NYC Woman

This is my entry for  the weekly challenge from The Daily Paintworks. This week a photo was submitted by Linda Popple and it gave me a run for my money. Thanks Linda and DPW for always keeping us thinking and painting. Wanted to keep an abstract anywoman feel to it, but don't think I managed to.

Green Egg

This is my submission to the color challenge from The Daily Paintworks. I thought it would be easy. Hah.1st attempt was a wipe off, hadn't even got the drawing right! 2 days later, back in the studio, and it started to come together for me. It's a split complementary color scheme, which is, by definition, takes one color from the color wheel (my color was purple) and then uses one color on either side of its' complement. (which would be yellow) with orange on one side and green on the other side. I used the basic color wheel, but  it still sounds more complicated than it actually was! I have the blue and purple eggs to paint next! Ha Ha.

Top Hen

This piece was painted to accompany the previous post, or to stand alone. I enjoyed painting these more than I thought I would, but then, after all, it's all about value,composition and color. Went to a lecture by Jemison Faust yesterday at The Seaman's Institute, as part of the Arts & Cultural Alliance noon lecture series going on this week. Many events all week. Feel grateful to be part of such a community.

Strut

Not a subject I would normally undertake, but that was the challenge proposed 2 weeks ago by The Daily Paintworks. Yes, a chicken.I love the country, but I'm much more an urban landscape girl, so this was definitely outside my comfort range. I tried to connect the darks as much as I could to make a cohesive painting that was about more than the subject matter.

Rooftop 2

Here the other pared down version of the rooftop scene. Our figure studio isn't meeting this week,so I may take on one of the challenges from The Daily Paintworks. The chicken which is so out of my comfort zone may be where to start. Check in tomorrow and you can see how brave I was.....or wasn't!

Rooftop 1

Was almost tempted to wipe this off, as it is not painted in my "usual"way.I was talked out of wiping it off, and decided to let it stand as an exercise on simplification of the prior days painting. Let it be. Move on.

Between the Buildings

A very grey morning with biting winds. I had hoped to paint plein air today, but it's still way too cold, so I set up by the window. I wanted to paint a street scene and the studio was warm and cozy. When I finished this, I did some very abstracted and simplified versions of the roof tops which I will post tomorrow.

White Tulips 3

Final study....for now....of the white tulips.The experience of staying with a subject is helping me to see, and also to simplify. Went up to Boston today and saw the Catherine Kehoe exhibit at The Howard Yezerski Gallery. My old neighborhood, The South End, as eclectic as when I lived there 10 years ago.Wonderful paint application,composition, and use of color. I will be studying figure painting with her this summer.

Open Figure 3rd Monday

Our model wore her working costume (actually the undergarments) from Coggeshall Farm, southern New England's only living history full time working farm. I can't tell you how beautiful the light was on her, the soft fabrics gave ample opportunity for working on drapery. The time flew by.

White Tulips 2

Another dalliance with the white tulips.I put the vase sitting atop a gallon container of gesso on the floor next to the window. Morning sun. I wanted to look down into the heart of the flower.

White Tulips 1

White tulip study done with one eye on the clock. Trying to economize my brushstrokes

and paint more deliberately.Vase of tulips on a table under the skylight. No other lighting. On a side note, the painting from my last post took a 2nd Place award last night! Delighted for the recognition and the support of everyone.

Looking East

 

This painting was accepted into the juried show  IMAGINE PURPLE at The Portsmouth Arts Guild . I'm really excited as I have won a prize.But I don't know what yet...any recognition is always so appreciated.The reception is tomorrow night so I'll find out then. My little painting of the Pussy Willows which I posted a few days ago also got in!

Open Figure 2nd Monday

Felt alot more comfortable working with charcoal this week at  the Open Figure Studio at the Portsmouth Arts Guild. I just want to focus on increasing my observational skills and keeping it simple seems to work best for me. Still see drawing problems...like that drooping guitar neck!! You noticed it, didn't you? We have a great group of people using mixed media and wonderful models too.Listened to bluesy guitar music.

Summer in Germany

My entry for the weekly challenge from The Daily Paintworks from Carol Marine. This painting is from a photograph she took visiting her husbands parents in Germany. What caught my eye was the meadow high up in the hills, so I edited her photo quite a bit. We traveled numerous times to Germany when we lived in France and this did bring back memories to me. Thanks Carol.