Fall Open Studio

Well hello again. So I never really got things going on my new blog location. I can't seem to figure things out . . . I'm not feeling too tech savvy these days. And besides, blogger has just been so easy to manage. So I guess I will not be leaving any time soon and thus, I will try to update this blog like I used to. I really kind of just gave up after I mentioned that I'd be moving. And besides, it wasn't too easy to update from my phone! What's up with that?

So anyhoo . . . I'm hosting my annual Fall Open Studio on October 20th and 21st. If you are local, I hope you will stop by. Lots of new paintings . . . I'll be posting them here in the weeks to come.

New Braintree Sap

"New Braintree Sap"
16" x 12"
watercolor on clayboard

I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted. Good grief! As you well know, my consistency with blogging isn't always the best. Marketing and social media maintenance is my Achilles heel with regards to my art business. For me, the painting is the most comfortable part. While I enjoy posting, keeping up with it and "marketing" is tough for me. I have to really work at efficiently scheduling my time and when life gets in the way, it's the first thing that suffers. Just know that I will forever be working at this because I guess it's "just how I roll."  Ha!

That being said, even though some of my priorities have been shifted the past few weeks, I managed to finish a couple paintings and enter some shows. I'm also working on a solo exhibit that I'll be having this summer. I'll let you know more about that soon.

So . . . for now I'm sharing with you my new painting, "New Braintree Sap" and I'm excited to say that it's already found a "forever home." I'm so lucky to have such wonderful collectors.

Have a great start to your week!

Big Tomatoes

"Big Tomatoes" - work-in-progress
24" x 24"
watercolor on clayboard

We're getting there! Hope to have this one finished up very soon. Have a great weekend and thank you for stopping by.

Making Some Progress

"New Braintree Sap" - work-in-progress
16" x 12"
watercolor on clayboard

Well we received some more snow here in the Northeast yesterday. Hard to imagine that spring is on its way. Good grief! But a snowday makes for a good painting day. Here are my works-in-progress.

work-in-progress
14" x 11"
watercolor on clayboard

"Big Tomatoes" - work-in-progress
24" x 24"
watercolor on clayboard

Have a great day!

New Ones

work-in-progress
24" x 24"
watercolor on clayboard

I was absent from the blog last week, but I was busy in the studio. In the midst of finishing up old paintings I began some new ones.

The first is a 24" x 24" painting of tomatoes. My first version of this composition was on some kind of illustration board many years ago and although I was close to finishing it, I just didn't like the way the board was taking the watercolor. So I scrapped it. Then I painted a smaller version on watercolor paper -- I think around 10" x 10" -- of the same colander with tomatoes, a few years later. However I knew I always wanted to do this painting bigger than life. So I decided to jump in last week on the clayboard. I'm looking forward to sharing my progress with you ... and I can't wait to see what it's like all done!

Last week I also decided to turn my sap bucket sketch into a larger painting on clayboard. I so love painting on this surface!

New Braintree Sap - wip
16" x 12"
watercolor on clayboard

Lastly, I drew out three white pitchers.  I'm much further along on this one, but you'll just have to wait to see . . .

work-in-progress
11" x 14"
watercolor on aquabord

Happy Monday -- have a great start to your week!

No Travel Today

"Blueberries Revisited" - SOLD
8" x 8"
(watercolor on aquabord)

I thought I was going to be traveling to Concord today to pick up my painting from the Concord Art Association's Members Juried Show, but I was informed last week that "Blueberries Revisited" sold! A big thank you to my new collectors and to the Concord Art Association for including this little painting in their show.  

Wishing you all a good week . . . I am off to paint!

All "Dressed Up" With Somewhere To Go

"Dressed Up"
8" x 8"
(watercolor on aquabord)

This little ditty will soon be heading to its "forever home." I enjoy painting packaging and this one was no exception. This commission is joining five other paintings I painted for this collector last year. I'm sure it will fit right in. Here's the rest of "the family."

Many thanks to my collector.  This was such a fun series to paint!

Have a terrific weekend. 

"The Crush" . . . the beginning phase

Last week, while doing some shooting for the RHOFP (Real Housewives of Fisher Price) I decided to take a break and plan out a new Valentine's Day painting. No time like the present for killing two birds with one stone: next year's calendar and this year's Valentine painting. Below is a behind-the-scenes at my photoshoot...

and the new work-in-progress.

"The Crush" - wip
8" x 8"
(watercolor on aquabord)

Enjoy your day!

SOLD!

"Cutie Pie"
12" x 12"
(watercolor on aquabord)
SOLD

I'm happy to share that "Cutie Pie" has sold!  Valentine's Day is on it's way folks . . . I have a few notecards and a couple paintings that would make lovely gifts for your special Valentine.  Visit my website to see what's available.

"A Missing Whitman"
12" x 12"
(watercolor on aquabord)

"Giggle Giggle, Wink Wink"
12" x 12"
(watercolor on aquabord)

"Paper Heart No. 1"
6" x 6" (framed to 11" x 11")
(matted and framed watercolor on paper)

Another Day at the Office

"Another Day at the Office"
8" x 8"
(watercolor on aquabord)
$200

Click here to purchase.

By the time you read this post, I should have my Little People calendars in! I'm excited to see them. It's a little late, but at least it's still January.  (yikes) 

In the meantime, here is one of the paintings in the calendar. For busy flight attendants, a trip to a foreign destination is just "another day at the office."

Enjoy your day!

Finally!

2018 Desktop Calendar
$12

Click here to purchase.

Well I finally ordered my 2018 Little People still life desk calendars. For those of you still interested you can order them here on my website under Shop, Bits and Bobs. I apologize to all my loyal Little People fans.  Hopefully though, these new paintings will brighten your days and you will forgive my negligence. I will ship as soon as I receive them next week.

I'm planning lots of new things for the Little People this year and promise to get the next calendar out in a more timely manner. Thank you for your patience.

No Rest For The Weary

"Signs"
14" x 11"
(watercolor on aquabord)

I finished up "Signs" -- my fourth painting from my Amsterdam,  The Netherlands series.  I've also begun some new paintings.  I was inspired by my beautiful baby lilacs this season and have messed around a bit with the color.  So I have a couple paintings of this subject planned.  I'm also toying with architectural structures as a theme, so I've been playing around with some images I captured while visiting Georgetown (Virginia) over the fall.  (Don't worry, I haven't abandoned Amsterdam . . . I've got those paintings planned and ready to go.)

works in progress
left to right:  "Baby Lilacs" -- study?
Georgetown painting -- unnamed
Commission

Finally, I am working on a commission for a friend.  I will be very busy this week.  I've been painting a lot and so my house and gardens are a mess . . . ha!  Hopefully I can become a little more balanced in the upcoming weeks.  But I figure if I can paint enough, maybe I can hire a housekeeper and gardner!  Ha!  (one can always dream, eh?) 

Have a great start to your week!

Inching Along

"Signs" - work in progress
14" x 11"
(watercolor on cradled aquabord)

Just taking a minute before bed to post my progress.  Have a good night!

Getting Close

"Laundry Day"
11" x 14"
(watercolor on cradled aquabord)

Tweaking and taking care of the final details.  Hope you all had a lovely long weekend.

"Laundry Day" - work in progress
11" x 14
(watercolor on cradled aquabord)

I'm making progress on my next painting from The Netherlands.  Have a great weekend . . . hope it's a long one!  

Parked

"Parked"
14" x 11"
(watercolor on cradled aquabord - framed)

I've been painting, painting, painting, but didn't want to post anything until I had finished my second painting from my visit to Amsterdam. So here it is. Stay tuned for some more paintings from my trip. I have a few more planned and have even ordered more aquabord!  :)

Over the weekend I had a lovely time at our town's "Asparagus Festival." I helped man our Backroads Studio Tour booth with a few other fellow member artists.  The event is really well organized and run to perfection with lots of wonderful vendors, food and visitors. We all had a great time and met up with current and new collectors. Many thanks to all who came out to show their support of the Backroads Studio Tour.

Beautiful weather at our tent on the West Brookfield common.
(left to right:  Bill Kleinedler, Tracy Crane, me, Gail Bruce)

Bicycle Progress

work-in-progress
14" x 11"
(watercolor on aquabord)

This isn't a very good photo but as you can see I've been working pretty steadily and have made a lot of progress on this one.  Still more to fix . . . but it's getting there.

Glass Houses

"Glass Houses"
6" x 6"
(watercolor on aquabord)
starting bid:  $75

Click here to bid.

I managed to finish this little ditty tonight.  I think it's a cute little painting for a kitchen and would look great in a contemporary floater frame.

(what "Glass Houses" could look like framed)

Thanks for taking a peek!

In Between

work-in-progress
6" x 6"
(watercolor on aquabord)

Last week I had the pleasure of working with three lovely ladies who came to my studio to brush up on some watercolor. One of the things we talked about and worked on was this little 6" x 6" painting of blueberries and glass. I've been working on this while I jump from the lighthouse . . . 

. . . back to more blueberries . . . 

work-in-progress
22" x 30"
(watercolor on aquabord)

Although, one of the blueberries in this painting would barely fit on an entire 6" x 6" panel! I'm really itching to finish these three up so I can move on to other projects. Thanks for popping in.

Bird-Brained

"Big Red"
10" x 7"
(watercolor on paper)

I've had nothing but birds on the brain whenever I've sat down to paint in the past couple weeks. My morning students are painting cardinals so as I've mentioned in previous post, I've painted this image multiple times and in various stages to help them along. Because I've gotten so intimately acquainted with this little fella, I even used him in a painting demonstration for the Quabbin Art Association last week.

Happily I finally finished one of my versions of this guy today.  He's on paper, and luckily I have the perfect mat and frame for him in my inventory, so this one will come all ready to hang. I may have a buyer already, but if not, I will post the specifics.

Below is what this painting looks like all framed up.

I've had to be busy with other things lately, (taxes being one of those things but alas I am done!) so I am ready to paint again and it feels really good!

Have a lovely day.