Clams in a car

Ok, sometimes you just HAVE TO. On one of my last visits to Virginia, my family and I piled into a smallish car. I turned the camera to the back of the car without viewing and snapped. This is not cropped, not framed, not manipulated, no preservatives and nasty food additives. I love it for so many reasons. There is symmetry, but not too much. There is movement and gesture even though they are squashed in like clams. I know who they are without the faces. To me it is a story... of life and what my family does. It's funny and I smile when I see it. I can hear their voices. These three people love each other so much. We have all been there in a little car... hoping that someone would NOT take this picture. I can't paint it. It would never have the same meaning. Why is it on my art blog? Because it is family art.

Running Bunnies

Ok, whimsy time. I am working on tiny paintings today. Our ART ON UNION STREET holiday open house is a little over a month away and to "prime the painting pump" I work small and get a lot of thoughts down. Sometimes something tiny really grabs me and I will paint it larger and in similar colors to the tiny ones. Right now, it's 3x3 inch "Running Bunnies"... will there be a larger version at the open house? I don't know :-)

Marsh at Sagamore Creek

Now on exhibit downtown at the Willow, the final art from the detail posted earlier. Total dimension 24x48 diptych.
I love the beginning stages of the painting process... the world is big... so big that somehow putting one thought together on a canvas seems limitless. The first marks are loose and rough... really delightful and fun - I know whatever marks I make are not final but fluid. As the painting continues, my decisions are more focused with a certain amount of expectation ... which can make me a little crazy. Once I get through the "decisions" the last details come a little more easily - more light? more dark? more of my favorite colors? At that point I can see the whole, the all and decide how I feel about it. In the end, when the varnish goes on, the color REALLY begins to live on its own. Sometimes when I step back from a finished work... I feel like it is an offspring (no offense to my children :-))... but it is then something that has come from me that is not me.
Ok, enough of this art babble. If you want to see it, check out the Willow downtown. Say hi to Julie for me.

Sagamore Creek Marsh Detail

I'm already inspired by the thought of fall colors... this detail is from a much larger painting in progress. There is no lack of beautiful changing landscape here in the seacoast area of New Hampshire. I can walk less than a mile east and see a marsh from a tidal riverbank. I can travel a little more and get to ocean. And just 15 miles west I can see rolling hills that lead to mountains. (I throw this visual imagery in with the hopes that more of my Virginia friends will take the bait!) The image here is from one small area of the painting that is about 11x14. The total painting is made of two canvas panels... each one is 24x24 inches making the entire painting 24x48. When finished, I will take it to the Willow downtown on Water Street to hang in the back gallery. I'll keep you posted.... Have a colorful day :-)

Rose of Sharon... a sign of change

I love my Rose of Sharon.... It grows tall enough that when I stand in the kitchen I can see it swaying through the living room window. Makes me feel like my little "intown" home is in the country. Pretty soon the fall crisp will take over and the color here in New England will burst into orange and gold and red. Love the seasons.