Marsh - 5 x 7 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Marsh" - 5 x 7 inches - oil on paper - SOLD

I've been fortunate to spend a lot of time in Newburyport, MA this month.  Inspiration is all around between the sailboats on the Merrimack River to the dunes and marshes on Plum Island.  Plein air painting this time of year is delightful as the weather is cool and the colors are just starting to change to oranges and reds. 

I'm going to coin a new phrase, and yes, you heard it here first "Plein Auto painting."  Yes, most of the time, I sit inside my car when I paint.  I still have the immediacy of reacting to the scene in front of me and yet I'm sheltered from wind and sun.  I make full use of the cup holders, dashboard and center console to hold my supplies as I try to capture the scene in front of me.  So, instead of Plein Air painting, I'm Plein Auto painting.  It is a beautiful thing!

This particular scene was painted Plein Auto.  I've always thought marshes were incredibly beautiful with their soft grasses.  As with many landscapes, I started with the sky, then the distant background trees and worked my way forward. 

Joyful Noise - 8 x 8 inches - sea glass collage

Joyful Noise - 8 x 8 inches - sea glass collage

I created this collage a while back and never posted it so today is the day!  I’ve been an avid sea glass collector since taking a trip to France just over 10 years ago.  I wandered on a Mediterranean beach for several hours and kept finding beautiful tumbled pieces of glass.  When I returned home, I turned my handful of glass into a collage that has become one of my favorite mementos from that trip.

Since that time, I’ve managed to find more sea glass closer to home.  “Joyful Noise” was created using sea glass that I collected from beaches in New England.  I have not altered the glass in any way – the pieces are exactly as I found them - tumbled smooth by the ocean over many years. This collage is one of a kind and can never be duplicated.  Each piece of glass has a unique shape, size and color.  This collage contains 38 pieces of sea glass.

“Joyful Noise” is 8 x 8 inches framed and is available at Artists Corner & Gallery in West Acton, MA.  You can also purchase it directly from me by clicking here.  Additional photos are below.

In other news, I’m giving a painting demonstration on Thursday October 13 starting at 7 p.m. at the Parish Center for the Arts in Westford, MA.  I hope you’ll be able to join me for a fun evening!  

Dunes I & II plus Naming Contest Winner!

I've selected the winner of my "name the painting" contest.  See the end of this post for all the details.

I've been spending a lot of time in Newburyport, MA this month and knew I wanted to do a lot of plein air painting.  I decided to buy a set of gouache paints and try my hand at them.  Gouache is very similar to watercolor but the paints are fairly opaque.  Unlike watercolors, there is no need to preserve the white of the paper.  One advantage is that they dry quickly.  One disadvantage is that they dry quickly!  Yes, the quick drying is a tremendous advantage for transporting the painting and making sure it doesn't smear.  However, the working time is extremely short so not much mixing can take place on the paper.  

In any case, I love painting sand dunes and these are my first few attempts in gouache.

Dunes I - 5 x 7 inches - gouache on watercolor paper

Dunes I - 5 x 7 inches - gouache on watercolor paper, matted

Dunes I is a 5x7 inch Gouache on Watercolor paper painting that is presented in an 8x10 mat.  Click the buy now button below to purchase. (please note this painting won't ship until October 1).

Dunes II - 5 x 7 inches - gouache on watercolor paper

Dunes II - 5 x 7 inches - gouache on watercolor paper, matted

Dunes II is a 5x7 inch Gouache on Watercolor paper painting that is presented in an 8x10 mat.  Click the buy now button to purchase. (please note, this painting won't ship until October 1)

NAME THE PAINTING CONTEST - WINNER!

Thank you to all those who submitted names for my "Name the Painting" contest.   Here are all the names that were submitted (in alphabetical order):

Afloat and Aloft
Anticipation
Away with Me
Beyond the Sea
Cam Jam
Capturing Camden
Classic Camden
Come Sail Away
Dancing at Anchor
Floating Jewel
Floating Still
Harbor Day
Harbor town
Harbor View
Harboring Sailboats in Camden
Harbour serenity
High Tide Peace
Jewel of the Coast
LOBSTAH Day Boat Tripping!

Mass of Masts

Moored
On the Water
Peaceful Journey
Peaceful Summer Day
Quiet Sails
Red as a Lobster
Red Baron
Red Devil
Red Rider
Serenity Now
Slipless in Seattle
Still Waters Run Deep
Sun salutation
Tides
Tomorrow
Tranquility
Waiting
Where the Winds Blow

(many apologies if I missed an entry!)

There were several submissions that I really liked: "Red as a Lobster" (quirky, made me smile although I would have changed it to "Red as a Lobstah"), "Serenity Now" (this made me laugh and Seinfeld fans will understand why), as well as "Classic Camden" (good solid name that describes the scene).

But, the winning entry that I liked the best was...drum roll please...."Cam Jam."   I liked the reference to Camden as well as the "jam" which reminded me of a traffic jam and the crowded harbor.  Congratulations to Marie D. of Lowell, MA!   I will be sending out your petite painting prize in the next few days.  Thanks to everyone who played along!

The Knob plus some sketches

"The Knob" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

I painted this at the beginning of the summer after a trip to Cape Cod with some friends.  We drove to "The Knob" which is small peninsula near Falmouth, MA.  We walked down a path through thick brush only to emerge in a small open space studded with rocks where your entire vista is ocean (technically, it is Buzzard's Bay).  We timed our visit just before sunset and were a bit surprised to see a crowd of 25-30 people anticipating the same event.  As the sun slipped just below the horizon, everyone clapped and cheered! 

I mentioned that I was doing a "Doodle-A-Day" challenge with a group of friends (known as the "6-Pack") for the month of August.  Spoiler alert to my 6-Packers who read my blog!  I mentioned that I'd share a few of my sketches.

I decided to use the alphabet to help me decide what to sketch each day.  So, the first day I sketched my Attic, the second day I sketched my Bedroom, third day was my Cooper, my dog, etc.  I sketched scenes around my home and wanted to work on perspective.  I sketched using a marker and most were done with in 10 minutes or less and I didn't fuss over them.  The 6-Pack is gathering later this month to eat, drink, be merry and to reveal our sketchbooks!

Here is a sampling of a few of my favorite sketches:

And my "Name the Painting Contest" continues for one more week:

I couldn't think of a suitable name for this painting (see below) 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!