Monday, October 5, 2020

"Local Color" at ArtisTree

    ArtisTree's annual "Local Color" show opened last Friday night and we went by to check it out on Saturday.  What a beautiful exhibit!  And so many of the artists' names were new to me!     

    This year, I chose to show local summer colors rather than autumn colors - daylililes and lovely summer skies...


    "Old fashioned Daylilies"
watercolor - 10" x 13"


"Golden Daylilies"
watercolor - 9 1/4" x 9 1/4"


"June 19th,  South Woodstock"
watercolor - 10" x 10"

     The exhibit runs until November 9th and it's well worth a visit.  Pomfret Gallery Hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm.  Thursday's hours are extended until 7:30 pm during this exhibit.

Monday, September 21, 2020

Art on the Green

     This is the month for the festive "Art on the Green" in Woodstock.  It is a yearly Chamber sponsored event that draws artists from near and far to exhibit their work one Saturday and Sunday in September each year.

    I was fortunate to be invited to show four paintings in the Artistree booth and even more so to have sold two of them!


"September on the Ottaquechee"
oil


"Early Spring, South Woodstock"
oil

     Coming up is "Local Colors" at Artistree in South Pomfret....


Thursday, September 17, 2020

Vermont Watercolor Society Fall Awards Show

      My watercolor, "Iris at Saint Gaudens" has been selected for the Vermont Watercolor Society Fall Awards Show at the Chaffee Art Center, 16 South Main Street in Rutland, VT.

"Iris at Saint Gaudens" - 9" x 12" - watercolor

     The gallery is open Thursdays and Fridays from noon until 4 p.m. and the show is up until October 30th.  Please drop by if you're in the neighborhood - we're going over this afternoon to see the show!

Saturday, August 29, 2020

Partway Along...

      I've been slowly working my way through planned watercolors these pandemic days when activities are few and far between.  Here are a couple of day lilies in progress...


"Golden July Daylilies"


"Old Fashioned Daylilies"

It's going to rain all day today - a good day to paint and make zucchini bread!  When these are finished you'll see the results!


Monday, July 27, 2020

My Latest House Portrait

     I just finished and delivered my latest pen and ink house portrait.  The homeowner will have it copied and have stationery made.  Then he will return it to me so I can add watercolor...


     This was one of the most challenging houses I've ever done.  The two trees in front of the house were many times larger than they are here.  So I had to photograph the front door and the two story portion from far to the right, "rebuild" it on paper and make the trees move aside a bit.  Fortunately, the homeowner is very happy with the results!


Wednesday, July 1, 2020

In the Studio

     Last week, I had an invitation from ArtisTree Gallery in South Pomfret to be a part of a trio watercolor exhibit next spring.  The other two artists are Paula Cloudpainter and Margaret Dwyer and I am thrilled to be a part of this exhibit!  Since it is a trio show, each artist will have one gallery room.   
     So, I've been in the studio.  What a blessing it is to have something important to do during this "shelter at home" time.  


Here are my first three finished watercolors...



"Stormy Skies, Seabrook Island"
watercolor - 10" x 10'


"October 17th, Seabrook Island"
watercolor - 10" x 10"


"June 19th, South Woodstock"
watercolor - 10" x 10"

It may be that there is a little tweaking to do - stay tuned for updates!


Friday, June 19, 2020

DHMC Summer Exhibit

     Oh my!  My exhibit at Dartmouth Hitchcock was rescheduled and on Tuesday, Rick and I hung thirty-five of my drawings, paintings and prints in the Faulkner Gallery there.  The show will hang through the end of September. 
     Here are images of a few of the drawings and paintings...


"June Third on Pomfret Road
watercolor - 12" x 12"


"Little Apple Orchard”
pencil on gessoed paper - 10” x 14”


“Summer Daylilies” - watercolor - 9” x 12”


“Salt Marsh” - watercolor - 8 1/2” x 12”


“October 22nd on Seabrook Island”
watercolor - 9” x 12”

You’re invited to visit the gallery at 3M during open hospital hours.  Please come by!



Wednesday, June 3, 2020

A Beautiful Spring

     Since March 13th we have been shut down, sheltering in place, wearing masks and gloves in public, shopping infrequently or online and worried that the corona virus would attack us, our family and our friends.  The pandemic was a seige of sorts.
     When my DHMC exhibit was unscheduled for the summer, I just didn't feel like painting.  I couldn't would be more accurate.  I had no ability to concentrate so even reading a book was not possible - I would find myself having read pages that never entered my conscious mind because half of it was taken up with worry and fear and questions that seemingly had no answers.  Will we get it?  How bad will it be?  How long will it last?  Will there be a second wave in September?  No answers.
     But as things have started to improve, we are able to go out with less anxiety.  The Woodstock Inn, though closed, had an abundance of beautiful flowers and I enjoyed an afternoon taking photos of tulips and daffodils...







     The light shining through the leaves on a branch were so lovely.  Nature seemed to outdo herself in order to help get us through tough days...


     Earlier thisweek, I went to visit a beautiful primula garden.  The flowers were not yet completely open and they reminded me of 4th of July fireworks, bursting with joy and beauty...


...and the view from the path over the pond back to the bench and the far trees and field was so uplifting...


    Sometimes - no always - I can count on nature to calm me and bring me joy.  The sight of a hawk soaring in the sky, the sound of the birds singing, my friends the hummingbirds at the feeder, the lush abundance of ferns growing wild and free.  All this makes it possible to believe that better days are coming and that we will make it after all.  Thank you Nature.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Back to the Canvas!

       My canvas stretchers came this week and I am about to get ready for some large acrylic landscapes for my Dartmouth Hitchcock show in the Faulkner Gallery this coming July.


       So here it is - stretched and primed with gesso yesterday - the proverbial blank canvas!  At 36" x 36" it is much bigger than the watercolors I've been doing lately, but not bigger than some acrylic canvases  I have painted in the past.
       Tonight the time changes and we lose an hour of sleep but gain an hour at the end of the day.  It should still be light at 6 pm tomorrow, and spring is only days away, Thursday, March 19th.  Can summer be far behind?

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

A House Portrait Commission

       I just completed a pen and ink and watercolor house portrait commission for a woman from Texas, directed to me by a Vermont Watercolor Society friend.  It is a beautiful farmhouse in Vermont and I totally enjoyed doing it!


       My house portraits are generally 9" x 12" and I work from clear photos - either yours or mine.  I also do house portraits in just pen and ink and if you are interested in one as a gift for yourself or someone else, please be in touch.