"Last Traces of Snow II" - 6 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD



"Last Traces of Snow II" - 6 x 12 inches - oil on canvas



This is a 2nd stab at painting the marshes at Plum Island. For whatever reason, I've always gravitated towards painting on square canvases (which may explain some of my quirky personality traits), but this time I decided to take a big leap and used a rectangular format. I survived the experience and may even try it again some day :)

In other news, I was very pleased to receive an Honorable Mention for my painting "Afternoon Snack" in the Westford Regional Art Event. My second entry, "Cat Nap", sold shortly after the show so it was great news all around.

Finally, congratulations to Leslie Thomas who is the winner of my April give-away! For those who don't know, each month I randomly select someone on my mailing list and give them a gift.  To sign up, enter your email address on the right side of this blog and click the subscribe button.

"Last Traces of Snow" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Last Traces of Snow" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

I went up to Plum Island in Newburyport, MA a few weeks ago to do two of my favorite things - painting and birdwatching. There was a crowd of people with binoculars and spotting scopes and sure enough, just across this inlet, barely visible in the tall grass, was a Snowy Owl. For those who aren't "Birders", the Snowy Owl is a pretty rare and wonderful bird to see. I stayed and watched for quite a while and I could see his head moving but I couldn't get a great view of his body. I really, really wanted to see him fly. They are huge birds. So, I decided I'd "kill two birds with one stone" :) and set up my easel to paint right there. Not only did I have a lovely view to paint, but I could keep my eye on the Snowy Owl. Long story short: that damn owl sat in that tall grass and NEVER moved away from that spot. Below is a picture of the Snowy Owl:

Plum Island Dreams - 6 x 6 inches - Oil on canvas - SOLD

I dream about days like this where the beach is warm and inviting, the sky is a clear, deep blue filled with puffy clouds that morph into interesting shapes as they float by.

Plum Island Marshes - 6 x 6 inches - Oil on canvas - SOLD

I think marshes are very beautiful. I love the way the water winds its way around the tall mounds of grasses to create meandering pathways. For this painting, I covered the canvas with a layer of yellow. You can see the yellow shining through at various points....especially noticeable in the sky area. This painting is based on a photo I took of Plum Island in the fall.