Happy Solstice

It is currently raining outside my window and it looks like the winter solstice will be wet and not snowy...hope you all are comfy and cozy and may your New Year be creative and colorful. Thank you for following along on my artistic adventures. 

Warm winter wishes

It’s December! How did we get to the last month of the year already? Well it’s here and the holiday spirit has come along with it...I did this little painting recently and decided to add some digital lettering...I must be thinking about sending out cards....it’s one item on the ever growing list of things still to do! 

Tropical foliage

My postings have been very sporadic and I apologize for that! If you are still with me...thank you! I’ve been posting regularly on my Instagram account...but that is no excuse for ignoring my blog...since some of you have been following me for years! This image was from some studio playtime working with negative shapes and tropical plant influence. The color palette is also different for me.

More the merrier

Last month I was a happy student again in a two day oil painting workshop taught by Aline Ordman. I have to say that I’m thoroughly enjoying the oils and hope I’m not sending you away with my frequent postings of different media...I promise I have not abandoned my watercolors, but am only expanding my creative “palette”! Why not, right? The more the merrier.....

Gouache

Trying my hand at yet another medium...this time Gouache...I am working with portraiture in a small Strathmore sketchbook and figuring out this opaque paint...it certainly behaves in a very different way...and has unique qualities...but learning is fun...(& frustrating, too!) Gotta keep exploring... how are you stretching your creative muscles? Any new avenues this autumn?

Time to teach

Hello September! Where does the time go? Well part of my time goes into painting and teaching workshops and classes and this image was from one of my classes from this summer and shows the difference between negative and positive painting...I already have a class scheduled for next May at the Landgrove Inn...it is good to always have something to look forward to!

Paint & eat your veggies!

Summer bounty and garden treasures...I wish I had a garden...but instead I just peruse the farmers markets and indulge my need for fresh veggies! 🌽 🍅 🥗🥕🍉🥒

Everything is so good right now...to eat and to paint! 

“Catching Rays”

Wow almost a month since I posted....that’s not right...sorry for the lapse in tending to my blog...I’ve certainly been busy...and then this week is another full one coming up...after having painted this weekend in Jericho at the Plein Air event with a show that followed at the Gruppe gallery...the above painting was my resulting effort and now hangs at the gallery until August 12...Phew...hope your summer is more chill! 

Hung with care...

Green Mountain Fine Art Gallery, Stowe, VT.

The front room is filled with my abstract acrylic paintings...ready for Saturday’s opening reception.

4-6 pm, I hope you’ll have a chance to stop by and take a look!

“Plum Aplomb” 12”x12” mixed media acrylic

Listen to the heart....

Announcing my solo show of Abstract Acrylic paintings! The quote at the top just about sums up my feelings about venturing into this unknown territory. Has it been great exploring a new medium? Yes! Am I excited to show everyone the results? Yes! Is it scary to put yourself out there wearing a new and different hat? Yes! Will you come by, take a look and say hi? Hopefully! Where? Green Mountain Fine Art Gallery, Stowe, Vermont opening reception Saturday June 30, 4 - 6 pm and you can catch me with brush and paint in hand during a demo at that time...maybe have a nibble and a beverage! Show runs all summer until September 9th...hope to see you there! 

Always learning

We had a beautiful stretch of weather this weekend and I was lucky enough to take a three day Plein Air workshop in the Mad River Valley. Painting with a group of other artists is the best. You learn from the teacher, you learn from each other and it is really nice to be immersed in an activity that all are passionate about. This was my painting from day two in the morning....now I just want to do more!

Vermont...outside the studio

When the weather warms and the leaves start to fill in on the trees some artists are itching to get outside to paint (some paint all year even in winter!) I have only sporadically been one of these artists...but resolved this year to step up my game a bit! So first day out several weeks ago and this is the result...in oils...on canvas...painted en Plein Air...Alla prima...while braving some fierce wind....stay tuned for more postings about my outings...I’m excited....you want to follow along?

Yay for Spring!

A sketchbook spread from last week...and just like that the lilacs are on their way out! Spring is such an explosion of so many varieties of flowering shrubs, bushes, bulbs etc....the overwhelming scents and color for the eyes after a long winter! Yay for spring! I am participating in several upcoming shows. Furchgott and Sourdiffe summer show (Shelburne) opening this Friday...Green Mountain Watercolor Exhibition in Waitsfield, Bryan Memorial Gallery in Jeffersonville for their Sky’s the Limit show and then my solo show at Green Mountain Fine Art Gallery in Stowe, opening June 30, exhibiting my abstract acrylics! Hope to see you among the paintings at one of these events!

color, color, color

Some of you may have already found me on Instagram...but for those of you who don’t know...well come on over and follow me...pretty much a daily post there...whereas here my postings are a bit further apart....I’m @abwatercolors.... so much cool art on there...actually....anywhere and everywhere on the web as it is...have a great week...I’m working on getting my paintings delivered to some of my galleries for upcoming shows...I’ll update all that info soon....

the first third

Mayday mayday May Day! I realized I had not posted for several weeks! Here we are May 1st...a third of the year in the rear view mirror...what have I done so far as it relates to my art world? Taught several workshops...continued to draw or paint in my sketchbook every morning, worked with acrylics and oils...set up a show of my abstract acrylic work (details to come!) attended a weekly portrait session to improve my observational skills, kept my galleries stocked, gathered with VT Watercolor society friends, entered shows...got rejected from shows ☹️, watched a demo and taken a workshop (still life oils!)...when I put it all together like this it adds up...how has your year stacked up so far?

green is for go

Dreaming of spring greens...but the weather here in Vermont has other plans...so you roll with it and take comfort in a warm cozy studio and push all those lovely pigments around and prepare paintings for an upcoming show (abstract acrylics!) and an upcoming workshop...

April hues

Here we are in April already! Spring has sprung...well it’s starting to spring... sort of...but April is that way...it can’t quite make up its mind, but greens do start to emerge and colors dapple the landscape in ever increasing hues. And flowers...there will be flowers...💐🌱

Spring!

This was my demo painting (not finished) from my last workshop. We had a great class with many floral subjects rendered so differently...

A nice way to spend a winter day...happy spring!

Joy of doing..

This is true...we take color or any type of media and push it around on a surface to create an image, abstract or realistic or anywhere in between and show this to the world through exhibitions, social media, publications etc...to be judged? Admired? Criticized? Applauded? Envied? Rewarded? 

Or just because it’s what we do for no other reason than the pure joy of doing?

Stay courageous!

International women’s day

Some of my paintings from over the years...the past, the present and looking to the future...

Sky’s (not even) the limit...

New month

I’m teaching a workshop this weekend that filled up very fast...thanks to all who signed up! We will be tackling flowers...but I am teaching another class next month that will be a portrait class...shoot me an email if you are interested...happy March..hope it’s colorful!

Artist as model

When the painter becomes the painted....sat for our weekly portrait session yesterday when the model couldn't come...so here are the results of my mug...all oils...recognize me?

2018 Workshops

I am happy to announce that I'll be teaching several workshops in 2018. Some are close to home and one is a three day "sleep-away" camp for artists!

Saturday March 3, "Petal Power in the Winter", at the Bryan Gallery in Jeffersonville, VT. Floral watercolor workshop. Please click here for registration link.

Saturday April 21, "Let's Face it!", watercolor portrait class at the Jericho Community Center, Jericho, VT with the Gruppe Gallery. FULL.

July 6-8, "Petals, Portraits & Poultry", at the Landgrove Inn, Landgrove, VT. Three days of different subjects in a beautiful setting in idyllic Southern Vermont...come immerse yourself! Click link here.

Last week of July, Vermont Art Event sponsored by H.K. Holbein. I will post info on my blog when it becomes available.

Hope you will come and paint with me!

Bye 2017

This came in the mail at the end of the year...super excited to be part of another British publication. And it has a rooster painting of mine in there...fitting since I just concluded the year of the rooster and filled 12 sketchbooks with 365+ feathered friends...Phew...what to focus on this year? I'll let that unfold as it may...no set plans as of yet...Happy New Year!