"Early Spring" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

"Early Spring" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

Sunday was a magnificent day with bright sunshine and unseasonably warm temps.  I just had to get outside and take advantage of a perfect day to paint plein air.  I headed over to one of my favorite local spots -- the cranberry bog in Carlisle, MA.

I set up my canvas on the side of the road and happily painted.  I chose this particular scene for a couple reasons.  First off, I love those two big evergreen trees that overlook the bog so these are really the focal point of the painting.  I also like the thin, horizontal slices of color that I could see in the distance --- the yellows, purples and blues.  I actually fabricated the sliver of water in the foreground to add a bit of color and interest.  Above is a photo of the actual scene - as you can tell I used a bit of artistic license to punch up the color.

In other news, congratulations to Trina Teele who won my March give away!  For those who don't know, each month I randomly select one person on my mailing list to win a gift...anything from a pack of greeting cards to an original painting.

This 6 inch square painting is available for $60. Click the Buy Now button below or click here for other payment options.

"Great Brook Barn" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Great Brook Barn" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

Fall is definitely my favorite time of year. The weather is cool. I can wear my favorite sweatshirts. I can comfortably paint outside with fewer bugs and no fear of heat stroke :)

We've had a really nice stretch of fall weather so I grabbed my painting gear and headed over to Great Brook Farm, a state park in Carlisle, MA. I spotted this barn across a field and decided it would make a great subject to paint. There was a gap in the treeline so I pulled my car off the road to the side of the field and happily painted away until a park ranger approached me. He was very nice and complimented my painting before he told me to move my car. Oh well. I was nearly finished painting (and my hands were pretty cold as I was standing in the shade) so I wasn't too unhappy to pack up and move along.

As you can probably tell, I started this painting using a bright pink canvas. I used a rubber tipped tool to scrape off the paint in various spots to let the pink shine through. I just love how that looks.

"Fall Bog" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

I spent last Thursday with two college friends to celebrate my birthday. We wondered why we are still friends as we have absolutely nothing in common. We do make each other laugh and have a long history together so that must be the glue that bonds us. We had lunch at a charming country store and fortunately it was a beautiful day so they indulged me for a bit while I painted and they took a walk. All in all, it was great day with lots of laughs.

I painted quickly as I didn’t want to keep my buddies waiting too long. I first painted in the sky and the water below and then filled in the landscape moving from background to foreground. I tried not to fuss and to keep everything very loose.

This painting is available for $50.  You can purchase it at the Art on Main gallery, or, directly from me by clicking the Buy Now button below.

"Bog Field" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

This landscape was painted a week or two ago at my favorite cranberry bog in Carlisle, MA. I used some artistic license to punch up the color of the purples and greens to add a bit more interest. Landscapes are really challenging as you have so much information in front of you and need to figure out what details to capture and what to simply leave out…a real balancing act for sure.

For those who live in the area, be sure to stop by Art on Main on Thursday, Sept. 2 from 5 – 8 p.m. We’re having our monthly “Wine and Nibbles” open house. Bob Frank, a wonderful watercolorist, is our featured guest artist for the month of September.

Carlisle Cows - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

I painted this scene in Carlisle, MA, the next town over from where I live. About half way through my painting session, I heard a distant drum beat…a slow, repetition of boom…boom…boom. Suddenly, the cows looked up, turned, and started trotting towards the barn. Apparently, that drum beat is the signal for the cows to come home. The whole experience made me smile :)