more Maine fields

More fields...this one has a vibration. yay!

Maine Fields

I disappeared for a wee bit. I met my bestfriend in the world, Leah, in Maine. We stayed in a cottage that we picked because of the wonderful field across from it.  There was a path through the field that led to a small beach. Sweet. This is one of my pastel studies done one sunny afternoon. I will post more this week, including a super moon study.

June 15, 2008 Serenity

8x8, pastel on marble dust board
Dominant color how can it influence the entire painting?......How does it make the mood? With that in mind I approached a familiar scene in a different way.

February 29, 2008 Sun After the Storm

5.5 x 7.5, pastel and watercolor on board, $100. plus ship and tax
Temperature of color is on my mind as I continue to work the newest biggie of the Potomac Gorge. ( I'll maybe post my progress tomorrow.) It's coming along. All I do is think about it or work on it... a little obsessive if guess.
Took a break and whipped off this little one from photos I took this summer when I was on Monhegan. A small one is much less complicated.
Now back to the biggie!

February 16, 2008 Greenhead Calm- finished

7 1/2 x 10, watercolor and pastel on board
I finished it today. First I lightened the greens and then I decided to take out the dock. It simply needed more water to be calm rather than distracting detail in the foreground. I also needed to strenghten the eyes path through the painting.
All the time I kept correcting myself about my hand's hold on either the brush or more often the pastel. After reading an article on brain research I am really working on the message I send to my brain. For instance, when you hold the brush or pastel like a pencil you signal to the brain., "writing... left side of the brain." Where I want it to say, "painting, creating... right side !"
Now you can see how a painting goes through its changes. Back to work!

February 15, 2008 Greenhead Calm

7 1/2 x 10, watercolor and pastel on board, unfinished
Since the opening I have had many questions about my painting methods. So in this entry I will explain. When in the studio, I do not begin to paint until I can visualize an image, so for instance for a painting-a-day, this is often done the night before and I sleep on it or I find it in an early walk the next day. Next, I choose or make a marble dust board. The strokes can vary the effect, such as yesterday's snow. Today there is a dynamic swish to balance the calmness in the water. Next the watercolor (or oil) paint is applied. Big shapes is the name of the game here. When wet I wipe out my lights. At this point I am very conscious of edges. It is later I want to choose where to put edges, preferably at the focal point. Now blow dry (since I am inpatient) and now ah! the pastel. I am leaving off on the third layer of pastel. I will finish this one later since I need thinking time. Till tomorrow!
PS After painting this site for the second time I know why they call it Greenhead. (that's also why I did the underpainting with its complementary color... so much green!!!

Greenhead in the Blue Fog or The Brooding Teenager

5.5 x 6, pastel on board, $100. plus ship and tax
Yesterday the flu had me down, fever nausea. Today I am beginning to win and thus back in the studio this afternoon.
This is Greenhead, in the lovely small town of Stonington, Maine. It has many moods, which can change by the hour. This time it was brooding, like only a teenager who has limits can.

February 8 Flowers near Blue Hill

14x14, pastel on wallis, unfinished
Working on wallis paper is so different than the surface I make. It is so much smoother with no crevices. I guess the activity needs to be on the surface, rather than relying on the contrast of my active marble dust crevices to the serene top. Here is one I have been working on for 3 days with a full watercolor under -painting. Mid tones I know are the secret, but also the struggle. This is once again from Maine, near Blue Hill, like the one on January 30th, same place, different time.

January 31, 2008 Three Trees in the Fog

8x10, pastel on wallis, $100. plus tax
I do not perform well under pressure. This may need to be my last blog entry until the show opens next Friday. I still have so much to do!
I did this painting on wallis paper that I coated first with red acrylic. I tried to play a light touch of green pastel off the red to get a beautiful gray.
See you on Saturday February 9th!

January 30, 2008 Flowers near Blue Hill

12x12, pastel on paper, $100.plus tax
OK, so I have the February blues a little early. All I want to paint is warm summer scenes, so I am reverting to my stash of images. I tried to keep to a pre-selected palette.

January 26, 2008 play, Maine Z

8x8 pastel on board, $100.
Back to playing with color. I took that black and white photo I have of the Maine Z and tried to create a feeling with color. Yes, I have had more successful days. But remember the motto: PEE, or play, experiment and enthusiasm.

December 15, 2007 Beach Plum Path

I usually do not paint structures and I don't think I paint them well. But this one was a little beauty that I couldn't resist on Goose Rocks Beach in Maine . The beach plums were blossoming. So it was fun to play with them to subtly direct the way through the painting.

November 13, 2007

This one still needs more work. Began last night and continued this morning. More later....
Need to go to that Turner show again!
Went to hear YoYo Ma last night and so many images were moving in my head. I think I painted at least 20 paintings at that concert. Thanks Irene!

November 12, 2007 Maine Z

Turner is back. I decided to use some of my Maine plein air work and photos to create this 'study.' My concept was the Maine z waters at dawn: create distance and grandeur. I underpainted in burnt sienna (oil.) Push the warm front and cool back. Subtle drama. Let's try another.

November 8, 2007

Ok, so these blueberry fields are really getting to me. This is caterpillar hill in Maine. I worked to keep big shapes in front and contrast/edges in the focal point. It is a small board 6x8 approx. therefore, the details simply can't happen. Good.

November 1, 2007 Morning of the Summer Solstice, special light

After I finished the field I kept going. All of a sudden I knew just what to do to finish this one. I began this in Maine. I love that place! A special thank you to the Mary for introducing me to my favorite place! Another thank you to the whole Taylor- Moncavage family for allowing me to stay at their homes while I paint in Maine!
I have been worrying lately that my work is becoming too "realistic" rather than the pieces of emotion that I strive to make. Today when making this one the "astonishment" returned. I get an ahhhh feeling when I see it. Good.