Remembering DD on Memorial Day

                                      The hills were alive-with the celebration of DD's life.

  The display of DD's art was amazing.

She did so many things-including these two charming pieces.

I especially loved the sheep and chicken.

We are really going to miss you DD.

My painting at the festival today

This was my demo.
Lots of fun painting this one!
I have some tweakage to do but it's close...
Festival was perfect today- weather great and happy, happy folks doing some serious lollygaggin.
YAY!

FESTIVAL FUN!

This adorable family was hanging their big flag 

up on their barn...Just one of the great neighbors in the Hills 

who open up their yards and barns for the art festival- its why it can happen!

The demo artists  set up some art inside this barn- it's where I was painting.

                                                  Kids were painting birdhouses ,
                                             as well as a whole tent of other  crafts-

                                                            


                                                  This guy was chillin'.

                                             I got a wet kiss from this sweetheart!

FESTIVAL!

We are blessed with sunny hot weather for the North River Arts Festival today and tomorrow!

Last nights opening was wonderful in the balmy air- dancin in the grass and carrying on was in order...

There is a display of artist furniture for sale- mine was a roadside find that I painted and embellished with mosaic ...

A great lady is being missed at the festival .
D.D. Pierce of Marshfield died this last tuesday. She was the queen of the volunteers and we miss her terribly. I always loved her humor and friendship.

I made her this bouquet of button and leather scrap flowers.

A beautiful Light

This is the lovely Elizabeth Light and her gorgeous stained glass mosaic window 

she made for her son Hunter, 

who she is expecting in late August. It's only her second one and I love what she

 did!

My amaryllis from 1 1/2 years ago- I totally ignored it, threw it in the basement and when I brought it up into the light- it bloomed!  Love it when stuff like that happens....

Tea Time with Watermelon 30"x30" acrylic on canvas

I said I wouldn't talk about the weather BUT I cant help it.
I am a new englander after all...
the sun is SHINING! 

I think I might be almost done with this one...as I look at it here I see a few more tweaks...

Although I didn't paint an elephant as I was intending I think there's still one here- the pot and the tent...very circus-ee!

people have commented that they are enjoying the Eckhart Tolle quotes- so here's another gem...

"Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge."
— Eckhart Tolle

tea time with watermelon 30"x30" acrylic on canvas

No more weather talk.

This is what I felt like painting today- was planning on painting elephants but I find that when I plan to do something I usually change direction. Hmmm. Part one- hope to finish this tomorrow.
I love tea and found this lovely painted teapot  from Portugal at a thrift store. Tea helps me out when I hit the "wall" at around 2 PM.

I specifically looked for a watermelon with black seeds to paint.
What's up with the seedless watermelon?
Guess I'l have to make them up!

Last but not least another quote for today.....

"Is there a difference between happiness and inner peace? Yes. Happiness depends on conditions being perceived as positive; inner peace does not." 
— Eckhart Tolle

lilacs in my yard

I was so cold painting this- should have put my winter coat on... but didn't. I suffered!
Finished it this morning in my cozy studio from my iphone photo listening to Winnie snore.
Accepting the weather is a challenge for us all here who have survived a tough winter... but the sun will shine eventually, so again, acceptance.
I've been listening to Echkart Tolle a lot lately- I like what he says...although we can argue that sun and warmth would make us feel good -  grab a blanket and deal!

         by the way- -they say its going to be 80 degrees tomorrow.

Any complainers will be shot on site! ( Im not there yet Eckhart but I'm trying)

I will leave you with this one..

        "Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance."
— Eckhart Tolle (A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose)   

Student Outdoor Sculpture (SOS) at the Art Complex

This is a show I curate each spring where I work at the Art Complex in Duxbury.
I love seeing what the high school kids come up with.  Come see the show!
We are having a big opening tomorrow-Sunday, 5/22, from 1:30-3:30. Also on display is a beautiful collection of artists work who have shown there over the past 40 years, as well as Dorothy Krause's exhibit of amazing lenticular images- you have to see these to believe them!

                                           All week these pieces have been appearing on the grounds...

                                                     Sacred Heart High School's"Dial a Style"

                                                      installation of "Monkey Business"

                            "Cheetah" coming out of the South Shore
                                Charters Schools's "Veggie Van"

"Aquarium"

"Who Killed Humpty Dumpty"

The students will walk around and talk about their pieces to the public at 2:30 PM-  4 schools- 31 pieces in all. Hope to see you- and I am told the sun might make an appearance- although we are there , rain or shine and I hope  you have the time!

Lilac heaven and channeling my grandmother

Each spring I have feel the true spirit of my grandmother enter my whole being with my first whiff of lilacs.
I love them more than any other flower, and I know a lot of other people do too- and also feel the same way about their grandmothers.
Mine was an artist and I think she inspired me more than anyone. Mildred Brooks Chipman was a fashion illustrator at Hovey's in Boston in the 20's and in her golden years in Norwell her art took the form of furniture and tray painting in the Hitchcock tradition. She was a beautiful, gentle and creative soul. She gardened and cooked and made her antique home smell like lilacs and violets and (!) bacon.
I remember thinking how lovely she was in her boiled wool suits and soft white hair.

This is one of the treasures she left behind. I actually like the way the glass reflects the sky behind her....

A Great Day for an Egret

Its really raining.
Someone asked me at yoga last week -are we hard wired to feel sad when it rains?
Hmmm... I wonder. Its a challenge to smile sometimes...
My friend Jen sent me this one- this made me smile SO much!
watch this...

then my friend Carol Jankowski wrote this after seeing this painting...

No rainy day regrets for this egret
She dances and meditates in all the spring wet
Wispy and soulful, a glorious time
For all feathered friends, this weather is sublime!

sweet shadowbox

Mary Ellen Hussey in my Wednesday night class made this wonderful collage box from vintage scraps and bits of ephemera.

I love the Victorian feel of this...

Okay what is up with the weather?
Im NOT obsessing but its going on a bit long and testing us....

here's one for me...
A rainy day is the perfect time for a walk in the woods.  ~Rachel Carson

And yet STILL on that elephant! 24"x30" acrylic

When is it done? One more day on this I think...

My friend Kelley MacDonald suggested  NOT to see Water for Elephants.

I did see it- and have to say I was thoroughly surprised- didn't expect to like it ( loved the book)

but I did! I thought it was very good. Except for the being mean to animals part (um ok thats a big part )!

still on the elephant and where is the sun?

 I went  into this one with naples yellow, cad red medium and orange. I had a curious urge for curry as I was painting this...

Here I am adding ultramarine blue and turquoise, trying to stay within analogous colors in each session.

Looking in my studio window. I need to paint the trim!

We've been having a series for cool cloudy days. Good for studio painting and transplanting, but people start to get complain y here in New England. Soon we will be crabbing about the humidity!
I try not to obsess about the weather anymore.
It is what it is ( that is so deep) but truly, one can only just be in whatever the weather is! Make the most of it , the sun will come out tomorrow!

chaos and disorder!

My paints are all kitty wampus in my studio- I need to organize!

I looked at some photos from India today and was inspired by a man riding an elephant.

I haven't painted out of my head in a while- feels kind of great! Its a challenge when the outdoors is so nice- but I pop in and out of the studio - to plant seeds, dig in the dirt, take walks.

Life is good!

Hingham Farmers Market!

The weather man was totally off- the day was warm and sunny with a slight breeze- perfect for painting   at the farmers market! It was the first one of the season and folks were happy and festive.

I find painting from life such a challenge- especially with all the activity and stoppers by- but I loved it!

In other news,  I received an award  from the Bumpus gallery in Duxbury where I exhibited last year. They presented it to my yesterday in the gallery.

I feel so honored to have gotten this.

Happy Mothers Day! 

It really is a small world

When I woke up this morning this was in my inbox.
Its one of these crazy wonderful connections that makes me so glad to be part of the painting blogosphere .
Take a gander HERE

Hingham artist event and My amazing students

I  will actually be at the farmers market in Hingham Square from 9-1 this Saturday -stop by!

- or see all these others at White Magdalenas!

I have wonderful students and here are some of their pieces.
I love teaching in my studio- I swear magic happens out there!

Carol M's painting from a couple weeks ago

 Sarah M's...

 Linda E's

 and Carol J's charcoals.
Great job gals!

Spring Morning 16"x20" acrylic on canvas

It was fun to stand in my driveway and paint- my little red studio! The very last thing I did to this was to spread the purple around- with my finger! I might have overdone it...oops

I relate to this cartoon...

Grouting and May snowman

 

Yesterday I returned to the school and let the 5th graders watch me grout- I mixed up different colors for different areas.

It will be unveiled at the 5th grade graduation and presented to the school as their gift- and will hang in the lobby at Martinson school  in Marshfield.

 

This is what I do with leftover grout!

View from the Church WIndow "Kent House" watercolor- 8"x8"

I painted this on Saturday as I listened to the newly restored wooden pipe organ at the First Parish Church  being played.

It was a rehearsal and I brought my Mom to hear her old friend Jim Brown from Chicago practice for that evenings dedication performance. He plays it like no other.

The sound is sweet, and clear like a wood thrush. It can also be low booming and huge so the whole building vibrates.

Kinda ruins you for electronic organs.

This is the Kent House, the beautiful cape next to the church, on a lovely spring morning.

"Winnie -Fresh from the Salon" 8"x8" acrylic on panel

My submission for the challenge- the word of the month is "Fluffy".

Winnie smells so sweet and is soft and cuddly after returning from the beauty parlor.

View the other fluffy paintings HERE!