The "win win" of donating paintings

I am donating this small painting to be auctioned off at 
"Cosmos for a Cure",
a fundraiser for a friend of mine and her daughter so they can participate 
in the Avon two day walk for cancer in April. 

Click here to read Sue's story

"Apple of my Eye"
6 x 6


Artists get so many requests to donate paintings,
 that it's a challenge to decide what and who to give to. 
I figure, it's a great way to get your name out there 
AND help a good cause. 
(Better to have your work on someone's wall, than in your studio!)
AND it seems like every time I donate something, 
I make a contact of some kind 
that leads to a sale down the road. 
A "win win" situation, all the way around. 


 Rule of thumb:
Only donate work that YOU would bid on! 

Beginner Beginners

Last night I had two young woman, who had never painted before,

come to the studio for the first of two painting lessons. 

I gave them what I call my "drive-by shooting" version of 

"How to Paint in Oils" 

(Limited palette, big brushes, lots of paint, simplified shapes) 

I'm pretty excited about these results! 

In just three hours, they got to go home with a finished painting!

Note: I set them up with my extra equipment and we used my paints. 

I've found that beginners generally end up buying the wrong supplies, 

which causes a lot of frustration all the way around. 

This alleviated all that.
And now, if they want to continue, they will know what to purchase!

Other news: Check out Local Betty this week!
They will be talking about First Saturdays in Hingham Square.
A few of us will be painting on location outside
White Magdelena
60 South Street
from noon to 4 on
April 2, May 7, June 4!

Still Connected

You know how hard it is to keep these connected on the way home from the store? 

Still Connected
8 x 10
$100
click to purchase 

Once they made it, I was compelled to paint them.

They remind me of three siblings who stay connected.

No matter what.  

More Fun With Figures

I just can't help myself. 

Painting like this is so much fun. 

Check it Out
8 x 10
$125 

The challenge is to stay focussed and build the painting, one stroke at a time. 

Click here to purchase

Three Friends

I attempted this subject a few years ago and it didn't go so well.  

The image is of three of my dear friends leaving a restaurant after a birthday celebration. 

I rarely paint from photos when the subject is "posing"

because, well, they look posed!
I prefer to capture a more natural moment in time.   

For this, I tried to focus more on the big shapes and fun colors.
And the happiness. 

"Three Friends"
6 x 6
$100 

I did this for my GJWP challenge this month. 

Subject: "Three"

Weather Related

March in New England can be an emotional roller coaster for people like me. 

My "mood" is totally directed by whatever the weather is. 

Sunny and warm; I'm up beat and out.

 Cold and grey; I'm in and hunkered.  

As much as I planned on leaving the Carribean, I had to go back there today. 

"Holding Court"
5 x 7
$100

Click here to purchase

It was chilly, raw; 40 degrees and cloudy    

I'm so lucky to have the kind of job where I can plan my day accordingly! 

One More

I just had to post this one. 

I think I'm done with this subject for a while. 

Although it's been such a pleasure.
These two just plopped in to those chairs
and tuned out.
Or in?  

Tuned In
8 x 10

Still There?

 It's getting hard to stay in the Caribbean mode 

when it's 65 degrees and sunny here in New England! 

Welcome Spring! 

Easy Commute
6 x 8 

On another note; 

I just finished another great book that I'd like to reccomend. 

The Weird Sisters, by Eleanor Brown.

It's a wonderful exploration of adult siblings' relationships with each other and their parents. 

Beautifully written in first-person-plural narrative. 

I devoured it. 

Soggy Dollar

I'm trying to paint from the images I took on my trip as soon as I can, 

while I can still feel the hot sand and turquoise water. 

"Soggy Dollar"
6 x 8

This beach bar is famous.
Named the "Soggy Dollar" because everyone has to swim in from their boats. 

The beach was packed! 

In Sync

I didn't get to do much sketching last week while on vacation, 

but I DID get some great images to paint!

These two stayed "in sync" like this the whole time they were kayaking! 

In Sync
8 x 8

Painting this today in my studio, while it was snowing outside, 

was my way of extending the vacation!  

Focus on Figures

The North River Arts Society is inviting artists to enter 

Focus on Figures
April 15 - 24. 

It's a juried exhibit of figurative art in any medium and is open to all artists. 

FYI! Entries need to be postmarked by March 18. 

"Boom Ba Lotti"
5 x 7

This was a warm up. 

I know. Not very nice. 

I exaggerated. 

New Work from Alzheimer Patients

I'd like to share some work done by the Alzheimer patients this week. 

Our topic was "still life" paintings. 

I brought two vases with flowers, some fruit, and some postcards of still life paintings.

This woman very diligently and quietly "copied" this image.
(It's of an acrylic painting by my friend Page Railsback.)

Barbara even put the chair in!  

Lorraine was a watercolorist on the Cape.
Look how she modeled the vase!

Bob told me he wasn't going to paint.
Then an aid told me he was into baseball.
We mixed up some blue and talked about what teams wear blue uniforms.
I told him to make a mark in each color for the teams that wore that color.
Orange was Baltimore. Red cardinals.
 Can you see how he made the green mark an "A"? 

This gal is just the happiest and agreeable of the bunch.
She "dances" the whole time she's there. 

Joan's Cool Stool

My good friend (and wonderful painter) Joan Brancale is very nostalgic. 

She loves anything that reminds her of growing up in New Jersey in the 50's and 60's. 

This vintage, bright yellow, vinyl and chrome step stool is in her studio. 

Joan's Stool
5 x 10 

 I just had to paint it. It's so Joan. 

A Tough Challenge

For my studio class today, we attempted Carol Marine's DPW Challenge. 

You need to use a big brush and "change the color after every stroke." 

This is a tough one! 

I felt so uptight in this one!  

 2nd try

My tendency is to start by massing in all the big shapes in one flat color.  

So for me, this was like writing with the wrong hand. 

This is a difficult but important lesson.

It helps you see the subtle color shifts within the same values. 

I think tomorrow I'll just paint for the fun of it. 

Enough lessons already. 

MEANWHILE. THERE IS A LOT GOING ON! 

- This month's Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenges are posted! 

Check them out.

- Click on this link to read an article about us in 

South Shore Living Magazine!

-Thursday, Winter Juried Members Show opens at the Copley Society

5:30 - 7:30 

- Friday, Sally Dean will having an Opening reception for her exhibition of 

New Work at Native in Scituate Harbor from 6 -9 pm. 

Come and enjoy First Friday in Scituate.