Chalkboard art

While visiting my sister in Texas, we did a lot of redecorating in her new home which was so much fun. One of the things we did was paint chalkboard paint in her front hallway/cafe so I created these two chalkboard art pieces for her. I think I like this new medium!

My sister loved them so much and then created this one herself after I left.

"Way Up Along," Provincetown, Mass.

Way Up Along, Provincetown, Mass.

30" x 40" x 2"

Oil with a palette info on Ampersand Gessobord

SOLD

Paul sent me some great old postcards from the early 1900s of The Red Inn in Provincetown. I thought it would be really fun to recreate these on a large scale for their 100th year anniversary this summer.

I love reading the backs of the postcards. This one is from 1921. It reads "You must see this place. We are spending the night at "Red Inn"- at present we are on the beach wading. So lovely. Delightful trip. Love, Lena."

I used blue painters tape so that I had a nice clean edge to recreate the white border and text that was on the front of the original postcard. I took some images along the way to show my progress and also to show the large scale of this painting.

Provincetown Light Houses

Provincetown Light Houses

12" x 12" x 1.5"

Oil with a palette knife on Blick Studio Artist Board
SOLD
While visiting Ptown, we were enjoying an afternoon coffee and these houses across the street caught my eye. Not just the beautiful afternoon light that was falling on them but also how they framed the view of the lighthouse in the distance between them. Pretty sweet.

A Triple Play of Pears

Pear Leaning to the Left

6" x 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas panel
SOLD

 Pear Standing Upright

6" x 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas panel
SOLD

 Pear Leaning to the Right

6" x 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas panel
SOLD

Triple Play of Pears

Each 6" x 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas panel

While at the grocery store, I saw these beautiful red forelle pears. They were just calling to be painted. I had never seen pears so red before and at such a small size. I loved them so much I had to paint three different versions. They would hang nicely together as a trio I think.

Monumental View

Monumental View

20" x 16"

Oil with a palette knife on Blick Studio Artist Board
SOLD

Next up in the series painted from photos taken in Provincetown is this one of the Pilgrim Monument taken during our walk in the dunes. I loved how the monument slowly appeared and then rises over the hill as you make your way back from the ocean to the road.

A Walk in the Dunes

A Walk in the Dunes

6" x 18" x 2"

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord

SOLD

I painted this from a reference photo I took with the pano setting on my phone. It was a beautiful day and we took a walk with some friends in the dunes of Provincetown. You can see some of the famous dune shacks in the distance. The colors and the scenery was so spectacular, like a movie set. And I took a ton of images so you can be sure I will be painting several more from this scene.

Its difficult to get a good photo of the palette knife texture at this long horizontal size, so I took these close up shots. They are little mini paintings, I love shooting these.

Paul's Place

Paul's Place

12" by 12"

Oil with a palette knife on Blick Studio Artist Board

SOLD

Paul asked if I would do a painting of his place in Provincetown. The photo reference he sent me was taken during a summer party and the lighting was just spectacular.
With all of the snow and cold we've been having here in Boston, this was a very welcome subject to paint.

Monument Ave, Charlestown (Boston)

Monument Ave, Charlestown, Boston

40" x 30" x 2"

Oil with a  palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord
SOLD

Susan and her husband asked if I would paint this scene from Charlestown, MA to go over the fireplace in their home. That is their home on the far right of the painting. They have a great view of the Bunker Hill Monument from their street, Monument Ave. I loved the dramatic perspective of this view and one of the most difficult parts was getting the drawing right before I started painting it. I took this photo below of the drawing before I began to block in the colors.

A photo from an early stage...

And just for fun, Susan sent me an image of the fireplace where they plan to hang the painting so I photoshopped the painting into her picture to give a rough preview of how it might look. She is coming to pick the painting up tomorrow so I hope to hear that she loves it as much in person as she did via email!

Another pet portrait commission, Niko!

Niko

12" x 12" x 1.5"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled Blick Studio Artist Board
SOLD

Ellen asked if I could paint a portrait of her daughter's dog Niko. He is another cutie, with his wonderful markings and great color!

And, as I like to do, below is an in progress photo that I took along the way...It's kind of fun to see it at this early stage with just a few colors blocked in.

Brandy, she's a fine dog...

Brandy on the Beach

8" by 10"

Oil with a palette knife on Blick Studio Cradled Artist Board
SOLD

My sister asked that I paint this cutie for a friend of hers for her birthday. As I was painting it, I couldn't help but keep singing that song in my head "Brandy, you're a fine dog, what a good dog you would be...". Unfortunately Brandy is no longer with us, but doesn't she look like she loved the beach?

Happy New Blog Year

I received this book at an art supply Yankee swap with my art group over the holidays. As I begin the 7th year of my blog, I thought it appropriate to begin reading it today. I'll keep you posted on the interesting tidbits I learn throughout the year. Happy New Blog Year!

Merry Christmas!

Bobby and Sue

8" x 10"

Oil with a palette knife
SOLD

I painted this for my cousin. He asked me to paint it awhile ago for him and I finally got around to it so I am sending it to him as a surprise Christmas present.

I wish for you and your family a wonderful holiday season. I hope you get everything you wished for.

Wise Guy

Wise Guy

6" x 8"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas panel
SOLD

I found this guy on morguefile.com awhile ago and I had printed him out as a reference photo for my palette knife painting workshops last year. I was looking for something to paint at class last week and found him in my folder.  He was calling to me. "Hoo" wants to paint me? "Yoo, You Do!"

A new family portrait commission

Meg's Family

9" x 12" x 1.5"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled Blick Studio Artist Board
SOLD

My sister asked if I would paint this for her boss who is leaving her position to go back to teaching this year. What a good looking family, huh? I love that the dog is looking at them instead of the camera. Too funny. Apparently they take the same family picture every year.

I painted the faces first since I knew that would be the toughest part to get right. I remembered to take a photo of it before I completed it the next day. I think it looks kind of interesting with just the five heads floating on the orange background.

My sister plans to give it to her this week. Hope she likes it!

A White Thanksgiving

The Red Inn in White

6" x 8"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas board

SOLD

Well-it's December! November went by way too fast and now the Christmas season is upon us. We weren't expecting it, but we did have a white Thanksgiving this year. While I am not a fan of snow, I have to say that it was really a pretty snow. Not enough to shovel and create those gray piles on the side of the road, but enough to blanket everything in white and make it look very picturesque. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

The Red Inn looks good in white don't you think?

Beach Boys

Beach Boys

24" x 18"x 3/4"

Oil with a palette knife on Blick Studio Artist Board

SOLD

My cousin asked me to paint this scene of his son in law and grandkids at the beach. I normally would post some "in progress" photos but I guess I was in the zone because this worked up so fast, I finished it in one session and I forgot to stop and take photos along the way. 

But here are a few close up shots so you can get a better sense of the palette knife textures.

The Inn at Cook Street

The Inn At Cook Street

12" x 24" x 2"

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord
SOLD

John Jay and Patrick, collectors who have purchased a couple of my paintings in the past, asked me if I would do a painting of their inn in Provincetown. They just purchased the inn this year and had a fantastic first year entertaining guests in this beautiful place on Cape Cod. While we were visiting friends in Provincetown a few weekends ago, we stopped by and got a first class tour of the inn. What a treat. I was so glad I could get a firsthand experience of the place I was about to put to canvas.

And as I like to do, here is a process shot as well as a few close ups of the painting:

A New Commission-St Stephens in the North End

St. Stephens Church, North End, Boston

20" x 16"

Oil with a palette knife on board
SOLD

Chris and Lynne saw some of my Boston paintings at The Artists Studio an Gallery at Patriot Place and asked if I would paint a piece for them of this beautiful church where they got married. They were lucky enough to also have lived around the corner from this church on Clark Street in the North End of Boston. I hope that the painting will continue to be a wonderful reminder of the great memories they shared there.

Here are some photos I took along the way that shows you how I started and then moved through the painting in sections to completion.

Capt Jack's Wharf number 2

Capt Jack's Wharf II

24" x 30"

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord
SOLD

Mitch saw the first painting I had done of this view hanging at The Red Inn and loved it. It had already been sold so he and asked if I would paint another one for him. I completed this second version while working at The Artists Studio and Gallery at Patriot Place this past weekend. Makes me long for summer to return.

Good Morning again

Good Morning, Cape Cod II

6" x 8"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas board

SOLD

A patron at The Red Inn saw the first painting I did of this sunrise with a SOLD sign on it and loved it so much that they requested to have another one painted for them. When someone commissions a painting I have done before, I often struggle with whether I should look my original source to paint it or from an image of the previous painting. I find I have more success if I work like it's the first time I'm doing it, by looking at my original source material. It is then interesting to look at the two side by side to see how I made decisions the same or differently.