieces soon...so little time, so much to paint!

Happy Earth Day

So in honor of Earth Day I have recycled this painting I did last summer at Maggie's farm. I thought about how our habits have changed since I was a kid and remembered that our moms used to wrap our sandwiches in waxed paper...no plastic bags yet, in fact, waxed paper bags were a novel invention when they arrived! We also didn't have rolls of paper towels to use either. Take out coffee cups were probably around, but not in the numbers they are today. I'm not sure these are all bad things, they produce jobs for people, disposable cups and dinnerware cut down on water usage and potential for spreading some kinds of bacteria and illness, but I wonder which is worse? I've also become what I've mocked, shutting out the lights each time I leave a room...now I just have to remember that front door light!

On the Mend

I'm glad to report that my daughter really is on the mend after breaking her foot in February. Yesterday was her first full day without crutches. She is most disappointed because she had raised money for a charity foundation to get a number for the Boston Marathon and she will now not be able to run because the race is next week. She was so disappointed because her number cannot be deferred to next year's race, however, she will be able to run in the Marine Corps Marathon in the fall which is a good race. (I did it in 2007 and it a fantastic race). She still has Boston in her blood though and will try again at some later time. This painting got into a juried figure show scheduled to open at the end of this week.

Vanilla, Shelter Kitty #2

Another kitty from the shelter. "Vanilla" was so sweet and posed for me while I took her picture. I hope she gets adopted soon. This is also posted on the "Art for the Animals" blog. http://artforshelteranimals.blogspot.com/.

More Portraits from the "Familiar Faces" Show

Here are the rest of the paintings from the portraits show which includes paintings of people who have lived and/or worked in my little town long enough to become truly familiar faces. Here is Larry...

Here is Camilla...

This is Bob...

And this is Garrison. This painting is not in the show but was painted during the painting sessions with the group.

Bunnymania

For the past few weeks, a colleague from one of my past jobs and I thought it would be fun to make some bunny lawn ornaments as Easter decorations and after a zig here and a zag there, we finally have some bunnies to share! After doing some research, we used exterior MDO and exterior paint so they are ready for our New England weather. Each bunny is unique and is named, signed, and dated. The bunnies were on the road today and were photographed sunning on the beach! A couple of them took up residence at local garden centers where they may find other homes. The bunnies pictured from left to right are: Funny Bunny,Diamond Girl, South Shore Boogie Woogie, I See Spots, and Jackrabbit Pollock. Dot already moved to her new home. I wish the pictures were better so the patterns were more easily viewed, but they are still pretty cute.


here is a front view of "Diamond Girl."

..and the back view of "Diamond Girl."

Front view of "South Shore Boogie Woogie."

..and the back view..

A Sneak Peak

Here is a sneak peak at a couple of the portraits for an upcoming show we'll be hanging Friday. A small group of us are painting familiar faces from our little town. This is Andrew...

...and this is Shirley...

Shelter Kitty and Juried Show

After weeks of meaning to get to a local shelter to photograph some animals to contribute to Sheila Tajima and Carrie Jacobsen's blog, "Art for the Animals," I finally went to one today. This is a wonderful way to contribute to the welfare of the animals by making a painting and donating it to the shelter for them to use, perhaps to sell, auction, or donate to potential shelter pet owners. If you're like me, you want to take all the cats or dogs home but of course, we can't. We can, though, perhaps make a difference in this way. I'll see how it works out for this particular shelter. They were very pleasant and the cats were awesome...and very curious!

I was really happy to see that my painting, "Eat at Joe's," was placed in the window of the Scituate Arts Association's charming gallery for their Juried Show! It is a small but lovely gallery in the "downtown" section on a picturesque harbor.

Two Minute Poses

I really have been painting, but I won't have anything to post for awhile. I found these sketches I did in an evening drawing session awhile ago and thought, what the heck...I think I'll post 'em. as the title states, they were two minute poses...I don't know why I don't take advantage of this opportunity more often, it's clearly beneficial and it certainly wouldn't hurt to get a little more practice in...plus, it's a fun group.

Snow Day

8-12" of snow was predicted for today and it arrived as expected. Home all day, I found an 11x14 canvas and some white objects and placed them on a white background...I think it will be a good idea to paint still life set ups more regularly...a great excercise in seeing and drawing...and, last but not least, coloration...I also looked down at our welcome mat and liked the way the packed snow emphasized the pattern. March in the northeast isn't for sissies.

Eat at Joe's

I started this one about 2 years ago and put it aside. It started out with alot of energy as they always do when painting plein air. Something happened to it in the studio and I just couldn't make it come alive. I almost scrapped it but decided to work on it again recently. I think I would love to paint this building again plein air with the knowledge of what happened when I decided to finish this one later. I think it is possible to tweak paintings later after the initial session, but like anything else, it is a learned skill to know how to do that without taking away that original spirit. I do like this painting, but I liked it better in the beginning. We'll see what happens next time.

Mexican Mementos Work in Progress

A couple of weeks ago I visited Kelley MacDonald at her cool studio and she set up a still life of pottery from a painting trip to Mexico for us to paint from a couple of years ago. I am still working on this...but I just didn't want to wait another day to post an image, so here it is!

Who Moved My Cheese?

Managing change. That's what I've been up to lately. A couple of weeks ago I was hit with a vile stomach flu, albeit self-diagnosed, and it came with all the pretty things associated with that particular illness. After a few days of complete lethargy following the bug, I learned I was laid off from my part-time job along with 369 other people from my company. Oh well. Since then, I have painted a few times with a local group of painters, creating portraits of local familiar faces for a show in April at our town library. Portraits have been a change for me too, and although I am pleased with most of the results, I don't want to post them until the show happens. Maybe it's superstitious, but it just doesn't feel right. In between these sessions, I am sharpening up my resume and determining my next professional course of action. Looks like I may be facing less time in the studio again with the full-time work that at this time I'm seeking, although, at least I'll be able to afford it. Is this a little like O.Henry's "Gift of the Magi?" Like anything else, it will simply be change, and I will adjust.

Let Freedom Ring

On the eve of the inauguration of a new president, I remain hopeful that our country be a model for promoting peace, well-being, and dignity for all. Very best wishes Mr. Obama as you begin your new role as our President.

(detail from "Field of Honor," posted 6/28/08)

My Work in OnTray Magazine

As of today, lucky magazine readers in the Boston area will get to see a 2 page spread of my paintings in OnTray Magazine, a periodical that is distributed to restaurants and many other locations in the Boston Area. It features many of the wonderful eating establishments we are lucky enough to enjoy plus places to go and things to do in this area with a focus on enjoying life. Publisher Joe Chinzi appreciates fine arts and has been featuring an artist in each of the recent editions. The January-February edition also features my studio mate, Kathi Dugan in an additional spread. Thanks Joe for including us in your wonderful magazine!

Out of This World 30"x30"

I did this painting for a show with the subject being trees. I saw this scene while walking through the town graveyard with my husband and daughter last fall; it's an historic graveyard that dates back to Revolutionary War times and has nice views of the harbor and the historic downtown area. In all the years I've lived here, it's one spot I don't remember ever visiting previously, but it's really about as lovely as a graveyard can get. I looked up at the trees and considered painting several different views but decided on this one that included the elegant monument. I added the jet plane because I had seen them pass by several times and considered the dreamlike state I can be in when gazing upward. As I was painting this recently, I wondered about painting the monument, but then after seeing the death and devastation that is taking place in the world on the news and considering the escape of being on a plane and the cycle of nature with the trees turning, it made sense. It got rejected from the show...but I still like it.

Sunoco I (?)

I started this painting for a show about trees, and I took the original photo last fall at Scarsilloni's Sunoco station in Scituate, MA with this in mind. I began this painting and it never felt quite right, so I never really finished it and submitted different one instead. I do like this in spite of a few issues I have with it, one of them being that the entire time I was painting it, I felt like it needed to be larger. This one is a strange size...somewhere in the range of 13'x 17" or so...not sure where I got the canvas...but I'm thinking of trying it again only much bigger....I would like to see what happens to the technique since I prefer to use big brushes, could be interesting.

First Night

This really isn't an attempt to be Kincaide...but it was New Year's Eve, and we were experiencing a snowstorm and sub freezing temperatures, and the glow from our little outside Christmas tree was just so appealing in the snow...so what's a girl to do? Paint! ...and why not paint the storm? (glad we have digital cameras..it would have been really miserable out there, not to mention dangerous...for me and my paints!)

So...I looked at my palette at the end of my painting session at the studio today...I worked on 2 paintings including the one posted today and I wondered if anyone else works with such a haphazard arrangement of colors? I went to a seminar recently on how to present my artwork and it was funny sitting with other artists and seeing how their note taking resembled mine...a little like my palette, all over the place. I guess that might help me to understand why I did not pursue accounting as a career....(I could have though...really!)

Happy New Year!