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

New look for the blog

I changed the look of my blog and I think I may have broken the feed. I don't think any emails are going out when I post. This is a test to see if the email subscription is working. I can't believe I didn't have myself in the feed, otherwise I would have figured it out earlier! I do now :)

Audrey at the Beach

I did this painting in May - the week before I went to Karin Jurick's workshop in NYC. I wanted to do a figure painting before I attended the workshop because I didn't want to go in there cold without ever doing a figure.

Audrey is a really great kid - she's so guileless and sweet and I hope she can hold on to some of that through all the crap life throws at us all. 

I liked that I was able to lay the paint down so that each brush stroke meant something. I have a big issue with the perspective on her arm and I really want to fix it but I am afraid I will ruin the painting.

I hadn't posted it earlier because I plan to give it to my brother and sister-in-law as a gift and I didn't want them to see it. But they aren't blog readers so I realized that I'm safe.

Audrey at the Beach
6x6 Oil on Panel

Symbols of Summer

I love summer - it is my favorite season. I don't know why I live in New England and not in a warmer climate. On the bright (?) side, suffering through endless winters and rainy springs does mean that I appreciate the gorgeous (and too few) days of summer. Wow - how's that for reaching for the positive?? Is that the best reason I can come up with?

Flip flops are all about the summer for me. I wear them all summer long (when I'm not at work) and have since I was a kid. These little yellow flip flops belong to my 8 year old niece Audrey.  They are so cheerful and cute - just like she is.

Audrey's Flip Flops
Oil on 5x7 Panel