"Winter Glow" 4x4 Pastel

Here's a quick little pastel I did. I figure if I keep painting snow scenes, eventually flakes will fall.

This is another painting of the Goldthwaite trial. I have enough material to create 50 paintings from the same location. I actually painted this because I have a really nice frame I wanted to put it in. I have recently started organizing my studio to make it a more conducive painting environment. I've added lighting and organized my material so I can reach my materials a bit easier. This was sort of a test, I guess.

As for the painting, this was challenging. I always find it hard to work on such a small board. I love the warm glow on the snow and the depth and variety of the trees. I'm really falling in love with painting trees. I love being able to show the form and texture of the bark....add a little touch of snow and it adds to their beauty. Enjoy.

The Importance of Art and Marketing...

Recently I sold a painting and I'd like to share the story with you that is proof marketing works. Especially in the world of fine art.

For the 15th Annual Open studio tour, Robin allowed me to show my work during the weekend. I created an ecard advertising myself and the other students' work for the weekend. I sent the card to someone I work with who attended the show. She loved the work, had a great time and raved about the evening. She commented about my work to another person I work with who requested to see my blog ( I'm almost done designing my own web site) . I gave her the address and she purchased a recent painting I completed and posted on my blog.

Here we have the distribution of the ecard, word of mouth and the updated web site. Without marketing I would NEVER have sold the painting. Taking the extra time to create and distribute the card, forwarding my blog address and even the importance of updating it with recent paintings. Again, I created the card and the blog is free...these things are VERY important for a starving artist!!!

I owe it all to Robin. I've sold two paintings in my short career, both thanks her for allowing me to show at the Open Studio Tour.

"Ol' Red" 6x8 Oil

Fish Pier Chatham, MA on Cape Cod



This is the first and only completed painting I have at this time from Robin's AMAZING Cape Cod workshop back in October! It was an incredible experience which I'll get to in a bit...

It's a 6x8 oil that was painted on the Fish Pier in Chatham. The wind was unbelievable! My brushes were caked in sand, my canvas has sand mixed in the paint (jokingly I call it mixed media!), my easel blew over a few times...by far the most difficult session of the trip. If you could paint that afternoon, you could paint in any condition! Plein air is incredibly challenging without these obstacles. Personally, I'm not crazy about it...I think the values are off (again) but there's something about it...I like the little red boat...I like the grass...AND I LOVE THE TEXTURE!!! LOL

I have about five other paintings I worked on during the trip. I will finish them up shortly and get them posted. I'll post some images from the trip and get into my thoughts about my incredible trip to Cape Cod!

"Warm Winter Sun 2" 6x8 Pastel

Here is the second part to my winter creek series. It's actually the third painting I've done from this area...I just love it. This little painting was actually quite challenging...I'm still having trouble with my values. I had trouble with my shapes, colors...LOL. I think this one is quite a mess technically. Funny thing is the one thing I really concentrated on is the perspective. I do feel I I've been really struggling with perspective lately, but this painting I feel came together. You really get the feel of the creek going off in the distance, so I'm very happy about that. I also like my quick strokes...another thing I tried to accomplish. Someday I'll get it all together.

Holiday Open House

I will displaying my art at the Muse on Friday, December 9th from 6-8pm during the Holiday Open House. Hope you can make it! Special thanks again to Robin for giving me the opportunity to share my work again. Thank you!

Amazing Sunrise...

As you can see from the photo, my home is surrounded by trees...occasionally I'm welcomed by a beautiful sunrise and this time I was lucky enough to grab my camera. This was about a week ago at around 7am. The horizon literally looked like flames...the amazing pinks and purples in the clouds...breathtaking moment. Glad to catch it on film! Enjoy

"Fall Sunset" 9x12 Pastel

Here's another pastel I've completed called "Fall Sunset." This is a photo I shot that I just couldn't wait to paint. Before I even snapped the shutter, I knew I had to paint it. Sad to say, I'm not sure I did it justice. I'm happy with it, but I'm not sure I captured the drama and the cool fall evening I remember so vividly when I was there. I guess the cloud struggle continues...these seemed so much easier than your typical nimbus clouds. I couldn't have been more wrong. I analyzed the image and realized how simple the cloud subject should have been...executing it was a completely different story. HUMBLED AGAIN! Regardless, I do like the sky....it was just more difficult than I thought it would be. I continue to punish myself by judging an image on whether I feel the subject matter will be difficult or easy, rather than just looking at is as simple shapes, colors and values.

The more I look at the picture of the painting...the more I see things I'd like to fix. The good news is I really concentrated on my values. I do feel they work and I captured them dead on.

I really enjoy the trees. They really capture the feeling of Autumn.

Overall, I'm satisfied. Hope you are too.

"Warm Winter Sun" 6x8 Pastel

Here's a little pastel I've been working on. I like working with snow...soon enough we'll have plenty. I don't think it's great. I think the values are off. I've been having a very difficult time with values. I don't seem to be capable of gauging the proper values in my paintings lately. Not sure why. Any way...on to the next. Hope you like it.

PARKER RIVER II 6x8 Oil

Here's a quick little plein air piece I painted at Parker River. I love the bold blue water...the sun was so bright. I still struggle with marsh grass, however I love the colors. The earth tones give a nice fall feeling. This was fun, I enjoyed painting this...wind and all.

Plein air painting continues to be a challenge. I've been out quite a bit and I learn something each time. It's a great experience...there's nothing like it.

Hope you like it!

"Footprints" 9x12 Pastel

Here is a neat little pastel I did last week. It's late in the day at Plum Island...I needed another piece for the show at the Muse and I painted it because the picture was right in front of my face and I love the calm feeling I get from it.

The breakthrough here is even with all the clouds...I just did it! No fear, no intimidation...clouds and all. I don't think they are perfect, but I'm very, very happy with them. I love this painting...I love the sun coming from behind the clouds and lighting up the water. I love the trail of (my son's) footprints in the sand. I shot a lot of beautiful photos that evening.

The best thing about this painting is, that it was completed in about 4 hours. I started it last Tuesday and Finished in Wednesday, had it framed and hung Thursday. Ready for the show on Friday.

I hope you like it!

THANK YOU!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to visit me at the Artist' Muse Studio this weekend. It was an amazing weekend. A weekend I will never forget.

The people were great...I met so many wonderful people. Thanks for the support and kind words...it means a lot.

Again, special thanks to Robin for allowing me to show at the studio this weekend. Without her, this never would have happened. Your kindness, hard work, dedication, talent and experience light the way and gives me strength to move forward. Thank you!

Artists' Muse Open Studio Tour

Robin Thornhill has graciously offered studio space for me to display my work during the 15th Annual Open Studio Tour at the Artist Muse Studio in Amesbury this weekend.

Please join me at the Artist’s Reception on Friday November 4th from 5:30-9PM

The Open Studio Tour
Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 12-4pm

Artists' Muse Studio, 9 Water Street, Amesbury MA

I hope to see you there!

Robin, thank you very much for giving me this wonderful opportunity and believing in my work. It means a lot, I can’t wait.

Finally...

Here it is...finally...I've been working on this for a looooonnng time! I think my hard work paid off. I'm very pleased with this painting. This is my son Ashton at the beach building a sand castle...a 9x12 oil which has seen it's ups and downs. This is my third figure painting and I feel good because it looks like my son. You will look at it and say "hey, that's him!" I guess that's what you try to accomplish when you paint a figure. Especially someone so important to you.

However, that is not what I'm so proud of...for those who know me...can you guess???

That's right...the clouds! Are they perfect? No, not really, but they are definitely my BEST. BY FAR! Most importantly, I feel I've overcome my fear of painting clouds. I felt confident painting them and that is something I have NOT been able to do.

With me, every figure I've painted I get to a level of frustration...frustration that it won't look like them...frustration the clothes won't look like fabric...etc...OMG the legs on this one...I painted the bathing suit and legs over and over and over and over...probably 10 times! No exaggeration. I'm happy with them now!

I have photographed this painting in stages and If I can find them all I will post them and create a little step by step description of this piece.

Thanks to Robin for being very patient with me on another painting. This would not be the end result without her help and guidance. Thank you. Hope you like!

(BTW...NO I do not have a name for it yet and today my son saw this painting...he loved it, but said he loved my winter creek painting more! Which I just realized is not posted on this blog-stay tuned)

"PARKER RIVER" 6X8 OIL

This painting should be called the "perfect evening" because that's what it was. I will never forget it.

Unfortunately I don't think I can call it that because it doesn't look like evening. I definitely didn't do the time of day justice. It was kind of a disaster evening...late start, lost screw to my easel, bugs...oh my the bugs...I think I still have bites...but it was worth it. Birds were flying just as close as the bugs were, Herrons about 15 feet away...Full moon and one of the most amazing sunsets I can remember....

As my plein air adventures continue, this one I'm not so proud of. The end result is ok, but far from my favorite. I like the clouds! LOL (for once)

I literally had a terrible picture to go by. the sun fell so fast that evening and you must leave the reservation by a certain time or they lock you in! I got a horrible solar flare from the bright sun so my picture came out terrible, I literally painted this from imagination and it really doesn't look anything like what I saw.

I'm considering it practice. I spent more time on this than my last plein air painting (see previous post) and quite frankly it was more time than I wanted to spend. Probably the wrong attitude to have, but I wanted to spend my time on other paintings.

I guess that's all I really have to say about it too! Enjoy.

"BEFORE THE STORM" 6X8 OIL

I've been getting out plein air painting recently and have been finding it very challenging. Not frustrating, but challenging. The reason why i say that is because technically it should be frustrating for me...clouds, rocks, trees, oh my! Three things I have extreme difficulty painting. Maybe being out in a peaceful situation relaxes me...maybe not having time to think (LOL) helps me when I paint...not quite sure....

This was a painting I started the night before Hurricane Irene arrived in Newburyport. (See me "sunset on plum island post. This was started the same evening) It's a small oil and for those who know me, plein air is something that goes against everything my painting style stands for...In a nut shell...I'M SLOW and CAN'T mix paint! When you paint outdoors, you need to evaluate your subject immediately, you can't be indecisive and you need to "see" what you're painting.

The problem with painting out doors right now for me is, by the time I get out and get set up...LOL, it's dark! Dark by 7:15 now...I get out around 6, 6:30...by the time I get my easel set up and grab a brush, I'm packing up to leave.

This was started (blocked in) and I was done in about 45 minutes before It was time to go. I spent about another hour and a half on it at home. I shot a really nice picture about every 5 minutes because the sky was so amazing and I knew I didn't have much time.

I love the end result. Not sure if I'm proud because of the clouds? I don't think they are great, but I think they may be my best. Definitely my best in oil. I love the colors. The sky really was that vibrant. Again, I focused on putting a stroke and leaving it. I guess I was in the zone because I managed to keep my palette relatively similar to what I used that night. That made it much easier painting the final strokes. I usually spend so much time remixing colors to match what was already there and I end up creating a disaster. I love the horizon and the tree line...

I have a couple of unfinished plein air pieces I'm going to try to finish. Another reason why I think I was able to complete this was because I got nice photographs to go home with to finish it. Some of the unfinished plein air work I have, I don't have nice photos to compliment the final work. That will be challenging. I may post them regardless...I may never get to those.

Any way...This was fun. Maybe it was the night...not sure...I hope you enjoy it.

"Up the Creek" 9x12 Pastel

I was certainly up the creek while painting today...Thanks to the hurricane, and Unitil...my power went out and I literally painted this in the dark with a flashlight. I was going to work on my oil painting, but I have a difficult enough time mixing paint with light, so I opted for pastels instead.

I was actually inspired by one of my favorite paintings while painting this...VERY impressionistic in my opinion. I focused on placing a stroke and leaving it. Look at it closely and you can see the chunks of pastel sitting on the canvas. I love that! Focused on bold earth tones and some touches of colors, you may not expect in certain places. (something I've tried to emulate, but have not done yet) I've been working on this for a while and I'm happy with the result. I don't really feel I captured the water pouring over the rocks, but I am somewhat happy with the rocks. The water...does it even look like water? I think the values are wrong. Wrong with the rocks...maybe the creek? Not sure. I really love the trees...I've been enjoying doing trees with pastel...I think I'm going to tackle an 18x24 pastel landscape with trees. That will be challenging. I think I'm done with oils, at least for a while....Hope you like it.

Sunset on Plum Island

I couldn't wait to get out and check out the sunset last night before the hurricane arrived. I knew the sky would be breathtaking so i went out and did a little plein air painting on plum island. From this picture you can see how amazing the sunset was last evening. Funny how you can feel the the change in atmosphere when ominous weather is approaching. It was a beautiful night...very peaceful...calm before the storm I guess.

The Replacement...

Oops I did it again...All week I've been looking forward to Friday class so I could work on my oil painting...I almost walked out of the house without my painting and sketchbook, Then I get to class only to realize after I set up, put paint on my palette that I have forgotten my picture. As always I tend to look for the easy way out. I was going to gesso some boards or read a book, but Robin talked me into doing a "quick" pastel. She gave me a small 8x6 board and a picture of a beach, so the "bang it out" process began. (Remind me to post some day regarding my arrogant "bang it out" comment) Thanks for not letting me do something else and believing I could paint a quality piece in such a short time.


I guess I spent about an hour working on this painting and I am very pleased with it. I love beaches, and I love painting them. Some day I may even do a series...who knows. One of the things Robin had us do in class was to talk about the one thing we love about the painting we worked on. I of course, came up with a couple...but I thought that was a great idea. The two things I love about this 1. I love the beach part of the painting...the sand, the water, the tree line...I love them. My favorite part of the painting. I'm even pleased with the clouds. I feel more confident each time I paint clouds. Clouds continue to be ONE of my nemesis'. 2. I'm very proud I was able to produce a painting in a short time, that I'm happy with.

More importantly I received the seal of approval and that is a great feeling.

Oh, as always it's untitled...I guess I'll call it the replacement until I can come up with something better...

Marsh at Sandy Point

NEW


OLD




I posted this painting a while ago, signed and complete...at least I thought it was. Probably a cardinal sin in the painting world, but I couldn't help it...Everytime I walked by it, it drove me crazy. The foreground of the marsh was too light to be backlit by a setting sun. When I completed this painting I knew the foreground was too light, but I liked the way I captured the floral brush so basically I left it. So I decided to wipe out my name, redo the whole foreground and I like the results. I think I found a good middle ground I'm pleased with. Not too dark, not too light, still showcasing some of the gorgeous flowers blooming on that day.

More importantly I tackled a fear of mine...sometimes I really struggle with doing something twice, regardless of what the previous result is. I have a fear of not doing it as well, or making it worse. This was a big step for me and I'm happy with the results.

Oh, and yes, it's still not signed ;-)

Sunset on Salisbury Beach

As I wrote in my previous post, I love sunsets...I also love the beach. When I first started this blog I said I'd be posting more than just pictures of my paintings and I haven't done so. SInce I have not had much time to paint, I figured I'd post this picture of a sunset I photographed at Salisbury Beach on Wednesday night. The colors were not that vivid, but the clouds were breathtaking.

Maybe someday I'll have time to paint this, but I've got to finish what I've started first. I'm still painting...trying to focus on oils and put the pastels aside for a bit. I feel I'm at a good stage with my pastel work and I'd like my oil painting skills to improve, so I have one pastel to finish and I'm going to focus on oil through the remainder of the summer and through the winter. I won't put the pastels down completely...they work very well with my lifestyle and I love using them. I'm going to try to get some work in this weekend...stay tuned!

Sunsets...

What can I say about sunsets...a true gift...especially with the beautiful weather we're having today.

I haven't seen one in a while. Actually this is probably the last beautiful one I've seen. This was along the marsh coming from Sandy point two summers ago around 7:30pm. It was hot...around 85 degrees at the time. A good one gives you such a chill.

I've been dying to paint this...It's a 6x8 (i think) in pastel. I love the sky...I actually saw some deer along the marsh that night...not in this picture, but maybe I'll paint that next. Hope you like it...

View from a humpback...

This is an image of one of the many lighthouses on Cape Ann I shot years ago on a whale watch, when my life was tame...before what it is today. I love lighthouses...something about their presence...after all these years still standing, not necessarily working like they used to, but none the less, still there...LOL.

This is a small one, but means a lot. I don't have a lot of time to paint (stay tuned...that's a post for another time) It's a 4x4 in pastel, but I love it. Do You ever have that feeling when you paint, even though it may not be your best work, but you feel the painting is just right?

This one speaks volumes.

Changes coming...

I've been a bit busy lately...what can I say....lot's going on. I've changed the look of my blog, was kinda bored with it. I hope you like it. I have some other ideas so I'm going to be working on it a bit more lately. Comments are always welcome. Thanks!

Portrait

This is a portrait I did in Robin's class last week. It's my first attempt at charcoal in 20 years. I was pretty pleased with it. I think it looks just like the model, minus the angry scowl :-) .My son said it was "AWESOME"...so i'll take it. He usually tells it like it is. Other words he's used to explain my art have been..."neat," "cool" and "awkward," so when I get an "awesome" I'm happy.

The Beach - 18x24 Pastel

This is a large pastel that I've been working on for about 10 months...This is the Hampton Reservation...the clouds were so dramatic that day. Not sure if I captured what should have been, but I really struggle with clouds in pastel and oil so this is quite an achievement for me. I'm happy with it.

Untitled...6x8 Oil on Masonite

This is another beach painting that I'm very, very proud of...I better be...I spent about 16 months on this one. It's a painting of my youngest son and Robin's daughter. It was a very long process that I almost quit on a couple times, but robin was so helpful in getting me through this painting! like my other beach painting, I love it! Funny, I don't have names for either (the paintings, not kids), so feel free to help me out. I'm going to begin work on another beach oil very soon, it's got water, clouds, kids-OH MY! Those who know me, know my struggle with clouds, so this should be an adventure. Any way, I hope you like this. Thanks for looking.

Untitled...9x12 Oil on masonite

This is a painting of my son I painted about a year ago...I love it. It's one of my favorites. I'm very proud of the time I put into it specifically because it looks like him. I think I captured him jumping in the air pretty well too. I love the colors and the overall feel...It makes me happy and reminds me of the beach

Part 2

This is part 2 of my house paintings...It's another 12x16 in pastel. I don't like it as much as the other, but I'm still very pleased with it. Very challenging...the branches...ouch! A lot of time went into getting those right. It's actually hanging next to the other house and they do look very nice together.

One of my favs...

This is actually part 1 of my 2 part home painting set...and I absolutely love this one! This is a 12x16 pastel that I painted. I really took my time with this one and truly enjoyed painting it. Its actually hanging up in my house...feels a little strange, but I love it that much. My first attempt at snow and I love the colors, the touch of snow on the roof and seeing through the small window on the left to the back of the house. Hope you enjoy it too!

WOW, so soon?

LOL, told you I'd be back soon!

This was my first attempt at plein air...it's an 8x8 in oil, that I painted over the summer. I love it. Much better than my clouds. Nothing spectacular, but I was pleased with the way I made the trees seem individual rather than one giant bush! I was concerned with that when I started and was happy with the end result.

Thankfully I haven't been purged...

WOW, it's been a long time...surprised I still have a blog! I'm not going to make excuses, it's very hard to find time to paint with the expectations I have for myself as well as keep updating a blog. I'm a very, very slow painter (understatement)so even if I had the time to paint, I'd be lucky to put out more than 8 paintings a year. So, that being said, as most of us have, I've put together a very LOOONNNNGGGGG list of New Years Resolutions and while I've already failed at enforcing some, I've already kept up on one and that is painting. I've worked on some pastels this week, so for the short term, I'm somewhat satisfied. So, before I get to some of my new stuff, I'm going to post some of my paintings I've finished last year.

This painting you see here is a painting of a picture I shot last year at Plum Island during the Hurricane (can't remember which one) two summers ago. I brought my kids to the beach in the evening to see the large waves and feel the high winds, it was an amazing evening. I did not do the photo justice. It's a 12x16 in oil and my first attempt at clouds. I feel, I failed miserably! I truly don't like it and struggled mightily with it. I must have spent 8 months on it, no exaggeration. I almost trashed it a couple times, but was encouraged to continue with it.

Stay tuned...more to come. Promise!