Senior Moment 12" x 12" oil on canvas

Last night Al and I went to the Marshfield/Falmouth football game at Marshfield High - and it was senior night.
I walked down the long aisle with all the other seniors and their Moms on the field between rows of football players and cheerleaders ,with my Maddie on my arm, and were given these flowers-it was indeed a moment. Now a memory...
I realize now how important the cheerleaders are- without them it would just be a game- but they bring excitement and emotion to the event-It was a very special evening. They sparkle!
They performed beautifully- as did the band and dance team.

Oh yeah- and the football team played great- we won! Of course- not being much of a sports fan I mostly watched the people and puppies and cute rams mascot high fiving it with the toddlers.... Anyway this is my rendition of the flowers- a little blurry-a few tears from my eyes obscuring my veiw, my youngest child already a senior. Ah, life.

Hot Sauce! 6" x 6 " oil on canvas

I double du-tied today. I am in a painters challenge "Girls Just Wanna Paint" and this months painting was about hot sauce.
I figured I would "cross two rivers with one bridge" (hate to kill birds)and use this as a flower.

Ok- red peppers are not flowers NOW but at one time they were. It was fun to do-lots of red- my favorite color(well-along with orange, yellow green, blue and purple!)

What in Carnation? 8" x 8 " oil on panel

Work day today- I had to do this on in about 45 minutes-as I look at this I think these carnations are looking a little rose like, hmmm. I am in need of more art supplies , paint, better brushes and I am out of panels!.

I think a trip to the art (candy) store is in order!

soft light 8" x 8" oil on panel

I woke up to rain- lovely lovely rain. Perfect for studio painting. This one painted itself.

I didn't have any fresh flowers but I got this sweet lamp at our local consignment shop a few weeks ago and have wanted to paint it for a while.

I love lamplight. With real energy sucking lightbulbs.I have the "green" bulbs everywhere but I had to put one of the old school ones in this. My husband loves the overhead bright lights- I love the soft warm low lamplight. We compromise (well- I go around the house adjusting the light when I get home)  I put the letter in here as an homage to the handwritten letter-so rare these days, and special.

Where have all the flowers gone? 12" x 12" oil on canvas

The flowers are there- they are just settling in for a long winters nap.
Ok maybe I cheated- but I painted outside with my class at Tilden Farm in North Marshfield- it was grey and chilly and I am a little spent -so this is it for today!

This was the study Sue had us do- we were to do only 4-5 shapes in Fairfield Porter style.

surprise inside 8" x 8" oil on panel

This apple is from Maine- Donna Roine gave it to me at the sale saturday - she was sitting next to me making wonderful items from recycled materials- very creative and fun! We figured out that we knew a lot of the same people-it was a riot.
I remember as a child thinking how magical it was to see the star inside the apple- so I decided to cut this one up . The star was pretty big! I think it looks circus-y- I like that.
I don't really like clowns though...although I feel like one much of the time!

If you are looking for the flower its in the background...sort of...

sailors delight 12"x12" oil on canvas

Red sky at night- sailors delight! This is an underpainting - thin paint- tomorrow it will be drier and I can work into it. Thick and textured-I find that to be more of a challenge in oil as I need to wait......I don't like waiting!

Today is a beautiful fall day !I hope everyone gets outside and basks a little in the warmth.

The sale was really fun yesterday- here was my set up...

back up 8"x8" oil on panel

This is a painting I did a while ago-and although I did paint this morning (fixed yesterdays roof!) I didnt have energy ( or light) to re-photograph it tonight-aso I am posting this one. Today was the wonderful artisan sale at Carol J's house in Pembroke. Great women artisans- wonderful guests- fabulous treats!

It was a good day and thanks to all who came- and a great big thanks to Carol who made it happen and letting us take over her house!

impatients and birdhouse 8" x 8 " oil on panel

I painted this one at 4 o'clock today-cleaned all day for my daughter and her roomates visit-so this one was done with the little bit of energy I had left- I see the right hand roof needs work ( roof job!) as well as lots of other bits of this-
Tomorrow is the little sale at my friends house (bottom of post)-if you are around stop by!

Wheres Frank? 12" x 12" oil on canvas

work in progress- I mixed sand into the paint and troweled the wall with it

This dog looks sad-hmmmm.

We had a beautiful fall day today-Im happy because my dogs got groomed today and they are very cute with their bandannas and smart hairstyles!

heres Winnie- the flash made her eyes look funny!

takin' a walk 12" by 12" oil on canvas

I have begun my departure from the real-there ARE flowers on that weird looking cactus tree- but this is from a sketch ( doodle really) and I like painting theses pictures -a total break from observational ones.

I can just play and create. my hope is that the flower studies will improve these made up things...
I think this guy looks like a Frank.
Don't know why!

alstroemeria 4" x 4" oil on panel

SO.... this is all I had time for today- lots on my plate and with my painting class I was rushed...

so this is unfinished- tomorrow I will complete !

Our class went to a lovely place on the North River today- it was so beautiful and peaceful with the herons and the tide coming in.

alstroemeria 8" x 8 " oil on panel

These flowers are ones that last forever in a vase-I want to work on the background a bit more here...
I had a fun afternoon with my friend and neighbor Tori- we did a fake storefront for the local

haunted house fundraiser for the Boys and Girls club.- it was a beautiful day and warm in the enclosed area we were working in. We used old windows and other scrap wood and paint...other decorators creations gave us some great ideas too! I cant wait to see what the finished event looks like with the fog machines, lights and spiderwebs!

book and blooms 12" x 12" oil on canvas

It is pouring out! A real nor'easter- and lots of things got rained out I'm afraid- but rain is excellant for painting (unfortunalty not so much for the photo- this is very dark)

We lost power at the museum  so we closed early- although a charming couple from England showed up just as the lights went out- and enjoyed the watercolor  show using a flashlight! I am not completely done with this painting-might post again...

this is my studio wall getting filled up with flowers.

funky gerber 8" x 8 " oil on panel

My friend Don gave me a free batch of flowers from the florist shop where he works  yesterday- they were a little tired and un-sellable - I am so excited about this new source of flowers! This was fun with the crazy background (discontinued  swatches from a furniture shop where my friend works)

The dark red was a challenge.

tree hydrangea 8" x 8" oil on panel

It was freezing and rainy and downright yucky today. I overslept, my daughter got herself off to school ( thank you Maddie) and I layed in bed not too motivated and my husband said to me
" those flowers aren't going to paint themselves!" So I scoured the yard armed with my espresso and found a few squash blossoms, daisies and this tree hydrangea.
This is not the greatest photo-had to shoot it in dusk- but here it is!

out of the box 8" x 8" oil on panel

These mums were a gift from my friend Kelley- and when they were droopy I cut off the blossoms and nested in this foam  mushroom container...I like the pattern they created.

It seemed more like an abstract painting to me- fun to do-  the color is off as I had to shoot it at night...

last nast-urtiunm 8" x 8" oil on panel

Work day today- so i had to whip this one off- its one of the last ( I fear) nasturtiums in the garden. If there is a frost tonight I'm done with picking my flowers- but I am excited about being creative and finding things with flowers on them-or making them up. My dad sent me some great photos of his beautiful garden in Hawaii ... and of course buying myself flowers is always an option! My friend Liz told me stores give them away sometimes,,,the acquisition of fresh flowers will be fun!

What's the story Morning Glory? 8"x 8" oil/panel

One of the last morning glories in my brother and sister- in -laws garden- I had to paint it so fast as it was closing before my very eyes...it was afternoon and I guess this kind of bloom gets tired- as I seem to do  in the afternoon. I emptied out my fish pond- all 8 goldfish and 4 big frogs all got taken over to my brother's barn's indoor fishpond where they will stay for the winter. I am buttoning things up outside-looking forward to the quiet of winter - no outdoor chores-just the occasional shovel which my husband LOVES to do.
He also fixed the old shed roof. And many many other things!
thanks Al.
you're the best!

Butter and Eggs 8" x 8" oil on panel

I always loved these sweet roadside flowers- the idea of butter and eggs makes me think of breakfast with my grandmother . She would make me eggs and serve them in little cups - we would break the tops off the soft boiled eggs and eat right it out of the shell. My Grandmother , Grandfather and Great aunt ( Nangy, Barba and Zit!) always put lots of butter on everything...yum. Breakfast in their antique kitchen was always very special.

I bought this little silver butter dish at a yard sale the other day -the metal was a challenge to paint. The eggs are store bought- makes me wish I had chickens and could gather bluish colored eggs! Ha- looking at this I realized the left side of the butter dish is missing on the bottom-gotta go tweak that- funny what I miss sometimes...
This is my kitchen sink-with the by products of my project!

Queen Annes Lace and Bittersweet 8''x8'' oil on panel

I found the bigger bottle in my back yard- its probably not old and had some kind of booze in it but I like the lustre on it....there was still some Queen Annes Lace

in bloom in the field on my walk - it's like summer and fall together. 
Today was a glorious fall day- I did have to work but my dear friend Kim came and 
we spent the afternoon playing around with collage and visiting with one 
of the museums best volunteers -Winne D'Melio -who is 104 years old. 
She has just returned from a cruise to Bermuda with her kids- amazing woman- and her secret of life is"keep a smile in your heart". She sure brightens my 
day and I am honored to know her. I was able to share my flowers with her
on my laptop. Kim and I took a lovely long walk after the museum closed and 
lapped up the lovely fall sunshine.

my old shed 12" x 12" oil on canvas

This painting was done the other day on a gorgeous afternoon-I did paint today but it was  SO not worthy of posting....maybe it was the REALLY long day I had...

sigh...morning is really the best time of day for me to paint.

I love my old shed- we moved it to make room for my studio-rolled it over and plunked it between two trees by tying it to the truck with ropes on PVC pipes -yee ha!

I am finding it tough to paint at the end of the day -after working on my commision this morning, looking after my sweet 7 year old nephew who slept over last night, taking my mother to the Scituate animal shelter ( beautiful new facility with amazing staff) to adopt a cat, them going to work at the museum,then errands- scoping out a job at a friend's house who wants her mantlepiece painted with faux rocks- ( wonderful family in the neighborhood- sweet lovely people)buying my husband some beer-I finally sat in front of my easel and painted- but it needs more work.Just too tired.

That is more info than you needed I am sure. TV time with hubby now..

9" x 12" crayon and watercolor on paper

Today was a work day and  I also have a deadline to create an ornament design- my annual scene of a historical landmark in  Marshfield and Pembroke.
I should do these designs way before but of course here I am at the 11th hour....I do the original in watercolor from a photo- then they are sent to a company that prints them and frames them in little gold frames-I've been doing them since 1996!

 I painted this flower at work today in the studio-using the crayola crayons and the liquid watercolor we use with the kids- it was fun. Literally done in 10 minutes. The rain spattered it when I was walking back to the museum- cool effect....looks like a silk scarf or something....

bouquet 8" x 8" oil on panel

still enjoying last weeks farmers market flowers

this one was fun!

Rexhame Beach Dunes 8"x8" oil on canvas

This is the dune study I did in my class yesterday...the goldenrod was everywhere ! I think yellow must be the toughest color to paint-but it sure is perdy to look at! Feels like summer might be over ...fall is blowing hard today. I did paint this morning but posting this because I am not going to be home in time to photograph it-

posies on chair 12" x 12" oil on canvas

What  a magnificent day! I painted with Sue Charles and class at Rexhame beach- it was unbelievably gorgeous there- however- the painting was a challenge- tried a dune scene which proved to be impossible for me. Sue was able to do an amazing one of the magnificent sparkle on the ocean. We are all in awe of her amazing talent. Later I borrowed my friend Tori's beautiful blue chair and did this painting of mums in my backyard in the afternoon sun. Another day- another flower!

Dahling Dahlia 8" x 8 " oil on panel

This dahlia was a challenge-it looks more purple in this photo  than  the actual pink -I struggled a bit with it but here it is.Today was a great fall day- lovely yoga class at Dragonfly in the morning and art art art all day!

I ended the day with a brisk walk through the woods with my dear friend and neighbor Tori- the dogs and we enjoyed the colors of the marshes and river through the trees and the pretty yellow sprinkling of leaves on the soft wooded pathways.We saw tons and tons of mushrooms in many colors....heres one from the other day... I love fall....ahhhhh.

market Sunflower 8" x 8" oil on panel

Ahhh Sunday- I was able to knock this puppy out by 8:30 AM and went to church ( I actually do that on occasion) at the UU church in Duxbury with 3 friends- loved going all together and after we drove around Plymouth and looked at houses and had a lovely lunch at  the East Bay Grille.Yumm.

My grandmother used to do that kind of thing- now here I am I am doing the same things... Sundays should be a day of relaxing and lollygagging. I'm all about that now. Take Sundays back!

I did take my new vac for a test drive today and the bag is half filled....worked great. Nice machine.

Watched the sun dip down behind the trees at the creek with my friend Sandy who happened to be walking by my house  the second I walked out the door- perfect.

farmers Market Dahlia 8" x 8" oil on panel

Today was a perfect day to paint- it poured outside! I had to wait till this afternoon. Vet appt for Winnie this morning and shopping after- (not my favorite thing to do)

My 3 year old corgi is in perfect health- but they want me to bring her in for a tooth cleaning- $500! Her front teeth are great- its the back molars. I am thinking- I have tools...

OK- I love my dog- but really-what is up with that?

I think  dogs don't get to be dogs anymore. They probably need to floss too. Yikes!

Then- I spent  a boatload on a - VACUUM CLEANER- holy krikes! This is needed partly because of the dental work needing dog. But I want this one to be my LAST vac i ever have to buy-it better be! Its a sporty red Miele- oooh baby.

Im afraid to take it out of the box.So it's still sitting in the very dog hairy house in its nice wrapping.  I headed out to paint-but I know that -when I want to- I can clean!

I just am waiting for the want to part...

Anyway- here's my flower- its from  bouquet I bought at the farmers market yesterday- I could not capture the lovely tequila sunrise color but I tried-  think it would translate well in

watercolor....

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daisy 8" x 8 " oil on panel

what was I thinking? A white daisy on a white background-oooof. The red vase was a gift from my friend Kim and I liked the reflection on the cloth. This one was a challenge...
I bought a bunch of beautiful flowers at the farmers market today for tomorow...

A bunch of kids came to the Museum where where I work today-  they drew pictures outside in their sketchbooks- this cutie pie used the flowers and grass for pigment!

Kelleys Roses 8" x 8" acrylic on panel

I started this this morning- work day- so I was feeling rushed-and when I returned to finish it later- half the petals had fallen off!

Its acrylic and its been oils lately so there was that factor-I made up the stripes - I thought it was a little boring......

The I Ching tells me its decrease time, which means don't push it or expect too much...

So here it is, as good as its gonna get today. Tomorrow is another work day-so who knows!