Too Many Blogs

Marie Kinnear greets visitors to the "Nuts about the Von Liebig" event

The little girl in the pink hat was my buddy because I had lollipops

It's hard to keep up with one blog never mind the several that I'm keeping up with. We're in Naples for about a month now and it's beautiful. I always have a hard time transitioning from home to home but  I've settled in. I volunteered at the Naples Art Association last Saturday for their children's event promoting summer programs at the Von Liebig Center. To say that the cute-ness factor was off the charts doesn't describe it! I also met a fellow blogger Kimberley McLaughlin who is a Bob Ross instructor and a fabulous person. She's friendly and loves what she does and her paintings were beautiful. This Saturday I'm working at the Ferrari Show. Yup, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Maseratis. I am bringing my sketchbook and I'll post some photos! 

Kim McLaughlin, certified Bob Ross instructor demonstrates

Happy New Year

Wolfie grooming Abba

It's true that the older you get the faster time goes,  just like the older folks always told us. It's been five years since I started this blog and my Just Painting blog which have opened up a world I never imagined. I've met and have had the support and encouragement of fabulous artists whose work has inspired me. I'm challenged and pushed just by seeing the blogs of the vast numbers of kickin' artists of all stripes! I'm entertained and validated the the generous comments I receive from all over the world. I wish everyone the courage to believe in themselves. Blogging is the best social network going.

N'orEaster

The day before the storm

The day before the storm the water hits the wall

The new wall and the old section

The day before

Ocean Storms are called N'oreasters here because the winds swirl around coming in off the ocean from the Northeast. They're really winter hurricanes and I could tell you some stories about the infamous Blizzard of '78 but you can probably Google it so I'll let you decide. Here in my neck of the woods we're really below sea level and in the 1930's a seawall was built along the shores of many of the coastal towns on the South Shore. The problem is that they are crumbling and last Spring the one at the end of our street failed causing a need to replace a 450 foot section. Only the tip of the iceberg though as it ALL needs to be replaced. You know the story. No funds etc.. Well, if you live there it's a must. 

Same place the day of the storm

The high road above Brant Rock Village

WHOA!!!!

Green Harbor at High Tide

Storm clearing over Green Harbor Lobster fleet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brant Rock Village the day before the Storm

Work in Progress

 (detail)

I am doing this 12x12 of Colin and Ryan at the beach. Kids on the beach are a popular subject which I plan to do more of. Come see me at Open Studios this weekend. For info click here.

Summer in Marshfield

 

This was the most incredible summer here in New England. The sun came out almost every single day for three months and the weather was hot and beach appropriate! This rarely happens and we all enjoyed it thoroughly. If this is climate change we (selfishly) welcome it here!

Ft Myers Beach

  

some photos of our little trip to Ft Myers beach yesterday. It was really fun!

Sanibel Causeway in the distance

 

Malachite Bowl Demo

Every once in a while I like to post a series of stages leading up to the finish of a painting. These are the demo steps for the Malachite Bowl posted on 2/22/2010.

 First a sketch to work out the composition

 I grid the canvas with four small marks at the midpoint of each side and mark the center of the canvas so I can compose through my viewfinder.
 

Adding some color and value to make comparisons.

the finish.

 

Detail

Proud to Be from Massachusetts

Wendell and the Paperwhites

I never get political on my blog but I have to make an exception here to say that Massachusetts 'Gets it'. The Independent Voters, of whom I am one, voted against the arrogance of Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats who have been trying to shove a deceptive 2000 page, "Trojan Horse", of a "Health Care" bill down our throats.

Forget all the sentimental drivel about 'Teddy's Seat' and 'Teddy's Legacy' and "making history". Teddy's gone and it's the "People's Seat", as it always was,  in a government supposed to be 'Of the People, By the People and FOR the People. 

I don't dislike Martha Coakley but she should know that Curt Shilling is not a Yankees fan and YES, she should have been standing outside Fenway Park, in the cold, shaking the hands of the "PEOPLE".

Is Scott Brown the answer? I don't know but it seems like he is listening and that's what I want from my elected representatives. It's about time.

Winter in New England

I say this every December, but it's true. I'm a New England girl, born and raised. We are leaving in a week for Naples, Florida and will not return home until May. I love Naples and I will be with my sister and my family who live there but, I will miss the snow, the cold, my Mama, my Painter girlfriends and my studio. Call me crazy. Here's a shot of the ice formed by the waves breaking over the seawall.

Provincetown Moon

Yesterday I took a trip to Provincetown to drop off a painting and visit my friend, Irene. We went for a walk in the dunes at Race Point on a gloriously sunny and calm day.  She swore me to secrecy regarding the exact location, so the whole world doesn't show up there all of a sudden ;)

As we left the dunes around 3pm we could already see the full moon, which is the first of two this month. The other will be the 'blue moon' at the end of December. After I left her house I had to keep stopping and jumping out of the car to shoot photos. What is it about the moon that is so mesmerizing? Each time I see a moon rise it's as though it's the first time and each time I visit Provincetown, I feel the same way. Mystical and magical. The edge of the world. I decided to post my photos, without PhotoShop enhancement.

Peas in Pods 6x6

Sneak peak of yesterday's daily painting. I did a bit more work on the greens to finish this but it's too sunny today to get a good photo of it so I'll post this one until it gets cloudy again. Shouldn't have to wait too long here in New England ;)

Holding Court 12x12 WIP

Let's see if anyone actually visits my neglected blog. This will be for the Girls Just Wanna Paint challenge blog and will also be featured in my November Show.

Balloon Festival

I went to New Hampshire this weekend to attend a family birthday party for my nephew, Colin, who turned four last week. Sunday we spent the day at a hot air balloon festival in nearby, Hillsborough. It was a fantastically summer-y, sunny, breezy day, for a change, and there were rides for the kids, plenty of food of all sorts and booths with stuff to buy. This is my brother and sister in law, Tom and Anne and my little boys Ryan and Colin, watching the liftoff around 6PM. Spectacular! A great time!

Colin Page Workshop Photos

I think he's enjoying the class.

Margaret McWethy, in a class by herself . I did not put my work next to hers ;)

These are serious painters and the work tells the tale

Kelley gets a great painting

Indoor Still life demo

Some of the paintings

the 'homies' at Scituate Harbor

Colin Demonstrates

We had one beautiful sunny day of painting outside and one rainy day for indoor still life. It was a perfect balance as Colin is equally skilled in both genres.

Yellow Apple Study

This was Carol's brush stroke exercise. The initial block in shows that I'm sort of 'getting' it, but, once I got on it at home, you can see how I just worked it to death, not to mention that the lighting conditions were totally different. After much practice, I am learning to 'see' better and stop after every brush stroke. The new brushes I've been using are a world away from what has been my customary style of brushwork. I am really liking the crispness they give to the paint application.