"Beach Dunes" - 8 x 7 inches - oil on board, framed

When I'm on Plum Island, this is one of my favorite views to paint.  I just love looking at these dunes.  I'm pretty enamored with their soft shapes and the way that the sand peeks out between the grasses and all the shrubs.  I can't say for sure but I don't think I'll ever get tired of them. 

I started with a Masonite board that I had painted red.  Painting on Masonite has a very different feel than painting on canvas.  Masonite is very hard and so the surface feels slippery while a cotton canvas has some bounce and also some tooth to grab the paint.  A completely different painting experience.

Recently, I was thinking about how my life is filled with art.  I'm either painting, sketching, or puttering in my workshop.  My walls are covered with my own art and art that I've collected over the years from friends and artists that I admire.  On weekends I may attend an art opening or visit a gallery or museum.  I read "how to" art books as well as artist biographies.  I can't imagine my life without art!  

"Beach Dunes" is an 8 x 7 inch oil on board painting and is available directly from me.  Click here for more information.  Additional photos are below.

"Perkins Cove Harbor" - 5 x 7 inches - oil on paper

"Perkins Cove Harbor" - 5 x 7 inches - oil on paper

This is another "plein auto" effort from last month.  I sat in my car and painted this vista of Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, Maine.  It was a very breezy day so I was very glad to have shelter in my car and had a great parking spot with a perfect view.

The American flag, which I consider to be an important part of this painting, probably took 25-30 minutes to paint.  Some of the problems I encountered: I didn't like the shape of the flag itself, the  pole was too fat, the pole was too thin, the flag was too dark, the flag was too light, the flag pole was too tall, etc. etc. etc.  I made myself pretty nuts in the effort to "get it right."  If it wasn't for the flag, I would have finished pretty quickly.  It is funny how sometimes the tiniest detail can be the biggest sticking point!

"Perkins Cove Harbor" is 5 x 7 inches, oil on paper and comes in a standard 8 x 10 mat (see additional photo below).  You can buy it directly from me by clicking the Buy Now button below or purchase it at Periwinkle Glassworks in West Acton, MA.

Road to Plum Island II + oil painting demo update

"Road to Plum Island II" - 5 x 7 inches - oil on paper

This was another "plein auto" effort from September up in Newburyport, MA.  I love this vista as you approach the entrance to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

I dropped off this painting, along with several others, to Periwinkle Glassworks, in West Acton, MA.  Periwinkle offers classes on stained glass and they also have a nice selection of gifts including pottery, paintings, jewelry, knitted items and other handmade crafts.  

If you are interested in "Road to Plum Island II" but don't live locally, just let me know and I'll make arrangements to get it to you.  The painting is $50 and comes in a standard 8 x 10 mat.

Oil Painting Demo Update

Last Thursday, I gave an oil painting demo to a really nice crowd.  It was lovely to spend an evening with fellow art lovers.  I painted for about 90 minutes and the above photo shows the progress I made during the evening.  There were interesting questions and great discussion so I didn't quite finish.  Below is how the painting looked at the end of the evening.

"Flower for Judy" oil painting demo

The following day, I finished up the painting and below is a photo of the final result.  During the demo, I told the story behind the flowers.  I was supposed to get together with my college friend, Judy, to celebrate her birthday.  I purchased these flowers along with some chocolates to give to her.  Our plans got canceled so she got a painting of the flowers instead and I enjoyed the chocolates.

"Flowers for Judy" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

Oil Painting Demo - Win this painting!

Painting Demo - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

I painted this floral in preparation for my painting demonstration on Thursday, October 13 at 7 p.m. at the PCA in Westford, MA.  I will be re-creating this painting as I share my tools, techniques and process.  I'm looking forward to a lively evening and hope you can join me!

At the end of my demo, I will raffle off the painting.  The winner can choose the painting above, or, the painting that I create during the demo on Thursday evening.  The painting is an 8 x 8 inch, oil on canvas painting.  The sides are painted black so that framing is optional.

If you can't attend the demo but want to participate in the raffle, click the Buy Now button below to buy a ticket for your chance to win.  Raffle tickets are $10 and the proceeds benefit the Parish Center for the Arts.  

UPDATE: Congratulations to Donna B. from Chelmsford who won the painting!

"Marsh Sunrise" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

"Marsh Sunrise" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas, framed

I got up very early to catch the sunrise in Newburyport, MA.  The light changes rapidly so I painted furiously as the sun rose above a thick bank of clouds.

I had prepped my canvas with a thin layer of pink, acrylic paint.  I allow the pink to show through at various points to give a uniform look but also add a pop of color here and there.

Since I knew time was of the essence, I started by painting the clouds near the horizon and then painted the mid-sky area.  Next I blocked in the distant shoreline and worked my way around to the foreground.  I then filled in the water and the top of the sky.  The last thing I added was the sun peeking through the clouds.

When the color yellow is placed next to purple, it tends to vibrate and appear brighter.  This is true for any colors placed next to their complement (the color that sits across from it on a standard color wheel: yellow & purple; red & green and blue & orange).  I didn't have to fabricate the purple next to the yellow as this is how the sky appeared at that time.

The sunrise was incredibly beautiful and I was so glad I got to experience it!

Just a reminder that I will be giving a painting demonstration at the PCA on October 13.  Click here for all the details.  Hope to see you there!

"Marsh Sunrise" is an 8 inch square, oil on canvas painting presented in a wood floater frame (more photos are below).  You can purchase it directly from me by clicking here.