BEACH DAY

With 45 degree temperatures here it seemed the perfect day to head to Crane Beach.  Once there though the wind was howling.  The landscape of the beach was completely changed. And the distance sand looked exactly like snow - it was so white. 

 These are taken with my iPhone camera not quite doing justice to what my eye was seeing.  

The wind created wonderful texture in the sand.  The sky was pink on the horizon and the water near the shore was this shimmering green blue though the force of waves was anything but delicate.

CIRCLES

My circle is growing.  Here it is shown on the floor waiting for the India ink to dry.  My next surface to experiment with will be Mylar now that I know where to get it.  My artists friends are always such a good resource for information.

ORGANIZING FOR 2013

The new year has brought new shelves to my studio space courtesy of my favorite handy man.  This way I will spend less time looking for supplies buried away in boxes and more time painting.  

CIRCLING

I decided to test other materials for my circle.  This is the back side of canvas where I applied black gesso as the front side of the canvas is pre-gessoed white and I want to avoid a white ground for now.  In the image above the canvas is resting on the floor allowing the gesso to dry.  As it dried it soaked into the canvas in some areas and turned into a flat matte finish.  I want a richer black so may try enamel paint.  

Attached to the wall I can compare November's circle to this new one.   I do like the richness of the brown paper...  more experimentation is needed to satisfy my intent.

SOLD

SHIFT # 16
watercolor & india ink
36 x 28 framed

Today I framed these paintings for a new collector.  This is very exciting for me to have two of my slip paintings going to the same home.  And the fact this new customer found them on my website first before coming to visit my studio. 

FLAME
watercolor
36 x  28 framed

LILY POND

LILY POND
oil/panel
2012

My painting, Lily Pond, is in the Concord Art Association Members Juried I: Painting & Sculpture show.  The juror is artist George Nick, Professor Emeritus of  Massachusetts College of Art.  This exhibit will run from January 13th - February 10th with a reception this Sunday, 1/13, from 2-4 PM.  I hope you can join me on Sunday and meet the other artists and see their exceptional work.  It is exciting to start out the year with an invitation to be in this show.    

FIRST LINE 2013

First Line 2013

At Vermont Studio Center, last November, I did a circle painting on 2 sheets of brown paper taped together (see below). During one of VSC open studios I was inspired by the superbly talented Jarrod Beck and his large scale work on what looked like paper. He was very generous in sharing his materials (Tyvek) and supply source (Uline.com). Thank you Jarrod!

So my first painting of 2013 is the circle on this new material. My brother-in-law, Tony Shepley, of Shepley Wood Products, was also very generous in giving me several yards of Tyvek to experiment with. With India ink I stood in the center of a 5 x 5 ft sheet and drew my first circle. But before I commit to this material for my circle project I am considering experimenting with canvas and Mylar. Lots of projects are planned for 2013 and it is great to back in the studio.

Circle 2012
Gesso & India ink on brown paper

2012 IN REVIEW

CUTTING THE STRINGS
watercolor & India ink
30 x 22

Happy New Year! I am excited to be back in the studio today on this second day in 2013. And though it is a bright new year I am reflecting on last year. In 2012, I had an excellent art year and I am very grateful for all the opportunities to not only exhibit my work but that also supported me as an artist.


Here is a review of 2012:

• I gave a two hour artist talk and demo at the Concord Art Association (CAA) in March.

• From the success of this, CAA invited me to teach a 6-week class this past fall. I love teaching.

• I was accepted, with a grant, to the Vermont Studio Residency(VSC). I attended VSC in November.

• My painting Slip # 7 was accepted into 15th ISAP (International Society of Acrylic Painters) International Open Exhibition, in Paso Robles, CA. This show was juried by Katherine Chang Lui.

• In this same show, Slip #7 received an award for “Most Experimental.”

• Another Slip painting, Shift # 12, was chosen by Joseph Carroll, of Carroll and Sons Gallery, for the show “Scratching the Surface,” at the Cambridge Art Association in Cambridge, MA.

• I wrote six articles for The Palette Magazine.

• A Canadian firm licensed one of my images to use in a country-wide travel promotion for “visiting” Canada.

• My three galleries sold several of my paintings.

• Meditech, Inc., bought four paintings from my Scissor Series for their corporate office.

• While working on several themes, I started a new series called Journeys exploring the concept of memory.  This theme I will continue to work on this year.

• I was invited to be in a 6-artists group show at Gallery 206 in Amesbury, MA.

• My website has attracted more private collectors from across the state and the country.

• And I did the social media and blog posting for the Rocky Neck Gallery, in Gloucester, MA, substantially increasing traffic and interest in the gallery.

I want to thank my new buyers, my galleries, Concord Art Association and everyone for their wonderful support in 2012!

NEW YEAR

Wishing you a wonderful New Year!