Happy All Saints Day! "St Andrew's Church" ornament design

I missed Halloween. Never even considered dressing up. Am I old? Maybe it's just an off year. Maybe I am old. We get zero trick or treaters here ( but Al always bought 5 bags of candy minimum and guess who ate them)- its a long dark country road with houses spaced far apart, so when the kids were little I used to take them to other neighborhoods for Halloween. It was strange this year to not have my kids here. I celebrated the day by washing my windows and cleaning. I also worked on some paintings in my studio and here is the ornament I finished for St. Andrews Church in Hanover. I email the image to my manufacturer in New Jersey and when they arrive its GLITTER time!
Marshfield and Pembroke are next on the docket.

Friday at the James Library- demo-in progress- acrylic on canvas- 20''x20''

I have a very special feeling about the James Library in Norwell, MA. When I was a child growing up in Norwell I remember visiting the children's library in the basement. Later, as a young mother, I spent one hour every week there while both of my girls took piano lessons upstairs in the beautiful Victorian room playing on the grand piano..
My own mom was a librarian there then, and my girls and  I really enjoyed that special time with her. I have had two shows in the gallery and have spent so many fun evenings there. I've participated in 3 Books in Bloom events and last night did a demo for their fall open house.
They have an amazing concert and literary venue. This library is a great place to visit and to find a good read.  A real gem- we are so fortunate to have this in our own back yard. I did this as a demo last night- it was so fun! Be sure to visit their trunk show on Saturday, December 4, 2010  9 a.m. - 3 p.m and see the beautiful artisans work as well as ornaments that artists will have hand painted (including me!) they will be all be  for sale.
I have a special feeling when I go into that building-so much history and personal connection.
I am not done with this painting - more to come!

It is based on a sketch I did from a book about shaker spirit drawings.

Al makes me frames for the Narrows Show

Al made me 3 gorgeous poplar floater frames for my canvases. I stained them- here they are drying.

mounted and ready to hang!

heres the final paining done..

And the announcement- I am excited for the show!

eggplants and still life class

My friend Amy grew these eggplants- one of them has been eaten- roasted with beets and brussell sprouts! The other is destined for baba ganoosh(sp?) I love the aubergine color-Amy said she took one to the paint store to scan for color and the paint scanner read that it was brown-strange as I see no brown in it!

This is the set up I had for my painting class last week to paint- it was a real challenge and they all did great!

challenge!

I started my final animal painting- thought I would do birds- had this vision of looking up at trees. I borrowed a bit from Georgia O'Keefe ( ok a LOT)

one bird got it's way into it...

                                             then lots of birch leaves

                                   Winnie is making sure I'm still painting!

                                         Now the green is too light....

and here is where I am now- might move the bird out of the center...should I? The moon seems  lost too..

New work and STUDIO SALE!

Here is my second 30"x30" acrylic for the animal show in Fall River

Exhibition runs:  Oct 30-Dec 18th

Artist reception:  Sunday, Nov. 7th from 1-4

it's at the Narrows Center for the Arts.

ALSO

I am opening my studio on

Saturday, November 13, from 
12-5 PM

369 Spring Street in Marshfield.

Come and see me ! I will have lots of paintings( 365 flowers and more!) for sale at great prices.

You can pop in to the North River Arts Society sale right down the street too!

Congrats to all the artists who participated in the Hingham Arts Walk- I was there at the end and it was a huge success!

Worlds End Kiosk

This is art in a kiosk  at Worlds End in Hingham  it was put together by Julie Hawkins.

Julie is an artist and teacher and has a wonderful studio in Scituate harbor called

 Little House of Arts. She brought kids here to paint this summer 

She saw an opportunity to display art in this overlooked kiosk .Julie came to my studio and took pictures, put together prints of my work to display, along with the t shirt I designed.

I was honored to be featured in the kiosk- she did it really at no gain for herself.

People like this inspire me!

Thanks Julie!

She is looking for another artist to spotlight- you can get in touch with her here.

Parking lot in Easthampton, MA and Highland Park in Rochester, NY

This 6"x8" oil was done in a parking lot while I waited for my friend Mo to come out of restaurant- she was attending a memorial service. 

This 12"x12" oil was done with my friend Carol in lovely Highland Park in Rochester.

Road trip!

I just returned from a wonderful 5 days of travel. I left Friday and drove up to visit artist mosaic queen Mo Ringey in Easthampton, MA. It was great to see what the art scene is about in Holyoke MA- attended a fun opening - lots of talented people out there.  Tons of artists everywhere.
The next day I stopped into Syracuse to visit my daughter Markie-

saw her apartment and took her and her friends out to dinner- ( this is her in front of a cool mosaic we passed on our way to the restaurant)
It was wonderful to see her! I can't believe she is already a senior.
That night I continued on  to Rochester to visit one of my oldest friends Carol Acquilano.

She painted this yesterday- I shared my black gessoed acrylic technique with her.

                                                And I did this one...

Below is a large piece on her easel right now...

her awesome studio...

                                         her BEAUTIFUL exhibit!

She and I met at Museum school-we were in each other's weddings-we lost touch for 4 or 5 years and then bumped into each other in Florence in 1985-outside of the  Statue of David in a HUGE crowd-and I spent two weeks with her after that painting in Cortona, and we reconnected later in London. We have not lost touch since and ironically she and I both now work in art museums. When we get together we pretty much eat and breathe art the whole time. Her paintings of Italy are so gorgeous and I love her abstract pieces.She inspires me a lot- she also makes books and is a printmaker -actually she can do anything!

Today I stopped and visited the Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, MA on my way home and met with with the director of family programs there ( a work visit)- it was a beautiful place to visit on this perfect fall day. I wished I could paint there! ( of course)
I'm home again and it feels great! It was a jam packed weekend.
Al and Winnie were up in Maine- they are glad to home too!

more moonlit deer and other stuff

This is coming along- where to go? not sure. When it gets like this I have to turn off my brain and follow the painting.

Stole this flower from the Art Complex yesterday and painted it in the Wednesday open studio class at the Museum( which was AWESOME !)

that same evening I taught a class in my studio - the easels my Dad made were fantastic!

We painted cantalopes...

heres my demo

And the end of my day today was a walk to the creek with my little girl- WINNIE!

Life is good... sun is out!

Moonlit deer and Christmas is coming!

I started my second painting of the animal series- I was inspired by my friend Sue's cedar grove in  her beautiful and magical back yard!
Again, starting with the chalkboard effect.

Here we are so far...

And, I am working on 3 ornament designs I do annually for fundraisers.

This year it is Ventress School Administration Building in Marshfield ( recently renovated) and I am commissioned to do St. Andrews church in Hanover.

Pembroke's ( next on the docket) is the old fire station on High street.

All of a sudden I am SO busy! Wait- I'm ALWAYS busy!

Fox and Rabbit at the Pond- 30"x20" FINISHED!

I could have continued forever on this but I didn't.

Looking at this I realize that I have put spring, summer and fall all together.

I guess thats ok- right? Who's the boss anyway?

I had Henry Rousseau with me today and thank you to the person who mentioned him!

AND THE WINNER IS.....

a study done on 12/11/09
I hope you like it!
Here is Al picking the winner ( so you know it is legit!)

and the winner is .
,
,
,
,
Brenda Stosburg Rubin!