"Pepper on Plaid" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

I've been craving peppers lately and eating them raw. This is pretty strange considering that I've never been a huge raw pepper fan!  My theory is that I'm deficient in some vitamin and somehow these peppers contain exactly what I need. (Right now, Lilo, my pepper-phobic friend, is freaking out as she reads this post). Peppers are really fun to paint with their shiny surface and bumps and curves. So, while my cravings continue, you might be seeing more.

"Big Mack" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

For us here in New England, it's been quite a challenging winter with storm after storm. Another 6 inches of snow fell over the weekend to add to our record breaking totals. This Mack truck looks a bit tired. For me, I don’t really mind the cold and the snow. From a painting perspective, snow is wonderful to paint. But, I am looking forward to spring when my palette will brighten and I’ll start using more yellows and greens as nature bursts into color.

"Sunset on Main" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

I finished my gallery sitting shift at Art on Main and was walking to my car at the end of a January afternoon. The sun was just dipping below the horizon and I loved the effect of the oncoming car headlights as they illuminated the road. I took out my camera to capture the moment as the cars sped by.

I started this painting with a bright pink ground and allowed that color to peek through to create the dramatic lighting. Occasionally, a painting will paint itself and this was one of those rare occasions where my brush knew exactly what to do and it all came together quite easily.

"Hannah" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - sold

Hannah - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

A pet portrait commission of a sweet little kitty named Hannah.  The owners were very touched when the saw the painting as Hannah recently passed away.

"Be Mine" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

I hope everyone has a chocolate-filled Valentine's Day with lots of love from friends and family!

Pastel Workshop - Calla Lily

Calla Lily

The Chelmsford Center for the Arts offered a pastel workshop on Monday night and I attended with two friends.  The instructor, Greg Maichack, was excellent.  I learned some drawing techniques.  I learned some pastel techniques.  I learned about pastel materials.  I learned interesting tidbits about art history.  I learned an awful lot.  But, most of all, I learned that I really don't like working in pastel!

"Snow Day" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

Snow Day - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

I was itching to paint outside yesterday so I piled my stuff into Opal (my new car) and went off searching for something to paint.  Yes, I name everything including the occasional body part.  But, I digress.  I passed a parking area with a bunch of school buses all lined up and loved all the bright yellow/orange colors.  I parked directly across the street and decided to focus my attention on the two buses directly in front of me.  I had to work quickly as the sun was setting (and happened to be shining directly into my eyes which made it a challenge to see what I was doing).  I’m happy to report that I didn’t get one drop of paint on Opal which is probably a small miracle.  My pants, however, that’s another story…

"Westford Museum" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

Westford Museum - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

Right now I’m in the groove of painting Westford landmarks and am enjoying every minute of it.  Westford is a great town and I feel fortunate to live here.  I thought about painting the Westford Museum for a while, had photographed it from various angles and at different times of the year, but nothing really grabbed me.  A few weeks ago when I saw the antique sled out front, I knew this would add a spark of interest to the scene.  I just love how the little bits of red flow throughout the painting from the cupola to the chimney, to the ribbon and finally to the front door.

Westford is hosting their first annual Winter FunFest and a snow sculpture contest is part of the festivities.  Below is a photo of  Art on Main' s entry for the contest.  (The sculpture is on the lawn directly across from Art on Main so be sure to drive by if you live in the area).  I created the sculpture with two of my artist partners, Mary Jane Brunelle and Sue Haley.  I haven't "played" in the snow for quite some time and thoroughly enjoyed romping around in it for a total of 3 afternoons to create our masterpiece.  Westford Winter Funfest is exactly the type of event that makes Westford such a great place to live.




Westford Winter Fun Fest Snow Sculpture



"Sargent Mill" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - sold

I started this painting with a dark blue ground and used it to create the texture in the building by allowing the blue to peek through.  I really like how it looks.  I’ve recently learned something new.  When I started painting in oils a couple years ago, I usually started with a detailed pencil drawing directly on the canvas.  Lately, no matter how complicated the subject, I create my "drawing" by using brushstrokes.  I just try to get the basic proportions and angles correct and not worry too much about defining every little detail.  When I begin to paint, I’m able to keep my brush strokes looser as I’m not as worried about conforming to my pencil sketch.  This has really been a break through for me!

"Winter Reflections" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

Last weekend, I was pretty proud of myself for getting my painting stuff together, bundling up and setting out to paint in cold weather.  Fortunately, there was no wind, so I really didn’t feel cold and the time passed quickly since I was focused on doing something that I love. 

"Abbot Mill" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

This painting is of the Abbott Mill, one of the historic mill buildings in Westford, MA. A developer will be starting construction on the mill this month to turn it into housing. I just love these old building – they have such tremendous character and personality. I’ll be happy to see this building restored and put back to good use.

Normally, when I start a painting, I cover the canvas with a solid wash of color that I allow to peek through. (In oil painting terms, this is called the “ground.”) For this painting, I painted on a previously used canvas that had a colorful painting of an abstract flower arrangement. As usual, I allowed the “under painting” to show though, particularly in the snow and window reflections. Since there were so many colors underneath, I had some serendipitous results. I may never use a solid ground again!

This painting is available at Art on Main for $150.  Or, you can purchase from me directly by clicking on the Buy Now button below.

"Sunny Side Up" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas



Happy New Year! I’d like to thank all those who supported me in 2010. I appreciate every encouraging email, comment and of course every purchase. I’m facing 2011 with a renewed sense of purpose. My resolution for 2011 is to paint (or sketch) on a very regular basis…to not let more than 24 hours pass without doing something creative. If there is one “secret” to becoming a good artist, it is to “just do it.”

I actually started this painting last week and had to let it ‘incubate’ for a bit. It wasn’t until I added the grease spots to the frying pan that I felt the painting was complete. It just needed that extra little punch and sparkle.

This painting is available for $85 at Art on Main or you can purchase directly from me by clicking on the Buy Now button below.

"Roudenbush" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - sold

This painting is of the Roudenbush Community Center which sits in Westford Center. The building, built in 1897, has tremendous character with its complicated roof and tall steeple. I have fond memories of taking both my daughter and later my son to attend preschool classes here. At that time, Roudenbush was one of the few preschool options in town. Folks would line up in the early dawn hours to be the first line to sign up their child. I can remember meeting a friend at something like 5:30 a.m., bundled in winter clothes, equipped with lawn chairs, blankets, and a hot thermos of tea. As the crowd gathered, it usually turned into a fun party with folks sharing hot coffee and donuts while we watched the sunrise and waited for the doors to open.

 

"Lincoln Street Late Afternoon" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

I looked down Lincoln Street late one afternoon and saw the front of these buildings illuminated by the afternoon sun and had to capture it on canvas. I always carry my camera so I snapped a couple of reference photos.
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While working along, I carefully painted in the flag not really thinking about where it was attached (and kind of assuming it was attached to the yellow house). I realized, much to my dismay, that the flag is actually attached to the pole (which I had no intention of including)! This is one of the hazards of painting from photos ... you simply see a flattened version of a scene and the connection/placement/distance, etc. between objects can get confusing. In the end, I decided that I really like the pole as it creates more depth. What do you think?

"Boston Skyline" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

This is my second painting of the same reference photo of the Boston skyline that I took from a ferry in the Boston harbor about a year ago. I painted a larger version and enjoyed it so much that I decided to paint it again, a bit looser, in a smaller version.

This painting would definitely be classified as a “low key” painting meaning that it is mostly medium and dark values with very few light. Because of the storm that passed through, a low key painting helps create the ominous mood.

"Town Hall" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - sold

This is a painting of Westford’s town hall. She recently received the most beautiful coat of grey-blue paint with an off-white trim. The building was previously all white and I didn’t realize how the darker paint color could make the architectural details stand out so beautifully. I just love the harmony of the colors in this painting -- it feels very happy to me.

I recently had a nice experience where someone found one of my paintings by using Yahoo’s image search. They were specifically looking for a painting of blueberries and came across my “Blueberry Blues.” She contacted me and was thrilled that it was still available. I just shipped it off to New York City to its new home...very cool!

"Golden Grasses" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - sold

I was attracted to this scene by the beautiful golden grasses which contrast so nicely with the deep blue/green ocean water. There was a gusty breeze and I was afraid that my easel would tip over if stood to paint (which I prefer). So, I decided to paint sitting down. After about 45 minutes of sitting on a cold, hard rock, I was more than ready to stand up, stretch my legs and finish the painting from a standing position. Considering that this completely changed my vantage point, it was a challenge to finish the painting as I had to keep crouching down. The good news was that the wind had died down somewhat and my easel never went flying.

For me, each painting is like a diary entry and brings me right back to that moment when I was creating it…especially paintings like this that are created on location (en plein air). This painting will always bring me back to that crisp fall day on the rocky coast of Maine.

"House Portrait" - 16 x 16 inches - oil on canvas - sold

I finished this commission several weeks ago but had to wait for the birthday boy (also known as ‘Pool Boy’) to get it. The best thing about this house is the beautifully landscaped backyard with an in-ground pool. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend a few toasty summer afternoons floating around in it. Pool Boy works hard to keep it crystal clear.

Before I started painting, I took a pile of reference photos of the house at different angles and different lighting conditions. I narrowed the choices down to three and let the owner decide. As with many of my paintings, I started with a wash of pink underneath and let a bit of it peek through here and there. Apparently, Pool Boy was very happy with his birthday gift.

"Late Day Apples" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - sold

I set these apples up by the window. I like the “slices of white” between the apples which create interesting shapes on the windowsill. I tried to capture the subtle shades of deep red to light pink as the apple is illuminated by the light.

"Fall Bog" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

I spent last Thursday with two college friends to celebrate my birthday. We wondered why we are still friends as we have absolutely nothing in common. We do make each other laugh and have a long history together so that must be the glue that bonds us. We had lunch at a charming country store and fortunately it was a beautiful day so they indulged me for a bit while I painted and they took a walk. All in all, it was great day with lots of laughs.

I painted quickly as I didn’t want to keep my buddies waiting too long. I first painted in the sky and the water below and then filled in the landscape moving from background to foreground. I tried not to fuss and to keep everything very loose.

This painting is available for $50.  You can purchase it at the Art on Main gallery, or, directly from me by clicking the Buy Now button below.