Mixing It Up

work in progress

Here's a new painting - one from the time I spent last Fall at Old Sturbridge Village.  It still has a lot of work but I think it's getting there.  The decorative finish on the bureau is beautiful in real life and is quite fun to paint.  Thank you for taking a look.

The Latch

"The Latch"
4.5" x 6.75"
watercolor on paper

(what this painting could look like framed)

Click here to bid.

I finally feel like I'm catching my breath this year . . . isn't summer wonderful for that!?  :)  So I've "virtually framed" a couple pieces and actually painted "The Latch" this morning before breakfast.  The image is from a door at the Hardwick Winery in Hardwick, Massachusetts. I'm still moving along on some of my other paintings . . . nantucket basket included.  Here are a couple more examples of what my recent paintings could look like framed.  Enjoy your day!

"On The Vine"
6" x 4.5"
(what this painting COULD look like when framed)
click here to bid on just the painting

"Fun Size"
5" x 5"
(what this painting COULD look like when framed)
click here to bid on just the painting

Building A Painting - Morning Sun

"Morning Sun"
17.5" x 24"
(watercolor on Fabriano soft-pressed paper)

Click here to purchase.

I just finished this today and thought I'd post. Oh and I've started another basket! Call me "crazy" -- but this time it's on aquabord so we'll see how it goes. I must say, I'm already having a better time with it. Thanks for stopping by.  Cheers!

Building A Painting (part 4)

Well, I'm in the homestretch.  I can't tell you how many times I painted, then erased, then painted, then erased, etc. that cloth!  I think it's done now -- yeesh.  I believe the quilted pattern solves the problem of your eye being led off the page at the top with the branches that are coming out of the jug. I think my eye keeps bouncing around -- but finally settles on the jug or maybe those branches . . . oh good grief . . . who knows?! Am I really supposed to know these things? Probably . . . but sometimes I just don't.  :) Anyway . . . a few more details to attend to and then she's done! Have a good day.

Building A Painting (part 3)

Big changes for this painting. It was looking far too plain in that there was too much space between the jug and the window so I needed to do something to add more interest, hence the pussywillows. Although now I'm a little afraid the ones coming out of the jug lead your eye out of the painting . . . sigh. The empty space wasn't as prominent in the computer images, but in person, because of the scale of this painting it really wasn't working and I had to do something. 

I've actually made even some more changes since this version, but need to work some of those out. In person, the cupboard is too cool -- kind of purple and just isn't working, so I lightened it up which shows great texture on the antique, but now need to adjust its value again and I'm hoping to get a warmer tone more in keeping with the rest of the painting. Right now it's too jarring. I also will need to adjust some values between the cloth and the cupboard -- I ended up getting too dark with the cloth. I'm pleased with the window at this point and think that's probably done. Today will be a big day for this . . . I'm excited to get started . . . it's in that uncomfortable stage where there are lots of mistakes that need adjusting. Hopefully I can get it to a completed state that works! Have a good day and thank you for stopping by.

Building A Painting (part 2)

Pushing on . . . 

Building A Painting (part 1)

So while the snow flies here in Massachusetts, I thought you might like to see what I'm working on. The overall dimensions of this painting are 17.5" x 24" -- much larger than I normally work. We'll see how it goes. Have a good day and thank you for taking a peek. 

Dark and Different

"Bowl with Apples"
6.25" x 7.5"

I'm still working on this one . . . trying to get the shadows and highlights right and make the cloth and bowl look more believable.  It helps me to take a photo of it and view it on the computer.  I see things I don't see in "real life."  Then I'm able to look at the original and know what more I need to do.  But since I took the photo, I thought I'd post it so you could see what I'm up to.  

This afternoon I'm delivering my "Bittersweet Door" to the New England Watercolor Society Show.  Oh . . . and before I forget . . . I'm giving a watercolor demonstration at the Concord Art Association on April 25th. So if you're in this area I hope you come by. You can click here for more information.  Ok . . . that's all . . . have a good day.

Old Painting, New Auction

"Homespun"

I just put this painting up for auction on the DPW site . . . click here if you're interested in bidding.  I look forward to posting some new paintings tomorrow!