Photos from Zullo Exhibition

The Zullo Gallery website now has some photos posted of the exhibition. This one shows 2 of my paintings on the right side. Fun! Click here to see the whole collection of images.

First Communion sketches

When my dad found out that I was painting pictures based on old family photographs, he shipped me about 10 photo albums of our family that he had at the house. Such memories they brought back as I paged through them. Going to church was always a picture making moment and there were many of us standing outside, usually dressed up for Sunday mass. I happened to find photos of each of us on the day we made our First Communions and decided they needed to be included in my sketchbook. So, here's the line up:

Big sister Cathy's First Communion

Middle sister Lyn's First Communion
And finally my First Communion.

We were living in Florida for the first 2 photos and in Cleveland by the time my turn rolled around-thus the coats over our dresses.

All of the drawings I complete will be posted on The Sketchbook Project's website.

Reenergized and inspired

I'm back from a wonderful vacation in hot and steamy, but inspiring Texas. I am reenergized and ready to focus on some new projects.

I signed up for The Sketchbook Project and the theme I chose is Boys and Girls. Like the paintings I've done for the Family Album series, I thought it would be fun to do some sketches from family photographs old and new. Look out Facebook friends cuz I may be invading your photo albums for sketching ideas. (if you signed up for that new "see who's viewing your profile" thing, you may see my name there!). I also saw that Boston's MFA currently has an exhibit about family. Photographer Nicholas Nixon took photos of his wife and her 3 sisters every summer for the past 35 years. Fascinating stuff. Might need to check that out for inspiration as well.

I started my sketchbook in the center.

I thought this photo that my Uncle Tommy and Aunt Arlene sent me of all of their grandkids (taken last year-it's still growing!!) would make a great centerfold.

Isn't this a hoot? I might jump around the sketchbook a little, instead of going in order, just to keep things interesting. And I can't help but want to write a little about each sketch to go along with it. Perhaps that's the blogger in me.

I've also signed up for Custom Art Framing and Gallery 9's upcoming exhibit called Looking Up. They supply you with a 10" by 10" canvas and you take it from there. What a fun idea and I can't wait to see them all together. The show goes up in November.

And finally, thanks to Kathy for the wonderful post today on her blog Weller Wishes about some of the pretty things you can find at Gallery 9. She included a photograph of one of my black and white Family Album paintings that is currently on display there. Kathy is also participating in The Sketchbook Project. Check out the cute illustrations she has done so far for her "Raining Cats and Dogs" theme.

The Littlest Bar, Province Street

The Littlest Bar, Province Street Boston

Oil with a palette knife on cradled artist board

14" x 11"
SOLD

You might be wondering about the emphasis of the bright red window in the bottom right of this painting. Well, that is what used to be "The Littlest Bar". This Irish Pub, truly the littlest bar you've ever seen, closed it's doors a few years ago, but I just read recently that they opened a newer, and not so little bar in the Financial District not too far from this original location. Here is a portion of an article about it closing its doors. I just noticed the that date of the article is also my birthday.

Polo and I visited the bar when it was still open at this location and it was quite a local experience. Let's just say, they know when you are "just visiting". My friend Kim told me that she had a first date at this place. One of the patrons made a comment about her curly hair which I won't repeat here, but I guess the date worked out ok because they just celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary.

When I took the photo I used for my reference, I peered into the window only to see stacks of boxes. The new owner is apparently using it for storage. The entire street has gone through quite a transformation. That building to the right of it is full of high rise condos. I so love the juxtaposition of old and new that you see all around Boston. I sure hope they come to their senses soon and do something interesting with this space. I mean, they gave it a fresh coat of bright red paint after all. I was glad to see they kept it intact.

Here is a close up of the only part of the painting that has people. You can see that it's only a few strokes that define the woman diners. I saved that part for last and had fun with it.