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Thursday, November 29, 2007

I'm No Van Gogh!


And no photographer, obviously, either! Sorry for the shadow on the top of the canvas. This is a very bad photo, too 'mustard-y' but I'm very bad with Photoshop, too (OK, am I listing my faults here, too? I'm disorganized and NO housekeeper! On the 'plus' side I am loyal....) OK, back to the art, these are the 'black' irises, though upon close (and I mean really close) inspection, they're dark purple, navy and magenta actually. And this isn't done, either. When it is I'll re-post.

At Long Last!


This is a work-up from a smaller painting I did last winter. I love, love, love sparrows (and so do my cats, but not in the same way!) and enjoy watching them. Last year I did an 'all-blue' piece of a gathering of sparrows in silhouette, this time I've added a slight bit of background, and sunlit ground - pavement or concrete. Since I took the photo, I couldn't resist enriching the birds a bit, lightening the blue in the background, and thickening the sunlit ground. I like their interactions. I'm thinking of calling it "Politics As Usual", or "And THEN She Said..." but I'll take any suggestions on this one, from sublime to flip...

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Trying Something New... be patient

DOUBLE CLICK ON THE ARROW... to see the video. Let's see how this works... Harry & Izzy during a 'truce', and in the background on the left you can see my painting taboret that is taking over the dining room with piles and piles of paintings... Oh, and Harry has a cold (no runny nose, but a lot of lip-smacking)...

This is in preparation of videos from the workshop I'm going to next week... stay tuned!

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

New Studio!

This is the view from my window at the new studio - downstairs there's a bookstore and a cafe, a bead store and a yarn store. Very nice! Here's my initial setup. I've added a couple more tables, etc. to get comfortable.

Below are the new Studio Roommates: L-R Marge, Judy and Phyllis. Missing is Carol.



Now that I'm happily ensconced in my new studio there is NO excuse - feel free to remind me of this - not to get my work done! I'm moving right along in my commissions, and hope to have the bulk of them wrapped up before I go away this Sunday for a workshop with Peggy Kroll Roberts in Scottsdale (Yahooo!).



White Pumpkins, oil 12x12

Working on some ideas for an upcoming show. Loving LOVING my new studio. These were two tiny white pumpkins on a white cloth and I was just trying to be loose... let it be painterly. I think I may have another run at this, too. Maybe the paint is too thick.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Bristol Ferrytop, 8x16 Acrylic on Board


This was the second painting today at the Ferry Landing in Bristol, RI. The first painting was a complete throw-away, but I liked the shape of the ferry top. It's far from perfect, but a fun little study before I headed over to my new **studio** :) I'll post some photos of THAT soon. Still moving in. The first painting day there I got locked out when I went use the restroom - a disaster! But was rescued by my new studio roommate, Judy Chaves - wonderful girl!!

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Candy Cottages, Hull, Acrylic 11x14

SOLD I've painted these houses in Hull a couple of times, and I always think "Well, NEXT time I come I'll do this or that instead.." So this is one more, with a badly cropped photo, sorry. They stand up against a sea wall, with just the Atlantic Ocean in front of them. Way, way at the very tip of Hull. So perhaps it's the waters of Boston Harbor, actually. You have to love being 'away' to live here full time, as it's about 20 minutes or so just to get out of town, and there's no conveniences down here, either. But it's beautiful in it's isloation, and it just 'feels different' to be here.

Dunes of Westport, 8x16, oil


SOLD
This was a piece done in Westport, MA yesterday while I was painting with Denise Zompa and Phyllis Adams. I had a short amount of time, but wanted to just knock in the values. Standing in a sun-drenched dune, looking out to the light filled ocean, listening to the sound of the waves... it was a warm wonderful experience. The grass holding the dunes in clumps reminded me of camel's humps, or waves.
I've been busy with home repairs (weighing in on, not actually DOING), moving out of my studio, and trying to work on some commissions. Of course when you have all of this stuff to do, what I usually do is ESCAPE, which is what I did Monday - just hopped the train to NYC to bask in the energy of the city, check out 47th street shops without anyone expressing disbelief that I wasn't BLIND yet from the bling, and meet Tim, who had meetings in NYC Monday, for dinner at my favorite deli. Oh, the things he does for me! We had a great time and I was anxious to get back to painting with some fresh ideas, and new photos to paint from of the City.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Edward Hopper's House, Acrylic, 14x18

On Tuesday, a gorgeous summer-like day, I hit the road with these guys in search of Edward Hopper's house in Truro. We wanted to paint it before the McMansion ("Hey, they paid $16 million dollars for it- they can do what they want!") next door goes up. We don't oppose anyone's freedom to do what they wish, but if you look at this area, it seems the wiser choice would be something more seamless in the pristine landscape. Here is Mary Sheehan Winn (see blog link, right) and Ros Farbush, and Paula Villanova (blog link on my Daily Painting Blog), posing with Hopper's house in the background. The house sits on a HUGE bluff, which drops away to Cape Cod Bay, with gorgeous views from Wellfleet to Provincetown. Being here you can see how his surroundings influenced his art.


This is my piece, which I'm fairly happy with. I may go back in and work on the house a little, but I'm going to let it sit before I decide.


And here is the work of the day from the group. Top right - Ros Farbush, lower right - Paula Villanova, bottom left - me, top right - Mary Sheehan Winn.


And this is Paula Villanova's hand, holding Ros' painting :)

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Pizzeria Regina, 9x12, Oil


This painting took 1st Place at Fall River Art Juried Show 6/08 - my very first 'Blue Ribbon'



This was done on location on Margin Street in Boston's North End on Friday. I thought a weekday would be kind of quiet, but I guess it's never really quiet there... at least that's what some of the 'natives' told me! This is my favorite pizza spot in the whole world (and that's saying something). The pizza crust is thin with a crunch to it, the sauce is flavorful, and the cheese is tasty but not too heavy! Painting this, about a thousand (yes, I'm exaggerating..) people asked me where this or that landmark was, where a good place for dinner was, where the subway was, how to get to Quincy Market, etc., etc,. etc. The dogwalker weighed in on the painting, the tourists did, and some older man stood looking at it silently, then 'harumphed' and walked away, muttering that it was 'almost professional'. :) Plein Air... you can't beat the experience!

Monday, September 17, 2007

September at the Snack Shack, Oil, 11x14

Today I painted at Horseneck Beach in Westport, MA. There were litereally less than a dozen people there, although it was a gorgeous day. It seems so barren and forlorn, with the empty parking lot and the deserted snack and changing area. I loved all the picnic tables piled up against the back of the Snack Shack, and the pay phone. While I was painting I thought... geez, it seems everyone has a cell phone today, I wonder if they really need that.... and just as I was packing up a woman rode up to it on her bike and made a bunch of phone calls.... although WHERE she was riding from, and how she knew there'd be a phone there is kind of mysterious.... Anyway this was painted on pastel board - what do I know? I thought it would just be a lovely ground, but the board sucked up all the liquid from the paint as soon as it touched - made for VERY tough painting! It was wrestling the whole time, and between that and my two tubes of dried out Permalba White Paint... well, it made me question the joy of Oil Painting quite a number of times.... Off to Utrecht tomorrow, I promise myself!

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Sunset Race, 8x16 Acrylic

SOLD
This was the work up of the plein air study done on the Cape of Bass River at sunset (funny, I painted this one as the sun was coming UP!). It's acrylic, with a loose feel to it. Tim has already 'claimed' it for his office :) which is one of the 'perks' for being married to an artist!

More Cape Paintings

This is the first painting of the trip. We were sitting in a cemetary in Dennis, I believe, looking down a slope, across a marsh, to this little house which was catching late day sun. I've painted in this location before (even lost a favorite earring here), and there's really only one view worth painting (IMHO), and this is it. It was a good way to jump-start the painting trip.


SOLD
This is a 12x12 oil... the last morning on the Cape...the epitome of late Summer by the sea. I loved the collection of buoys hanging on the shed and the heavy headed sunflowers.... I want to halt time right here in early September because everything is just so perfect and beautiful. I call this one "Oh, Buoys!"


Friday, September 7, 2007

Cape Cod Plein Air Week





I painted this week on the Cape and the weather was AMAZING. What a sendoff for the end of Summer. This painting was the first, at the Dennis Landing. We met a nice woman who was involved with developing this area for public use, as there had been some abandoned buildings there. But I'd painted this same area last year, and really liked the piece, so I tried again. I may do this on a larger canvas, as it is a 9x12, oil painting. We 'marathoned' it, 3 paintings a day - WHEW!

Saturday, September 1, 2007

Tiverton Lagoon, 6x12, oil


No, there are no actual lagoons in Tiverton, RI, but in this little cove there was a couple of vine-covered straggly trees that 'became' palm trees as I painted them. It's actually Jack's Cove, and I MAY turn the trees back into 'scrub' trees, but for right now I'm liking the whole palm tree thing. WISH I WERE THERE! :)

Friday, August 24, 2007

World's End, Hingham 14x18 Acrylic

SOLD Yesterday I went to Hingham's World's End with Denise Zompa, Phyllis Adams and Trish Hurley to paint. I did 2 14x18's, and truthfully, they came from somewhere inside of me that I don't recognise! They're very simple, graphic pieces that showed more of how I felt there than anything else. I eliminated all superfluous details, moved trees that were in my way. This painting originally had a path that curved off the page - I repainted it far into the night when I came home, then this morning just took it out. This was the piece looking UP the hill. Tomorrow I'll post the view DOWN the hill, which includes a bit of Hingham Harbor, and, I believe, Crow Point, with Quincy in the background.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

More On That Last One...

SOLD
Worked on this for a while today. I've given the sky more depth, articulated the lifeguard chair, worked on the ridge of rocks, added the seaweed. May be finished... I'll have to live with it a while.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Beach Sketch, 14x18 Acrylic

Windy, windy, WINDY day yesterday - I had to weigh my easel down with a full bag of beach stones. I was supposed to be keeping my daughter company while she surfed. Truth is, I'm terrified to watch her surf in wild waves. I could tell she was quickly tired out from the frenetic waves, and it made me nervous - the lifeguard had left (although I think he actually enjoyed watching her for the 1/2 hour before he left!
This is obviously done plein air... with a quick, sketchy feel - literally a half dozen people were at the beach, lifeguards gone for the day at this point, hazy and humid and wild. Perfect day, actually. Molly did surf and I did paint and dinner was pizza and salad - really, a dream day for me!

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Westport Plein Air

Today Denise Zompa and I painted at Westport Town Beach/Allens Pond Wildlife Preserve. The sky and water were picture perfect, low humidity and warm, but not hot. No wind to speak of. Perfect plein air day. We both painted in oils, and took a lot of reference photos.
On the easel... the day was gorgeous, and the light changed rapidly as the clouds started coming in.

I can already see some things I have to change, but it gives a pretty good 'feel' of what the day was like.SOLD



Monday, August 13, 2007

Sunflower Blitz, Acrylic 16x20


Better? I think it's getting there. My family is wondering if I'm going to fill the house with sunflower paintings, I think. They just keep getting more jubilant and loose. I was painting listening to a CD by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole a guy from Hawaii, who died as a young man, with a gorgeous voice. So gentle, peaceful. Listen to his work if you can. He brings to mind, in a different sort of way, Eva Cassidy.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Big Babies, Acrylic, 11x14



OK, between you and I (I mean between you and ME - sorry Sister Eugenia Margaret!!!) ... I'm CRAZY for sunflowers. They are not quite up there with my roses, but they have such personality! I wanted this to be very loose, like you feel when it's so hot and humid out (and the sunflowers love that weather, I think!) and colorful. Used acrylic for this one, and the photo is less orange-y in the sunflower petals than in real life.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

THE SHOW IS HUNG!!!!!

Today finally Denise Zompa and I hung our show at Westport Rivers Vineyard. The show will run till Sept. 10th. The opening is this Friday from 5-8 (of course you are ALL invited!). I don't what's harder...painting for a show or hanging it and getting all the other little odds and ends (postcards, advertising, etc) organized! Our show will be included on the South Coast Studio Tour on August 19 and 20, we will be there both days. I believe on the Sunday at the Vineyard there will also be a Shakespearean play. The Vineyard is a beautiful place, and a nice stop for a wine tasting as well. Already I'm remembering a lot of names that didn't make it to my 'postcard' list...... oh, well....
http://zompamacdonald.blogspot.com/ - to see our blogsite....

Saturday, July 28, 2007

The Challenger, Oil 14x18

I worked this painting up from a Daily Painting. My show is going to be hung in 5 days and all of a sudden I'm thinking I have NOTHING to put on the walls! So I'm going back through all my 'inspiration images' and trying to do something with them. It's stressful, but also a good motivator, and I WANT to paint these paintings anyway! So when I saw these two pecking around Wesport Point (which is a working harbor, who knows where they come from!!!). But I loved their coloring, and attitude. They were definitely hanging out, yet it seemed an uneasy truce! In real life the paint is a bit thick, but I"m playing with Carol Marine's recipe for Medium, so it was wonderfully slippery and smooth, too. No frame, this painting is on a 'Gallery Wrapped' 1 1/2 inch thick canvas, which adds to it's contemporary look.I was SO looking forward to hanging this at the show, but while I was putting the little screw eyes on the back I must have put it down on something sharp, and I made a slice through the canvas (to the right of the front chincken's feet) about an inch long. "Good!" said Tim, "Now I get to keep it!".......

Monday, July 23, 2007

Japanese Irises, 14x18, acrylic


These are my favorite irises. When they bloomed I painted them, and put a pink background because my view of them was against the road behind our house. But it wasn't working for me and today I tried some bright grass green. I like it better!

Oh, and the background is actually BRIGHTER than shown - Molly says "Too bright" Tim says "Just right".... you can't please EVERYONE!

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Little Compton Community Show

The Little Compton Community Show runs this weekend, 7/21 and 7/22 at the Community Center in Little Compton. These two pieces of mine will be shown there. It's a nice little venue, and the first piece I submitted, the Pardon Gray piece, was TWO INCHES too wide. They have a rule about size, and 36 inches was the limit for any one piece. Could I have begged.. said that my OTHER piece was only 8x10????? Anyway... I'm frantically getting ready for my Westport Rivers show, and I'll let you in soon on what's going to be there!
Lonely Boathouse, 18x18 oil


Walker's Farmstand, 8x10, oil
SOLD

Monday, July 9, 2007

Approaching Storm, Oil, 12x12

This is my submission to the "Oil On Water" show at the Spring Bull Gallery on Belleview Ave in Newport. The show runs through July. I loved painting this piece, as it's my favorite time of day and the sky and the water have so many colors in them. It's very thick paint, mostly done with a palette knife. Thanks for checking in... it's good to be back!
This is now hanging in the Westport Rivers Show through Sept. 10.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Sakonnet Point Road, acrylic, 16x20

Here I was intrigued by the sun on the road. All the colors you can make it in your mind's eye. Once again, my BACK was to the water! Beach roses in bloom... you can just stand there and drink in the perfume!

Hanging now in the Westport Rivers Show through September 10!

At The Waterfront, Hull, acrylic 14x18

This was done last week with Mary Sheehan Winn and Ros Farbush in Hull, MA. I stood with my BACK to the ocean and painted the area with the arcade shops (all closed up still). It has a 'Ros' feel to it, I think.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Bristol Museum, 9x12 oil

Painted plein air today in Bristol, and this is the back of the museum where we painted today. At least I THINK that's where we were! It was very beautiful, with this gorgeous house/museum and these black wicker loveseats with statuary and plants, and these amazing black and white striped outdoor curtains! So to photograph this wet oil painting I put it on the ground at home and the wind blew all these grass clippings and spirea leaves all over it! Hopefully when it dries I can just brush them off! I also worked on another, more colorful piece, which is only halfway done, I'll post it when it's complete.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Harry Loves Tulips, 12x16, Acrylic

Once again my Harry is the subject of a painting. He just LOVES flowers, and here he is sitting on the morning paper taking a whiff of the tulips (do they really smell?). I went for a stylized look here. Anyone who lives with a cat knows their preferred seat is whatever you're reading...

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Prudence Island Ferry, 16x20 Acrylic




This is a plein air piece done at the Prudence Island Ferry Landing in Bristol, RI. I'm attracted to the shapes of the Ferries and the day was irresistable!
Hanging now in the Westport Rivers Show through September 10.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

More Tulips, 9x12 oil on board

SOLD
This photo actually looks dull compared to the painting... I'm not so good at Photoshop that I know how to fix that yet. The sight of the fields in bloom are a shock to the eye - the tulips en masse are so vivid and luminous you can't even believe it. I will try a larger piece based on this one at the studio.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Swayback Barn, 11x14 Acrylic

Hanging now in the Westport Rivers Show through September 10. This is just a plein air sketch (1 hour) done yesterday on the Cape with Denise & Phyllis when we went to check out the Cape Cod Art Ass'n Juried show (from which I was rejected :P). It was a good show and the ice cream cone which followed sure took the sting out of the rejection! Then, after determining that the beach was way too windy, we stumbled upon this lovely (in my opinion - I could have bought the property and moved in in a heartbeat) old 1/2 cape with a swaybacked barn. We were all 'taken' with the setting and quickly determined that nobody lived in the house, so we set up to paint! I'll also upload a photo of the barn. Yes, I 'extracted' colors, but I think I'm just seeing this way these days! "Doctor!!!?"

Adamsville Landing, 8x16 Acrylic on Board

This is a larger piece (though on the computer it looks smaller!) based on the plein air study on my other blog - http://kelleymacdonalddailypaint.blogspot.com/ and it just tweaked the colors a bit. It seemed to call out for a more horizontal format. It's such a serene place, I think for sure it's as good for high blood pressure as 2 prescriptions!
Hanging now in the Westport Rivers Show through September 10.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Pansies, 14x18, acrylic

The garden is really shaping up. I took advantage of 'no wind' yesterday morning and started in on this view of one of the urns that boarders the vegetable garden. Don't you just love how cheerful pansies are? Whenever I look at them they make me smile!

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Westport Dunes, 18x18, acrylic


It was a sunny, warm day, and I couldn't resist heading for the beach! Love the way the dunes fall away from each other. I wanted to make this a cheerful painting, more expressionistic than realistic.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Ptown Perfection, Oil, 9x12

This one won an Honorable Mention award at the Art League Assoc. Member's Show!
OK, so now I'll shut up about never being able to win an award :) This was a plein air piece done on location in Provincetown, MA. It was a wonderful day, and the guys who owned the house were so wonderful and gracious, and it is my intention to send them a print of this in thanks. The show is at Gallery 297 on Hope St. in Bristol, RI for the month of April.

Monday, April 9, 2007

Baaaa-aa, Acrylic on Board 11x14

SOLD
These curious sheep are at Coggeshall Farm in Bristol, RI. I love the springy shapes of sheep and their skinny little legs. I may work more on this one, but for now it's 'done'.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

City Hall Bride, oil, 6x12





This painting was done from my mother's wedding photo. She was married in a small civil ceremony in the early 50's. Her only 'wedding photo' was a little snapshot in a tiny book like they used to bind them. Black and White. I painted it and was happy with everything but her face. So I spent one entire day repainting and repainting it. Today I adjusted the background and a couple of other things and attempted her face again. After a dozen (or more) wipe-offs, I said to myself "This is NOT my mother!" and voila - well, it's not my mother, but it's her outfit and stance. And it's a human. Which is more than I can say of some of the efforts! :)
This is now hanging in the Wesport Rivers Show through September 10.

SOLD

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Corina, Corina, 16x20 acrylic on board


I'd been dying to paint my friend Corina forever, she's so elegant and self-possesed. Monday my friend Paula Villanova (who's my travel-painting buddy) and I invaded Corina's house and forced her to pose. This is just a first-pass, and I'll post the refinements later.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Pardon Gray 20x24 Oil

Accepted into the Art League of Rhode Island Associate Memeber's Juried Show!This is a scene from a local Preserve, called Pardon Gray. It's a beautiful space, former farmlands, with a distant view of, I believe, Fogland. The light is amazing here, and I liked that there were so many 'roads' you could take. I have been working on this one a while. I believe it is 'fini'!
If you are interested in this painting please email me at kcareymac@hotmail.com

The Kayaker (finished version)

OK, I fixed the reflections of the trees, added some depth to the water, highlighted the oars and enriched the back end of the kayak with bright red. Now I feel the peace of the moment on that warm summer day, and not the blustery freezing weather we have right now!
Email me if interested in purchase at kcareymac@hotmail.com