Guinea Pigs!

Guineas

6" by 8"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas board
SOLD

After all of the cats and dogs that I have been painting lately, this was a fun challenge. I tried to make sure to push the difference in their fur color and I also exaggerated the eyes and noses a bit so you could more clearly make out their faces amongst all the fur. Especially fun was painting the colorful blanket that they were sitting on. I thought about simplifying it at at first, but then, decided it added some nice color and interest to the composition.

Milo

Milo

6" by 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas panel
SOLD

A tiny white bib under his chin is what makes Milo very unique. He looks to be a very sleak black cat. A beauty and a cutie.

The Red Inn V

The Red Inn V

12" by 36" by 2"

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord
SOLD

Another Red Inn painting off to a lucky person who wants to remember this magical place forever. I've got two more to paint before the holidays. Better get busy...

The Zullo Show

I mentioned in an earlier post that September was going to be a busy month for art shows. And it was...

A few weeks ago, we went to the reception for Zullo Gallery's 19rh Annual Juried Show. Here I am with my entry, "Beacon Hill Beauties" show at the bottom in this photo.

And Polo is shown below with his accepted entry, "Marilyn" one of his hamburger scultpures. My favorite part was on the sheet with the entries listed by title, name and medium, etc.. and seeing "hamburger" among the list with oil, acrylic,.. SO fun.

Ziggy

Ziggy

6" by 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas board
SOLD

Next in the line up of my catapalooza is Ziggy. I love that he has a little goutee on his chin which makes him very distinguished looking.

Sunlight, Shadow, and a Kindle

After Homer "Sunlight, Shadow, and a Kindle"

18" x 24" x 1.5"

Oil with a palette knife on cradled board
SOLD

I painted this for a show taking place this weekend and next, at The Artists' Studio and Gallery at Patriot Place called "Masterpiece Masquerade". The idea is to copy a work of art by a famous artist, but add your own "twist." I have been wanting to paint a mini master of this Homer painting for awhile now, and so I thought instead of a mini, I would paint it large for this show. There are 5 area art associations that are participating and I can't wait to see all of the creative entries.

You really have to see each painting in person to appreciate all the "twists" but here are a few images from the show. Do you recognize each paintings?

And as I like to include from time to time, here are a couple of chunky delicious close ups of my painting. I love how these look like little abstract paintings.

Mojo

Mojo

6" by 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas board
SOLD

Here is the latest kitty in my Christmas Pet Portraitpalooza. Mojo is a cutie, no?

Opening Reception for UNTAMED

Last night I took some photos of the art reception for the show UNTAMED at the Massachusetts Audubon, Moose Hill Gallery. Great turnout, great food, and great art. It was fun meeting the other artists. 

 Polo discussing his painting with a fellow artist.

 You can see my painting of the Alpaca on the wall in this photo

One of the artists brought his saxophone and entertained us with his other creative talent.

Pumpkin Spice Kitty

Pumpkin Spice Kitty

8" by 6" 

Oil with a palette knife on canvas board
SOLD

This was my demo during the palette knife painting workshop I held on September 14. I was already in a cat zone, having painted so many for my 15+ Pet Commission extravaganza, so why not? And this cat has such wonderful fur that was calling to be painting with my knife. It seems that everything this time of year is called Pumpkin Spice so I decided this kitty would be too.

September Palette Knife Workshop

Last Saturday, I conducted my first palette knife painting workshop, held at The Artist's Studio and Gallery at Patriot Place. I had 5 very enthusiastic participants and we all had a great time painting together, each of us completing 3 paintings. Polo took lots of photos for me that I will share with you here. My next workshop is October 26 and is already full. On December 7 I will do my last one for 2013, hopefully to schedule more in 2014.

 A one on one knife tutorial.

 Everyone setting up their palettes-I supplied all materials so they could just "show up and paint."

 Demo time.

 Joanne, wearing her "Make Art Not War" sweatshirt is hard at work mixing her colors.

 Very focused.

They all stayed a little late to finish up their paintings before they left.

Nike the tomcat

Nike

6" by 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas board
SOLD

Nike looks to me to be the epitomy of a tom cat. When I was growing up we had an orange cat name Hercules that looked very much like Mr Nike here. My husband asked me if all toms were orange. I guess because Herc was, I always thought they all were, but by definition it's just a male domestic cat (that apparently is popular with the lady cats!). Nike has distinguished black marks on his pink nose that I think are so handsome.

Tiger cat

Tiger

6" by 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas board
SOLD

Here's kitty number 3 in the pet parade of Christmas commissions. Little Tiger was photographed in the bath tub-what a riot. I think it's funny that cats like to sit in an empty bath tub because I know when I had a cat, the last thing he wanted to do was to take a bath! But he would sit in the empty bathtub no problem.

Here's Rocky

Rocky

6" by 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas board
SOLD

I've been trying to get at least one portrait done per week for the large set of Christmas pet commissions I have on my plate. Things have been so busy that I need to cram this week and get 3 done. You'll see the other two in upcoming posts.

It is so fun to paint these cute kitty faces...

It's Show Time!

This month is turning out to be quite the month for art shows. How exciting!

Here is the line up so far:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 

6-9pm

Custom Art Framing & Gallery 9 in Norwood, MA

My painting group, The Neponset Valley Artists is having a show of our artwork. My paintings Cape Sky on Fire, and Cape Neighbors will be on display. It will be up for the entire month of September.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

6-8pm

Moose Hill Gallery show "Untamed" at Massachusetts Audubon Society in Sharon, MA

My painting  Just Curious was juried into this show. This show will be up through the end of the year.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

7-9pm

Zullo Gallery in Medfield, MA

My painting, Beacon Hill Beauties was juried into this show. This show will be on display through November 9.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

Noon to 3:30pm

Country Gardens in Rehobeth, MA

I am participating in this one day art show with some fabulous other artists. The postcard at top of this post is for this show.

The sky is on fire!

Cape Sky on Fire

30" by 30" by 2"

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord
SOLD

Happy Labor Day everyone!

When we were on Cape Cod a few weeks ago, there was a strong thunderstorm and afterwards there was the most incredible, breathtaking sky, complete with a full double rainbow and clouds at sunset that made the sky look like it was on fire. It inspired this painting.

I couldn't get the rainbow all in one photo, so below are the left and the right sides of it. This was the view right outside our cottage-amazing.

And here are a few progress shots I took along the way...

This was my set up and sketch. You can see the reference photo that I took both as a print out and on the ipad. It was not manipulated in Photoshop at all-that's how the sky actually looked!

Finished! I was trying out a new thing where I taped the reference photo farther away from my canvas to give me a better sense of the whole.

Cape Neighbors

Cape Neighbors

12" x 24" x 2"

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord
SOLD

This is the view outside my friend, Terry's place in Provincetown. I loved how you can look out windows while you are drinking your coffee and wonder if your neighbors are doing the same. I sure am not ready for summer to end-it is definitely my favorite season.

Chloe the cat

Chloe

Oil with a palette knife on board

6" x 6"
SOLD

Get ready for a parade of palette knife cats. This is the first in a series of 15 commission pet portraits. That's right, 15 pet portraits that need to be done in time for Christmas to be given as gifts. I'm so glad she started early and she sent me great photos to work with. This will be so much fun!

That is one sly fox

Sly

18" x 18" x 1.5"

Oil with a palette knife on Blick Cradled Artist Board

Another fun animal to paint with the palette knife. I will be entering this and the Alpaca into an upcoming juried show called "Untamed" for Mass Audobon's Moose Hill Society. Wish me luck.

Alpaca

Just Curious

18" x 18" x 1.5"

Oil with a palette knife on Blick Studio Artist's Board
SOLD

I loved this face so much I had to paint it. And the hairdo-what fun to paint with a palette knife!

This painting is in need of a good name. Send me your suggestions if you have any good ideas. I want to include Alpaca in the title somehow since some people might think i'ts a llama. And Llama Mama would be a good title if that were the case.

I might just keep changing the title until I find one that fits.

A unique place to live in Boston

4 Charlesgate East, Boston

24" x 18" x 2"

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord
SOLD

This painting of a unique building in Boston was a commission from a woman who was lucky enough to have lived here while she was attending college. Nice, huh? I have to admit I have never seen this building before so when she asked me to paint it, I took a walk down there to check it out for myself in person. It is incredible! The architecture so unique and the location can't be beat. It's near the Charles River, Fenway Park and Kenmore Square. It holds such wonderful memories that she wanted a painting to remember it forever. Can't blame her.

Along the way, I took several in process shots...

Here is the initial sketch stage and my set up:

This is stage 1 where I blocked in the colors:

At stage 2, the right side of the building is painted:

I completed the left side and the surrounding foliage at stage 3:

Then finally at stage 4, shown at the top of the page, I glazed a little color on the right side of the building to give some contrast and better feel for the light.