The Girl In The White Jacket

The Girl In The White Jacket

10" x 8"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas board

I was feeling like painting something a little "girly" while working at the gallery this past Sunday (maybe because it was Mother's Day?).  I was inspired by the paintings of these two other artists.

The first one is by Gustav Klimt that I happened upon while researching something else:

Portrait of Maeda Primavesi

Gustav Klimt (1913)

And the second one is this pastel drawing by Whistler:

The Blue Girl

James McNeill Whistler (1900s) 

I have been trying to simplifiy my faces down to the fewest strokes and values possible, which I think Whistler does here superbly. I also originally had much more detail in the wallpaper background but it looked way too busy so I scraped it off and liked the effect that gave it. Then added back a few more flowers on top. Then finally, I wanted to make her clothes and hair look a little more modern so I changed those up to my liking.

Fun.

The Red Inn IV

The Red Inn IV

12" x 36" x 2"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled artist board

SOLD

While working at The Artists Studio and Gallery this past weekend I was able to complete this commission. It's that time of year again when this beautiful place in Provincetown opens it's doors to guests for weddings and special occasions. 

I am also working on some more large paintings of the inn and Provincetown for an upcoming show there. The inn was very good to me last year, let's hope this year is the same. It is a magical place and I am so ready for summer to start I can't stand it!

And finally, as I like to do, here is an "in progress" shot:

Murren, Switzerland

Murren Majesty

18" by 18" by 1.5"

Oil with a palette knife of cradled artist board

My lucky friends are spending several years in Switzerland and asked if I would paint one of their favorite photos for them to hang in their house. What a treat. Can't you just imagine yourself sitting on that bench and being surrounded by this incredible view?

Below is an "in progress" shot. 

And a close up shot:

The Best Compliment

I love it when I happen upon blog posts like this. It is the greatest compliment for an artist to hear when others respond positively to your art. 

"This lovely painting made me want to run outside and paint!"

Please visit this art teacher's blog to see the full post:

http://smittystudio.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-refreshing.html?showComment=1366640322900#c3657970858341137973

My take away is "Never stop learning!"

We have our city back!

Trinity Church, Boston

6" by 8"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas board

I am so thankful to everyone that helped to get our city back yesterday. What a week it has been. We can now properly grieve for those that were lost and pray for the recovery of those that were critically injured.

Last week, I was sent a 6" by 8" Raymar canvas board from the Zullo Gallery in Medfield and asked to paint the subject of my choosing which would then be sold at their Annual Art Festival to raise money for renovations and improvements for this non profit gallery. While looking through my photos trying to envision what I wanted to paint, I came across a close up photo I had taken of Trinity Church, an iconic image in Boston, which is located right in the heart of Back Bay and knew that it what I wanted to paint.

It makes me feel very proud of the beautiful city I call home.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Joined at the Hip

Joined At The Hip
(50-51 Beacon Street)

10" x 8" x .75"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled artist board

More Beacon Street but much smaller this time. I loved how these two buildings look like they belong together, joined at the hip forever near the top of Beacon Hill.

Today is a holiday in Massachusetts, Patriots Day, for the running of the Boston Marathon. I so love having this random day off of work even though taxes are still due today. Spoils the fun a little bit this year.

Cape House Shadows

Cape House Shadows

24"x 24" x 2"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board

I painted this while working at The Gallery again this past weekend. I took the reference photo while we were visiting Provincetown last year and I loved the shadows that this tree was casting on the house. And the deep blue of the sky was such a nice contrast.

After a quick start, I took this photo below because the shapes began looking like an interesting abstract painting. It wasn't where I wanted to go with it, but I really liked the way it looked at this early stage and I wanted to capture that for down the road when perhaps I might want to try abstract painting.

Polo and I also set up our display after the Foxboro Art Association show came down. Here is where we ended up. We both have some larger paintings now, which look great on the wall.

And this was interesting, as we were getting ready to leave, I noticed that Polo and I both used the same size canvas and similar colors for our weekend paintings. Don't they look like they belong together?  Like Soulmates, just like us-awww.

Cityscenes available at 13Forest Gallery

This collection of Boston City Scenes (and one from New York) is available at 13 Forest Gallery in Arlington, MA. If you haven't checked out this gallery either in person or online, please do. They have a unique collection of art and artists.

How quickly can you pick out the one that is not Boston?

Boston from the Footbridge

9" x 12" x 1.5"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board

Available at 13 Forest Gallery

The Littlest Bar, Province Street Boston

Oil with a palette knife on cradled artist board

14" x 11"

Available at 13 Forest Gallery

Boston Uncommon

14" x 11" x .75"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled artist panel

Available at 13 Forest Gallery

The Penthouse Suite

Oil with a palette knife on canvas

10" x 10"

Available at 13 Forest Gallery

View from 500 Boylston

12" x 12" x 1.5"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board

Available at 13 Forest Gallery

Boston Opera House (revisited)

12" x 12" x .75"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board

Available at 13 Forest Gallery

April Flowers

Freshly cut

6" x 6"

Oil with a palette knife on board

$125 framed

A little bit of yellow to brighten your day. Happy Easter weekend everyone!

Completing the Trio

58 Beacon Street

36" x 12" x 2"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board
SOLD

This is the third in a series of Beacon Street townhouses on the historic Beacon Hill across from the Boston Common. I walked over the Beacon Street yesterday to confirm the address of this building. Based on others I'd done, I guessed and I was glad to see that I guessed correctly. While I was there, I took some more photos of some of the other buildings that looked like good contenders for the next round of paintings. So it became an inspiring walk.

I had a chance to take a photo of the three paintings together this weekend and I have to say that I am really pleased. This is just how I pictured them, all lined up together similarly as they do in Boston. And I am excited to paint more!

My Cousins in Cabo

Cabo Cousins

9" by 12"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board

My Aunt Besty, whose grandkids I painted in "Where the Boys Are" asked if I would paint another one of my Aunt Lyn's (her sister) grandkids. She sent me this great photo of them all lined up on the beach in Cabo San Lucas where their family vacations every year.

I remembered to take a photo of the painting after the first session (shown below). All the faces went in in first--always the most time consuming and challenging part--then I could relax and have fun with the background scenery.

Portrait of Edgar, The Hellion

Edgar

6" by 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas board

My friends Carol and Jim recently had to say goodbye to Edgar, their family's border collie. I painted this as a surprise for Jim's birthday and it was such a perfect subject to paint with the palette knife. Carol said "I know you're good and I'm pretty partial to the subject, but that's a beautiful portrait, His eyes are so alive, so wonderful" And Jim said "Wow-I am touched. You really captured the Hellion in all his cuteness. Thank you." Such wonderful compliments. I am hoping that this portrait will help fill a little bit of the void left by the loss of Eddie.

Working my way down Beacon Street

78 Beacon Street

36" x 12" x 2"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board
SOLD

I painted this large painting while working at The Art Gallery at Patriot Place this past weekend. It really helps to pass the time to paint while working and the gallery visitors love to see an artist at work, especially the kids. So it's a win win.

I took a bunch of photos of these townhomes on Beacon Hill and the surrounding streets. I think this unusual size is perfect for capturing their majestic and historic feel. One visitor suggested that I start painting the buildings in Venice in this format too. I told her to send me photos so we'll see. Wouldn't that be fun!

Here is an in progress shot:

And a few chunky delicious closeups:

Where The Boys Are

Where The Boys Are

9" x 12" x .75"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board

A fun commission for my aunt of her grandkids on a dock near their lake house in Lawrence, Michigan. I just love the poses, especially young Betsy in the front-the only girl amongst a gaggle of boys. Her mother calls this pose "the future pole dancer." What a riot and such fun to paint this one.

I mentioned in the previous post about the orange underpainting that I have been using lately. I used it on this painting, but what was interesting is that I painted the skin tones first and while the colors looked right on my mixing palette, when I applied them to the toned board, it was difficult to judge the color due to the closeness of the tones. Interesting observation and something to keep in mind for future paintings. I meant to take a photo after that first stage and forgot-oh well. Two lessons learned!

Daddy's little boy

Daddy's Little Boy

14" x 11" x 3/4"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board

A sweet commission for my cousin. He wanted to have a painting done for his good friend who lost his son too soon. He sent me a photo that was his friend's favorite image and memory of the two of them together.

I painted this during class and it came together quickly. Originally I had a bit of a horizon and sky at the top of the painting. Kim, our instructor, suggested that maybe the composition would work better if the water just went all the way up to the top, so I changed it later. I think it does work better. Also-the color of the boy's shorts were very close to skin color and it looked like he was naked so I "oranged" them up a bit and I hope they do read as swim trunks now.

Below is a photo of my set up at the sketch stage. I didn't use the orange underpainting this time. Not sure why, I think I forgot to do it before sketching, but in a later post I'll talk about another reason that maybe it was better that I didn't.

This painting will be off to Florida as soon as it's dry. I bet they do a lot of this kind of fishing down there.

Stay warm everyone!

53 Beacon Street, Boston

53 Beacon Street, Boston

36" x 12" x 2"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board
SOLD

This was my project while working at The Art Gallery at Patriot Place this past weekend. It came together pretty quickly and I was able to finish it by midday Sunday. I plan to do several more of these at this size because I think they will look really great all lined up together as they are on Beacon Hill.

I also took a few progress photos along the way. The ivy went in last-great fun to paint.

January Demonstration-Beacon Hill Beauties

Beacon Hill Beauties

10" x 10" x 1.5"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board
$300/framed

Wednesday night I did a palette knife demonstration for the Foxboro Art Association. What a great crowd came out to see me wield my knives. I chose to paint from a photo that I had taken of some of the beautiful historic townhomes on Beacon Hill, in Boston. They a great mirror that we set up so that everyone in the audience you could see my painting, my palette, and supplies as I worked. Very cool.

I brought along several of my paintings to show the ranges of styles, sizes, and subject matter I have done in the past.

A nice recap of my palette knife demo

If you click on this image to enlarge it, I hope you can read this great recap of a demo I did for the Taunton Art Association back in November.

More Mini Masters to ring in the New Year!

 

Mini Homer

3" by 5"

Oil with a palette knife on board

SOLD

 Mini Degas

3.5" by 2.5"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas

$45 with mini easel 

I can't get enough of these Mini Masters. Capturing the essence of the painting with just a few strokes is key. Every mark counts. Below is a photo of them on their mini easels as well as a close up shot of the Homer. There are more on the way!

  Happy New Year everyone!

Family Christmas Commission

The Aldridge Kids

11" by 14"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled artist board

Liz asked if I would paint a portrait of her three kids and their dog Max as a surprise Christmas present for her husband. I finished it on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day I received an email from her which read "I love it!!!!! It is my husband's favorite present!" There is no better compliment than that!