Memories of Bennington

Morning Sun

12 x 12 acrylic on canvas
sold

I'd been wanting to paint this lovely scene since I saw it while driving out of Bennington College this summer.  It was early morning and we were headed out painting but I couldn't resist snapping a photo.  I entered this in the Concord Art Association's holiday show also.

Meanwhile my class with Adria Arch has ended but I hope to continue with her this winter in her studio and learn more about being intuitive in the painting process. 

Plein air-ing in my neighborhood!

Trees and Shadows

12 x 12 oil on canvas

sold

I just loved this tree!  Most days I walk the path near it with Cally and have been intrigued by the long shadows and colors now that fall is here.  So, I bravely set up my easel and painted.  Some wiping happened once I got back home, but I had a lovely time and will submit this to the Concord Art Association's holiday show today.  Thanks for the tip, Bobbi Heath, about joining up there!

Medford on the Mystic Arts Festival

Early Fall on the Mystic River

11x14 oil on canvas

sold

I was very pleased to attend the paint out on the Mystic River this weekend as part of their arts festival.  We'll have an exhibit this weekend at the Royal House in Medford, which is exciting for me.  Part of any proceeds goes to supporting the arts.  Here's the painting I did along with a landscape of a place I've always wanted to paint and also visit-the house on the cliff near the ferry dock overlooking the ocean in Eastport.

House on a cliff Eastport Maine

14x18 oil on canvas

freeport and north truro

10x10 oil on canvas--Fog Lifting

8x10 oil on masonite--Bobbi's Point

6x8 watercolor studies--views from the deck North Truro

Here are two more paintings from Liz Wiltzen's workshop in Freeport.  I worked on both to bring them up from sketches to more finished paintings.  Also I painted in watercolor during my week at the cottage in North Truro.  Patti and I had glorious weather and were enjoying biking and the beach.

Matisse's answer

When Matisse was asked in a 1942 radio interview why he painted, he said:

"Why, to translate my emotions, my feelings, and the reactions of my sensibility into color and design, which neither the most perfect camera, even in color, nor the cinema can do. 

why paint?

                                        

Bridge and lily pads on the Charles River in Watertown, MA. Oil on masonite  8x10 inches

This is the second painting I did with the Meet-up group. It was a lovely day by the Charles river in Watertown and most of us were inspired to paint the bridge.  For me it allowed me to study and paint the water, which can be difficult at times.  My goal that day was to follow the process of first sketching the subject, then blocking in with a thin color wash, then finishing with thicker paint.  I think it's mostly successful as a representational piece but next time I'll do the 25 stroke challenge to lessen the fussiness and capture "why paint?"

It's akin to writing fiction: based on memories that are gathered by all of our senses and then expressed in a way that we convey a certain message to others, or just for ourselves.  Or our dogs..

Workshops and paintings

I recently had the opportunity to participate in two plein air landscape painting workshops, both led by awesome teachers.  Of course my fellow students were a constant source of learning and support!  The first was at Bennington College and run by MassArt.   It was a week long residential setting and allowed me to get my bearings with plein air oil painting.  We had a lot of fun and worked very hard in the sun and heat, and a little rain.  The second was a weekend with Liz Wiltzen in Freeport, Maine, my old stomping grounds.  Again a great group of students and teacher.  The lessons from each of these were similar:  squint, do a value study,  focus on blocking in shapes, the sky is always the lightest, and be prepared to share some wine at the end of the day! Thanks to Liz Wiltzen-instructor in Freeport, and Christopher Chippendale from MassArt. Also thanks to Bobbi Heath who helped me get into the workshop late, saved me from a night in my tent in a thunderstorm, and shared breakfast at 6am at Becky's Diner in Portland.
Also I've joined a plein air painting group: Boston Area Plein Air Painting Group through Meet-up.com.that meets weekly and members paint in a variety of media, making it a rich experience.
I'll be posting more often now that I'm in the painting groove!

                                                              Bennington paintings:

10x10 oil on canvas

Mist and Mountains

11x14 oil on canvas

From the Studios

20x20 oil on canvas

High Notes

16x20 in. oil on canvas

The Park McCollough Mansion

Freeport paintings:

6x8 in value study in oil on raymar canvas board

8x10 in oil on masonite

one hour painting

5x7 oil on masonite

15 minute painting of the same site

6x8 in oil on canvas

25 strokes after color block-in

valentine's day challenge

Well this certainly was more of a challenge than I thought it would be!  A few strokes, eh?  I think I'll try painting a rose from the bouquet my family gave me...

"Early Fall on Cape Cod"

Here's my very first posting to this blog.  In this painting I tried to capture the light and mood of early fall near the tidal marshes on Cape Cod.  During the painting process I'm looking more at landscape as an abstract composition initially.  Value and the play of colors follow as I attempt to communicate the essence of what I saw and felt.  This was a beautiful location to be at for a weekend and I thank my son John's friend.
So now in my new "loft" apartment, the easel's all set up and brushes are ready to go as I take advantage of this opportunity to expand by skills and have some fun!