Party Time - 12 x 12 inches - Oil on canvas

Karin Jurick, a fantastic artist that I admire, created a blog called DifferentStrokesfromDifferentFolks.blogspot.com Every so often, Karin posts a reference photo of a particular subject. Artists are invited to create a painting based on the photo and Karin posts the results on her blog. It is fascinating to see the variety of styles and interpretations of the same subject. I finally took the challenge but then missed the deadline for submitting it! Oh well...maybe next time.

Cranberry Bog Upper Pond - 6 x 6 inches - Oil on canvas - SOLD

Last Saturday I once again headed for the cranberry bog (one of my favorite painting spots) and spent a sunny afternoon painting by the upper pond. I selected a canvas that I had previously covered with a pink/orange hue. As I painted, I didn't completely cover the background and allowed the color to shine through. This was one of those rare days when the paints flowed just right and I didn't struggle too much along the way.

Wentworth - 6 x 6 inches - Oil on canvas - SOLD

Last weekend I reunited with a group of college friends to celebrate our 50th birthdays. We stayed at Wentworth by the Sea - a beautiful hotel/resort in New Castle, NH. On Saturday morning, I walked through the marina to the end of the docks and set up my easel to paint. It was very overcast. About half way through my painting, it started to rain. A gentleman offered me his umbrella which I gratefully accepted as it was really starting to rain -- hard. (You can see a drip on the right side of the canvas as evidence!). I continued to paint with one hand holding his umbrella and the other with my paintbrush. After about a half hour, when sneakers were getting soaked, I decided it was time to pack up to get warm and dry.

Self Portrait - 12 x 12 inches - Oil on canvas - SOLD

First off, who, other than maybe my mother, would want to buy this painting! It's been hanging on the wall opposite my desk and it is a bit startling to look up and see yourself staring at yourself. In any case, officially, this is painting #50...the last 12 x 12 for my upcoming solo show, "Reflections on Fifty", which opens one month from today. It's been a great journey and I've learned a lot along the way. But, don't despair, this blog will continue with more paintings so stay tuned. To those who emailed and posted comments...thanks and keep 'em coming!

Carlisle Bog - 6 x 6 inches - Oil on canvas - SOLD

I took advantage of a beautiful day and spent a couple happy hours painting at the cranberry bog in Carlisle, MA. When painting on location, a viewfinder is critical in helping me figure out how to transfer the vista in front of me onto a small canvas. The viewfinder not only helps me "crop" the scene into a managable piece but also helps me figure out the correct proportions. For example, the sky and background trees take up just about the top half of the canvas. Using the viewfinder and noting these proportions, I sketch the basic outline of my composition onto the canvas. This is actually one of the more difficult (but critical pieces) of starting a painting. I'll step back, look at my sketch, and make modifications until I'm happy. Once the sketch is complete, I can start the process of filling in each area, usuallly working from the background (top) to the foreground (bottom).