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.

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!

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.