Painting New England

Old Essex boat and Roughneck Gloucester

2012-01-22T15:00:00.001-08:00

Two more oils available at EvenTide Studio and Gallery located in Essex, MA. These paintings are both 11x14.

Gloucester Harbor

2012-01-12T07:50:00.000-08:00

Size is 12x16. View from the Gloucester boat yard.

Grey boat

2011-12-18T09:05:00.001-08:00

Boston Esplanade

2011-11-30T09:23:00.000-08:00

Painted en plein air this past weekend. Beautiful spot- looking forward to painting more views from the area.

Royalston common

2011-10-10T16:08:00.000-07:00

Today I joined 8 or so other artists in Royalston, MA at the common to spend the morning painting.

Plum Island

2011-09-18T04:18:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day on Plum Island and the beach was quite busy. It was also beach clean up day. The light changed just as I finished this oil and the temperature was dropping quickly. I took photos so that I can paint a studio version of this quick study.

Thacher Island

2011-08-06T16:33:00.000-07:00

Three sketches of the north lighthouse on Thacher Island. I attended a paintout there today. This was my second visit to the island. Gulls rule this island- I didn't dare sit on a rock because they were all splashed by white. I got chased by a young angry gull and was bitten by fire ants, but still had a great day!

beach sketches

2011-07-25T16:49:00.001-07:00

These were sketched with marker at a beach somewhere in Beverly, MA. I added the watercolor later on. I make notes of the colors- I don't trust my memory!

making paint

2011-06-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

As if I am not already too busy with work, hobbies, and trying to create art, I have decided to try something I have been wanting to do for years- make my own paint. I have always loved looking at pigments and minerals so I did a lot of research and have been experimenting with egg tempera. I read several books and have been using the internet as well- I am finding the discussion forums on WetCanvas.com very useful. Some tips I have made use of: the best black according to several artists is Mars Black. It was hard to find this pigment but I finally found it at an online store called RGH. According to an artist whose book I read, Ultramarine Blue and Titanium White are difficult to disperse, so I took his advice and bought these colors in the form of a paste from Kremer Pigments which is another online store. The rest I bought in the form of powder at Fineartstore.com and they were very affordable. Of course, the coveted Lapis Lazuli is out of the question- I have to be content with the affordable alternative- Ultramarine Blue. There is enough information on the internet about the technique of making egg tempera that I won't go into it- but a few notes: Cobalt Blue is a very strange plasticy pigment and resistant to dispersion- it has the consistancy of Ublik. Like a solid and liquid at the same time. Some pigments are soft enough that you can put some in a bottle and stir in some distilled water. Some, such as the Cobalt Blue and Alizarin Crimson (the latter is particularly very grainy), need to be ground with a palette knife on a granite slab. I work in the monument business, so this was very easy to obtain. If you mix large amounts, a glass muller might be easier. I mix small amounts, as I don't work large, and I have heard artists complain about the paste not storing very well. Not pictured in my photo but very important- gloves and a respirator.

sketch

2011-05-29T08:25:00.001-07:00

A quick sketch of my eight year old niece Emma

Best of Show

2011-05-28T17:38:00.001-07:00

My 8" oil painting of a boat worker in Gloucester won Best of Show in the Princeton Art Society's 20th anniversary exhibit. This is one of my favorite pieces and I had a great time working on it. Hopefully I will take many photos of this subject this summer- I'd love to do a series.

Scene from Crocker Park

2011-04-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

Painted with my brand new Daniel Smith squirrel hair mop brush, and walnut ink. Paper is Fabriano watercolor paper. A fellow artist let me try out his squirrel brush and I loved it! I am looking forward to acquiring several sizes. The ink is very nice as well.

Concord River

2011-04-24T14:34:00.001-07:00

I painted this from my kayak a couple of weekends ago. Having cool weather lately, but I'm hoping to be back in my kayak next weekend.

beaver dam

2011-03-21T11:04:00.001-07:00

I painted these wetlands in Fitchburg on Rindge Road. It was a nice warm day, but there were still tufts of snow in the area. This pen & ink/watercolor painting is 6 x 8 on

Stonehenge paper.

Ashley

2011-03-09T05:53:00.000-08:00

We had a lovely model for the portrait group this week. I worked on Stonehenge paper, the image is about 6" high.

A street in Paris

2011-02-28T09:13:00.000-08:00

I love copying old b&w photos in color. This image came from a book titled A Vision of Paris: the photographs of Eugene Atget. It was published in 1963.
The painting is 8x10 on bristol. I used a dark sepia Faber-Castell PITT artist pen.

David Boyce home

2011-02-02T05:50:00.000-08:00

Built in 1782, this house is located in Salem, MA. I took a side road home from work and stopped to sketch it.

Two sketches

2011-01-25T15:04:00.000-08:00

Two people from the coffee shop.

Diatoms

2011-01-22T05:44:00.000-08:00

I drew some diatoms as seen through the 400x lens on my microscope. Some artists have created beautiful mosaics with images of diatoms. A few of these were actually moving.

My water sample was taking from a stream at Great Meadows in Concord, MA.

Coffee Shoppe People

2011-01-18T05:47:00.001-08:00

I drew these people quickly from life, then painted the sketches in my studio.

Emma

2011-01-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

My niece Emma, who is eight.

Christine

2010-12-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

I decided to try out the Worcester Life Drawing group and loved it! I was the last to arrive so I had a back view of the model. I loved the arm leaning though, so I didn't mind.

Dr. Who

2010-12-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

I haven't decided whether or not to put in a background.

angel etching

2010-12-02T07:47:00.000-08:00

This etching was done to camouflage a slight flaw in the polish. It's up for grabs in Salem, MA!

Stonington

2010-11-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

A scene from my vacation in Stonington, ME a few years ago. The boats there have stabilizers on them, something I had never seen before. This painting is 4"x4".

Two Salem scenes

2010-11-21T18:37:00.001-08:00

The top one is of Federal Street. The bottom was painted at Pickering Wharf.

Portrait Group models

2010-11-09T15:01:00.000-08:00

Sherlock Holmes

2010-11-07T15:33:00.001-08:00

His coat is so elegant I just had to draw it. About 12" high on smooth Bristol. I have a few new tubes of Daniel Smith watercolors which I love. The coat is a blend of Vivianite (blue ochre) and Ultramarine Blue or Payne's Gray, plus some Alizarin Crimson in the light areas.

Waukewan Golf Club

2010-10-31T08:18:00.000-07:00

This was painted from the balcony of the lodge. The golf club is located in Center Harbor, NH

Essex

2010-10-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

This was painted at the Boat Museum, on stretched bristol. The water kept shifting the boats around but it was still much more fun than working from a photo.

Princeton portrait group artists

2010-10-06T06:01:00.000-07:00

I had trouble drawing the model so I drew my fellow artists.

Sholan Farms

2010-10-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

It was a busy day for apple orchards. I visited two of them today, one for picking and one for painting.

Beantown JazzFest

2010-09-29T05:41:00.001-07:00

I did a little sketching at the jazzfest. I had to work fast because of the steady stream of people walking down the street in front of the scene I was trying to draw.

farm stand laundry

2010-09-19T05:42:00.000-07:00

Last week I painted at a farm stand in Petersham. There were piles of pumpkins, lovely displays of mums and gourds. For some reason though , I was attracted to this line of laundry.

Gloucester Schooner Festival

2010-09-06T17:22:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the sketches I managed to do in my kayak this weekend. The swells in Gloucester harbor were decent- hurricane Earl had passed through the night before. I paddled over to Ten Pound Island, explored a little and drew the cormorants. The island is well known for at least two reasons- Winslow Homer stayed on the island in the summer of 1880, and several people reported a sea monster near the island in 1817. The origin of the island seems to be a bit of a mystery. Ten pound could refer to the amount of money that was paid to the Indians for the island, but another theory is that it refers to the number of sheep pens that were located there (pens were called "pounds").

Rockport

2010-08-29T07:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I kayaked from Rockport Harbor to Halibut Point. No breeze on the way up, but quite windy on the way back and much harder paddling. I stopped and watched some sailing lessons. My favorite Micron pen ran out so I had to use the stubby brush one that came in my variety pack. Turned out perfect for sketching in a kayak that is rocking wildly in the waves. It's not as delicate as I'm used to, but very nice for some very quick work. It was a gorgeous day! I painted the drawings when I got home. They are all 5"x8" on very sturdy watercolor paper.

beach shack

2010-08-12T05:23:00.001-07:00

There's a row of these rickety shacks on the wild side of Aruba, by Baby Beach and the prison. I am not sure I want to know the purpose of them but I like their artistic look. Barely put together, made of tin and wood, they look like they could just topple over into the waves.
High cliffs were behind me while taking this photo, and wild goats wandered around the grassy area by the beach. I'd like to go back and explore the few dirt roads in this area.

Tree and ferns

2010-08-03T15:54:00.000-07:00

I am teaching art camp this week and this is a small section of a pen & ink that I did on the trails today while sitting by the brook.

Large shell

2010-07-29T05:59:00.001-07:00

This was drawn from an 8" long shell that I found in Aruba. The background effect was done by sprinkling salt onto the wet paint.

Eagle Beach

2010-07-28T08:09:00.000-07:00

A colorful scene sketched and painted on our beach. The stand is where the Jet Ski operaters set up. This is looking north.

Table for two

2010-07-27T05:04:00.000-07:00

A tiny sketch that I did during dinner at the beach restaurant.

archway

2010-07-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

Getting on toward evening (which came at about 6:30), the sky was a pretty blue against the orange roofs.

Two beach scenes

2010-07-25T06:43:00.001-07:00

While standing in the water, I drew a scene about 9" long showing a good portion of Eagle beach. I am showing it in bits and pieces, because it looks better. I painted it later on. It was actually fun to draw with the waves bumping into me, threatening to soak my paper.

Seashell

2010-07-24T06:07:00.000-07:00

Drawn with my Lamy pen on Vellum bristol. I don't know why more tourists weren't exploring the lava rocks, where very cool things like this could be found. Just wait until you see my Chiton exoskeleton!

Lion

2010-07-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

This is an early painting from my trip. I like the energy of it, and would like to try to acheive this look for more of my work. Slightly underworked with the focal point being the most detailed part of the painting. I think mood is a key factor- I sat down intending to read but decided to just scribble a little. I was just having fun and not intending to do a 'serious painting'.
Funny how that works.

view from archway

2010-07-22T15:38:00.000-07:00

This is one of the first paintings I did in Aruba, and one of the few I have decided to keep. The rest I mailed away to friends and relatives.

Two scenes from the balcony

2010-07-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

There was such a gorgeous moon that I couldn't help but paint it. Above the pool , bar and restaurant area there is a covered lounge area which was never used by any other guests but our group. (those obnoxious Americans!) There are some lovely views from up there and it was great for reading or painting, and enjoying the breeze.

Aruba

2010-07-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

I just spent a week in Aruba for a wedding. The entire family stayed at The Amsterdam Manor, a resort filled with charming little courtyards and artistic cactus plantings. Each day I discovered a new corner in which to sketch. I felt so spoiled to have time to just sit down and take as long as I liked with a sketch. I would usually jump into the ocean after a sketching session. According to the locals, it was very hot for this time of year. These paintings were done on Strathmore watercolor postcards so I can send these in the mail.

wind- blown rose

2010-07-01T06:43:00.001-07:00

I decided to stop at the Acton Arboretum on a sudden whim yesterday when I was passing by on the highway. It was a beautiful breezy afternoon!

model

2010-06-30T05:11:00.000-07:00

Pen & ink with watercolor on Bristol vellum. The model is the grandaughter of a fellow portrait group member. It was nice to attend after a few months of missing it because of work.

Scituate

2010-06-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

This painting was done with a quill pen that I cut myself. I found directions online. I ruined four feathers before I got it right and found that an x-acto knife does not give much control while cutting, and it dulls almost immediately. I need to buy a pen knife if I want to keep making this type of pen. I really enjoyed using it. The marks are more varied than my Lamy pen, but still is very easy to use. I was sitting on the rocks by the lighthouse while painting.

Cherry Hill

2010-06-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I painted at another ice cream stand. This is a very popular one in a beautiful setting. You would never know you were only about 10 minutes from downtown Leominster. I'd better watch the calories- it's dangerous to paint at ice cream stands but they have the best views!

It started to rain as I was finishing this - fortunately they have sheltered picnic tables.

Salem Willows

2010-06-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

After work today I drove over to the park. These paintings are on bristol vellum. I used my new Lamy pen filled with Higgins' Eternal permanent black ink. It is not waterproof, and so the ink bleeds a little when the watercolor is applied. It's the first time I've used it, and I like the soft effect it gives for plein air work. I found that the Noodler's Ink turns slightly green when water is applied, so I am experimenting with other inks.
My scanner does not do a good job with subtle work, so the sky is washed out on both of these images.

Rota Spring Farm

2010-06-23T16:32:00.001-07:00

Rota Spring Farm is in Sterling, MA. It's a working farm, and an ice cream stand. I painted this from the shelter of the stand's porch because it was very hot but I'd like to go back on a cooler day to sketch the goats. Soon, before the babies grow up!

This painting is on a 6x6 RayMar canvas panel. I really like working in a square format.

Concord River

2010-05-31T18:08:00.000-07:00

I had a lovely paddle this afternoon. I did four sketches from my kayak. Two of them came out okay. The top sketch is of the North Bridge. It's fun to sit in the kayak under the bridge and eavesdrop on the guides that give Revolutionary War tours. The bottom sketch is of a field where I stopped off for a break. There's an easy exit spot on the bank right there. It may be private property. I'll have to Google Earth to find out. I'd love to paint there. The air was very hazy and all the background trees looked especially blue. I couldn't figure out why all the hazyness, as it wasn't particularly hot and it wasn't in the least bit humid. I heard later on about the forest fires in Quebec. The wind was blowing the smoke down the East Coast. Halfway home, the haze was gone.

Both sketches are on Stonehenge paper Vellum finish which I LOVE! I have a small 5x7 pad of it, but it's almost gone. Very pricey, but great paper.

Acton again

2010-05-28T14:32:00.001-07:00

Went to the arboretum again with a friend. The pen & ink was done with my brand new fountain pen. The brand is Lamy and it has a calligraphy tip. I bought the converter for the pen so that I can fill it with any ink that I like. I used Noodler's Ink.

Acton Arboretum

2010-05-16T15:32:00.000-07:00

A few sketches from a beautiful afternoon. The arboretum was busy! I discovered a spot with a tiny pond for next time. It'll be a perfect spot to paint when the irises open. Hopefully the pond won't dry up anytime soon.

Sholan Farms

2010-05-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

There are some nice trails in back of the orchard, and some of them are along the water. The top image is a value study, and the bottom is a quick color study- both are in oils. I took some photos so that can add more detail if I want. The trails are popular for dog walking. I was sitting on the ground with all of my materials around me engrossed in my work when suddenly a big black lab came crashing through the brush.He plowed right through all of my supplies and even stepped into my container of turpentine. After a brief swim in the lake, he circled around and came back, this time remembering the turp, and leaped over everything. I had had about a spoonful of turp. by the time he left with his owner. I couldn't even clean my brushes.

Catmint

2010-05-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

This is late. It's the pen & ink challenge for the month of April (something beginning with the letter "C") . I tried cantalope but it didn't work out. Then I tried a few clam shells that I gathered from my kayak yesterday. That didn't work out either.

Nashua River- Groton

2010-05-01T16:37:00.000-07:00

I saw a lot of wildlife while kayaking today. A beaver, two snapping turtles, kingfisher, eastern kingbirds, and an osprey. The water level has receded quite a bit and I for awhile I watched the clams slowly making their way from the bank into deeper water. They made little grooves in the mud.

This little pen & ink was done from my boat.

Lucia

2010-04-26T14:58:00.000-07:00

It's difficult to take photos during a busy weekend in the North End, but the upside is the people watching. I had been photographing this cafe but got distracted by a wedding party at a church a few doors down. My friends alerted me to the wait staff that had come to the door to observe it. I quickly got a shot before they went back inside. This is mixed media- pen and ink, watercolor and just a bit of pastel. I would love to do a cafe series.

Mount Auburn Cemetery

2010-04-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

I took advantage of some great weather yesterday and explored Mount Auburn Cemetery with some friends. It is located in Cambridge, MA and is a favorite place of many for walking and bird watching. I had been meaning to visit it for years. A little history- it was founded in 1831 and is a national historic landmark, being the first large scale designed landscaped open to the public. Among those buried there: Winslow Homer, Isabella Stewart Gardner, Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Amy Lowell.
It was more beautiful than many parks and arboretums I have seen. Many trees and plants were labeled. Interesting features include a tower with a great view of Boston and a dell containing a large vernal pool, with a foot bridge. My legs were rubber at the end of the day, but I can't wait to return.

Wistaria complete

2010-04-25T06:56:00.000-07:00

Newburyport

2010-04-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this painting for a month and it's finally finished! I skinned my elbow and broke my cellphone for this piece so don't let it be said that I never suffer for my art. (I fell right in the middle of busy Main Street in Newburyport trying to take photos. One of the more embarrasing moments of my life) The little boy and the bike was in one of my photos and I just had to put him in.
Two things that are characteristic of Newburyport- the buildings have lots of chimneys and the stores have the best flowerboxes. I think the town even has an annual flowerbox competition.
For those of you not familiar with the history, Newburyport has so much brick because it kept burning down.

Wistaria

2010-04-19T06:14:00.000-07:00

This is a cropped photo of my latest pen & ink/watercolor. (the actual painting shows the entire house front and part of a gate). I actually used a little pastel in it as well. I saw some amazing watercolors in Newburyport recently and noticed upon close inspection that the artist used pastel in parts of several of his paintings. I decided to give it a try and had a great time. I have used watercolor and pastel in combination before so I don't know why it didn't occur to me to use them with my pen & inks. My ink fountain pen scribbles right over the pastel with no problem.

Tuna

2010-04-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

My camera broke so I haven't been able to post my new pen & inks. Here's an old one that I found and touched up with watercolor today. It was small enough to fit into my scanner.
The image is from a photo that I took while on a boat tour of Gloucester Harbor. I love old faded buildings with evidence of former lettering or signs.

Jennnifer

2010-03-23T10:16:00.000-07:00

Today's model was the grandaughter of one of the artists. This small portrait was drawn with a sepia pastel pencil on bristol with a payne's grey wash. The color of the paper did not scan very well - it's supposed to be a light grey/blue color.

Providence

2010-03-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

This image is from a photo that I took a couple of years ago. Size is 5x8.

Yesterday I displayed my pen & inks with a few oils at the Thomas Prince School Art Festival. The experience was very enjoyable and the quality of the art by the other exhibiting artists was daunting! Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to see much student work, as there was a steady stream of visiters to the artists' tables.

Mark

2010-03-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

Our model yesterday was a fellow who participates in battle reenactments. Here he is dressed as a soldier in King Phillip's War. He told us that the outfit was made by a tailor friend.

When I moved to New England, I grew interested in the war by hearing and seeing references to King Philip. There is a massacre sign nearby in Lancaster, and battles took place in Groton and Brookfield. Mary Rowlandson was taken captive in Lancaster and held for some time in the Princeton area. Her account of her captivity was published in 1682 and is something I would like to read. Lately I have been reading a very detailed book on the subject of the war. The authors are Eric Schultz and Michael Tougias. The latter gave a slide show on the topic at the local library a few years ago. Gerry and I attended and were very intrigued.
This drawing is 10 x 14 and was done with pastel pencil and white conte on stretched bristol to which I applied a grey watercolor wash.

Les Fleurs

2010-03-12T10:56:00.000-08:00

Another image using a photo taken by my sister. 10" x 12".

Portrait group

2010-03-09T11:29:00.000-08:00

I forget his name unfortunately. This was done on bristol board stretched and tinted with watercolor ahead of time, and the medium was conte pastel pencil.
We had a lovely lunch afterwards. What a great day! The sun is shining and I hear a blackbird singing in the backyard. I'm ready for plein air painting. Let's hope the weather cooperates.

Rathauss

2010-03-08T06:09:00.000-08:00

Rathauss means "Townhall" in German. The old photo that I worked from was taken in Wimpfen and I have no idea if the building still exists. . I did some research online and found a town called "Bad Wimpfen".I looked for some similar buildings, and some of the roofs were dark red or grey. This helped me out a little, since the photo was in B&W.

Cloister Gate

2010-03-05T10:44:00.000-08:00

Scene from the German town on Stein am Rhein. Image taken from old photo found in a book. I know- there's a drain in this one, too. I wasn't going to put it in, but it is there in the photo and is a lead-in.
These pen & inks don't really scan or photograph well (at least with my equipment!) they are brighter and sharper than what shows on the computer.

Montmartre

2010-03-03T06:21:00.000-08:00

About 10x13. I would've worked only from the top right section of the photo (another of my sister's) , but I really liked the drain on the lower left. I added some fall leaves for two reasons: because when I was there many years ago, it was in the autumn, and because it helped me to integrate the foilage into the rest of the picture. For some reason, I always find wet fall leaves on a drain charming. I'll have to do a painting of just that some day.

Cateau

2010-02-26T15:56:00.000-08:00

My sister was in France last week and emailed a few photos that I am working from. Cateau is in northern France. I had a great time working on this 9x12 picture. It wouldn't all fit onto my scanner- so this image is slightly cropped, especially at the top.

Painting for auction

2010-02-25T17:35:00.000-08:00

This is a painting that I donated for a fundraiser silent auction. The event will take place this Sat. at Wachusett Mountain.

The website is: http://www.comercourage.org/

Coert

2010-02-23T15:42:00.000-08:00

Today's model was the visiting son of a fellow portrait artist. Coert (pronounced "court") lives in Sweden and is possibly the tallest man I've ever seen. I stood just up above his elbow. He was a really great model and everyone was raving about his fantastic moustache.

St. Malo

2010-02-22T08:56:00.000-08:00

Another pen & ink from the same book. This is a view of St. Malo harbor.

Looking out to sea

2010-02-17T15:20:00.000-08:00

I am very fond of old photos, and enjoy creating artwork from them. For this pen & ink with watercolor (on bristol) , I worked from a tiny black & white photo that I found in a library book printed in 1913 titled With Pen & Camera in Three Continents. Pen & ink is probably my favorite medium. I hear that my artist grandfather was also adept at it. Vive la ligne! (although generally I side with Delacroix over Ingres. The former had the better disposition.)

I would have liked to work larger to get more details in (the baby in the photo is holding a doll)but most of the photo is very vague.

Smokestack Challenge

2010-02-14T16:49:00.000-08:00

Okay, here it is. I took so many photos that I no longer remember where this came from. A surprisingly difficult assignment! It's about 4" high on bristol board.

View from Mt. Feaks cemetary

2010-02-14T07:45:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I was in Waltham taking pictures for a pen & ink smokestack challenge that I arranged with my brother. I haven't got anything to show yet (it didn't turn out) but I did like this little pen & ink of the bridge over the river with a church in the background. I actually would like to set up and paint this scene in the spring.

lemon

2010-02-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I made a still life box, and I spent all evening painting wood panels and foam core to use as bases and backgrounds. I have a variety of colors to choose from. I just need larger collection of drapery and more props- something to look for at flea markets and antique stores. I tested my system out by setting up a lemon and painting it.

Portrait in oils

2010-02-09T13:19:00.000-08:00

This is Marjorie, our model for the morning. She liked my painting so I will give it to her next week. I haven't painted a model from life in oils since college so I had no idea what to expect.

Size is 8x12.

Jim

2010-02-07T05:35:00.000-08:00

I often subject my good friend James to being sketched. The one I did yesterday evening at his get together is one of my favorites. It was a really fun time, as always.

Princeton portrait

2010-02-02T15:03:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful model today! The pastel was very slow going and it was looking very iffy until the last half hour. Afterwards, a group of us had lunch at a fellow artist's house and then drove to Peterborough, NH to the Sharon Arts Center. There's a members' show on exhibit there. I picked up an application and am thinking of applying for juried membership.

Lindsay

2010-01-19T15:07:00.000-08:00

This morning instead of getting the house ready for a relative's visit, I once again joined the Princeton portrait group. Our model was a charming and beautiful college student from Worcester. This session was a treat for myself after three days of renovating my living room staircase. Unlike last week, this portrait was about life sized, and I gave it away to the model.

The medium is sepia and black charcoal on beige Mi-Teintes paper.

Princeton portrait group

2010-01-12T10:40:00.000-08:00

This morning I joined a portrait drawing group that meets in Princeton once a week. Everyone was so friendly and it was such good practice that I am looking forward to going back. It's been a long time since I've worked life sized and I really struggled for the first hour or so. I finally reverted back to my habit of working in miniature. This willow charcoal sketch is only about 4" high. The paper is the back of a BOKX 109 restaurant menu.

Waiting room sketches

2010-01-10T06:09:00.000-08:00

I found myself with nothing to do while waiting for a doctor's appointment, so I used the back of my copayment receipt to do some pen & ink sketches of the people around me. The woman with the glasses had a big old fashioned hairdo which I was unable to capture. She was moving her head a lot so I had a few false starts.

Oil painting commission

2009-12-25T06:49:00.000-08:00

I I finished this oil commission just in time for the holidays. It's 22"x28" and shows a beach on Cape Cod.

Long Island, Maine

2009-12-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

4x4 oil on canvas. The inspiration for this painting was a photo that I took a few years ago. It was September and the goldenrod was in bloom all over the island. Working on this was a great way to escape a dreary winter day- even if only for a little while.

Doyle Conservation Center

2009-12-04T10:58:00.000-08:00

This peaceful spot is only 5 minutes from my house. Until recently, I used to drive by every day and wish I could paint by the pond. The wish has come true! The estate now belongs to the Doyle Reservation. Last weekend Gerry and I joined a guided tree and shrub themed tour of the grounds, starting at the Conservation Center. To my delight, the tour included this piece of property. It is open to the public year round, seven days a week. There are a few buildings besides the large main house including a carriage house, Cape Cottage house and a quaint dog kennel.
The sketch was done on the opposite side of the bank from where I took the photo. Expect lots of artwork from this area!

Thanksgiving portrait

2009-11-27T04:11:00.000-08:00

My niece, Fiona Mary. She is seven and a half, a blonde firecracker. Loves horses and stepdancing. Although a very good model when asked, she is not usually seen sitting still.

Acton Arboretum again

2009-11-20T11:16:00.000-08:00

This time I painted the back of the house on the other side of the pond. To finish this painting, I turned it upside down which is a favorite trick of mine. It works wonders when having difficulties with composition or the balance of values.

two guitar players

2009-11-14T07:15:00.000-08:00

Not from the same band, though. The fellow with the fantastic dreadlocks is from an R&B band that I saw in Gloucester, and the cool dude with the glasses is from The Prarie Oysters who play in Holden. There's nothing funner than going to hear live music and sketching the musicians.

Sholan Farms

2009-11-09T05:48:00.000-08:00

There's still a little color around. I painted this in a field of very tall Queen Anne's Lace at Sholan Farms and I was bombarded by lady bugs the entire time. I felt bad when they flew into my palette. I tried to keep it tilted to prevent them from landing on it.

Marblehead sketches

2009-11-03T16:44:00.000-08:00

Marblehead is one of my favorite towns in Massachusetts, especially the area near the waterfront where the streets are delightfully narrow and crooked. These two pen and ink sketches were done from life.

Acton Arboretum

2009-11-01T13:41:00.000-08:00

This little oil is only 4" square. It's been over a month since I've had time to go out painting. Three part time jobs are keeping life hectic for me! It was great to get out.

Two pieces of news since I've last posted:
1. My pastel "Emma" won second place in the PSNH national show.
2. I have rented wall space in a brand new gallery downtown Leominster. I'll have some pics after we hang our work.

Great Meadows

2009-09-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I painted up in the fire tower in Concord, MA. I had a steady stream of visitors up there and everyone was so polite and interested in what I was doing. Most people asked permission to take a peek around the corner of my easel to look at my canvas. The picture didn't start working out until the last ten minutes or so and I was ashamed not to have something better to show them.
A few of the trees were already bright red or orange. This is my favorite time of year!

Hurricane Bill

2009-08-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

I just returned from Marblehead to see the effects of the hurricane. The water around the Castle Rock area (top photo) was completely white with foam- I've never seen it like that. The waves at Devereaux Beach (middle photo) were tossing rocks and seaweed everywhere, including the road. Both sites were busy with observers. I spotted a few surfers, but none were in the water.

Rocky Neck sunset

2009-08-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

Last evening's view of Gloucester Harbor from Rocky Neck. I tried to paint in all the little rocks on the shore but it looked too busy. After a short break, the tide had come in quite a bit and all the rocks were covered. Some pretty little ripples were happening so I repainted the bottom half. The light was changing so rapidly! I need to go back to this area and do a night painting- it's beautiful. I saw a band at the MadFish Grille after it got dark.