"Pear Passion" - SOLD

I've been using a lot of neutral grounds lately, so for this one I decided to go a little WILD & CRAZY and use hot pink. I broke all my rules for it, but I think it turned out really cool.

"Pleasure Hauler" - SOLD

Here is my last painting from Maine. We were at a huge lot full of (mostly) boats, but of course I zeroed in on this red truck. Cloudy again. Now I am itching to get outside again.

"Lobsterland" - SOLD

On the second afternoon painting in Maine, the sun went away again. We were in Rockland and I'm not sure exactly where we painted, but it was geared towards lobster (surprise surprise!). While we were waiting for our burgers at lunchtime (sun still around) I got this picture of my painting buddies for the day: Bruce, Colin, Mary Anne, and Brenda.

"Tied Up" - SOLD

On the second morning painting in Maine the sun came out. We were thrilled, especially since all the reports called for more rain. I painted this little boat tied up in front of a dock. I really loved the little red lifesaver, and the light relfecting around inside the boat.

I got a lot out of seeing Colin's references - seeing what he painted and how he painted it. One thing I saw him do on a cloudy afternoon was to lighten the values. I realized that while it is VERY important for all the values to be accurate, they only have to be accurate relative to each other. If you lighten everything a notch, they still relate and "read" if you will. So for this one I tried that just a little, which allowed me to play more with the colors.

"Wait Out Front" - SOLD & "Gray Morning" - nfs - SOLD

So the day after the workshop in Maine last weekend, several of us got together to do some plein airing. Unfortunately the morning dawned gray gray gray. It drizzled a little, but the real problem was general lack of light. Or interesting light anyway. Now, I say that, and it sounds like an excuse and ... well, it is. I could have made more of it, but I didn't. This was my first painting:

I was painting with Bobbi, Suzanne, Bruce and Colin (Page). The first three are friends, and Colin I met in person for the first time that day. It was VERY cool meeting him as I have been a big fan of his for years. He is a super cool guy - very kind and humble. Plus he's like 6'7" or something crazy like that and doesn't wear shoes. You can't help but like him!

"Oh Romeo Oh Tomato" - SOLD

I had my husband look at this painting and he said "the tomato is courting the fork" (the fork is in the cup). So I figured the fork is Juliet and is calling down to her tomato Romeo. Or is that too cutsie? : )

Below are my demos from the Maine workshop. Tomorrow I will post photos from my 2 days of painting in Maine after the workshop.

"Pear Threat - SOLD

I am home from Maine as of an hour ago and am going to post before I collapse. The workshop was held in a kids french immersion school. It was really the perfect spot - plenty of light, and the tables were all the perfect height for still lifes ...

The chairs were a bit small, but very colorful and perfect for demo-watching.

Here are a few of my kids working away. This one in front was pretty surly a few times (just kidding, Kitty!), but the rest were fairly well-behaved. : )

We partied every night (even though I swear the wine glasses they gave me always seemed to have holes in the bottom), hence almost no posting last week. Below are my kids (and me in my new red jacket from LLBean).

"Show Off" - SOLD

I am finished up with my workshop in Maine, but I am still here ... with the plan to paint for a couple of days with friends. And we will ... if we don't get rained out!! The forecast is rain for the next 3 days - argh! I will report on this and the workshop very soon.

"Sunny Face" - SOLD

And now a slightly different take on the same subject. I really liked the flower from above, and this combination of plums and orange slices. Silly you say? But that's me. : )

I'm off tomorrow for a workshop in Maine. Looking forward to getting away from this heat!

"Simple Breakfast 4" - SOLD

It took me a long time to figure out the usefulness of gray, and then more time to figure out how to make it. Gray is useful because it allows the other colors to sing. You make it - well, there are lots of ways, but my way is to mix blue, red and yellow, and generally white. This way you end up getting a large variety of grays, which is more interesting in my opinion. That versus mixing just black and white or burnt umber, ultramarine and white, or gray straight from a tube.

"Simple Breakfast 3" - SOLD

Here's the third version. Each of these objects is actually deceptively difficult to paint. The plate in itself - yikes. And if you don't beleive me, just try it.

"Simple Breakfast 2" - SOLD

I decided to do a whole series like this. I used a different light than I generally use so that it would be softer (sometimes also better for flowers). I normally use a daylight spotlight bulb, but for this I used a "true" white bulb I got forever ago at a specialty lightbulb store.

"Simple Breakfast" - SOLD

I personally have a love/hate relationship with Facebook, but yesterday I got a nice surprise when I opened my computer and found dozens of birthday greetings via Facebook. Thank you all so much for that!! It was a nice surprise. I'm actually not as old as I thought - all year I thought I was 32, but my husband said "check the math, Carol," and indeed I only just turned 32. duh. So, it's like I gained a year, or just didn't age this year ... or something. My stepdaughter Maddie (15) made a little figurine for me of my son (Jacob, 5) the artist. I am blown away by her talent!! Check it out:




I had a fabulous birthday and was generally spoiled rotten!

"Striped Success" - SOLD

The title of this one has absolutely nothing to do with anything other than the fact that I had a glass of wine and I'm feeling a little silly. : ) But it may be my favorite of the peaches. There is something about stripes that is ... mesmerising.

"Cannibal Peaches" - SOLD

The idea for the title of this painting came when I was in the middle of it. I suddenly realized, to my horror, that the three outside peaches had plans of their own. Nefarious produce, peaches.

"Napping Fork" - SOLD

Is it me, or does it seem like the fork is sleeping? And the peaches are trying a sneaky, night-time getaway?

"Peach Pile" - SOLD

I'm going back to peaches because they've been so good looking this year. I think I'm finally getting the hang of the pinks they inevitably have in them

"Cowabunga" - SOLD

This is my favorite of the cows, and the last for now. It was one of those that just seemed to appear on the canvas as if by magic.

Meanwhile, my husband is almost done with my new workbench, meaning I can finally move my office and shipping area out of ... the bathroom. I've posted some photos of each on my studio blog. : )

"Looky There" - SOLD

I have 2 photos of these cows - one of them looking away (this one) and one of them looking right at me. That's the problem with cows - they're TOO curious. This was late in the day with just glancing light, which made their legs do fabulous things. That pink isn't made up.

"Kid Kows" - SOLD

I took a zillion photos of cows in Germany and finally decided to dig some out and paint from them. I had so much fun - cows are cool. I've actually wanted to paint them for a long time now. I've taken pictures before, but always seem to catch them on overcast days. I finally got some sun!

And here is another painting that will be in the show starting this Saturday at the Wally Workman Gallery. It's called Reaching Out, 20x28in.

"Watering Can" - SOLD

I found this cute little watering can at the thrift store recently. It's only about 3 inches high.

Above is Mary, another student from my workshop in NY last weekend, painting on a too short contraption. Below is Chris dutifully painting an apple in burnt umber.

And below, a few of my kids enjoying wine in the parlor before a scrumptious dinner. Yes, I had wine too. It was mandatory. ; )

And finally, my kids and I on the last day. It was a great group, and a great location, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I am still getting caught up on email since returning, so if you've written to me, please be patient. Thanks!!

"Spread Out Stacks" - SOLD

I am back from NY and ready to report. First of all, it was a beautiful place! Hudson River Valley Workshops are held at the Greenville Arms Inn (below). The food was terrific, the rooms cozy and the workshop space was perfect.


And my kids, well, they kept me busy to say the least. Here are a few of them doing value studies on the first day. I always take pictures during the timed exercises so they won't protest or mug for the camera - you know how kids are. : ) I've decided it'll take 2 posts to share everything, so ... more tomorrow.