Gooseberry Beach dwellings - 24x18

I have had tonight's posting kicking around for years and have never come even close to finishing it.........probably because I had been squeezing painting time in around my nightly 3x11 shift and partly because I had just picked up oils again after years and my knowledge and abilities wouldn't permit me to go further than I had. For some strange reason I put it on my large easel tonight after working on another beach series picture for much of the day today. I have been eyeing this old thing for quite awhile knowing that I wasn't going to reuse the canvas and would likely feel the urge to finish it; the time seems to have come. The buildings in this painting have been renovated and, though they remain and look like buildings that would be more valuable and more pleasant to live in, they have lost the essence that I found so wonderful in the first place. I might not show it again for a bit but I am committed to finish it now.

The opening last night was fun and I sold a painting! I met a bunch of other artists from this area that I had not met before..............all in all it was nice to get out with other like minded people and socialize for a change.

portrait study 9x12

I can not go anywhere near my paints at the moment since I have put on decent clothes for the opening of the new gallery in Westport tonight..............trust me it's not easy to pull an outfit together these days! It almost makes me want to buy a dress since I wouldn't have to worry about coordinating anything. I could throw it in the back of my closet for events like this.......but then I would have to have dressy shoes and pantyhose and that stops me right there. So, I put my brushes down about two hours ago and don't dare go near what I am working on since paint seems to fly onto my clothes from quite a distance. This portrait is from the past year and I don't remember when.

part 2

I finished the Gaspee today, removing the pilings on the left because I felt that they interrupted the flow of things. I am now going to be showing my work at a new gallery that is opening in Westport, MA. The name is: Central Village Art Gallery at 770 Main Road. I am excited to be a part of this undertaking which represents a group of very good local artists. The opening is tomorrow evening from 4-8 pm.

2 step process - Gaspee 8x10

I went to figure drawing this morning and tried to finish this one when I got home but have to wait till tomorrow. It is so wet that I could go no further. I did color studies on site yesterday and then roughed this out in umber when I got home. This tug is docked and hasn't moved for months; the guys who let me into their parking lot told me that a guy lives on it and, sure enough, I noticed a grill off to the side. I wonder how he gets water..........the boat is named the "Gaspee."

better photo 8x10

This photo is much better and the painting is done. It was beautiful here today and I went out to paint color studies near the state pier this morning............back to work.

braids 10x8

This is a very bad photo of an unfinished picture; it should be finished by tomorrow. I started the day by meeting some other members of the Monday morning group to paint outside. It was one of those chilly New England days at the shore - all grey horizontals and very windy to boot. We all retired to Lee's for coffee, checked out another site when it began to rain and then split up accepting the reality of an indoor day. I worked as long as I could but it is way too wet to proceed and way too dark to judge color properly.

bev's backyard 8x10

The light in my friend Bev's backyard was beautiful the other day so I took some photos. My neighborhood, on the other hand, isn't and when I went for a walk this morning I saw tons of gang graffiti spray painted on the back of the elementary school that closed last year......I think I might do a painting of it anyway just to see if I can make it work.