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!

"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.

"If I Fell" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"If I Fell" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

You might not believe that I try to limit (unsuccessfully) sugar in my diet which is probably why I'm always wanting to paint sweet stuff!  If I can't eat it, I might as well paint it.  And then eat it.  Sigh.

If you follow my posts, you may remember that I use Beatles songs if I'm having trouble coming up with a title for a painting.  So, I thought "If I Fell" was a good name for this petite painting.

"If I Fell" is a 4x4 inches oil on canvas painting presented in a wood floater frame (see additional photos below).  

"Oreos" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

"Oreos" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

Oreo cookies and a glass of milk.  I've certainly eaten my share over the course of my lifetime.  I had some recently and they did not disappoint!

The small sliver of white creme between the two dark wafers - that was my entire motivation for painting this little vignette.  I painted the chocolate wafers first and left a small gap on the canvas and then filled in the white creme with the final brush strokes.    

Oreos is a 6x6 inches oil on canvas painting presented in a wood floater frame (see additional photos below).  It is available at www.LaurieGMiller.com.

"The Dark Side" - 4 x 4 inches - oil on canvas

"The Dark Side" - 4 x 4 inches - oil on canvas

My "Hershey Kiss" phase continues with a dark chocolate kiss.  I wanted the challenge of a colored wrapper (even though you only see an occasional peek of the outside of the purple wrapper).  When working with my sweet subject, I open the wrapper and crinkle it around until I'm happy with the resulting shape for my composition.  I will sometimes spend more time designing my composition than actually executing the painting.  From experience I know that a bad composition can never be overcome by technically well executed brush strokes.  More photos of "The Dark Side" and purchase info is below.

In other news, I taught a painting class to 4 girls from ages 8 to 14.  Since I recently painted an ice cream cone, I thought they might enjoy doing one as well.  We talked a lot about form, shadows, highlights and textures.  They each decided which flavor ice cream to paint and I think they turned out super cute. 

"The Dark Side" is framed in a wood floater frame (see photos below) and can either be purchased at The Whiffle Tree in Billerica, MA, or, directly from me by clicking here.

"Stolen Peonies" - 16 x 16 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Stolen Peonies" - 16 x 16 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

Today's painting has a story behind it.  I stopped by my friend's house for an afternoon visit.  As we were chatting, I noticed a vase filled with peonies.  They caught my attention and my eyes kept wandering back to them.  We said our goodbyes and I went on with my day.  That evening, I just kept thinking about those flowers and knew I had to paint them.

The next day, I went back to her house with the intention of taking the peonies.  We chatted for a bit and then her phone rang.  It sounded like it wasn't going to be a quick conversation so I got up, picked up the peony vase and motioned that I was taking them.  She gave me a look that said, "What are you doing?!?!?"  I chose to interpret that look to mean, "Please, take my peonies."  So, off I went with my stolen prize in hand.  

In my mind, this was an impressionistic painting and I didn't want to get bogged down in the details - I just wanted it to be loose and fresh.  I kept the background fairly abstract as I pulled complementary colors into the tabletop to give a nice pop of color.  I was really pleased with the final result.

I've been working on a new website, www.LaurieGMiller.com  Please check it out by clicking here.  Let me know what you think and I'd appreciate if you'd share it with your art-loving friends!

"Black Raspberry" - 20 x 20 inches - oil on canvas

"Black Raspberry" - 20 x 20 inches - oil on canvas

To me, ice cream is an iconic symbol of summertime.  Since summer was approaching and the weather was turning warmer, I knew I wanted to paint an ice cream cone a bit larger than life.

I started by coating my canvas with a bright pink acrylic paint.  I first painted the background and chose a light teal color and let the pink undercoat shine through.  I tried to stay loose with the cone and again let the pink shine through to complement the yellow/orange tones.  I finally tackled the ice cream and used a range of blues, purples and pinks as well as some orange to tie it all together.  This painting makes me happy!

I was recently thinking about why I paint and share my art with others.  My walls are covered with art -- some of my own work and as well as other  pieces that I have collected.  Art makes me stop, reflect, and often smile.  I decided that my motto should be, "Spreading Happiness One Painting at a Time."  So, my wish is that my work will bring some happiness into your life and make you smile.

"Black Raspberry" is 20x20 inches, oil on canvas.  The sides are painted a teal color to complement the painting (see photos below).  You can buy it directly from me by clicking the Buy Now button below or, from Whiffle Tree Candle Co. in Billerica, MA.

"Blueberry Sunbath" - 6 x 8 inches - oil on linen

"Blueberry Sunbath" - 6 x 8 inches - oil on linen

I bought a carton of blueberries last week and ate the entire carton in one day!  They were delicious!  I've often said that eating blueberries is like playing 'Russian Roulette' in that you never know when you're going to hit a sour one.  With this batch, each one was sweet and delicious so I forged ahead with abandon!

Blueberries make great subjects to paint.  They vary in color from a dusty light blue to deep blues, purples and reds.  To direct your eye into the painting, I included a tilted one on the left and one with a stem on the right.  Purchase info is below.

The Whiffle Tree is having a grand opening this coming weekend for their new Artisan's Marketplace.  I'm honored to be a part of it.  I will be there Friday evening so if you live in the area, stop by and say hello!  Details are below.

"Blueberry Sunbath" is 6x8 inches, oil on linen and is framed in a wood floating frame (see photos below).  You can buy it directly from me by clicking the Buy Now button below or, from Whiffle Tree Candle Co. in Billerica, MA.