Life is a Celebration

I wish I would always take the time to make cards for my friends, it feels so good to think about them and make choices, rather than fit an existing card to them. I used cardstock made of heavy weight watercolor paper. I have minimal experience with watercolor, so it was quite interesting to play with a new medium.

Hanging Rock 1

Hanging Rock overlooks Paradise Valley and Sachuest Beach, in Middletown , RI. The beach is known as 2nd Beach, and yes, we have a 1st and 3rd beach too. This area has attracted painters since the 1800's. 12x12 plein air.

Cushing Gallery

This gallery was built in 1920 and faces the original Art Association, which is now the Newport Art Museum. I sat on a bench in Touro Park across the street to paint this. It was a very foggy morning and I really wasn't thrilled with the results. So I went back to try again. I have been raised in the school of one shot painting for plein air, but sometimes I need to bend those rules. The idea is to make a painting that works, right? I'm much happier with my do- over.

Gerber Daisy

I love everything about this Gerber daisy. Experimenting with leaving some parts unfinished, with toned panel and remnants of drawing exposed. It goes against my natural inclination, which is to finish, to leave no empty areas, so in that sense it is a good exercise. 8x8 on cradled wood panel.

Blue Sash

Blue Sash finally posted. This painting is 12x24 on linen.One of a collection my mother acquired when we were in Greece many,many years ago. I have a few of them, and although wearing sashes isn't really my fashion style, I am intrigued by their colors and handwoven texture. Really fun to paint. Will continue, but plan somehow on bringing them outside.

Just Dotty

Here's the finished painting. It's 12x12, done from life in the studio under lights. I would like to try a few fabric studies outside in natural light to observe the differences in the color. Maybe I could toss the fabric over a chair or lay it on the grass. How about on the grass in dappled sunlight. Then it would be even more dotty! Or on some roundish rocks on the beach by my house. I could go on and on, need a pad to keep the ideas on. I think them, then I forget them! How about you?

1st Pass I'm Dotty

Just spent 1 1/2 hours with the computer tech genius who helped me get back to my blog! I have been out of sorts being so out of touch, then too busy to sit down and commit to the fix. But here we are,will be playing catch up for a while, but that's OK. No, I haven't stopped painting, or run away to France, or fractured my right hand. I am just so computer stupid, but now, let's not even go there! I am now using Chrome to do this, so my Windows program is so sadly outdated. Did I say I am happy now?