"Pile On"

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We are in the home stretch as far as getting our house on the market. I swear it's been the neverending task! It will be listed by the end of this week - but that means we've been working over-time with little time left for me to paint. I managed some time for it this morning, but I can tell after just a few days I am rusty.

Thank you all for the FABULOUS title ideas for my last painting. I got some great ones! It was really tough narrowing it down. I really liked "Three Rascals" and "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot ... Drapes" but my favorite I think is "The Secret Life of Grapes". Very mysterious. : )

"The Secret Life of Grapes"

I did a large painting today (still wet - not this one) but nothing small, so I thought I'd post a larger one I did a couple of weeks ago. This one will go in my solo show at the Wally Workman Gallery in Austin, TX this July. It is 20"x24".

"My Closeup" - SOLD

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I've come up with a strategy for painting grapes and flowers that ... well sometimes it works. There are usually some parts of grapes and flowers where the light is shining through the fruit or petals and making it glow just a bit. If I start with that color - that glow color - and paint the whole thing with a thin layer of it, then paint the lights and darks and other variations on top of that, it tends to work. Sometimes anyway. It worked here.

"Backlit" - SOLD

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When I first set this up I thought - oh no that's way too difficult. But I really liked the light on the flower and the ground through the jar. So I did it anyway, and I'm really thrilled with how it turned out. My secret? Squint squint squint squint squint squint squint.

another demo & kids

Here is another demo from my Jacksonville workshop (sold). I got home last night. This was the last of 4 workshops I squeezed into the last month and I have to admit I'm fried. So I took today off. Well, actually I spent the day tearing carpet out of the old house, but at least I didn't have to think while I did it. Now I'm fried AND my body hurts. : ) Below are all my kids from this last class. I was blessed with yet another fabulous group - we had a great time!

Demo & workshop photos

Above is my demo from yesterday (sold) - at my workshop here in Jacksonville. Below are my kids. What is really cool about this location is that it's a gallery (Corse Gallery & Atelier) so there is lots of fabulous art hanging all around us.



We are having a great time - working hard during the day and lots of wine and good food every night!

"Little Bird 2" - SOLD

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This is the second version of the ceramic bird I did yesterday. Today I TRIED to do a big painting but realized too late the composition was ... well it was just bad. So I wiped the entire thing after 6 hours. Which is always hard. But it happens. (sigh) Tomorrow I am off to Florida for another workshop. I'll post again in a couple of days.

"Little Bird" - SOLD

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I borrowed this many workshops ago from a student. She brought it to paint and I was instantly drawn to it. She said "I thought you might like that," with a smile. She was kind enough to lend it to me, and after being a receptacle for garlic for a while (it has a hole on the top you can't see from this angle) I finally painted it, twice, and had great fun doing it! And if she lets me, I might paint it again before I mail it back. Thank you, Carolyn! (check her out - she does some great work!)

"Serene Green" - SOLD

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When I was a Junior in HS I lived in Seattle with some friends. If you're not familiar with the weather there, it tends to be overcast almost every single day. It doesn't necessarily rain every day ... more like drizzles often. And in the winter you go to school in the dark and get out an hour before sunset ... or something like that. I found myself drawing big elaborate designs on the backs of my hands when I should have been listening to my teachers. One day a friend suggested they looked like big suns. Duh! I was missing the sun. I think now I am painting peaceful paintings because my life is totally insane and crazy busy. Speaking of, if you're wondering what happened to progress on my studio, it's on a (scheduled) pause while we get the old house ready for the market (wish us luck).

"At the Moment"

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This was a calm moment on Friday ... and then we spent the entire weekend doing manual labor at our old house - still trying to get it ready to put on the market. I had no idea matching 7-yr-old paint (for the all the 10 or so colors I cleverly painted the inside of the house) would be so freaking hard! But it's really shaping up, and in a few more weeks we'll be done!

"A Little Reflection"

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I really love painting reflections, but doing it is kind of like backing up with a trailer. Those of you who've done it will understand. You have to do everything backwards.

Below is a painting I did a couple of weeks ago. It is 20"x24" and for my upcoming solo show. I was in kind of a funky mood when choosing the composition, which is why the scissors are open and maybe a bit menacing looking. When my husband saw it finished he said "don't run with this painting," which of course is the perfect title for it. : )

"Three High" - SOLD

I found these flowers in my yard! Totally wild. How cool is that?!

I am adding a new workshop to my schedule, August 10-14, 2009, in Red Deer, Canada. I have a contact there who is setting up the location, etc., but all the registration will be through me. If you are interested, please email me: me@carolmarine.com and I will give you more info. Thanks!

"Microcosm" - SOLD

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It's good to be home - not so good to see the huge pile of catch-up work waiting for me. : ) I did a large painting today in addition to this small one. I'll photograph it and post it tomorrow. I seem to be having a problem emailing this out...

"From the Window" & "Harde Barn Apt" - SOLD

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Above is the snowscape I promised earlier in the week. By yesterday the snow had all but completely melted, and this morning I woke up to all white again. If it were to snow 1/2 an inch in Texas I would assume the airport would shut down, but my flight went as planned and I am home now safe and sound. : )

Below is a small interior scene from the barn apt I called home for the past week. It was a lovely place to stay and the Harde's were very kind to put me up. This painting was my gift to them as a thank you. Thank you also to all my kids and Laurie and Kathy and all the crazy ladies from Sunday night (you know who you are!). Thank you for making my time in MA memorable, to say the least!!!

eggplant demo and kids again

This is another terrible photo (taken inside) of today's demo (sold). And another of my kids at work - kids from my second class here in Westford, MA.



And below are all my kids. Before I took it someone said "is this going to go on your blog?" I said, tentatively, "yes," and they said "goodie!" Who knew!? We still have half of tomorrow together, and then I fly home on Monday.

demo & kids

Here is a really terrible photo of my demo from yesterday (sold). Although I didn't actually attempt to take the picture outside (too cold!), I am flummoxed as to how I would do it with all that reflective snow! Here are some of my kids, hard at work.

And here is a group photo:



It was a great group - we had a lot of fun! I did a little snowscape today after class, from my window, but again couldn't get a good photo of it. I'll try again tomorrow and if I still can't get it I'll bring it home and do it there.

Snow is Westford, MA

Below is the view from my window here in Westford, MA. I have 2 more half days of teaching so maybe I can do a snowscape from the window before I leave. I can't imagine painting out in it!!!