Like some previous paintings, this was done on a panel first toned dark green. This eliminates having to fight all that white in the beginning but necessitates laying down the lighter values with copious amounts of paint.

I am posting this self portrait because I ran across an artist whose work I really admire. She is Catherine Kehoe who was born in Connecticut and teaches at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Her still life paintings are great but her self portraits are particularly engaging. In an interview, she said that she does her self portraits quickly with the paint left over from her other paintings. Although I suspect that I will not repeat this exercise often, this week I thought I would try to follow her example.

Welcome to fall everyone. Thought I would post another figurative painting before returning to the still lifes. And I want to give ever...

Last week, the demonstrator at the Hamden Art League meeting was Dick McEvoy, who gave a very energetic pastel landscape demo. His major point was to have fun while making art (which he clearly did during the demo). He snatched random colors from his pastel box, made lively marks and color patches and in the end, the painting read as trees and a stream alive with color and movement. Inspired by the fun motif, I changed by usual perspective (still life at eye level) and put in color patches not seen in real life (just because I felt like it). The result is the above painting.

I loved the stance of this young woman standing before Degas's Dancers Practicing at the Barre. She has to be a dancer as well.

Hi All, it has been awhile since the last post. Family matters took precedent. Glad to be back painting!

I just came back from a workshop in Vermont with my very favorite artist --- Stanley Bielen! The above is one of several paintings completed at the workshop. It was a great experience. Mr. Bielen is a generous teacher and all around nice guy. Below is a series of images from one of his demos.

A new glass object and found in my own basement! The dark background is a change of pace for me as well. I had the pleasure of observing Qiang Huang give a wonderful demo today. Although often his backgounds are dark, interestingly, today he chose a light background for his demo. Below are a few images from the demo, ending with the setup and a photo of Qiang (a wonderful instructor).

This fall has been so lovely that I thought I would use the fall colors for painting inspiration. When I initially finished this painting, it seemed a little safe and boring so I went to town on the background leaving an aura of darker color around the flowers. Perhaps went too far but it was fun.

This was the same bunch of tulips used for the last painting after they had begun to open. After the painting, they went back into th...

Wow, almost 3 months since my last post; the new posting schedule is now hit and miss. A neighbor was kind enough to give me some peonies this summer. This was the first of a couple of paintings. The peonies lasted a long time in the fridge. They definitely made the inside of my fridge prettier.

Happy Spring Everyone! If you would like a chance to own the above painting and contribute to a good cause at the same time, then I have the event for you. This painting will be raffled at the Hamden Art League's 60th Annual Goldenbells reception, April 14, 7 - 9 p.m., at the Miller Memorial Library Senior Center, 2901 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, Ct. Proceeds go to the scholarship fund. There will be lots of great art at the exhibit. You do not have to be a member to come and enjoy the exhibit and reception. Hope to see you there!

My favorite vase is a recycled peanut butter jar. Peanut butter is a major food group at my house.

The canvas was toned with red first--I like the little bits of it showing through here and there. A friend reassured me that the painting imaged is by Mark Rothko.

I wanted to paint flowers with even more air around them than usual. I liked the sparseness of this bouquet.

We are having a glorious fall here in Connecticut; so beautiful that it is difficult to stay inside to paint.

I did the first painting in oil and then thought I would try the same set up in acrylic. They act so differently. Acrylics just don't blend the same as oils (at least in my hands.)

This is the painting completed just before Christmas. As in most of my paintings, the light source is on the left. This time, taking a clue from Qiang-Huang, I blocked the light from falling on the background on the left side of the painting.

Happy, hot, humid summer. Set up a temporary studio in my basement--- so much cooler and the flowers last so much longer!

Back to painting after hiking in Zion and Bryce last week. Really spectacular vistas -- can't imagine trying to capture them in a painting.

Happy Thanksgiving weekend everyone! Cold and gray here in Connecticut. Just a few days ago, I was basking in the sun of Sedona. Where is our sunshine? As usual, I don't know the proper name of the little yellow-orange flowers but they look like buttons to me.

This painting combines two tag sale finds--the small scale milk bottle and the latest find, the glass bluebird.

I just came back from a workshop in Vermont with my very favorite artist --- Stanley Bielen! The above is one of several paintings completed at the workshop. It was a great experience. Mr. Bielen is a generous teacher and all around nice guy. Below is a series of images from one of his demos.

This can opener came from the huge Brimfield, Massachusetts antique show which I visited for the first time in September. It was too cute not to paint.

This painting continues my keep it simple mood. Before I started this, Humpty Dumpty came to mind and I thought it might be less messy to use blown out eggs. I had to google how to do it and I must say it took some severe lip pursing to get the job done.

Happy Thanksgiving Leftovers Day!

This still life was, of course, painted indoors but somehow blue skies are coming to mind.

I just came back from a workshop in Vermont with my very favorite artist --- Stanley Bielen! The above is one of several paintings completed at the workshop. It was a great experience. Mr. Bielen is a generous teacher and all around nice guy. Below is a series of images from one of his demos.

This painting combines two tag sale finds--the small scale milk bottle and the latest find, the glass bluebird.

I just came back from a workshop in Vermont with my very favorite artist --- Stanley Bielen! The above is one of several paintings completed at the workshop. It was a great experience. Mr. Bielen is a generous teacher and all around nice guy. Below is a series of images from one of his demos.

This still life was, of course, painted indoors but somehow blue skies are coming to mind.

Missed last week--pesky power outages here in Connecticut from that bizarre pre-Halloween snowstorm. Others still without power 8 days after the storm.

I was amazed to find cherries at a local market (they must be imported). Couldn't resist buying a few--needed something cheery to paint while house bound by snow.

Another snow day here in Connecticut; nothing to do but stay home and paint (plus a little bit of shoveling.) Have finished the black painting series for now. Here is one of the last of that series.

Like some previous paintings, this was done on a panel first toned dark green. This eliminates having to fight all that white in the beginning but necessitates laying down the lighter values with copious amounts of paint.