"Ocean Dip III" - 11 x 14 inches - oil on canvas

"Ocean Dip III" - 11 x 14 inches - oil on canvas, framed

I vacationed in Kennebunkport, Maine several years ago and watched a young woman toss a stick in the water for her yellow lab.   He swam back and forth in the rocky cove and never tired of the game.  I was glad I had my camera and snapped as many pictures as I could.  

I painted the dog first since I figured that if the dog didn't turn out to my liking, there was no point in continuing with the rest of the painting!  Once I was happy with the dog, I moved onto the rocky coast and lastly the water.  This is my third painting using this reference photo and I'm sure it won't be the last!

My "name the painting" contest is still open (until Sept 13).  Thank you to those who already sent in suggestions.  For those who don't know, I will give away one of my mini paintings to the person who comes up with the winning name for my painting of Camden Maine Harbor:  

Send your name suggestion to Laurie@LaurieGMiller.com.  You must be a subscriber to my mailing list (you can sign up by clicking here).

"Ocean Dip III" is an 11x14 inch oil on canvas painting presented in a wood floater frame (see additional photos below).  It is available at the Whiffle Tree Candle Co in Billerica, MA or directly from me at www.LaurieGMiller.com

"Camden" (working title) - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - Name and Win!

Camden (working title) - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

I couldn't think of a suitable name for this painting so I'm asking for help.  I will give away one of my petite paintings to the person who comes up with the winning name.  To win, you must be a subscriber to my mailing list.  You can sign up here: http://www.lauriegmiller.com/contact.html and then send your name suggestion to: Laurie@LaurieGMiller.com  

I will announce the winner on September 13.

I can't wait to hear the names everyone comes up with!

You never know when inspiration will strike.  The reference photo I used to create this painting was posted on Facebook by Kelli Costa who is the owner of Gallery Seven in Maynard, MA.  I contacted Kelli and asked permission to use her photo.  She only had one request -- send her a photo of the completed painting..done!

I pulled out the palette knife for this one since there is so much detail in a harbor scene and I wanted to keep it loose and fresh.  In the early stages of this painting, I stayed true to the reference.  By the end, I had changed some colors and details to make the composition more pleasing and balanced. 

"Camden (name TBD)" is a 12 inch square oil on canvas painting presented in a wood floater frame (see additional photos below).  It is available directly from me at www.LaurieGMiller.com 

Red Pear - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Red Pear" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

I actually painted this pear back in April and realized that I never posted it.  I've always loved painting pears as they seem human-like with their lovely curves.  I started this painting with a bright green background to add some luminosity to the reddish pear.  

In other news, I'm doing a "Doodle a Day" challenge with a group of friends.  This started when a friend mentioned to me that she wanted to get back into the swing of painting and doing something creative on a regular basis.  I said that she should keep it low key to start, no pressure, and just do a quick pencil sketch or doodle.  She loved the idea and thought it would be fun to open it up to "The 6-Pack" which is what my friends call our little group.  So, the "6-Pack" has taken on the challenge for the month of August.  I'll post some of my doodles in September when the challenge ends.   

"Pretty in Pink" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Pretty in Pink" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas, framed

I can never go for too long without painting a donut!  They are a fun, happy food and make me smile :)

"Pretty in Pink" is a 6 inch square oil on canvas painting presented in a wood floater frame (see additional photos below). SOLD

"Brookline Ave" - 20 x 20 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Brookline Ave" - 20 x 20 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

Last summer I stayed at a hotel on Brookline Avenue in Boston.  The hotel looked into Fenway park and also had a great view of my beloved Citgo sign (which I have painted several times before). 

I almost always start my paintings with a solid background color.  This time, I blocked in areas using complementary colors instead of the final color I would use.  For example, the main building was blocked in using a blue color and if you look at the final painting, the building is primarily orange.  When applying the the orange paint, I allowed some of the blue under painting to show through to give a nice little pop of color.

This painting was completed using a palette knife so the paint application is thick and textural and creates a fairly abstract image.  Some close ups are below:

 Additional images are below.