An Exciting Weekend!

      After tonight's opening from 5:30 to 7:30 at ArtisTree in South Pomfret, I have two more exhibits opening tomorrow.

      The first is at AVA - Alliance for the Visual Arts Gallery - in Lebanon, New Hampshire.  Tomorrow from 5 pm to 7 pm is the Opening Celebration of AVA's Holiday Exhibition and Sale with food and wine and exciting artwork at nominal cost.  

      The second is a NEW ArtisTree Gallery in the village!  The location is at One the Green, on the corner of Central St. & Elm St., right in the center of the village.  The new gallery space contains two rooms, one dedicated to consistently showing local artists' work and another room as an intimate space for rotating shows to explore art that will be a novel and exciting experience.

      The Gallery Opening will feature 100@100 - 100 squares sized at 10 inches x 10 inches (100sq inches) all being sold for, you guessed it, $100 each.  Here's my drawing for the wall of 100s...

"Little Apple Tree on the Farm"

soft pencil on panel - 10" x 10"

      And here's my first painting in the new gallery...

"July 3rd, Pomfret Road"

watercolor - 18" x 18"

      The community is welcome to visit when the doors open on Saturday, December 7th from 11-6 with a small reception from 4-6.  Please stop by!

50 @ 50

      Every holiday season, Artistree Gallery in Pomfret holds its "Small Works" exhibit.  Lots of wonderful small drawings, paintings and sculptures priced "small"!  

      One of the most exciting parts of the show is the "50 @ 50" - wall covered with 50 pieces of 2 dimensional art, each 7" x 7" unframed but mounted on panels and each only  $50.  Its' a real spectacle as guests at the opening crowd the wall hoping to snag a little piece of art made by a favorite artist for $50!

      This my little 50 @ 50 painting.  Every day on Seabrook Island beach is different.  Some dark and stormy, some bright with sunshine and fluffy clouds...  

“October 17th on Seabrook Island”

watercolor - 7" x 7"

    

       The opening of "Small Works" is Friday, December 6th from 5:30 to 7:30.  Don't be late if you want to get a little piece of art at a bargain price - people actually come early to get the best choice!  Artistree's Openings are great fun and great food and I hope to see you there.

October 20th on Seabrook Island

      Yay!  Another day in the studio!  Yesterday afternoon, this is what I had on my work table - a dubious start to another Seabrook Island watercolor.

      

      The result, below is what happened after about four hours of work.  I am not entirely pleased with the result, but for the sake of my sanity I say it is DONE!
      Honestly, it was one of the hardest paintings I ever did.  I spent the day fighting with it and trying to simplify, simplify, simplify.  And thank goodness for gouache - it brought back the bright whites and softened some hard edges.  I always felt like I was "cheating" when I used it before, but after seeing a demo by Peter Huntoon at the Vermont Watercolor Society's Fall Meeting I decided I was stuck in the past and said to myself, if he can recommend and use it, I can use it too - FREEDOM!

"October 20th on Seabrook Island"

watercolor - 9" x12"

      It is always good to get away from your work an take a break.  Now,  I think when it is framed it will be just fine!

October 22nd on Seabrook Island

       On a snowy morning in Vermont, it's wonderful to concentrate on the blue sky and beach at low tide in South Carolina.  I completed this painting last Sunday...

"October 22nd on Seabrook Island"

watercolor - 9" x 12"

       I heard that contemplating the horizon at the beach raises your endorphin levels just like exercize does!  Ahhhhh...

August 9th on Cloudland Road

          Yesterday was our Vermont Watercolor Society local workshop from 10 to 3:30 at the Thompson Senior Center here in Woodstock.  It was supposed to be a plein air event but the weather wouldn't cooperate and we worked inside from photographs we brought while it poured out side.

          Shari Blaukopf came down from Montreal to do the workshop and she was terrific!  Not only did she do a great demo, she also had so many suggestions on books and organizations like "Urban Sketcher".   I'm planning on ordering her book, "Working with Color" 

          This is the painting I did at the workshop.  It's from photo I took back in August up at Cloudland Farm.  I continue to be entranced by clouds and sky...

"August 9th on Cloudland Road"

9" x 9" - watercolor

        I have several more sky photos from our visits to Seabrook Island and plan to work on them in the days ahead along with some local shots.

"Local Color" Exhibit at Artistree

        Below are the two paintings I am exhibiting at Artistree's "Local Color" show.  It runs from October 4th to November 2nd, 2019.   Please come by, say hello and enjoy one of Artistree's famous Opening Parties, October 4th from 5:30 to 7:30. 

        

“July 3rd - Pomfret Road”

watercolor - 18” x 18”

“Alone”

watercolor - 9" x 12"

Hope to see you there!!!

At the Tunbridge Library

        I am happy to be a part of the Connecticut River Chapter of the Vermont Watercolor Society's exhibit of original watercolors at the Tunbridge Public Library.  

        The show runs from September 18th through November 11, 2019 and includes more than thirty-five watercolors by over eighteen artists.

        These are the three paintings I am exhibiting...

“SALT MARSH #1”

watercolor - 8 1/2” x 12”

“EARLY SUMMER APPLE TREE”

watercolor - 9 1/4” x 12 3/4”

“STORMY SKY”

watercolor - 7” x 7” 

The reception is this Sunday, September 29th from 2 to 4 pm and promises light refreshments.  The show is free and open to all.  Please come!!!

Jenne Farm

Today was the first Friday Artistree Plein Aire session of the season and we all gathered at Jenne Farm in Reading about 9 am.  It was breezy and chilly and everyone was bundled up against the weather and the ticks.  But when the sun came out it became a lovely morning.  Eleven of us ranged out across the hill as watercolors, drawing materials, acrylics and oils made their appearance.  This is the drawing I did.

"Jenne Farm"

pen and ink drawing - 8" x 10"

A lovely way to spend a morning.  I intend to hold on to Friday mornings this summer to enjoy more of the company of this interesting group.  Next week, maybe oils?

New paintings

Tomorrow night from 5:30 to 7:30 is the opening of the "MUD (season)" show at Artistree in South Pomfret.   Artistree openings are legendary and justifiably popular so come early!!!

Here are the two paintings I am showing...

"Early Spring in Vermont"

acrylic on canvas - 8" x 10"

"Posted on Old River Road"

acrylic on canvas - 18" x 24"

Hope to see you there!

Thank you Meg!!!

       Since my last piece in November 2018, I have been unsuccessful in posting on my blog - every time I tried to access it, I got derailed to a screen that said, "You are not an author on any blogs yet."  I couldn't find my way around it.
       But this morning I had an appointment with Meg who is the Technology Director at Norman Willilams Public Library here in Woodstock, VT.  After about an hour of working together she figured it out - thank you so much, Meg!!!