Art making in Skopelos, Greece

I just got back from a fabulous trip to Greece!  Lucky lady am I!  My teacher, Adria Arch, taught an 8 day class on the island of Skopelos in Greece.  This was through the Island Center for the Arts http://www.islandcenter.org/  We spent two nights in Athens touring around the old section and had a fabulous tour of the Acropolis our second night.  Our tour guide was Isabel, from the Island Center and she did a wonderful job of bringing the site to life.  Of course the main focus was intuitive painting and Adria led us into interesting (and sometimes new for me) ways to approach art.  We were able to work outdoors all the time-either on site or at the veranda of an unused restaurant.  Below are some prints made with a Gelli plate, torn paper collages, paintings using Caran d'Ache, and an acrylic painting.

We also spent a fair amount of time swimming in the Aegean Sea, walking. shopping, eating, learning about Greek culture from Isabel, and making new friends.  Unforgettable!  

Painting in Jaffrey New Hampshire

Apple Trees

11x14 oil on board

I had the honor of painting out in Jaffrey with a group of wonderful artists this past week.  This is their 8th year of gathering together for a week of making art.  It couldn't have gone better--great people making wonderful art and food and good weather to boot!  Many thanks to Carolyn Letvin for inviting me, Carolyn Kimloch-Winkler for organizing the week,  and to all the other artists for being so welcoming and helpful.  I hope to be able to join you again next year!

View to the Hills

(half way up Mt. Monadnock)

12x12 

oil on board

Shadows and Rocks

11x14

oil on board

Lilypads

14x11

oil on board

Ginny's House

9x8

oil on linen

The Marsh

6x6 

oil on board

Shadows on the Hill

10x8

oil on canvas

Two new paintings

Rocks and Shore

11x15

acrylic on paperboard

On My Walk

12x12

oil on masonite

I realized I've been neglecting to post on this blog so thought I'd catch up with two new paintings.  The lower was started outdoors last summer and tucked away after I started the Spy Pond project.  It's a scene I pass almost every day and just love the lighting, which tends to be the same late morning, but the color changes with the seasons.  I painted this scene in the fall and hope to this winter also.  

It's been quite a week in Boston and I'm hoping all that were injured can heal and that we can spread a peaceful message.  Go Red Sox!  My goal is to see them this summer.  I also hope to shift to plein air painting again soon and will post more.  Also check out my other blog,  52spypond.blogspot.com., which I usually update weekly.

Spy Pond

Rocks, water and leaves

8x8 oil on canvas

Boys and Girls Club

8x8 oil on canvas

So I've decided on a goal of painting weekly at Spy Pond, Arlington MA,  for a year and blogging about the experience.  I plan to post the art on this blog.  The pond is a 20 minute walk from my house and has a lovely park and shorefront that I've enjoyed since moving here 2 years ago.  Here are the two done so far.  The weather's been good and it's just getting into color change at the pond.  I'm very excited, and I head out to Concord for a day of plein air painting!

A week on North Haven

A few weeks ago I took a plein air workshop on North Haven, which is an island off mid-coast Maine.  Colin Page was the instructor.  I'm in awe of his paintings and energy and came away from the week very excited to try out some new ways of painting and painting at night.  Some of us went down to the dock a few evenings both to watch him paint and try it out ourselves.  Mine turned out quite abstract and as one person put it,  "What are those, bookshelves?"  The first three here were done on site and the fourth in the studio from a photo,  though the memories are lingering!  What a wonderful week.  The inn was delightful as were the other participants.  

Meanwhile, the group show I was in has come down and one of my prints sold. I hope to continue painting outdoors and will be taking Adria Arch's studio class this fall.  We'll see what comes!

The Neighbor's Deck

oil on canvas panel

11x14

Down Under

oil on canval panel

11x14

Up Close

oil on canvas

11x14

Sailing Lessons

acrylic on canvas

16x16

Colin giving a lesson down on the dock.  Energy is flying!

Chairful As We Sit and Brooks Mansion

I'm happy to say I'm a part of an effort to bring public art into Arlington.  As part of a fund-raising effort to print a banner of high school art, a group of us have been painting chairs. The banner will hang on the Spy Pond side of the Boys and Girls Club in Arlington.  The chairs will be on display August 5-12 at the intersection of Lake Street and the Minuteman Bike Path.  The chairs are for sale and proceeds will go towards printing the banner.  Please check out the blog:  chairful.blogspot.com, like us on facebook, and come see the pop-up installation!

Here's the painting I did of the Shepherd Brooks estate in Medford during the picnic held on the grounds last Saturday.  A painting buddy, Jenn Desaultes invited me along with several other artists.  We had a great day and got to see a beautiful old mansion which is being restored to provide a space for the community.  Thanks to the picnic committee for the grub and to Jenn for inviting me-it's always fun to paint with you!

Group Show

I'll be a part of a group show in Arlington, Mass. this summer.  The Mary Street Group is the title of the show at the Old Schwamb Mill which is open Tuesdays and Saturdays 10a-4p.  You're all invited to the opening on Friday, July 13 6p-8p!