Where the Road Turns

12 x 12 

I only had a few hours to spend in the studio today,

so I worked on this "smaller" painting.   

I guess after my "Big Girl Painting" last week, 

12 x 12 is small! 

Still exploring the late fall light at the beach. 

I have another 24" x 30" canvas

and a subject ready to go. 

Now I just need a good long chunk of time to work on it!

Note: Be sure to check out the new posts on the 

Girls Just Wanna Paint 

blog! 

Even Bigger!

In keeping with my challenge to paint BIGGER, 

last week I bought two 24 x 30 inch canvases.

(That's really BIG for me!)  

"Communication"  

24 x 30 

Painting this big makes me feel like a "real" painter!  

The bigger the painting, the more accurate it has to be, 

so I took my time and planned ahead.

 I wanted to put the strokes down and leave them, 

like I do with smaller paintings.  

It was hard not to go over and over again. 

Like painting a house!   

Note: I purposely left the pole in the middle of the composition  

because I love to break rules.

It causes tension.    

"The James"

The Girls Just Wanna Paint challenge group
has been invited to have a show 

at the James Library this December.

In preparation, our challenge this month is to paint 

"The James". 

The Steinway  

6 x 8 

(I archived the photo I used for this painting years ago

 with the idea of painting it someday.)

The James Library is a very special place to me. 

There are three floors, each dedicated to art, books, and music.

My three passions, thanks to my parents.  

 I asked my friend Ellen Mckenna,
the current board chair and music aficionado
for a little history of this beloved piano.

This is what she sent me:
"The Steinway grand piano at the James is a treasure. It was built in 1929,
and is a "B" model Steinway, larger than a baby grand by about 3 feet in
length. The James was lucky to acquire the piano from an amateur musician
who lived on the Cape.  Towards the end of his life the musician wanted to
sell the piano to an organization that would treasure it and allow it to be
played in chamber concerts and recitals. Paul Rattigan, who took care of the
piano for the musician, was the contact who brought the James and the piano
together. A fundraiser was held by the James to raise enough money to
purchase the piano in 2000. Since that time it has been the focal point of
many wonderful concerts by both local and "celebrity" musicians. It has also
been played by countless lucky piano students during their piano lessons at
the James. Paul Rattigan continues to keep it in perfect playing condition. "

Our daughter took piano lessons on that piano.
I had my first showing of my art work there in 1996!
What a gift. 

October Light

October Light

12 x 12 

I can't get enough of the light at the beach these days. 

It's so dramatic!  

I guess I'm storing up for those cold and dark winter days ahead. 

Re-work an Old Painting

I did this painting about a year ago. 

I always thought it had potential 

but the figures bothered me, 

as did the lack of drama in the shadows. 

"Beach Morning"

16 x 20 

I took out the figures, darkened the shadows 

and fooled with the sky.

I think the jury is still out on this one. 

Demo at Copley Society Sat 1 - 3 pm

I'll be doing a 

"Painting in an Hour" 

demo tomorrow from 1 - 3 PM in front of the 

Copley Society
click here for more information

158 Newbury Street 

Boston

I will set up a simple still life and 

demonstrate how to say a lot with just a few well-placed strokes. 

(I'll be in side if it's raining) 

There will be refreshments! 

Stop by if you are in town! 

Still At It

Painting these 16 x 20's is a real challenge,
and I'm enjoying it tremendously. 

I've found that all the drawing necessary
to get the proportions correct tends to tighten me up,  

so to then stay loose and spontaneous while painting is a struggle.
When working smaller,
I simply sketch in a "map"and start painting!
Bigger canvas's seems to require a grid, a ruler, and some patience.  

Cottage Lane

16 x 20 

Part of me wants to crop this in half vertically.

I like the smaller buildings on the right,
probably because they are smaller
and less fussy.

Cottage Lane 

10 x 16 

Big IS Better!

"Weekender"

16 x 20 

One more using a larger canvas. 

On another note, yesterday a few of the  

Girls Just Wanna Paint 

gang painted at Kennedy's Country Garden

to help promote breast cancer awareness. 

It was a wonderful event, a gorgeous Indian summer day, 

and a great way to spend time with painting pals. 

Scarecrow

8 x 10 

There were scarecrows, pumpkins, mums, and plants galore! 

Going Bigger

For a while now, folks have been asking me why I don't paint bigger.

I think I've finally run out of reasons!
I found some old 16 x 20 toned stretched canvas panels,
2 #12 bristle brushes, and put out a lot of paint.

First "Big" Beach Peek 

16 x 20! 

I used a grid and mapped this very carefully.

The larger the painting the more accurate the drawing needs to be! 

I found it hard to be loose and get enough paint on there.

This is a stretch for me, but I like this new set of muscles!    

PS. I will be painting outside tomorrow (Sat) afternoon 

at Kennedy's Country Gardens 

on Rt 3 in Scituate with a few of the other 

Girls  Who Just Wanna Paint! 

Stop by and say hello! 

Two More Beach Peeks

Outdoor Shower 

8 x 10 

In Between 

8 x 10 

This series has been great fun. 

The light at the beach in the early fall is so brilliant,  

it creates wonderful patterns of dark and light shapes 

between the cottages. 

Beach Peek #4

Beach Peek #4

8 x 10 

My goal in this series is to plan ahead, put down a stroke, and leave it alone. 

I used one #8 bristle brush for this whole painting. 

(Even the telephone wires!) 

Beach Peek #3

Here is the third one of the 

"Beach Peeks"

series. 

"Three in a Row"

8 x 8