"Double Date"

This painting fell off the brush so to speak. I had such fun with the foreground, adding those purple leaves of the dahlias, plus if you really want to pick the piece apart you could argue that the blue and red chairs visually "mix" purple as well...so there is an overall theme. But if you don't wish to get into fancy art speak..I just like it.

"Enjoy the view"

As you can see I was going for a recurring theme with the chairs and a focus on flowers as well. It was a really satisfying project and I had a great time producing these pieces for this show. One more on Monday...

"Side by side"

This is the smallest painting I have in the show. It was a real challenge to vary the greens. When you have a lot of green in a landscape or a floral piece you really have to push yourself to come up with an interesting color pattern..pushing towards the blues or yellows...variety the spice of "painting".

"Standing Invitation"

This is the largest piece I have in the show. (22"x10") As you can see from my previous posts, Basin Harbor is also well known for their colorful Adirondack chairs. They are spread out all over the property just waiting to "invite" you for a little rest.

"Through the flowers"

Here's number two...The gardens are one of the many things that make Basin Harbor a beautiful and special place.

"Waiting for You"

This week I will post the paintings I have at the Basin Harbor 25th Anniversary Invitational show. The opening reception was fun and the work was varied and unique. If you have a chance check it out, because it's a short one...ending on Saturday the 28th.

Kitchen Journal 10

Okay the last of the kitchen journal for a little while...I need to paint and draw in it some more first! This is making want some watermelon...yummy! The fruits and veggies are at their tip top abundance right now! I don't usually bake sweets, but I make a mean peach and blueberry crostata..also made one with plums..okay off to the kitchen instead of the studio!

Kitchen Journal 9

The under the cabinet wine rack..now captured in my journal. It was fun trying to make the bottles look different eventhough they were all pretty much green glass...I pushed some of them to the purple/blue side and others towards the green/blue side. The glasses indicate quite a party had happened, but I just made them up...otherwise the bottles would have looked too lonely.

Kitchen Journal 8

I painted the peaches with a mix of various colors first. Indian Yellow, Cadmium Yellow Light, Chrome Orange and Carmine..then when that was dry I added a sketchy line around them and in the shadow sides with a red Sharpie ultrafine marker. The sharpie happened to be in the kitchen as well..so I decided to use it.

Kitchen Journal 7

Trying out different pens and tools is one of the fun things about keeping this sketchbook. This is a sepia Faber waterproof felt tipped pen. I have to get into the mindset that I can sketch or record something first and then later I can add color if I want. I don't have to get hung up on "completing" things in one sitting...works in progress..it's an "ongoing" thing!

Kitchen Journal 6

Then it was the Iris' turn on the windowsill. I will post 4 more journal paintings this week...at the end of the week I will be getting ready for the opening reception of the Reflections on Basin Harbor show. This year they celebrate their 25th anniversary(of the show) and have invited select Vermont artists to participate. The show will be up for only 9 days..so pop in if you can.

Kitchen Journal 5

My rules for the kitchen journal are anything that's currently in the kitchen..so that included the one tulip that came up this spring in the garden. I plopped it in a little clear bottle on the windowsill...All the other buds which were ready to burst into blossom had been neatly chewed off their stalks...anyone know who could have been the culprit? We do have a bunny rabbit in the yard this year...and ofcourse squirrels...harrumph!

Kitchen Journal 4

Strawberry season is awfully short! But while they are ripe and happening I buy quite a bunch..It's like anything, right now it's the tomatoes and I'm trying to eat as many as possible, oh and also the corn..it's super sweet. Another reason to keep my kitchen journal....it records the seasons and what's fresh at the time.

Kitchen journal 3

I had ventured out and bought some Olive Oil in a tin..love the graphics and the colors and ofcourse I had to paint it in my journal. I invented the olive branches around the bottle and tin..it helped that I had seen some olive trees up close while visiting California a couple years ago...they don't grow in Vermont! :) go figure

Kitchen journal 2

Sometimes you don't have to tell the whole story and understated simplicity is the way to go. This drawing would probably have lacked something special if I had colored every last tomato. Like I said yesterday this little journal is a way to experiment and play with ideas.

Kitchen sketchbook

Earlier this year I started a sketchbook that I keep on the kitchen table and while I cook dinner and inspiration strikes I spend about 10 or 15 minutes just capturing what's in the kitchen. It's an easy and quick way to keep the creativity going and to practice your craft...This week I will post from that journal.

"Scratching"

I'll leave you for the weekend with this scratching, super busy, red combed rooster. I'm prepping for several upcoming shows and I am thinking of having just my feathered friends framed for one of them. Could be a fun collection..don't know if chickens and such have gone out of style and/or what's trending now? Oh well, there is always a kitchen somewhere with an empty spot on the wall!

Blue Chair

This was a piece done "en plein air" in a lovely garden one hot summer day! I was sitting in the full sun, which was very uncomfortable, but I like the way the painting came out. I later sought out the shade, desperately. This painting is about 14"x18". One of the hardest things is keeping the paint wet enough when it's that sunny and dry outside.

"Ruffled"

I'm contemplating moving the irises in our yard..they are getting old and overgrown and would benefit from a new location and some creative cropping...so that's coming down the pike. I have a bit of time for gardening in between upcoming shows. The studio could also benefit from some creative cropping...yikes. (15"x15")

Orchids

I just glanced at the number of posts I've made over these last few years and this is #525! It's like tv shows reaching their 100th episode...I feel like I need to make a cake or something. I don't think People magazine will commemorate, but oh well. This little piece is 7.5"x7.5" and hangs in my featured show in Stowe..still up through August 23rd.