Living Color

Not Representing Anything

2011-05-30T20:47:00.001-04:00

I enjoyed a brief little article in ArtSlant about painting abstract works (link below). It may be especially interesting to people who find abstract work intimidating because there appears to be nothing concrete to get one's head around...to understand. But this article points out that even when the artist tries to be completely abstract there is always an element of "representation" meaningful to the artist...even if he doesn't realize it is happening. We paint who we are, can't help it. Likewise, the viewer can choose to interpret the work in response to his own life experience. It becomes an interactive experience from all perspectives.

ArtSlant: On Not Representing Anything

The painting above is an abstract work done progressively by 5 different painters in one of my Tao of Painting Workshops. The paper had marks on it to start and each painter took a turn at responding to what was in front of her, so there are 5 personal commentaries in this work.
What does it communicate to you?

An alcohol-induced accident...

2011-05-11T21:07:00.000-04:00

Reflecting. 12" x 12" Pastel

This pastel had been hanging around the studio for months. It was started as a snowy landscape. I disliked it very much. Often with such problem pieces done on Wallis paper like one I just rub out the image and start painting again. The ghosting left from the first image is often inspiring and leads to something exciting. On this one I decided to drench it with alcohol spray...what possessed me I don't know.

I've long used alcohol to set a first layer of pastel. It does a nice job and dries quickly and takes a new thick layer of color beautifully. Sometimes I will put lots of alcohol to turn the pastel the consistency of paint and then paint into it with a brush. But this time I turned the piece upside down and just kept spraying and spraying until the colors ran together, dripped and splattered. The paper was buckled and warped. It was soaked and took nearly an hour to dry.

Hmmm. In addition to the dripping and running of colors, the texture of the Wallis kind of lifted in places. It looks and feels very sandy, not buttery like a normal pastel. I went into it gently with soft pastel in just a few places to accent a line or a shape, but mostly this is as I found it when dry, with just a tad of cropping.

I love abstractions but keep flip-flopping about whether this is anything beyond just interesting. Comments are welcome.

When a Painting Connects

2011-04-16T21:36:00.000-04:00

A Monet Day, 24" x 24", oil on panel

It's such a joyful experience when a painting connects with someone. Such was my experience at a recent artwalk in downtown Bangor which resulted in the purchase of this painting: A Monet Day. The buyer is a friend of a friend who has recently moved to Maine. While I had met her before, this visit to my art walk exhibit was the first time she had seen my work. She asked for the full tour, painting by painting. She is an art collector and especially loves to own works by artists she knows. When we arrived at this painting, she really responded to it: the colors, the fluidity of the marks and glazed areas. I told her that last summer I had spent a few days painting at the Lily Pond in Stonington, Maine. I had done several paintings on site, one from which this larger one was conceived. She knew the place. While new to living in Maine, she's had a brother here for years, and on her very first visit years ago, he took her to the Stonington Lily Pond, his absolute favorite place. She had been looking for a very special birthday gift for him, and this, she decided, was it! I took it back the my studio to frame and now it is in her home, waiting to be delivered to him.

I learned how important it is to talk about a work. Prospective buyers like to hear the story of the work, the place, the process. You just never know how the story will resonate and make a connection.

Painting with Abandon at the Tao Workshop

2011-04-10T19:09:00.001-04:00

The Tao of Painting Workshop yesterday was such fun. Lots of energy with everyone looking to work with the natural flow of creating art works. The morning was spent working in group exercises designed to relieve all painters of the potential for judgment and comparison, the fear of the blank canvas, and rules. For the paintings shown here, each participant was given a sheet of multi-media board that had random painted marks (each board different). They were instructed to focus, react and respond to the marks presented with their own addition of color, line, or texture in any medium. A variety of painting tools and media were available and had been experimented with in an earlier exercise. After +/- 5 minutes of work, the boards were passed to the painter to the right, and this "round" continued until each board had been worked on by each painter. We all liked the results of this particular exercise so much that we decided to donate the set of 5 to the Bangor School Department fundraiser for Japan relief. Kal Elmore, a workshop participant and art teacher at Bangor High is facilitating this donation. Participating painters in addition to Kal: Christine Swersey, Deb Jellison, Linda Miller, and Darlene Smith.

The afternoon was spent applying the experiences from the morning exercises...painting intuitively...to a still life, and finally to a work from memory or imagination.

Tao of Painting Workshop, Saturday April 9

2011-04-02T17:35:00.002-04:00

DreamWork 24" x 18" oil on panel

I've developed this workshop to share with painters the joy I find in working more intuitively; in developing a dialog with the painting so that it seems to paint itself. It's a process that I strive to accomplish every time I paint, but it takes practice, and I am not always able to achieve the level of mindfulness and focus that is necessary. I've found there are three factors that subconsciously get in the way and always lead me to "safe painting": fear of failure, criticism/judgement (by self or others), and rules of art.

We will explore ways for the painter to work past these barriers toward a more natural, responsive, expressive process, and find the balance between playfulness and skill. When it works, painting becomes a vibrant and powerful experience.

Tao: the art or skill of doing something in harmony with the essential nature of the thing; the process of nature by which all things change and which is to be followed for a life of harmony.

This workshop is for painters of any level and in any medium, however I recommend quick drying media such as watercolor, acrylic, gouache and pastel. Mixing media will be encouraged. Bring drawing supplies too such as charcoal and colored pencils. We will not be focusing on technique here. Focus will be on freeing oneself to let go of safe painting.

For more information, or to register Click Here

The End of My Purple Passion

2011-03-09T20:19:00.001-05:00

Purple Wood, Oil on panel, 9 x 9.75"

About a year ago my palette consisted of bright reds and purples almost exclusively. I just loved the combination especially with a splash of cad yellow deep. This piece is from that period. Never quite satisfied with the composition it's been literally hanging around my studio for me to look at once in a while. Finally yesterday I added the tree in the foreground and toned down some of the purple haze in the back woods. I've decided it's done, and that I'm done with this palette for good.

At a painting workshop last summer with abstract painter, Jon Imber, he was critical of my purple rocks, purple trees, and I was banned for the week from using purple. He wanted me to tone down my palette in general and use colors and tones seen in nature. This proved to be a wonderful challenge for me and taught me a lot about using these potent colors more judiciously. Earth tones, greys and blacks in a composition will enhance a rich, brilliant color and make it more meaningful to the composition. In my newest works I am putting this to practice with much gratification.

Pastel Workshop - A High Energy Day!

2011-02-27T10:16:00.002-05:00

Pam Dunphy

It was a lively workshop day yesterday with 4 attendees of varied levels of experience. We experimented with a variety of papers to understand how surface affects the pastel application. Pastels come in so many degrees of softness, and we tried them all to gain understanding of which is best for a particular desired result. Underpainting techniques were also explored. We definitely packed a lot into one day and I am so thrilled with the pieces that were taken home. There was a lot of working outside one's comfort zone, essential for growth. Here is one selection from each person, top to bottom:

Helena Bosse

Pam Dunphy is a mixed-media artist, an expressive realist. This was her first experience using truly soft pastels and she exploited the medium beautifully in her bold, exciting style.

Helena Bosse's oils and watercolors are saturated with wonderful light, (helenambosse.com) and she brought that to her pastels too...also a first experience with very soft pastels.

Bob Littlefield

Bob Littlefield, with a fine hand for detail and realism focused his day on simplifying the landscape to its essentials, using large shapes of color and varied expressive marks. This piece has great depth and lovely light.

Christine Towne Swersey

Christine Towne Swersey has just recently begun to explore art making and mediums. The deliciously rich color and texture of soft pastel brought out her expressiveness. This beautifully simplified landscape exploded with color and energy.

I wish I could post everything, as it was a very exciting and productive day. Thanks to all for participating.

For info on other workshop offerings, click here.

Crazy for Glazing

2011-02-21T22:41:00.002-05:00

Tidal Pool Oil on panel 24 x 24"

I've studied the work of abstract painter Emily Mason (see Midnight Oil, below) for a long time, enamoured by her brillant use of thin glazes juxtaposed with broad bold thick brush marks. She's been at it for a lifetime so I know these decisions come to her intuitively. I've been patiently experimenting hoping to come to it in my own way.

Midnight Oil - Emily Mason

Glazing is applying very thin layers of color over other dry (or nearly dry) thin layers. Soft flat brushes work best...sable being ideal but Richeson makes a nice line of synthetics that work fine for my needs right now. The process results in a deep, rich luminosity. The old masters practiced glazing of course, Vermeer being the glazing king, painstakingly applying layer after layer of translucent color with fastidious intention. But I don't see it a lot in contemporary painting.

Well, I sure don't work like Vermeer, nor do I come close to Emily Mason. Still, glazing is starting to work for me and I can't get enough of it.

Like most of the paintings I'm most pleased with, Tidal Pool (top) started much differently and slowly morphed into this composition. Rubbing out parts and glazing over with new colors, shapes started to emerge and I followed them. It started to remind me of Monhegan shores. Two more are in progress with a similar palette and I'm proceeding in the same slow and patient way, hoping for a series, but really just hoping that there will be at least two that will please me as much as Tidal Pool.

Alla Prima Oil Workshop Successes

2011-02-13T19:52:00.008-05:00

LeeAnne Mallonee

Kris Whitney

The first of my five workshops - Alla Prima Oil Painting - was such fun. A great group of painters ranging in experience from one total newbie to oils ....to one third-time attendee to this class, and three in between, renewing oil interest and learning this wet-on-wet process. Everybody went home happy with at least two paintings, some with three. All these pieces are 6 x 6" oil on panel using walnut oil as a medium.

Gail Hipsky

From top to bottom: LeeAnne Mallonee, an abstract painter accomplished in encaustic and caran d'ache, applied her vibrant, sensuous style to the alla prima process beautifully. Kris Whitney, known for her beautiful seascapes and highly expressive abstracts, typically works in acrylic. She painted a luminous, atmospheric Monhegan. Gail Hipsky, a pastel painter, worked in oil for the first time ever! Gail's work always has fabulous color, energy, and composition, but this is great paint handling for her first time with the medium.

Terri Sanzenbacher

Terri Sanzenbacher attended this workshop for the third time. The day just wouldn't be the same without her. This still life is so delicious with her rich color and bold brush. Francine Frank used generous amounts of walnut oil medium to obtain these lush colors bleeding together in places and the unplanned, but much-loved drips. Such a lovely dreamy quality.

Francine Frank

I'm so happy to be able post a sampling for each workshop attendee. It was a great way to spend a cold Maine day.

Contact info for the artists is as follows:

LeeAnne Mallonee: inkstonestudio.net

Kris Whitney: kristborg@aol.com

Gail Hipsky: hipskygail76@gmail.com

Terry Sanzenbacher: evergreenhealing@myfairpoint.net

Francine Frank: www.francine-frank.artistwebsites.com

Next up: Pastel Painting, February 26 which is now full.

Click here for complete workshop schedule

When Making a Living and Making Art Collide

2011-02-08T19:39:00.001-05:00

Like many working artists, I have a variety of revenue streams from which I make my living. Art sales alone are not enough...yet. In addition to teaching and conducting workshops, I do occasional graphic design projects (my livelihood before taking the leap). The challenge for me is to be disciplined in how I carve up the time, in order to stay consistent with my studio practice and maintain my networking and marketing efforts. I've been pretty successful at doing this despite the inevitable ebb and flow of the outside work and associated deadlines. But the past few weeks have been different. A feast of graphic design has hit me, along with an unusual illustration commission (see above) and my time has been fragmented and consumed beyond control. Regular studio practice has suffered and so has my daily work on little oils (also a good source of revenue).

The image here is a portion of a 9 X 12 illustration for a new line of tortilla chips. I have also designed the new retail bags (3 varieties). This is one of three such illustrations to be done. I'm drawing from life in colored pencil in a style I haven't used in a very long time. Typically I'm striving to resist detail!

So, as I look yearningly and excitedly at all the new paintings I have underway, I need to keep reminding myself that this will pass, and the resulting cash will sustain me for several months. Then I can paint with abandon.

As insecure and unpredictable as this way of life is sometimes, I wouldn't trade it for anything else.

While the rest of the world watches SuperBowl...

2011-02-06T21:15:00.001-05:00

....I'm blogging! Am I un-American? Not that I have anything against the SuperBowl or watching it, in fact I think the gatherings sound fun... I just don't know anything about football, nothing at all. And, I don't have a TV. So, this is a nice quiet time for me to catch up on tasks.

My weekend was full of small tasks, one being uploading a new page to my website just for pastels. I thought it would be important to have an area designated to that medium as I've been invited to be guest artist for the Pastel Painters of Maine's Plein Air Weekend Retreat in early June.

While preparing the page, I remembered this work, "Island Hopping," which was done for an exchange my pastel class does every holiday season...a really lovely little tradition we have. So, I had to borrow it back briefly to photograph it. It's actually my most recent pastel work.

Well, on to the next item on my list.... hmmm, wonder who's winning?!

Letting go of what's precious

2011-01-31T19:17:00.002-05:00

Late last fall I spent a day at Schoodic Point and was drawn to the cuts of ledge along the shore road (most people are drawn to the wild surf crashing against the rocks). When I got home I was eager to attack a canvas to express my experience. I had just started working with a galkyd mix medium which gives the paint an incredibly smooth fluidity. I went at it without intention of depicting reality. I worked fast, splashing paint around and I was very excited with where this took me (top). I immediately photographed it and sent it to my dear friend, painter, and respected art historian/teacher (she looks at art all day long) for her kind but honest critique. I knew there were parts unresolved but I was so in love with some of the passages that I didn't know what to do without ruining those precious parts. Here's what she said:

"Wow - great start! I do agree with you that you need some further work at the botton left. I also think you need to resolve the central portion. Remember that I am just viewing a digital shadow of the actual work, but to me, there is a mushy kind of disconnect between the blue/grey foreground and what is going on in the middle and deep distance. Now if you are going for abstraction that is not an issue, and I also think even so the composition reads as top central triangle of blue/pink, slashes of yellowy green meeting in the center and more structured block like forms at the base. I think you could firm up the composition to get a stronger sense of form no matter which way you are heading with this. As it stands now to me, everything is falling off to the left and I am just longing to get a sense of structure. Does any of this make sense to you?Maybe if you counter the dominant stretch of yellowy green running in from the left downwards with something to pull the energy back into the work?"

Hmmm. My heart sank but I knew she was right. Lack of structure in my work is the biggest criticism I get and something I always struggle with, being so involved in color. But I didn't want to touch it. I didn't want to lose the fluidity, the spontaneity. But I've also been told by many a teacher and mentor to NOT get attached to parts of a painting and try to work around them. It never works, and I have confirmed that before. So, I let the painting sit for many weeks. I looked at it frequently but separated myself emotionally from what excited me about it. One day, I just knew what it needed and launched in as though it was a whole new painting. (bottom) There is very little of what I loved about the original left, but it is a far superior painting. And I like it more than the original stab. This is what my friend said: "Oh! Divine, dreamy marvelous beautiful!"

Moral of the story: don't let anything about painting become precious and untouchable.

Finished painting: On the Rocks, 14 X 18, oil on canvas panel

Donating Art...Singing the Blues

2011-01-19T17:51:00.000-05:00

It seems there is no "off-season" when it comes to getting asked to donate art for non-profit fundraisers. And while most artists I know, including myself, are active in their communities and generous with their time, it does become difficult when asked so frequently to donate pieces of art. Here are my two main beefs:

1. Most of the time, the auctions include all kinds of stuff—from trips to heating oil. The art is beautiful and provides a lovely visual backdrop for the event, but the attendees are not primarily art buyers. If they bid on a piece they are hoping to get it for a song...partly because they aren't appreciative of the value.

2. It is expensive to frame a work and often the piece sells for less than the cost of the frame. I feel that I would be better off keeping the work to sell at full price and send a check to the nonprofit for something close to what the piece would bring.

There have been a few events in which the group splits the take with the artist 50/50 or 60/40. That is helpful in a couple ways. It recognizes the value to the artist, and it encourages artists to donate better work. But this seems to be rare.

I am honoring my donation commitments made so far this year, but would like to outline some criteria for future commitments. Maybe it considers the level of marketing exposure offered; maybe it's purely philanthropic, driven by the cause itself; maybe it considers the quality of the event; or maybe I simply limit donations to "all art" auctions, and write a check to the others.

I would love to hear how others handle this dilemma. Meanwhile, this is the piece I just donated to our community's Symphony Orchestra fundraiser. "A Monet Moment," 8 x 8" oil on panel, framed.

Responding and Being in the Moment

2011-01-17T21:12:00.000-05:00

I always finish our 8 week pastel sessions with a group project. This time, we had been working hard to get out of our comfort zone, looking at things in a new way, and striving to work more intuitively. So, we finished up with a "painting in the round" sort of exercise. Each student (10) was given a blank sheet of Wallis and was instructed to make some marks with no intention; any color, any style of mark. After 2 minutes each student handed their sheet to the person to their right. That person would then respond to what was on the paper. This continued around the table until the paintings ended up back with the person who started it. The experience was freeing. No ownership. No intention. No wrong or right solution. Each person had his or her own dialogue with what was presented at the moment. Most found it exhilarating and a confidence builder in trusting their intuition. These are a few of my favorites.

Some thoughts on Oil Painting Mediums

2010-11-07T14:44:00.001-05:00

There are so many combinations and options for painting with oil, and then of course there is the newer water-soluble oils (which I have never tried). When I paint alla prima (wet on wet, completed all in one sitting) in a small format (see my small paintings blog for examples) I like to use walnut oil. It's very fluid and keeps the paint thin yet still buttery, making it ideal for mixing color right on the panel, which is what I like most about wet on wet. Poppy seed oil can also be used. The bonus is it's non toxic and has no odor like linseed oil. I also clean my brushes with vegetable oil so I can keep my studio toxin free (no turp)...especially good for working indoors in the winter. Vegetable oil is also very kind to your brushes...a natural conditioner. One word of caution: keep walnut or poppy seed oil in a cool place as it will go rancid in the heat.

However, when I work large I have to confess that I prefer the poisons. Using galkyd mixed with oil and mineral spirits is just fabulous for thick, buttery paint and smooth application. I paint on panel mostly and really like NOT having bristle marks in my strokes. Galkyd does the job. It's also is great for glazing too! The larger the percentage of galkyd to mineral spirits, the faster the paint dries. Downside? Mineral spirits have odor...even low odor and so-called odorless smell, so you MUST work with ventilation. Gamsol is the least toxic alternative to MS. It smells too though, but at least it is not absorbed through the skin.

These are the two avenues I've experienced and like. I welcome thoughts of others about oil mediums.

Velvet Ground: 7 x 9" oil on panel

Visit My New Small Painting Blog

2010-11-05T14:29:00.003-04:00

Part of my studio practice is doing small, mostly 6" x 6" oil paintings on panel, almost every day. These have become so popular, often as gifts, that I've decided to start a blog to make it easy for interested buyers to see what is new and available. All paintings are $100 unframed, and I do have a small inventory of contemporary float frames customized for these works.
Visit often as I try to upload new works several times per week.
Click here for Small Painting Blog

Maine Land & Light-Seven Painters - Boyd Place, Bangor, Maine

2010-10-26T13:22:00.003-04:00

I am please to be part of a group show at the lovely gallery space at Boyd Place in Bangor, Maine, now through January 2011. Other artists exhibiting include Ragna Bruno, Jill Hoy, Paul Thibodeau, Judith Leighton, and Tim and Thea Flanagan

The work is quite diverse and makes for a stimulating exhibit. There will be an opening reception on Sunday, November 14 from 3-5 pm. Boyd Place is located at Boyd and York Streets in Bangor, near St. John's Catholic Church.

Gathering Textures for Monoprints

2010-10-23T12:37:00.001-04:00

Autumn in Maine is all about color and texture. As I work on putting my gardens to bed, I'm gathering leaves, dried blossoms, stems to store away and use as textures in my monotype prints this winter. I use a gelatin plate which is very receptive to the finest of textures which transfer easily to the paper with simple pressure of hand rubbing. So, I don't need the use of a press. I will make the gelatin plates the day before and spend the entire day, sometimes two days, printing with abandon and without intention. Then the next few days are spent assessing what prints work best. The most pleasing are almost always result of happy accidents. Those that don't work as stand alone pieces, I will cut up and use in collage. The first piece below is an example of one of those wonderful happy accidents. The second one is a collage made from combining elements of several different prints.

Emily Mason, Abstract Expressionist and Colorist Extraordinaire!

2010-10-16T21:53:00.000-04:00

I just read an Art in America review of Emily Mason's recent show at LewAllen Galleries in Santa Fe. One of my very favorite colorists and abstract painters, Mason is not as well known as some of her more famous contemporaries such as Joan Mitchell and Helen Frankenthaler. I've never figured out why that is. Her work is so exciting and bold, and as she approaches 80 years old, it's great to see new works as vibrant and luscious as ever. To read the review, follow this link:

http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/reviews/emily-mason/

Photo: Emily Mason: Everything Unknown, 2003, oil on canvas, 40 by 38 inches; at LewAllen.

Fall studio clean-out sale

2010-10-13T20:30:00.002-04:00

About a month ago I had house guests that had never visited before and they were eager to go up to my studio and look around. It's a mess. I had a lot of things on easel, but they took to poking through piles of work that had been set aside, most of them had never been shown for one reason or another. They kept coming up with pieces I had forgotten about that they really liked, and they even went home with a few. It gave me the idea that I should do an inventory of these works and have a studio clean-out sale this fall. So, that is what I'm doing. Images are being posted as I get the chance to photograph them. There will be an open studio in November, I will sell them directly from the website gallery, and I will also welcome appointments to look at a specific work. Everything from oils to charcoal sketches.

The Power of Now

2010-10-12T08:32:00.001-04:00

A couple days ago I posted about fear of art... that feeling of negativity, a resistance, a tentative approach to the work. A teacher told me that it's visible in one's brush strokes. One needs to "get out of one's head" and into the Now to release that tension and resistance. Quiet the negative thoughts in one's head that zap the confidence. Be present. Mindful. Zen.

I have recently returned to The Power of Now. I think it is one of the best books for learning the art of being present and sustaining the practice in everyday life. Tolle articulates, with clarity and insight, the process and why it is important to achieving true inner happiness. Definitely an ongoing process, this work, but it gets easier with practice! I highly recommend this book to left-brains and right-brains alike.

Leaving the camera at home

2010-10-11T06:59:00.000-04:00

This summer I decided to leave my camera behind while on painting excursions, leaving only sketching as an option for recording the experiences. I did this for a week on Monhegan Island, a week in Stonington, Maine, and several day trips. Some sketches were more detailed, but here's an example of thumbnails I did on location in Stonington. Doing sketches really makes one look carefully at the landscape. While only recording the essentials, and doing some serious simplifying, one can set up the structure of a painting, while totally absorb the experience of the place.... color, atmosphere, light, temperature. The painting above the thumbnails was done later, in the studio, directly from the sketch on the right.

Art and Fear

2010-10-10T00:54:00.000-04:00

"Truth and reality in art do not arise until you no longer understand what you are doing and are capable of, but nevertheless sense a power that grows in proportion to your resistence."

I love this quote by Henri Matisse. The resistance or the fear seems to almost always be there no matter how much I paint. My best work always happens when, for some strange reason, on a given day, I go forth with abandon—fearless and clueless.

This painting is from one of those glorious days. From the Salt Pond. Pastel. 5.5 X 5.5"

Getting back to it.

2010-10-09T21:32:00.002-04:00

Yike, it's hard to believe it's been since June since I've posted. This fabulously beautiful summer went by so fast and now I've got a fire in the fireplace tonight. I spent one wonderful week on Monhegan with painter friends, then another great week in Stonington, for Stonington Painter's Workshop. Both weeks were heavenly and painterly. Much of the remaining summer painting time was spent fulfilling orders for little 6 X 6 paintings which have become very popular for wedding gifts and experimenting with new techniques and approaches that I learned at the Painting Workshop. I will do upcoming posts about that and Monhegan. For now here are a couple of the 6 x6" works that were commissioned for young Mainers leaving home...special places for them to remember.

The value of waiting....

2010-06-07T20:24:00.003-04:00

This is a piece that I started many months ago. It wasn't going well...the colors were more blues and violets and it just wasn't working. The painting didn't speak to me. Then a few weeks ago I decided to just attack it in a whole new way, simply responding to the marks that were there with new marks, shapes and a whole new pallette—no real intention. There is a lot of paint on that canvas now, but it takes me to an imaginary place that I would love.
Fern Wood. Oil on canvas. 20 X 16"

Alla Prima oil painting

2010-05-26T21:54:00.001-04:00

On May 15 I held an all day workshop in alla prima oil painting. Alla prima is a style of painting where, instead of building colors up with layers or glazing over an underpainting, the painting is completed while the paint is still wet—wet on wet. Strictly defined, an alla prima painting would be started and finished in one painting session, but the term is also more loosely applied to any painting done in a direct, expressive style, with minimal preparation. This is the method I use in my daily paintings on masonite panels, so I had loads of these little panels on hand for people to try.

We had six participants, about half had never painted in oil before. We had a great time and all went home happy with successful paintings. I'm posting two here by Terri Sanzenbacher. They are so alive with color and energy and I thank Terri for sharing them for this post. They are both 6" X 6".

The next workshop is Saturday, June 19. Email me for details:
lrpackard at yahoo dot com.

Pastel Class

2010-05-26T21:39:00.000-04:00

Our pastel class is taking a break for the summer, but the work from these classes is on display for the entire summer at the Hammond Street Senior Center in Bangor. We had a wonderfully attended and fun opening reception on May 13. Class member Sue Roberts has posted photos from the event on her blog: www.suzanne-roberts.blogspot.com Check out her blog AND the class show. The show will also be open during the Downtown Bangor Art Walk on June 18 and many of the artists will be on hand.

During the break the class continues to get together and paint on Thursdays at different Maine locations. Sue also has photos of them painting in downtown Bangor last Thursday: www.suzanne-roberts.blogspot.com

On teaching....

2010-04-21T21:17:00.004-04:00

I've really been neglecting my blog, working diligently in my studio. One thing that I've not mentioned on this blog is my classes. For nearly two years I've been teaching pastel painting at the Senior Center in Bangor. This class has become the highlight of my week, with 10+ of the most vibrant, energetic and creative "seniors" I've ever known. They defy the age that gains them membership to the Center. The class has evolved into more than pastel painting (that just happens to be the medium we use). It is about color, composition, mood, light, and creative growth. And the growth part is the most exciting as each individual is finding his and her voice in this incredibly supportive group.

In the last class of the winter session, we did a class project. Each person was given a printed segment of a larger photo to paint. The segments were divided in such a way that it was nearly impossible to identify what the subject was. It was a fundamental drawing exercise in the art of seeing. So often when we draw a subject that we know, we editorialize and draw it the way we know it to be rather than exactly what we are seeing. This focus was to draw/paint exactly what each person saw on his printed segment: exact colors, shapes and lines. At the end of the session, I fitted the segments together like a puzzle to show the completed painting.

Here is the illustration of the reference photo, and the resulting composite. We were all giddy with delight when we saw how perfectly everything fit together! With no frame of reference but what was in front of them, they rendered what they saw to near perfection!

This pastel class will be exhibiting work at the Hammond Street Senior Center in Bangor during the month of May. A wine and cheese reception will be held on Thursday May 13 from 2-4. The class project featured above will be on display during that time.

7 February 2010 - Now Showing

2010-02-07T18:12:00.003-05:00

These two pieces are currently exhibiting at the Bangor Art Society's Members' Show, at Bangor Public Library through February. The result of several very loose gouache sketches that I did this past autumn at a friend's farm. Working on canvas this time, the work feels very different from those I've been doing on panel. Looser and lighter, with a more conservative use of paint. Leaf Peeping Time I and II. Oil on gallery wrap canvas. 18 X 18"

5 February 2010 - Small and bold

2010-02-07T18:03:00.004-05:00

Another unintentional work in the continued series. A landscape suggestion but mostly just about bold rich color. I'm calling it Velvet Ground. 9 X 8" oil on masonite panel.

27 January 2010

2010-01-27T15:20:00.004-05:00

My small daily paintings serve as kind of a warm-up exercise for me when I start in on my painting day. Most of what I have posted on my blog have been these little paintings which provide a very nice little cash flow for me while I work on a new body of work. In this new collection of work I have been focusing on abstracting the landscape. Working with less intention and allowing myself to respond to the marks, colors, and shapes as they appear on the canvas or panel. I have found this simplification of the landscape makes a much more powerful statement, and the experience of being in the moment with the painting has a spiritual quality to it. The painting here is one of my first successes, in that I achieved that experiential purity for which I strive. I title it Dream Work, as it really feels as though I created it outside of myself.

Oil on panel, 18" X 24"

January 22, 2010 - Iris

2010-01-23T18:07:00.003-05:00

Continuing on with my garden paintings, this is a larger piece, 8 X 10 of my purple iris. The first real showcase of color after the spring bulbs are finished blooming. Wish they lasted longer.

http://mainepainter.etsy.com

January 17, 2010 More blooms

2010-01-17T19:08:00.004-05:00

The newest garden paintings, blue delphinium and thistle-like somethings...I've never known the proper name for these little magenta blooms but they grace my garden in many spots. http://mainepainter.etsy.com

January 15, 2010 - Thinking spring

2010-01-16T11:09:00.003-05:00

Those who know me know that I don't "winter over" very well. So, to battle the winter blues I've turned my daily painting focus to blooms from my cottage garden. This garden is an art project in itself, and I spend lots of time working in it from as early as April until November. These paintings are oil on panel, all 4 X 6" and are available on my Etsy site.

December 14, 2009 - Custom Note Cards

2009-12-14T21:51:00.012-05:00

I've been making custom note cards from my images and have decided to add them to my offerings on my website, here, and my Etsy site. They are 5.5 X 4.25 inches on a nice quality white mat stock with envelope, and blank inside. Any image from my portfolio of small landscapes (see website) can be chosen. I particularly like the square daily painting images in a vertical card format (left), but they do work well as a horizontal card too. Individual card with envelope will be priced at $4.00, a set of 5 cards for $17.00 or 10 for $32.00. I hope to have them posted to my Etsy site this week, but I will sell directly in the meantime.

December 8, 2009 - Sketches yield surprises

2009-12-08T12:32:00.007-05:00

I was going through a pile of little gouache sketches I did back in October while visiting a friends farm. My intention was to use them as inspiration for larger paintings, which I will still do...but after not seeing them for a couple months, I found some of them really intriguing on their own. The color is quite vibrant...not like my pastels or oils, and the total abandon with which I did them yields a fresh, abstract expression. I am going to mat and frame these three for sure. The first two I may mat and frame as a diptych.

And, I have know clue as to why the images won't line up. Never had the problem before. Annoying but I'll keep on trying.

December 4, 2009

2009-12-04T20:03:00.004-05:00

Hard to believe it's December already, and that it's been six weeks since I've posted. Spent October working on three commissions, none of which I can post yet since they are to be holiday gifts. A wonderful week in St. Louis, followed by a bout with the flu, followed by a Thanksgiving trip...all leaves me low on small paintings for my Etsy site. I've closed it temporarily until inventory is back up. My few remaining 6 X 6 oils are hanging at a wonderful little salon in Bangor, About Face, thanks to the graciousness of owner Kristen Ames. Her studio is at 124 Lancaster Street, off of Essex Street in Bangor where she offers a menu of hair, skin care, and massage services. I'll be back to a regular painting schedule hopefully next week.

October 20, 2009

2009-10-13T14:23:00.007-04:00

I've put my small daily paintings on hold the last couple weeks to work on three commissioned pieces which I would like to have done by November. In the meantime, I am wading through a collection of monotypes and other mixed media pieces that have been accumulating to load to my Etsy site. Hoping to have a variety of pieces to gear up for holiday gift giving. Here's one that I had forgotten about and kind of like. Any thoughts?

Lakeside Birches. Monotype on paper. 5 X 7"

October 9, 2009 - Maine Farm

2009-10-09T18:08:00.004-04:00

Another piece in my Maine Farm series. I came upon this view, driving along the tractor road to the lower fields. I just loved the grasses and cattails against the bright reds and oranges.

6 X 6"oil on panel.

October 7, 2009 - Leaf Peeping

2009-10-07T15:40:00.006-04:00

The rains this week will surely finish off the brilliance of the foliage here in Maine. Fortunately, I've been out and about sketching and painting, and also taking lots of photos to reference for ongoing pieces. I spent a couple different days hanging around the farm of a friend which provided some wonderful colors and compositions. I am doing a series of small daily paintings - Maine Farm series - to post as they are completed. The Lower Field (bottom) is the first, accompanied by another that came from my general wonderings about. I just love the lusciousness of this season.

Foliage 1 (top): 6 X 6" oil on panel
The Lower Field (bottom): 6 X 6" oil on canvas
Both available at http://mainepainter.etsy.com

October 2 - Tidal Falls

2009-10-02T10:22:00.005-04:00

This is a place that I used to frequent back when my son was a lobster cooker at the little shore-side restaurant there...a real Maine summer job. We used to enjoy our lobster at the picnic tables that sat near the shore and watch and listen to the tidal whitewater and marvel at the reversing falls. Lots of shore birds too. This is a 6 X 6" oil on panel.

September 30 - Zoom in, zoom out

2009-09-30T12:08:00.002-04:00

Bangor Art Society's summer project was to choose a subject and zoom in close to it, and zoom out for a broad view. I chose one of my favorite Maine spots, Flye Point in Brooklin, Maine. Great color at low tide. The little spruce trees on the island really do grow like that! The broad view is 6 X 8 and the closer view is 6 X 6. Both oil on panel.

September 25 - In the fog, sometimes

2009-09-30T11:44:00.004-04:00

Months have passed since my foggy week residency at Great Spruce Head Island, and the experience still affects me in some way, every day. For my small daily paintings I try to plan out my subjects for the week. Some days either my planned painting doesn't feel right, or I just go into the studio without a plan. On those days I find myself going back to that week, and drawing on those images...the spruce, the fog, the subtle but powerful colors. This was one of those days. Fogged-in. 6 X 6 oil on panel. Sold.

September 18, 2009 - Thinking autumn

2009-09-19T09:47:00.005-04:00

The crisp cool air brings thoughts of autumn, and that always makes me think of the wonderful coastal blueberry barrens in their brilliant crimsons and oranges. They aren't there yet, but will be soon. I used to paint them a lot, and then stopped because it seemed so many Maine painters were painting them...but now, with a commission for one in hand, I decided to make a few small studies in preparation for the large one. In doing so I remembered how much I loved the views. These are all 6 X 6" on masonite panel.

September 15, 2009 - Seeing the same landscapes in a new way

2009-09-15T15:14:00.006-04:00

At a recent art talk by Connie Imboden, she talked about her creative process over the decades. She's a photographer but her process and thoughts on creativity cross all disciplines and media. I felt she was speaking to me and my endeavors, and I'm sure every artist in the room felt the same way. She said that in our process we don't need to find new landscapes (for example), but find new ways to see the same landscapes. That is exactly what I strive for in developing my new work. I had just completed these little pieces before attending the talk, so I felt really great! These are small pastels of familiar places reduced to large shapes of bold vibrant color.

Sept 8, 2009...Long weekend

2009-09-08T16:41:00.005-04:00

I'm regrouping in the studio after taking the long holiday weekend to work in my garden...the process of reorganizing the garden is much like taking on a new painting. It is in the very early roughed-in stage, and an ongoing project through the fall to have everything just right for spring blooms. So, today I've been regrouping in the studio, planning out what will be worked on this week, and going through older pieces for selections to add to my Etsy shop and perhaps something to submit to the Arts Are Elementary 10 X 10 benefit show. This is an older monotype print that I've always loved, calm and energy at the same time, so I posted it to Etsy today. "Contentment."

August 31, 2009 Painting large(r)

2009-08-31T22:04:00.002-04:00

Today I finished a couple larger paintings that had been in progress, one in oil on 24 X 24 panel, and one in gouache on paper, about 12 x 22 - done on Monhegan but needed a little something. These are large for me, having been focused on the small 6 x 6 alla prima oils for some time. Finally I have a small inventory of these little 6 x 6s available for sale, so I'm moving onto the larger work. I will continue to produce the small ones, at least a few per week. They are great for "warm up" and are also serving me well now as "sketches" for my larger work. Am also preparing to begin work on two commissioned pieces that I hope to have done in September. Posts of the paintings to come...they need photographing.

August 24 - "Borrowed Views" from Starboard Watch

2009-08-25T11:05:00.008-04:00

Working on my greens during this week. It's a color that's always been problematic for me, especially in summer landscape painting...getting the right values especially. These three were done plein air. From left: The Neighbor's Meadow (sold), Summer House (Sold), and Lilies in the Garden.

August 21, 2009

2009-08-22T11:41:00.004-04:00

Another in a series of island views inspired by my experience on Great Spruce Head Island in June. I am finally catching up with these small paintings to get some ahead. People are finding that they make great wedding and housewarming gifts, so I've been very fortunate that they sell very quickly. A nice problem to have!

Sold.

August 12 - Starboard Watch

2009-08-18T22:36:00.005-04:00

I spent the last week, August 11-17 at Starboard Watch in Sargentville, Maine, the home of my dear friends, Bob and Jane. It was a glorious week of spectacular weather and great outdoor painting, looking out over Eggemoggin Reach. Having lived for 13 years in that town, this visit was very special to me. I enjoyed meeting and visiting with fellow house guests Nancy and Deidre of Manhattan, who went home with this little painting, hot off the easel, inspired by my week on Great Spruce Head Island in June. Thanks, Nancy and Deidre...hope you enjoy this little reminder of Maine. I will have more paintings from this week to post soon.

July 11-18, Monhegan Island

2009-08-02T15:13:00.002-04:00

I also enjoyed working in my sketchbook more than ever. Mostly pen and ink sketches like these.

July 11 - 18, Monhegan Island

2009-08-02T15:06:00.002-04:00

I also did some experimenting with Yupo paper... it's a synthetic surface, not like paper at all, on which the paint just sits on top easily moving around after application that can make interesting textures and mixtures. I enjoyed the happy accidents that frequently happened.

July 11-18, Monhegan Island

2009-08-02T15:00:00.003-04:00

I worked in gouache and pastel for the entire week, sometimes combining the two. These two pieces are among my favorites. The view of Manana is gouache with some pastel worked in; the other shows my fascination and love for the delicious color of the rocks and low tide treasures surrounding them.

July 11 - 18 Monhegan Island, Maine

2009-08-02T14:49:00.005-04:00

The week was a wonderful and challenging experience for me. I tend to be a solitary painter, and I also have had little success painting plein air. But, the color and the light were so inspiring, and the company so encouraging and nurturing that I found myself producing work very much outside my comfort zone.

This photo is from my first day at Burnt Head. It shows the essence of Monhegan, for me. It was all about the rocks and the water which provided me with an all new palette. The painting here was done sitting on the rocks in gouache on watercolor paper.

July 11 - 18 Monhegan

2009-08-02T14:12:00.002-04:00

My first ever trip to Monhegan Island, Maine, describe as " a small, rocky Island ten miles from the nearest mainland and scarcely a square mile in area. It is accessible only by boat and there are no cars or paved roads on the Island. For more than 100 years Monhegan has been a summer haven for artists and others who appreciate its isolation, the beauty of its wilderness areas, its quiet relaxed atmosphere, and its unhurried pace."

I was so fortunate to be invited to join 15 other painters (self-named the Plein Air Heads) for a week of (miraculously) beautiful weather. We shared an incredibly funky converted fish house right on the beach. When looking out any window, all one could see is water and rocks.

July 7, 2009 - New daily oils

2009-07-07T09:56:00.004-04:00

Some new 6 X 6" oils on masonite. One from a few weeks ago and one from last week. Have been working mostly on larger pieces (24 X 24 and larger) inspired by the Great Spruce Head Island experience.

First one: A coastal landscape...I just love the ochre colors of low tide. Second one: The Kenduskeag Stream not far from my home.

July 5, 2009

2009-07-05T20:51:00.002-04:00

Just returned from the Turtle Gallery opening for my dear friend Linda Funk, showing her stunning botanical paintings through August 1. I can't recommend this show highly enough. Showing also through August 1 is Larry Moffet's work: oil and pastel landscapes and his new jewelry work. Was great to see him again, and timely, as he is the first person to tell me about Great Spruce Head Art Week.

July 4, 2009, more Art Week work

2009-07-05T20:43:00.004-04:00

These are two small pastels done on one of the painting porches at Great Spruce Head Island. The foggy islands are typical of the weeks' views and the other is my version of what I might see on a clear day. Maybe next time!

July 3- The one afternoon of sun...Art Week

2009-07-03T09:35:00.002-04:00

I did get my easel and pastels out to the orchard during the brief period of sun one afternoon.

July 3- Island woods from Art Week

2009-07-03T09:28:00.003-04:00

While the island offered wonderful coastal views, I found the woods equally colorful and intriguing. These are 3 small, 6 X 6 inch oils on masonite. Two were from views from the various painting porches and the last from memory of a wooded path that I walked the day I arrived on the island.

July 3 - Art Week food

2009-07-03T09:22:00.003-04:00

The food was incredible during the week, thanks to our culinary artists, Barney and Kreston. I wish I had photographed some of the presentations. All homemade meals with locally grown fabulous produce, and desserts to die for. I did this little gouache of a bowl of peaches one rainy day.

June 20-27, 2009 Art Week at Great Spruce Head Island

2009-06-30T10:40:00.012-04:00

An extraordinary experience. Art Week is an annual event centered at Fairfield Porter's family summer retreat on Great Spruce Head Island, and graciously hosted by Anina Porter Fuller, herself an accomplished painter. Since 1993, each summer Anina has invited a group of 12 artists, (painters, writers, sculptors, photographers) to Great Spruce Head Island. The island offers not only bold and majestic views for inspiration but an environment of quiet simplicity where little has changed since the island was purchased and the 12-room summer cottage was built in 1912. It was a time of creativity and sharing that I will treasure forever. If you are not familiar with the work of Fairfield Porter, you can view online a large collection of his paintings at the Parrish Art Museum of Southampton, NY. We shared the weather that most of New England had during that time, but it did not dampen our spirits in the least. We still hiked and explored the island and painted outdoors in the light mist and fog, and during steadier rains many of us turned to painting interiors and still life which we hadn't previously explored in our work. These posts are such interiors, one in gouache and the other in pastel. A new subject for me, I was completely enthralled with the succession of windows in the home and the reflections and dramatic light that they presented.

June 15, 2009

2009-06-15T09:18:00.003-04:00

Attended the Island Artists Show at Courthouse Gallery yesterday afternoon. A wonderful sampling of work by Fairfield Porter and artists that have attended Art Week at Great Spruce Head Island over the years. A great way to get inspired for my own attendance starting next Saturday the 20th. In addition to the inspiring art, I saw many old friends including one of my favorite people and painters, Sarah Faragher (www.sarahfaragher.com) who first told me about Art Week. For information about the show, visit: www.courthousegallery.com

June 12, 2009

2009-06-12T15:31:00.001-04:00

Had a fabulous event last evening at Deighan Associates, Registered Investment Advisors. A great friend of the arts, Deighan Associates hosted an invitation only reception for artists that the firm has featured on holiday cards each year for the last 9 years. Each artist hung a selection of works for sale and Deighan Associates is making a contribution to the Maine Community Foundation's new Penobscot County Fund, based on 10% of sales for the evening. The event was great fun. I got to meet artists that I hadn't known, the turnout was terrific, and sales were brisk. Only thing is, I brought my newest island paintings previously referenced in this blog, but I hadn't scanned them yet for posting. And they all sold. So, my promise of new postings will be postponed probably until I return from Great Spruce Head Island at the end of June.

Thanks so much to Deighan Associates for doing so much for artists and the community. Visit their website at www.deighan.com as well as Maine Community Foundation: www.mainecf.org

June 10, 2009

2009-06-10T10:32:00.000-04:00

More island paintings drying and today am prepping for one special night "private" showing on Thursday along with some very accomplished and established artists. I'll be showing some pastels and a few small oils. More images for posting coming soon.

May 28, 2009

2009-05-28T08:21:00.001-04:00

Dreaming about my island trips coming up this summer, I've started a little series of island paintings. These are the first two inspired by photos from a trip to Lubec last spring. I love the morning light there, the sky is like pink champagne.

SOLD

May 27, 2009

2009-05-27T18:50:00.000-04:00

Blueberry Land. A familiar sight here in eastern Maine. Most artists, including myself, paint the blueberry fields in autumn when the fields become a fabulous vibrant red. I thought I would try to do a summer field. Well, this one too was not done in one session. I really struggled with the values and the line of trees in the back, and am still not completely sure what I think of this piece. 6 X 8" oil on masonite.

May 26, 2009

2009-05-27T18:42:00.001-04:00

Finally the second forsythia painting is dry enough to scan! Truthfully neither of the forsythia paintings were painted in one session. The yellow needed lots of layers to achieve the true-to-life brilliance. The paint is really really thick on these. 6 X 6" oil on masonite. Sold.

May 20-23, 2009

2009-05-22T16:39:00.001-04:00

Working on a series of island paintings, starting with Lubec mornings. Will be ready to post some after long weekend drying.

May 19, 2009

2009-05-19T18:56:00.000-04:00

The weather was so fabulous it was hard to stay indoors. The garden beckoned. But I'm sold out of small paintings for my website and etsy shop, So I worked on garden-like paintings...some small and one large. And a companion to my earlier forsythia. These little 6 X 6" always seem to like companions.

May 17, 2009 - Abstract/ Mixed Media

2009-05-17T19:52:00.000-04:00

In this third piece, I applied some pearlescent printing ink on top of some areas of oil pastel, and then tinted it here and there with soft pastel. The affects do not really show that well in this photo...I need to work on photographing these larger works that do not fit in the scanner! I'll repost if I get better detail, but I hope these present the gist of what I'm up to lately.

Low Tide Treasures, 12 X 16" mixed media on paper

May 17, 2009 - Abstracts/Mixed Media

2009-05-17T19:49:00.000-04:00

Here are a few of my recent experimentations with abstract work which seem "post-worthy." All of these are done on Arches watercolor paper treated for printmaking. I wanted to draw on an intuitive process that I use when making my gelatin monotypes (see these on my website), just responding to the color and shape in front of me, staying in the moment and trying to keep clear of any particular intention. Texture too is a big part of what I enjoy in monotype printing, and any printmaking process, so here I used a combinations of acrylic paint, gouache, some oil pastel sticks, some soft pastel, too. Building up layers and contrasting the properties of the different media: acrylic dries kind of plastic and smooth, gouache has a matte finish, and then adding the pastel marks on top really creates a rich textural quality. Would love to hear comments about this, my new direction.

Top: Joy, 13" X 13" on paper

Bottom: Glimmers of Hope, 11" X 11" on paper

May 14, 2009 - Oh, Forsythia!

2009-05-17T19:18:00.000-04:00

I've spent the last several weeks experimenting in mixed media and larger formats, some results of which I will post soon...photographing them has been a challenge. Meanwhile, I made a trip to the coast, my old neighborhood on the Blue Hill peninsula. It was a dreary day, sadly, but I was brightened by the encounter at nearly every turn by brilliant, dazzling forsythia in full bloom. Eagerly upon returning home, I tried to capture the color on my little 6 X 6 masonite pieces.

6 X 6" oil on masonite. Recently sold from Etsy shop.

April 15, 2009 - Low Light in Field

2009-05-17T19:05:00.000-04:00

Trying an analogous palette makes for nice harmony and a subdued feel. I love pink, in paintings only...would never wear it!

6 X 6" oil on masonite

April 2, 2009 - Downeast Shore

2009-05-17T18:55:00.000-04:00

A rough few weeks of time management and unsuccessful paintings. Nothing post-worthy.

This little one though made me happy. Working in complementary colors always makes for a vibrant composition.

6 X 6" oil on masonite.

March 12, 2009 - Spring Birches

2009-05-17T18:45:00.000-04:00

Another stand of birches using same palette. I'm getting a little tight here. This one not as spontaneous and fluid as the first. Time is becoming an issue in finding priority time for painting.

March 10, 2009 - Spring Fever

2009-05-17T18:18:00.000-04:00

Continuing on with the Wolf Kahn palette (see post for 3/9/09 Red Island) my spring fever made the desire to paint a stand of birches in a purple background irresistible. I have always loved all of Kahn's tree landscapes.

6 X 6 oil on masonite panel

March 9, 2009 - Red Island

2009-05-17T18:14:00.000-04:00

Wolf Kahn has had a huge influence on my sense of color and on my desire to simplify my work—simple shapes of bold color is my goal. I have studied his work for years, along with others of the Abstract Expressionist school. I also share with him similar subject interests, especially stands of trees.I definitely had Kahn's palette and subject interest in mind on this piece, deliberately to push myself into a simpler composition.

March 3, 2009 - River Dream

2009-05-17T18:13:00.001-04:00

Another memory of river paddling. While I love Maine's ocean views, rivers have the most thrilling autumn colors.

6" X 6" oil on masonite panel

March 2, 2009 Sheep in the Meadow

2009-05-17T18:10:00.001-04:00

This is another scene from my joyful experience at Horsepower Farm in Penobscot Maine.

The sheep were not distracted in the least by the steady stream of people walking by all day. The sun streamed into the meadow softly. The whole day was beautiful in its simplicity.

Oil on masonite board 6 X 6 inches.

Feb 28, 2009 - Riverside

2009-05-17T18:08:00.001-04:00

Passionate colors orange and purple are my favorite. I keep going back to them, adding them to landscape in a surprising way. This is a memory of my paddling trip to Vermont on Columbus Day weekend 08.

Riverside. 6 X 6 Oil on panel

Feb 26, 2009 - Horsepower Farm

2009-05-17T18:02:00.000-04:00

Horsepower Farm in Penobscot Maine...I attended the wedding of a friend at this Farm last June and it was the most beautiful country wedding I have ever seen. The day was beautiful, the light was stunning at every turn. This scene was among my favorites for it's light and stillness and I can still hear the steel band and the children frolicking just a few feet away. Fellow artist and photographer Andrea Hand captured the day on film as only she can. You can see her incredible wedding photography at http://www.andreahand.com

Summer at Horsepower Farm oil on 8 X 6 masonite.

Feb 13, 2009 Blazing Barren

2009-05-17T17:59:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite subjects, the blueberry fields in autumn. This hill is near where I used to live on the Blue Hill peninsula, still a vivid memory. For years I commuted back and forth to Bangor, about 1 hour one way, and the views of the blueberry barrens as I made the last leg home every evening always took my breath away. I never tired of that sight.

Oil on masonite 8 X 6 inches

Feb. 12, 2009 Golden Hill

2009-05-17T17:56:00.000-04:00

My intention is to paint in similar subject and similar palette during each week. This piece is a nice companion to the first. After all these years in Maine I never tire of the soft grassy hills, wooded paths and of course, the rocks.

Golden Hill 8 X 6 inches. Oil on masonite.

First Daily Painting- Feb 11, 2009

2009-05-17T17:46:00.000-04:00

My first day. One of my favorite themes, paths to the shore. The path has always interested me as much as the great view on the other side. The anticipation of the view is always a thrill.

"Path to Shore" 8 X 6 inches, oil on masonite panel.