City-Wide Lowell Open Studios Sept 25-26

The 10th Annual Lowell Open Studios is September 25-26 from 11am -5pm. It's a fun weekend where artists across the city open their doors so you can see where they work, view their art and, if you see something you like, buy it and take it home.Many of the artists have special events so you can plan your day around any events that interest you. The galleries are also open.

All kinds of artists participate: jewelers, photographers, painters, sculptors, fabric and more. Here's a peek at some of the people who are open so you can get an idea of what is available - and yes, I'm on there :).

I'm opening for the first time since last fall. I will have paintings for sale, goodies to eat, and wine to drink. Stop by!

Blue Table

Finally a painting. It's been a while. I was sick for a bit with bronchitis and was also struggling with my painting. I went on vacation last week and feel rejuvenated.

I was in Maine and didn't do any painting but took hundreds of photos (actually over a thousand but I deleted half after reviewing them all). My photography has really improved over the past year and I think it has to do with painting - both because I take thousands of photos now and because painting has made me more attuned to composition.

This is a painting inspired by the back patio at the cottage I stayed in. It was a sweet little cottage.

Blue Table
8x8 Oil on Canvas

When the going gets tough, the tough paint a bunch of stuff around it

When I first started painting, I did a lot of fruit. Fruit is plentiful and colorful so I focussed on fruit and veggies because there is an endless supply. But I find them pretty hard to paint.

I decided to see if it had gotten any easier. It hasn't. This time though, instead of wiping the whole thing off, I got silly instead. It was kind of fun to do.

It's a Pear Party
Oil on 12x16 deep canvas

I was hoping that I would be better at not overworking the painting. I'm not. Because a pear is a smooth object, with subtle variations in color and tone - I really struggle with finding just the right shade to lay down and end up redoing it over and over. I'm going to keep trying though - so be prepared to be inundated with more fruit.

Too Darn Hot

I haven't been to the studio in almost 2 weeks because its just too hot! I'm on the 5th floor of an old manufacturing building with no AC and it really is torture. I've been trying out watercolors at home which has been disastrous so far, but I'll keep trying. I'd like to make it work because I only have a little corner of the living room in which to work and oils are too messy and smelly and easily walked on by the cat.

I will try to get to the studio this weekend - it's also the 3 day Lowell Folk Festival so I'll have to figure out how to get both things in. If you haven't been to the Folk Festival it is WELL worth the trip to Lowell - free music from all over the world, good food, events for the kids, art, crafts and the best people watching north of Boston.

Flip flops again

I enjoyed painting the other flip flops so much that I painted another pair today. There is a bit of glare in the upper right because the paint is still wet.

I like the two paintings together. Is it a reflection on their personalities that Audrey places her flip flops neatly side by side and Olivia just leaves them where they fall?

Olivia's Flip Flops
Oil on 5x7 Panel