Bobbi Heath's Almost Daily Sketches

"Apples and Calvados"

2012-02-08T20:13:00.006-05:00

"Apples and Calvados"

11"x14" oil on canvas

This painting is one of my favorites for the upcoming French Show at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery. Like this one from Tina Ingraham's class, the calligraphy is the last step, which is really fun. I love drawing, and it's drawing on your painting. In fact, I was kind of frustrated with the painting, especially the mustard jar which I had taken 4 runs at, wondering if the whole thing was going to resolve. So I thought, OK, calligraphy time, let's see what happens. And basically everything happened. You've heard people say "the painting will tell you what it needs". I would say it told me what it liked, as I tried various marks, wiped them off and tried again.

Please join us at the show opening, 4-7PM on Saturday, at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery, 720 US Route One, Yarmouth, ME.

"Normandy Trees"

2012-01-25T17:58:00.003-05:00

"Normandy Trees"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

Here's another for our upcoming show featuring paintings of Normandy. I'm pleased with what I learned about painting skys on our recent trip to Normandy with instructor Carolyn Walton. The trip was organized and run by Joelle Feldman. Take a look at Joelle's pastels for the show on her blog. They are beautiful.

"Moonlight in Paris"

2012-01-23T20:24:00.006-05:00

"Moonlight in Paris"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

The temptation to name this one "Midnight in Paris" was strong, but it wasn't midnight when Mary and I were walking along the Seine near the pont des Arts and saw the beautiful lighted dome of the Institut de France. Once again, for our upcoming show. Wouldn't it have been fun to actually paint this as a nocturne, en plein air?

It's really had to photograph something this dark, this is a little red despite my Photoshop magic.

"We're All Ears"

2012-01-21T21:58:00.006-05:00

"We're All Ears"

6"x8" oil on Raymar panel

These guys are from a different farm than the previous pair, no brown spots, just black. Like our vanilla cows at the gite, they were marvelously curious, watching everything we did. And listenineg. They will go to the February show in Yarmouth as well.

"Curious Cows"

2012-01-19T23:13:00.002-05:00

"Curious Cows"

6"x8" oil on Raymar panel

I was totally taken by the cows in Normandy. We had them right in our yard, though ours were solid cream color. These guys were really cute, I love the eye makeup. It's another for our upcoming show at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery.

"Normandy Storm"

2012-01-16T21:42:00.005-05:00

"Normandy Storm"
6"x8" oil on Raymar panel

I'm working on paintings for our February show inspired by last fall's visit to Normandy. Two of the plein air paintings I did on the trip will be included (see them here and here). I enthusiastically attempted the scene above the night we arrived at our gite, but wiped it off in frustration. So here's a more thought out version, after a couple of sky painting lessons from Carolyn, done from a photo. More on the show in upcoming posts.

"Still Life With Apples"

2011-12-27T20:32:00.005-05:00

"Still Life with Apples"
16"x12" oil on canvas

The final lesson in our class with Tina Ingraham, was a study of the still life paintings of Cezanne. Then we each set up a Cezanne-like still life of our own, and tried to use all of the previous lessons to paint from it. I particularly liked the calligraphy as a finishing touch, it was lots of fun.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T19:43:00.004-05:00

"Ornaments" (from 2009)
6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

Happy Holidays to all my painting friends. It has been a pleasure getting to know you and painting with you over this last year.

"Lizzy" - NFS

2011-12-18T20:22:00.004-05:00

"Lizzy"
7.5"x9" pencil, charcoal, Conte crayon on Canson Mi-Teintes paper

For my friend Suzanne's birthday, I did this drawing of her new kitten, Lizzie.

"Morandi Bottles"

2011-12-08T21:32:00.004-05:00

"Morandi Bottles"
8"x10" oil on Raymar panel

In our class with Tina Ingraham this week, after studying the work of Morandi, we tried to paint that way. I particularly enjoyed creating the "Morandi bottles" by covering the inside with acrylic paint mixtures. One of my classmates said mine were Morandi on a happy day, referring to the colors. A classmate contributed the wonderful boxes.

Color and Light Show at River Arts

2011-12-06T19:31:00.006-05:00

"Red Boat Christmas Cove"
6"x6" oil on Raymar panel, framed
$200

"Saltmarsh"
6"x6" oil on Raymar panel, framed
$200

"Bend in the River"
6"x6" oil on Raymar panel, framed
$200

The jury is in on the Color and Light Show at River Arts in Damariscotta, ME. These three of my paintings are included. The show opens on Friday, and will be up through mid January.

Holiday Show at the Yarmouth Frame Shop

2011-11-30T20:44:00.007-05:00

"Shadow Quartet"
6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

"Gilsland Snow Field"
6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

"Clouds over Cove Road"
6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

"Fall at the Pond"
8"x6" oil on Raymar panel

These are my new paintings for the holiday show at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery. The opening is Saturday from 4-7PM at the gallery on Route 1 in Yarmouth, ME. I'd love to see you there!

Sunday afternoon 2-4PM is the opening for the Concord Art Association show in Concord, MA. If you are in the area, do stop by. My two small sunflower paintings will be there.

"Eclectic Still Life" - NFS

2011-11-29T19:54:00.005-05:00

"Eclectic Still Life"

24"x18" charcoal on paper

In addition to the painting class I am taking with Tina Ingraham, I'm also studying drawing with her. This drawing is from our third session. I started by covering the paper with charcoal and then creating the drawing by wiping it off with a rag, a chamois, my finger, and a kneaded eraser. And then adding some back... and taking some off, etc. I made several passes lightening each time. I'm pleased with the results, but found it tough going in the early stages.

"Sunflowers V"

2011-11-24T18:43:00.002-05:00

"Sunflowers V"
3"x3" gouache on paper

Another small gouache painting for the Concord Art Association Holiday Show.

"Sunflowers IV"

2011-11-21T21:31:00.002-05:00

"Sunflowers IV"
3"x3" gouache on paper

I did this little piece for the Concord (MA) Art Association Holiday Originals Show. It opens in a couple of weeks.

"Blue Pitcher and Orange" - NFS

2011-11-19T22:09:00.004-05:00

"Blue Pitcher and Orange"
8"x10" oil on Raymar panel

I'm taking a 10 week class with Tina Ingraham on color. This was my effort for week 4.

"Eggplant and Paper Bag"

2011-11-16T22:36:00.002-05:00

"Eggplant and Paper Bag"
6"x8" oil on Raymar panel

Another 5 value study. Who knew paper bags were so much fun to paint?

"Eggplant Bowl and Bag"

2011-10-25T22:07:00.003-04:00

"Eggplant Bowl and Bag"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

A 5 value study of kitchen items.

"Fall at the Pond"

2011-10-19T20:56:00.004-04:00

"Fall at the Pond"

6"x8" oil on Raymar panel

The scene from my friend Kitty's porch last Friday. It's so great to still be able to paint outside.

"Sparkle"

2011-10-10T20:03:00.004-04:00

"Sparkle"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

Another plein air painting from my trip to Acadia. This one was done at the tip of the schoodic Penninsula, looking into the sun. What a beautiful spot!

"Acadia"

2011-10-07T21:07:00.003-04:00

"Acadia"

6"x8" oil on Raymar panel

Last week I visited Acadia, the part of the park on the Schoodic Penninsula. This is a view of Mount Desert Island. It's a great place to paint plein air, with lots of places to pull off and park the car, and not too many visitors at this time of the year.

Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery Opening on Saturday

2011-10-04T21:12:00.007-04:00

"Sunflowers"

8"x8" oil on Raymar panel

$300 framed

"What is It?"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

$200 framed

"Girls Looking out to Sea"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

$200 framed

The fall show at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery begins this week. The opening is on Saturday, from 4-7PM. I'll be there for the first hour or so, and would love to see you. These are a few of my paintings in the show.

"Deblois Woods"

2011-10-03T22:56:00.004-04:00

"Deblois Woods"

8"x6" oil on Raymar panel

Just east of Route 193 in Washington County, Maine, are the blueberry barrens famous for their bright red fall color. I was a bit early this year, and painted the woods in Deblois.

"Normandy Fields"

2011-09-24T22:31:00.005-04:00

"Normandy Fields"

8"x6" oil on Raymar panel

This is another of the paintings done on our recent painting trip to Normandy which will be in the show at the Yarmouth Frameshop in February.

"Normandy Sky"

2011-09-20T22:40:00.006-04:00

"Normandy Sky"

8"x6" oil on Raymar panel

I've just returned from a painting workshop in Normandy taught by Carolyn Walton, run by my friend Joelle Feldman. What a great time we had! This is my first painting of the field next to the house we rented in Pont L'Eveque. We had the most beautiful skys, accompanied by some rain. Carolyn is a master of clouds, and I learned a lot from her demo and mentoring on this one.

Joelle, Suzanne deLesseps, and I will have a show of the paintings from this trip in February at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery in Yarmouth, ME in February. I'll keep you posted as to the date.

Liz Wilten Workshop Days 2 and 3

2011-08-30T21:33:00.006-04:00

My composition exercise with 4 values - SOLD

Liz's block-in plus 25 strokes demo

I loved doing the 4 value design exercise on day 2 of Liz's workshop. You can see her version on her blogpost. The fly specs you see on mine are the reminders of a very hot day in the blazing sun. Liz always used her umbrella, to shade both the painting and her palette.

The bottom image is a demo that Liz did on day 3. This exercise was the last of the workshop. Preceded by a painting done with only 50 strokes, in this exercise Liz did a basic block-in, and then finished the painting with only 25 strokes. I think she was roughly on stroke 12 when I took this photo.

This was a great workshop, and I enjoyed hosting it. If you can't make the trip to the workshop of your dreams, consider hosting the instructor yourself.

Liz Wilten Workshop Day 1

2011-08-28T10:35:00.007-04:00

Barnacle Rocks - my block-in

Liz doing a demo on Cousin's Island

As I sit here with Hurrican Irene raging outside, it's nice to think back on the wonderful plein air workshop we had last weekend with Liz Wiltzen in South Freeport, ME. I asked Liz to travel from her home in Banff, Canada, to work with a dozen of us, and everyone thought it was an amazing workshop.

Liz began by stating categorically, this workshop is not about painting pretty paintings, you aren't going to get anything you'll want to hang on the wall. It's about exercises to build your skill. And they did, organized to build on one another, they pulled us through the basics of blocking in, design and composition, and use of minimal strokes/time boxing to focus on the essentials.

I learned a lot the day before the workshop, when I took Liz to my favorite painting spots so she could select venues for the workshop. Liz was looking for views with a more defined foreground, mid, and backround, than I had done. We had to work hard to find spots with interesting foregrounds, that weren't going to be covered with high tide during the workshop hours. So now, I have some more good places to paint!

Above is my block-in from the first afternoon, I probably took it a bit too far, but you get the idea. And a photo of Liz doing a demo the second morning at the beach on Cousin's Island.

"Blue Boat" - SOLD

2011-07-12T22:14:00.003-04:00

"Blue Boat"

8"x6" oil on Raymar panel

I've had a month of too many distractions and too many wipe-offs and so no posts. It's good to be back and to spend some time painting. I painted this one Sunday morning at the Yarmouth town landing. I enjoy weekend mornings there, with all the boat launch action and the occasional lobster boat coming and going.

"Yellow Meadow"

2011-06-08T19:04:00.003-04:00

"Yellow Meadow"

6"x8" oil on Raymar panel

It's wonderful to be able to paint outdoors. Long live summer!

Sketchbook Girls

2011-06-02T21:43:00.006-04:00

Pose 1

Pose 2

Pose 3

Pose 4

On Sunday the kids went down to the dock to get away from the heat. I took four quick photos and chose this young lady to draw from each photo. What a great pose.

"Summer Lupines"

2011-05-31T20:21:00.007-04:00

"Summer Lupines"

8"x6" oil on Raymar panel

Summer Lupines in process

The lupines are in bloom at Great Brook State Park and they are gorgeous. I've been struggling this last week, with lots of wipers to my credit. On this one, I wiped off the whole bottom half of the painting and made a second try, which you see here. The bottom photo shows my approach on the second pass, to cover the grass and flower area with blocks of color giving the basic composition. Then I came back in with strokes of color on top, first with the lupines and then using the green to shape the negative space around them. In version one, too much of the orangey-yellow background was showing through.

"Farm Pines Again"

2011-05-26T20:16:00.003-04:00

"Farm Pines Again"

8"x6"

oil on Raymar panel

It was wonderful to be out this morning at Great Brook Farm painting this wonderful group of trees above the pond. There was a big bullfrog serenading me and hopefully getting his fill of the mosquitos that my bug dope scared away. I am so glad to see the sun!

Fellow Passengers Sketches

2011-05-23T20:23:00.006-04:00

On a tour boat in New York Harbor last weekend, I did a few sketches of my fellow passengers.

Values

2011-05-20T23:21:00.007-04:00

"Off the Rim" in black and white

"Off the Rim" in color

mixing the same value as yellow from the tube

black and white version of mixing the same value as yellow from the tube

I really enjoy doing value studies, whether in paint or as a sketch. I think it's a lot harder to translate those values into color though. Take a look at "Off the Rim" above. I was surprised to see the red bowl and blue background have almost the same value after I photoshopped the image of the painting into black and white. In the color version, the blue seems much lighter to me. So I decided to try and improve my ability to see the values in patches of color with the above exercise. Give it a try and see if you find it as challenging as I did: paint a swatch of cad yellow straight from the tube. Then try and mix a gray, red, and blue to match the value of the yellow. It took me a couple of tries to get the red and blue light enough (above is my second try). I've added a value finder to each image above to make it easier to see.

The above swatches were painted in gouache and scanned.

"Drew's Farm Apple Tree"

2011-05-18T21:11:00.004-04:00

"Drew's Farm Apple Tree"

8"x6" oil on Raymar panel

The trees at Drew's Farm Orchard are pruned so that they look almost like sculptures. I was intrigued by the shapes and the clumps of flowers and leaves.

"Apple Orchard"

2011-05-16T21:26:00.002-04:00

"Apple Orchard"

8"x6" oil on Raymar panel

I had a great time last week at the local apple orchards, in the few moments of sunshine. This was my second effort, not sure if I can save the first. We'll see. Thanks to Bob and Joelle for the wonderful scenery.

Sunflowers

2011-05-11T21:14:00.000-04:00

"Sunflowers"

8"x8" oil on Raymar panel

I couldn't resist these sunflowers at Trader Joe's, they are such fun to paint.

Workshop Landscapes

2011-05-06T17:51:00.013-04:00

Red Boat at Christmas Cove

(completed demo painting)

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

My demo in progress showing simplification of the photo and using negative space to shape the background trees

Student landscapes from photos, where the goal was cropping, simplification, and use of negative space

Student pears painted over previous day's value study

The second day of our workshop at River Arts, we painted over a value study of pears in yellow ochre from the previous day (see Lisa's beautiful version in the bottom photo). Then we moved on to painting from a photo, on an orange acrylic ground. The goals were to crop the photos, simplify, and use negative space to shape objects. I was impressed with the results!

Workshop Apples

2011-05-04T21:23:00.008-04:00

My (teacher's) apples

Student's apples

We had a great workshop this weekend at River Arts. The students wanted to learn to be looser and more painterly, and I know that daily painting, fast and small, can help with that. One of my favorite exercises is the succession of 10 minute paintings. I've done apples and pears in the past. These ladies choose apples, and did really well. Thanks to Carol Marine, for introducing me to this exercise.

"Impressions of Summer" at the Yarmouth Frameshop

2011-05-02T20:46:00.019-04:00

"Farm Pond Pines"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

$200

"The Meadows"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

$200

"Edge of the Meadow"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

$200

"Distant Pink"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

$200

"Kristin's Lilies"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

$200

"Diligence"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

$200

"Fishin' on the Fourth"

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

$325

"Impressions of Summer" opens on Saturday at the Yarmouth Frameshop. These are my new paintings for the show. My fellow artists and I would love to see you at the opening!

Saturday, May 7th, 4 to 7PM

720 Route One, Yarmouth, Maine, 04096

207-846-7777

Diana Johnson, William Hallett, John Bowdren, Neil Wyrick, David Little, Marcia Feller, Anne Witte, Lois Strickland, Sukie Curtis, Suzanne deLesseps, Bobbi Heath, Joelle Feldman, Susan Gosselin, Linda Dessaint, Elizabeth Newman, Anne Macleod, Ruthie Garroitt, Kathleen Daughan, Martha Baum, Dale Augustson, Cathrine Breer, Mary Lynn Engel, Sandi St.George, Kitty Clark, Alison Bramhall, Judith Barker, K.Dana Nelson, Denise Horne-Kaplan, Andrea Sawyer, Anne Tarbox

Garden of Earthly Delights

2011-04-27T20:43:00.006-04:00

"Garden Steps"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

$200 framed

"Iris"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

$200 framed

Two of my paintings (shown above) were chosen for the Garden of Earthly Delights Exhibition at River Arts in Damariscotta, ME through June 10th. I'm going to do my best to be at the opening from 5-7PM on Friday. Hope to see you there!

Pine Sketches

2011-04-26T21:37:00.006-04:00

Third Sketch

Second Sketch

First Sketch

There's a tree outside our office window that draws my attention every time I sit in our conference room. Once the office was quiet, I did a few sketches. Each one was a little more detailed. Which one do you like best?

Shipping Paintings

2011-04-26T21:00:00.009-04:00

Card and Painting (in clipped ziplock bag)

Packing Materials

Post Office slips

Ready to close the box

The first few times I sold a painting online, I think it took me longer to pack up the painting than it did to paint it! I tried the prepaid boxes at the post office, but they cost more to mail in the end. So after a few times, and some good advice from the postmistress, I came up with this system. The box comes in a four pack from Staples, the air bags are from orders I've gotten in the mail (mostly from amazon.com). I've started adding a card showing the painting that I'm shipping, with a note about the location of the painting, and my thanks for the order. The black and white slip is an Insured Mail Receipt (required by zatista.com, my online venue in addition to my blog), and the green and white slip is for tracking (Delivery Confirmation Receipt).

For even more efficiency, take look at Carol Marine's approach. And for something fancy, check out what Leslie Saeta does. If anyone has ideas to contribute, please share in a comment.

"Eider"

2011-04-24T21:32:00.003-04:00

"Edier"

6"x8" oil on canvas

This afternoon I was painting down on the dock in South Freeport, ME. It was great being outside, no beautiful sunshine, but very pleasant temperatures. I started a painting of the little red lobster shack at the end of the fishing float, and got distracted by some eiders as they swam by. I grabbed my camera and took a few shots. Rain drove me from my plein air painting, and I did this one from the display on the back of the camera, a new experience for me.

Evolution of a Sketch

2011-04-21T20:18:00.007-04:00

Sketch 3

Sketch 2

Sketch 1

Searching for more sunbathers in my photos, I found this lady, ready to be sketched. I sketch in pen, and rather than erasing, I try to learn from each one, and do another sketch until I get one that I like. They only take a few minutes. Sketch 1 ran off the bottom of my small sketchbook with too large a head and a scrunched up body, so I was on to #2. Proportionally I liked it better, but still wasn't satisfied. And though I liked where the values and shadows were going, I wanted more. Do you like #2 or #3 better?

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Sittin In the Sun"

2011-04-19T20:20:00.007-04:00

"Sittin' in the Sun"

5"x4" gouache on paper

the minivan studio setup

I painted this piece in the minivan studio, with my sketch and a photo reference propped up on the dash. I like gouache for studies, my brushes are pretty large for this size, so I have to be loose.

Oh, and I'm not recommending the black plastic dish as a palette!

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

Experiment with Acrylic Ink

2011-04-17T22:45:00.003-04:00

"Blue Sky"

about 8"x10" acrylic ink and acrylic on paper

I've been studying Clair Harrigan's book, Abstract and Colour Techniques in Painting. She's a wonderful painter and the book is beautiful as well as insightful. She works in mixed media, and she often starts with acrylic ink. I've been wanting to give it a try. So here's one of my first experiments; yellow and a mixed green acrylic ink, with mixed blue acrylic paint on top.

Airport Sketches

2011-04-15T22:09:00.004-04:00

When I'm waiting for a flight I like to sketch people. It's more of a challenge than sketching from a photo, you know you only have a couple of minutes before they're going to move. These are a few I did on a recent trip.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Three Trees"

2011-04-13T21:11:00.006-04:00

"Three Trees"

3"x3" gouache on paper

Here's the best of three gouache sketches of pine trees that I painted from my minivan studio, my way of painting plein air when it's raining or cold. Familiar story on the other two, I saw one little thing that wasn't quite right, and once I fixed that, something else was out of kilter, and by the time I was done, I had an overworked, much less interesting painting. Have you ever done that?

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"One Last Iris"

2011-04-10T23:11:00.006-04:00

"One Last Iris"

3"x3" gouache on paper

I promise this is the last of the irises for a while. I've got my eye on some forsythia and apple that I hope will bloom soon.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Yellow Brick Road"

2011-04-08T22:27:00.004-04:00

"Yellow Brick Road"

8"x6" oil on Raymar panel

I've been reading "Painting Abstracts" by Rolina van Vliet. I've had it for about a year, and my first impressions were mixed, because I only liked a few of the paintings. Perhaps I wasn't ready, but now the concepts intrigue me. This is a combination of several of the exercises. For those who prefer more representational work, the trees are about to pop, and I'll be outside shortly, painting New England.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

15 Minute Iris

2011-04-06T20:44:00.003-04:00

15 Minute Iris #3

3"x3" gouache on paper

I'm still hanging on to the iris practice, here's #3 weighing in at about 15 minutes. I tried to be more abstract here, and I like the effect.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

30 Minute Irises

2011-03-31T22:24:00.006-04:00

30 Minute Iris #1

3"x3" gouache on paper

30 Minute Iris #2

3"x3" gouache on paper

These little guys were meant to be 10 minute irises, but the elapsed time was more like half an hour. They're done in gouache from the earlier painting, since the flowers themselves had pretty much curled up. I was trying to get more shades of blue than in the oil version, and I think I did that. I need to practice with more real flowers, because "seeing" the different shades is key, and I need practice in that too.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Irises"

2011-03-28T22:26:00.004-04:00

"Irises"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

Here's my second iris painting. I hope they last a while longer, since my other idea for the Garden of Earthly Delights Exhibit didn't work out. It was one of those painting experiences that teaches you how not to paint. I wiped it.

I want to thank those who have participated in the DPW Japan Relief Challenge. With three days worth of paintings auctioned so far, $21,00 has been raised. My first painting is sold and the second will close on Thursday. Here's a link.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Iris"

2011-03-26T22:30:00.004-04:00

"Iris"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

I went shopping this morning thinking about the next exhibition at River Arts. It's called Garden of Earthly Delights and "explores all we envision and experience in our gardens, including the natural forces and creatures that occupy them". I've got a couple of ideas that I want to work on. First are irises. I love the color, and all those chunky petals, it really gives you something to work with. I've done two paintings of them so far, and tomorrow I plan to work on the other idea.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Mondrian Inspired 2" for Japanese Relief

2011-03-24T20:47:00.003-04:00

"Mondrian Inspired 2"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

I've gotten a couple of comments on the first painting I put up for the Japan Relief Challenge on the DPW site, but no bids, so I thought I would put in something completely different to try and catch a bidder's eye. Above is a painting from January, with a modified name.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Across the Thorofare"

2011-03-22T21:12:00.001-04:00

"Across the Thorofare"

8"x8" oil on Raymar panel

I'm getting ready for plein air painting and I can't wait! It's going to be wonderful to get outside and paint some green. This is a view across the Deer Island Thorofare from Stonington painted from a photo. If you ever get a chance, go there. It is one of the most beautiful places in Maine.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Off the Rim" for Japanese Relief - SOLD

2011-03-20T23:06:00.006-04:00

"Off the Rim"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

This week, the Daily Paintworks Challenge is raising money for disaster relief in Japan. I'm putting in a couple of paintings and I hope you will rise to the challenge, visit the site and bid on your favorite painting. I chose this one because of the bright colors and simplicity of design.

All the money raised by the sale of this painting will be donated to the American Red Cross to aid in their relief efforts in Japan. I'll send documentation to the buyer when the donation is made. I've set the starting bid at $70 to encourage bidding in this 7 day auction. The winning bidder can pay by check or through PayPal.

Flying Pelican Sketch

2011-03-17T20:48:00.003-04:00

This evening I did a group of sketches of birds and people. This one is the simplest and also my favorite.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Cruise Planning"

2011-03-15T21:40:00.004-04:00

"Cruise Planning"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

My husband has this nice pair of brass dividers that we use on our sailboat. In thinking about things to put in a nautical still life these were at the top of my list, until I started to paint them. Wow, not so easy. The chart was fun. Anyone recognize the book?

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

Lying in the Sun Sketch

2011-03-12T21:02:00.005-05:00

"Lying in the Sun"

I'm trying to focus on regular painting practice and experimentation, even if it's in the car on the way to work or at lunchtime. Gouache works well for that since it's easy to clean up, but I don't always get something that I want to show. So here's another sketch from my recent trip to Tybee Island in Georgia. It's so muddy here in New England this spring, with massive amounts of snow melting, thinking about the beach is what keeps us going.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Daffodils"

2011-03-09T22:07:00.003-05:00

"Daffodils"

5"x5" gouache on paper

I like to experiment using gouache. It handles a lot like oils, and the color mixing is the same. But it dries fast, which is useful when experimenting and when time is short (isn't it always?). This experiment is about abstraction. Abstraction simplifies things in a way. It's about composition and about values. Is that surprising considering how colorful this painting is? I think you get to choose the composition and the color, but the values have to be right for the composition. There are more layers on the blue part of this painting because that was where I struggled the most finding those values.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Shadow Quartet"

2011-03-06T18:20:00.005-05:00

"Shadow Quartet"

after a second pass on the trees and block in of the rest

start - note there is no drawing, just the shapes

As the snow is melting, I'm getting more into painting it. This one is from a photo I took earlier in the week, out on my snow shoes. And we won't go into how I almost got the car stuck. I was glad I had a shovel in the back. The photos are not the best, a few lighting and white balance problems that even photoshop couldn't fix. The middle image is the most true to the real painting.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta, ME, April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport, ME, Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

Sketches at the Table

2011-02-27T19:35:00.004-05:00

Painting this weekend has put some miles on the brush but not much else, so I thought I'd show some more sketches. While waiting for our food at a restaurant on Tybee Island, I did ten or so sketches of the clientele. Those of my sister Kay turned out best. The bottom sketch looks most like her, and is typical, since she's reading.

Sittin in the Sun Sketch

2011-02-23T22:39:00.005-05:00

Back home now, all I see outside is mounds of dirty snow, frozen solid. But the weekend memories are with me. Wish I was still sitting in the sun, like the woman in this sketch from Saturday on the beach at Tybee Island.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Georgia Sky"

2011-02-21T22:26:00.006-05:00

"Georgia Sky"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

This painting was done from the parking lot of the newest college in the University System of Georgia, and the only US college founded in the 21st century, Georgia Gwinnett. It is a quite a place; superb facilities, dedicated faculty, and enthusiastic students. It was a pleasure to paint on their grounds.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Tybee Island Marsh"

2011-02-19T21:20:00.004-05:00

"Tybee Island Marsh"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

It's wonderful to be here in Tybee Island, GA, where it's in the 70s and the sun is shining and the beach is a block away. My sister Kay and I are having a wonderful time. Wish you were here, Sue!

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

At the Cafe and the French Opening

2011-02-16T21:55:00.007-05:00

At the Cafe - Sketch

At the opening - Bobbi, Joelle, Suzanne, Kitty

We had a great time on Saturday night at the exhibit of our paintings from our trip to France: a huge turnout, wonderful new location for the gallery, and lots of enthusiasm for the paintings. Here we are, posing for the camera. Thanks to Bob Delaney for taking the pictures and Beth and Lee of the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery, for a superb event.

The sketch above is one from our trip, a couple enjoying themselves at a Cafe in Tourtour. Wouldn't it be nice to be somewhere warm enjoying an outdoor cafe?

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

Daily Painting and blogging Workshop April 30 - May 1

2011-02-09T22:05:00.007-05:00

Value Painting (used as an underpainting in a subsequent exercise)

10 Minute Apples (see Carol Marine's new challenge blog for more of these...)

painting from a photo

On April 30th and May 1st I'll be teaching a Daily Painting and Blogging Workshop at River Arts in Damariscotta, ME. The goals of the workshop are to learn techniques for painting fast and small and to use blogging as a way to record progress and share paintings online. Above are a few demo paintings from the workshop showing some of the exercises. We had a blast last time, I hope you can join us. Contact River Arts for details.

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Backyard Snow"

2011-02-07T20:36:00.006-05:00

"Backyard Snow"

6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

Yesterday I ventured out to the screened porch for my first plein air painting of 2011. It was awesome to be painting outside. I've painted this scene before, but we've had so much snow this year, it looks quite different. Well, I guess the previous version was in gouache too...

Upcoming workshops:

-- That I am teaching: Daily Painting and Blogging in Damariscotta April 30 - May 1, 2011

-- That I am hosting: Liz Wiltzen Plein Air Painting in South Freeport Aug. 19-21, 2011

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

Liz Wiltzen Workshop Aug 19-21 in Maine

2011-02-05T22:10:00.006-05:00

I mentioned in a previous post that Liz Wiltzen is going to teach a plein air daily painting workshop this summer in Maine. Many of you will remember Liz's 100 plein air paintings in 100 days project last summer. It was a triumph! I remember often checking Liz's blog rather than waiting for the email to come, just to see the next paintings. Liz is an accomplished workshop teacher, and I'm really looking forward to both hosting and taking this workshop with Liz. I hope you'll join me.

The workshop flyer is ready with all the details. Let me know and I'll email you a copy (my email address is in my profile or leave a comment with yours).

And check out the workshop page on Liz's website.

http://bobbiheath.blogspot.com

www.bobbiheath.com

"Island Down East"

2011-02-03T21:47:00.010-05:00

"Island Down East"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

Initial painting layout

Sketch

Island photo

Cloud photo

Heading onwards on an abstract path, I remembered the islands of Merchant's Row near Stonington Maine and wanted to put together something along the lines of an earlier painting, French Farm. I thought I would start with a 6"x6" oil sketch, and then go on to a bigger painting if it worked out. The two photos above show the way I remember the islands and the cloud formations. A sketch on paper helped me combine the ideas from the two photos and add the lines to create the abstract shapes. Then on to the painting. What did I learn? I like the way the lines and shapes are disjoint at the horizon in the paper sketch. I like the colors and clouds in the painting, but the tops of the trees need to go. All great information for a larger painting.

Show Opening Soon!

2011-02-01T22:04:00.017-05:00

The opening of our French Show at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery will be on February 12th from 4-7 (note new location). With more than 40 paintings in the show there will be lots to see and talk about. All four of us are really excited about the show and hope to see you at the opening.

1-2-3-Soleil

Garden Steps

Rainy Day Market

Near Pouzilhac

The paintings above are some of my favorites in the show. It's funny, for artists, the favorite paintings are often more about what it was like standing there painting them than the end result. We had a marvelous time on our trip and look forward to sharing it with you.

Mondrian's Nightmare III

2011-01-30T21:56:00.008-05:00

Mondrian's Nightmare III

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

Mondrian's Nightmare II

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

Mondrian's Nightmare

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

Adding color to Mondrian's Nightmare is an interesting exercise. In my first try (MNII) I felt that the blue was too dark and the yellow patches on the bottom were too symmetric. In my next pass (MNIII) both the blue and yellow are lighter and the yellow and blue pattern is different. Better? One thing that has sunk in is that the painting needs to have weight at the bottom, like if you dropped it, it would land with the bottom side down, because it's heavier. I think it has that weight.

Sketching People from Photos

2011-01-26T20:39:00.009-05:00

I like to sketch people from life, and try to do that whenever I'm sitting in a place where I can do it unnoticed. I do the same thing with my camera. I sit or stand, panning the camera around, taking lots of shots, and no one pays any attention. Here are a couple of women walking in the town center in Uzes, France. Each sketch only took a minute or two, but that's still more time than you have when they are walking by!

"Mondrian's Nightmare II"

2011-01-23T22:09:00.002-05:00

"Mondrian's Nightmare II"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

Here's my first attempt at adding color to Mondrian's Nightmare. It was harder than I thought it would be! Without the black and white version I would have been lost. I'm feeling that the yellow on the bottom is a bit too symmetric.

Now I'm planning the next one.

Sketch for "Near Rasteau"

2011-01-21T16:58:00.005-05:00

I often do a sketch before starting a painting, especially if the composition is complicated, or I want to try multiple compositions from one reference photo. This is the sketch I did for "Near Rasteau" and the original photo taken from the passenger seat.

"French Farm"

2011-01-19T20:31:00.005-05:00

"French Farm"

8"x8" oil on canvas panel

For this painting I jumped ahead a couple of steps in my journey into abstraction and added both color and a recognizable subject. You might say I going backwards, since the previous two were more abstract. Is this my journey out of abstraction? Maybe. I wanted to paint more abstractly and thought that perhaps it would be easier to do if I went way out there and then worked my way back. I'm certainly enjoying the process.

I'll be teaching my Daily Painting and Blogging workshop at River Arts in Damariscotta, ME, again this year on the weekend of April 30 and May 1. Check it out here. I'd love to see you there!

"Composition 2"

2011-01-17T22:12:00.011-05:00

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

This is my second painting for the River Arts Black and White show, due mid-February.

So where did these abstracts come from? Once I decided to use a sort of Mondrian approach (though with non straight lines) I experimented on paper trying to find pleasing compositions. I've left out my first two attempts, which were too symmetric and boring. I found that the key is the placement of the small versus large "squares" and the values to create a center of interest. "Mondrian's Nightmare" came from sketch 1 and "Composition 2" from sketch 4.

"Mondrian's Nightmare"

2011-01-15T22:34:00.003-05:00

"Mondrian's Nightmare"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

I've been thinking about how to approach abstraction, and the upcoming Black and White show at River Arts in Damariscotta is a good excuse to try something different. Thanks to Bob Feldman for the title.

"Mineola Blues" in the Works on Paper Exhibit at River Arts

2011-01-12T17:54:00.005-05:00

"Mineola Blues"

gouache on paper, framed $200

My painting, Mineola Blues, an early blog entry from 2009, was accepted in the Works on Paper Exhibition at River Arts in Damariscotta, Maine, opening this Friday (opening 5-7PM). The exhibition continues through February 18. Suzette McAvoy was the juror for this show, and I thank her and all the wonderful people at River Arts for making this possible. I've only recently started entering juried shows, and so far I'm 2 for 3. I can only imagine how hard it must be to judge work for exhibitions!

Tweaks

2011-01-10T22:31:00.003-05:00

La Calade after tweaks

La Calade Tourtour as done on site

6"x8" oil on canvas panel

Getting ready for our French show, I had a few paintings done on site that needed tweaking. This one is my favorite from the trip, looking at it takes me right back to the spot I stood while I painted it. But others weren't able to see the wall at the end, or the road going around the corner. So I adjusted the shape of the cypress shadow, and added the bright spot of green beyond it, brought the wall around on the left and lightened the sky. Better?

"Near Rasteau"

2011-01-08T21:34:00.003-05:00

"Near Rasteau"

8"x8" oil on canvas panel

I think this is my last French painting for a while. I couldn't resist this scene, taken from the car as we left Rasteau and headed for Gigondas. What a day! I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

"Rainy Day at the Market"

2011-01-03T21:46:00.003-05:00

"Rainy Day at the Market"

6"x8" oil on canvas panel

I enjoyed our visit to the market in Lorges when we visited Provence. One thing a rainy day brings out is colorful umbrellas and rain ponchos.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T16:57:00.005-05:00

"Summer Evening" by Liz Wiltzen

6"x8"

"Silver Basin" by Liz Wiltzen

8"x10"

Happy New Year one and all!

I love the New Year's holiday. It's fun to ring in the new year with friends, and it's a great chance to think about what I've learned and what I want to do in the next year. As always, resolution number one is to learn to paint better. And there are so many ways to do that, the foremost being to paint as often as possible. Thank you daily painters for spurring me on.

Workshops are also high on my list, both attending and teaching them, which I did for the first time last year. Also a first last year, was to assist in hosting a workshop. This year I'm taking the next step and setting up a workshop to be taught by one of my favorites, Liz Wiltzen. Many of you will remember Liz's 100 in 100 project last summer, where she painted 100 plein air landscapes in 100 days. Liz will teach this three day plein air landscape workshop (think daily painting), August 19-21, in South Freeport, ME. Liz and I will post more details later, but if you'd like to be on the mailing list for the workshop, let me know (my email address is in my profile or make a comment). It's going to be really fun!

Drawing Trees

2010-12-30T23:25:00.007-05:00

A Beech (my favorite tree)

Not sure about this one, but I liked the drooping branches.

Perhaps a Maple

I've been reading Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting, which was written in 1929, and is quite a gem. Lots of practical advice. What a good idea to practice drawing trees in winter when the structure is visible!

My next task is to learn to identify trees when bare of leaves. More on that later.

"Near Pouzilhac"

2010-12-28T23:17:00.008-05:00

"Near Pouzilhac"

6"x8" oil on canvas panel

Nathan asked yesterday about the process I used on the olive grove painting. It's the same as I used here, both paintings were done from photos in the studio, with daylight temperature lighting. The lighting is nothing fancy, I just replaced the bulbs in the existing fixtures in the small room I use as a studio.

First I did a sketch (sometimes more than one). For the painting in this post, the sketch is here. Then I toned a canvas with an orange-ish color and wiped it off. Some bits of that are visible where the trees and sky meet. Then I sketched with a small brush and hardly any paint, just the basic placement. Next was a block in of the major shapes with a really big brush, no detail and the sketch was pretty much wiped out, the canvas was covered with the block in (no empty spots). For instance the foreground tree foliage was just one color and value at that point (should have taken a photo...). Then with a smaller brush I went for more detail, for example in the tree foliage, adding darks and lights. I left the sky as it was in the block in. I hope this makes sense.

"Olive Grove"

2010-12-27T15:35:00.005-05:00

"Olive Grove"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

What could be better on a snowy windy day than thinking about and painting a Provencal olive grove? It reminds me of a delightful book I received for Christmas, "My French Life", by Vicki Archer, with beautiful photos of Saint Remy de Provence and her own olive grove. And there are Carol Drinkwater's books on that same subject, which I love. I hope they enjoy writing as much as I am enjoying remembering Provence in paint.

Near Pouzilhac Drawing

2010-12-25T20:22:00.008-05:00

Drawing for "Near Pouzilhac"

Photo B

Photo A

The rows of French lavender in the previous posts left me looking for other rows. These photos are from Pouzilhac in the Gard region, and unlike most of my photos of tree-lined roads (which are quick snaps from the passenger seat) this time I got out of the car and walked around a bit. In photo A, I was trying to do a straight-on shot, with everything symmetric. I like photo B better, standing on the right side of the road. I think it's more interesting with less symmetry in the foliage. What do you think?

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-24T21:17:00.005-05:00

Just a little note to wish you all a Happy Holiday season.

"Lavender Field 2"

2010-12-21T20:47:00.002-05:00

"Lavender Field 2"

5"x7" oil on gessobord

Here's my second attempt at the lavender field. I really like the little rise on the left side of the field that twists the rows a bit. That asymmetry makes it more interesting, I think. Maybe I'll try some vines next time.

"Lavender Field 1"

2010-12-19T22:32:00.003-05:00

"Lavender Field 1"

5"x7" oil on gessobord

I'm continuing to work on paintings for our upcoming Provence show at the Yarmouth Frame Shop and Gallery. The lavender had already passed it's prime on our visit in September (except for the spring that poked me in the eye!), so I thank Suzanne for the photo reference for this painting.

Orange with Jar and Bottle

2010-12-13T20:43:00.003-05:00

"Orange with Jar and Bottle"

6"x8" oil on canvas panel

It's time to do a few more paintings for our upcoming Provence show at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery in February. I'm planning to include some of the paintings I did during our September trip, along with a few studio paintings like this one. Thanks to Suzanne for contributing the blue French yoghurt jar.

"Girls Looking Out to Sea"

2010-12-05T21:26:00.003-05:00

"Girls Looking Out to Sea"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

Since plein air painting is done for a while, I'm back to painting from photos and some subjects that I put aside when the weather got nice last spring. These girls were playing on the beach when I visited Sanibel last March. I had a nice chat with their Mother and did some sketches here. Laura, you get first dibs on these!

Yarmouth Arts Holiday Art Walk

2010-11-26T21:20:00.005-05:00

"Island Moonlight"

10"x10" - framed

SOLD

"Castine Field II"

10"x10" - framed

SOLD

Just one last holiday show announcement: Yarmouth Arts Holiday Art Walk will be next Saturday, Dec. 4 from 4 to 7PM. 10 paintings from 5 artists will be auctioned, benefiting the Yarmouth Performing Arts Center's purchase of a new piano. I will be at Evans Ceramics (across the street from the Yarmouth Frameshop) with these two paintings. My plan is to run over to the Frameshop a few times during the event for our show there. So much art, so little time!

Holiday Originals at the Concord Art Association

2010-11-23T21:19:00.007-05:00

"Winter Shadows"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

"Red on Red"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

I'm pleased to have recently become a member of the Concord Art Association, in Concord, MA. This summer I did a lot of painting in Massachusetts, spending many early weekday mornings painting en plein air, and it's nice to have a local venue for that work. These are my contributions to the association's Holiday Originals Show, which opens next week.

"What Is It?"

2010-11-21T20:19:00.003-05:00

"What Is It?"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

Now that it's so dark, I'm getting back into painting inside and trying out what I'm learning with the Peggi Kroll-Roberts DVDs. This lady was on the beach in Sanibel last March, doing what everyone does on that beautiful island, looking for shells. I wander around pointing my camera this way and that, hoping my models don't notice that I'm snapping their pictures too.

Small Works Holiday Show at the Yarmouth Frameshop

2010-11-19T18:27:00.009-05:00

"Ornaments"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

"Gilsland Snow Field"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

What a season this is going to be for holiday shows! I told you about the "Anything Goes" Exhibit at River Arts in a previous post. We'll also be having the annual small works show at the Yarmouth Frameshop and Gallery, with an opening on Saturday, Dec. 4th from 4-7PM. The card and two of my paintings that will be in the show are shown above. I would love to see you at the opening.

Sketching Trucks

2010-11-17T20:25:00.003-05:00

Sketching trucks is like sketching boats, except a bit easier since they don't move (unless someone gets in and drives them away). It's a good exercise when there aren't any boats available. I saw these today at lunch in the parking lot of my favorite sub shop. Don't they say that truck drivers know where the best food is?

Jess #2

2010-11-11T20:25:00.003-05:00

"Jess #2"

6"x6" oil on canvas panel

This is my second attempt at Jess on the sofa, using a photo and the previous painting as references. I wanted to have less contrast in the shadows and lights on her face this time, and I think I got it. I've veered pretty far from the simplified shadow mass exercise though (which should just have one dark for all the shadows) but I like this one all the same.