Harmony

 

My painting Harmony was selected by Kevin Gilmore for a new show at Spring Bull Gallery titled Out of the Blue. This painting is 12x24 on gallery wrapped canvas and was originally titled- An Experiment. Using only yellow ochre, Indian red, ultramarine blue and titanium white to make as many hues as I could while minimizing repetition and showing a full range of values. The show runs through 10/29/23- hope when you’re in Newport you’ll stop in. Open daily except for Tuesdays.

Quiet Cove

So much fun painting at Brenton Cove this morning in Newport. The first two pics are details, then the final painting. Finished in the studio- tweaking the values- my eyes seemed to have trouble with the brightness of the day. I’ve never worn my glasses, never mind dark glasses to paint- but…..

This one is 12x24 and looks great in this wide frame rimmed with gold. I’m in love with the lobster boat in the foreground, but there’s a cat boat at anchor and some Opti’s racing in the background. 

 

Plein Air to Studio

 A street in Newport that I drive by all the time. The storefronts are very attractive, but I'm attracted to the light in the alley as well as the shadows on the back wall.

Here's the block in. It took a while, as I wanted to get the focal point in the right position . The canvas was toned with cadmium red light which served as my middle ground. I added the darks, then the lights.

Back in the studio, I went bold with yellow for the light. I began to add a pink sky, by then it was time to call it a night.

I wasn't in love with the yellow, so I changed it all to pink. I know I could have played with color in Photoshop, but I liked the layering aspect of working a little slower and having time to look and get my gut reaction before taking the next step.

I saw that the pink was overpowering, also that the building on the right had too much emphasis. I balanced it by adding a lot of neutrals to the right side and also finding more middle values on the left side. I want my viewer to go down that alley!
I'm not sure this is done, so I will let it sit for a while. I've already started a larger painting based on the left side of this one. I will show you more in my next post.

We're having a heat wave

When our plein air group met to paint at a lovely estate in Newport, steamy showers rained us out. I went back alone later in the week, on another exceptionally hot day. I stood with my back to a little gardener's cottage, looking at the water garden.

I had walked for a while around this large property, but without an umbrella, I couldn't see painting and baking in the sun. At least here, I had shade from the building.

This gorgeous building is a greenhouse, studio and rooftop deck that looks out over the ocean.

My surface was toned with acrylic cadmium orange,good for my mid range value, which struck me as perfect for the intense heat of the day. I worked with thin oil paint to lay down my composition, keeping shapes abstract.

We're in Maine now and the painting sits in the studio. I want to go in and make a few changes when I get home. 12x24.

$Highest bid for a good cause$

Here in Newport, RI we all look forward to Wet Paint at the The Newport Art Museum. It's a big fundraising event which culminates in a live auction and brings artists and the community together in the best possible way. This year was its' 25th anniversary and we remembered the wonderful man who started the whole thing off, Richard Grosvenor.
There was a heavy downpour Saturday morning as I drove over to the museum to check-in  and and get my panel stamped with the  official Wet Paint stamp. I was trying to figure out where I would paint, knowing that I wanted to be under some kind of cover.
Keep it simple- I said to myself.
I chose a spot on the museum grounds looking towards Bellevue Ave. The wide avenue where so many of the Newport Mansions are located. I had put a layer of cadmium red on the 12x24" panel, which would serve as my middle value, and help expedite my composition layout. 

Not the most inspiring day as of and on showers made their appearance.

The artist at work. And loving every moment of it.

Here's the finished painting. My dog Cooper was home alone, and I wanted to get back to him. Home by noon.

Thrilled to learn the next day that my painted was headed "under the tent" for the live auction. #9 out of only 20 chosen from over 500 works of art.

The auction was really exciting,led by Rupert Nesbitt and auctioneer Robbie Gordy from Christie's NYC, as my painting was the high bid of the day going for $3800. The arts are alive and well in Newport, RI.

                                 See ya next year, Wet Paint!