Fun at Camp Mosaic

Here is my mosaic- un-grouted- on a small scrap of plexiglas.

The campers are in the background doing their own mosaics.

I love the camp - today was "wacky" day- and here are a few of the counselors-in-training in their get-ups- they are the most fun kids!

Blue Flowers in vase-9"x12" acrylic on panel

I am at camp now- enjoying the kids and their energy.

I painted this in my class today- it's copied from another artist- fun to borow sometimes!

back of the restaurant in Cabo, watercolor

We enjoyed eating the food here- the chips and salsa and quacamole were to die for!

I loved getting up early and painting in the quiet of the morning, before all the activity.

My mind is on vacation

Tomorrow I am starting up at my annual gig teaching at Summer Arts at Derby for the month of July- it will be a challenge to get that flower a day in- but I will do it somehow!

I still have a bunch of Cabo sketches so heres another one....

More sketches from Cabo

I love doing these little multiple sketches-there's no end  to what I can find to draw.
Clockwise from left-random lady in the bar, view from the bar out the front door of the hotel, the massage cabana on the beach ( no I didn't get one) and  one of the many peddlers on the sand.

It's fun to sit in one place and let my eyes wander around. Now that we are back it seems like I dreamed the whole trip. While I was there I thought I was dreaming that I was there.  Life is but a dream!

Back from Cabo

My husband and I took our 2 kids to Cabo San Lucas for a little vacation- since our April London trip was waylaid by the Icelandic volcano, we made up for it by going to Mexico.

Okay, it wasn't exactly England- but it was a rare and special time for just my family to spend some relaxing time together.

I have never been to an all inclusive resort before- it was a real treat. We stayed at the Riu Palace and let me tell you- they know how to do it up right! Great food, flowing drinks, lovely rooms and pools- beautiful beach-just perfect. We felt pampered and returned rested. 5 nights is just enough- any more than that would be too much, like (as my brother Chip put it ) it would be like being locked in a dessert bar! I painted every day,  here's my airport sketch in Houston.

And here is a view from my lounge chair.

It's wonderful to be home, and back in the USA.

I will remember our vacation forever though, it was wonderful.

another weed

 (Bottom right) might be a buttercup but probably not- but it reminded me-

I loved holding a buttercup under someone's chin to see if they liked butter.
I am going on a little vacation and am not bringing my computer. I really need to unplug.
I will post when I return and you will see that I will be painting! I am just bringing watercolors and a sketchbook- keeping it simple.
See you soon!

FInal three

Finally I feel that these can rest (and so can I)

There is a story here- 

I do the swirly sky a lot now- I can't help myself- but I DO share birthdays with Van Gogh...so I'm channeling I think.

Coming Home 44"x44" oil on canvas

 I shot this tonight ( hence the glare)- this is the third piece in a triptych I am finishing up for my show next month. It is a story, and they will hang together.

I will be so happy to complete these- they have been unfinished since 2008.

It is really hard to paint this winter scene in June-it goes against my grain, but I must finish!

The show runs the whole month of July  at the Duxbury free library, and there will be a reception and gallery talk on July 17th. I will post the invite soon!

flying girl 44"x44" oil on canvas

I started this canvas in 2008.

It was a major challenge to tackle this today- I absolutely have to finish this up this week as I am hanging my show on June 30 and it needs time to dry!  It is the second part of a tryptich. I fiddled around with it forever today-but took it a little further. Hope to have it done tomorrow- somehow.

Getting There 30"x30" oil on canvas

I am trying to finish up paintings for my upcoming exhibit at the Duxbury Free Library in July.  This commission piece is one  I want to include and it is SO hard to finish for some reason. I am making it up as I go. It's almost there....(I will reshoot tomorrow- glare issues)

5th weed and happy grads

Is a daisy a weed? Found it growing in the field on the way to the creek across from my house.

Big grad party today-lots of fun! Here is Maddie with her cousins Sami and Keith, all done with  high school. Maddie will be attending the College of Charleston, SC, Sami will be going to Northeastern and Keith will be starting up his own landscaping business.
Congrats grads!

John's Girls - I phone photo

WARNING - THIS ENTRY CONTAINS PERSONAL SENTIMENT !
Today I went bridesmaid ( and MATRON of honor) dress shopping for my sister Bryson's wedding coming up in September. We ordered our beautiful dresses and Bryson treated us all to a nice lunch . I didn't put myself into the photo, but here is my sister Bryson on the left ( the bride), my two daughters and niece at the restaurant.
I am having a family party at my house tomorrow to celebrate my youngest daughter's high school graduation, and although I DID do a little painting today- I will save that for tomorrow- as I want to acknowledge my dear Dad in Hawaii-and wish him a very happy birthday.
I am so grateful for my Dad in my life and am so excited that he will come and be with us this September for the wedding.
I love you Dad!

4th weed

The one with the blue background is called bishops weed. Certainly a weed if thats the name of it! I planted it in my garden years ago- probably got it at a plant swap-- and it spreads profusely. The blossoms look like queen annes lace- a late summer favorite!

These are rice paper paintings I made for two lovely co- workers- Dottie who is 80 and Elaine who is 90. We had a surprise party at work in their honor tonight.

3rd weed and visit to the Attleboro Art Museum

I'm having fun finding the little weeds in my yard - I have 6 more to paint.

Today I visited the Attleboro Art Museum to see "High Art" -installation Art by high school students. It was great.

The theme was "what inspires us"

These are jewelry boxes mounted on the walls with famous art masterpieces painted on them.

(close up)

These are canvases hanging from the ceiling.

There were lots more but I liked these best.

"Mary's Garden" 8"x10" oil on canvas

I love how poppies pop.  I could take this much further- but here it is....

second weed

Unfinished but here is the second weed- a clover....

I went to my friend Mary's garden this afternoon to paint her gorgeous poppies but didn't finish the painting- heres my lovely subject.

Only two poppies blooming, one dropped all its petals as I was painting. The foxglove in the background was heavenly too-I'm going to try to pull the painting together tomorrow.

Lots of green, and the fence posed a complicated composition. I think I should have zeroed in on just the flowers- but I love everything and want to put it all in! Being selective and editing is the lesson here. 

weed 3"x3" acrylic on salvaged panel

I found a cool thing to paint on- it's wooden and it has 9 little squares like tiles- I gessoed it and am going to fill it with close- ups of the tiny weeds that grow around my yard and street. Painting on black is a challenge but I like it-

The yellow thing in the middle reminds me of those plastic things you stab into cobs of corn!

It will be 9 days of weeds.

BTW- thank you to Jane from Hawaii who educated me about hog weed- I got it all out of my yard! It was giant and could cause skin cancer-jeez-I just thought it was pretty! 

Grad Night Live

This is one of my murals I painted with my friends for the annual Grad night live celebration at the high school tonight-the theme is cartoons! You can't see the whole thing in this photo-this mural is actually 9 feet high by 36 feet long-it thanks the donors who give money to the all night celebration

The school looked amazing! 

Here are some of the other amazing decorations created by the dedicated volunteers...

Winnie the pooh out in the courtyard,

The Jetsons! 

My youngest graduated today from high school today- hard to believe. Her class did a great job at the commencement today- luckily the predicted rain didn't show up for the  ceremony, although it was hot! I am so proud of my girl- she gave a speech and was poised and beautiful. Have fun at the party Maddie!

Peonies 8"x8" oil on panel

These are the loveliest things EVER and I was actually a little scared to attempt the painting of this- but I did and , although it to me looks a lot like a dahlia, I actually like this.

Tonight I went to Duxbury beach to celebrate the life of Drew Brian Hunter- we had a fire and we launched beautiful flaming biodegradable lanterns - we lit them and watched them float magically up into the night sky until they disappeared.

I didn't know Drew but I feel blessed to be included in the circle of his loving family and friends. He died a year ago today.

trailer trash

Its been foggy in the mornings- and this photo isn't the best ( sorry for that and sorry for apologizing)

but it was so fun to paint in the trailer park in Marshfield at Brant Rock.

I love the trailer park! This was a sweet one....I could move in...

The Glades 6"x6" oil on panel

The Glades is a wonderful place to go- it is private so one needs special permission to go-I did this for my challenge group- it was my second attempt of the day to paint a beach scene- the light at 4:00 today was really nice.

festival demo painting 12"x12" acrylic on canvas

I painted this in the street talking to people- It is a challenge to paint with all the action- but fun.

The paint was drying at the speed of light so I had to paint fast- but the cool thing about acrylics is its layer-ability,

Today was the last tea ceremony for the school children at the Art Complex- I love to be around these wonderful tea people-here is Glenn Sorei Perriera, teamaster, introducing his lovely assistants. I love their kimonos!