Happy Birthday!!

sold My grandmother is 90 years young today! Happy Birthday to You Grammy!

Snow Church

6x6" sold

Time to Read

6x6" oil on masonite
More from "What Santa does during his 'off season'" . Doesn't sitting at the beach with nothing but time to read sound really good right now. Love the holidays but Gosh, having nothing to do ......

Let it Snow

No painting this weekend. but lots of snow, paper and real. Making snowflakes is one of my favorite things to do. Hot tea with honey,a fire in the fireplace,a football game on the tv and a stack of white paper and good sharp scissors is my idea of a nice winter sunday afternoon :-)

Frostbite

6x6" oil on masonite sold
This is a portrait of a lucky cat. He was frozen - seriously. He was frozen and his current owner saw him,thought he was a stuffed animal but then noticed him move slightly so he took him home and literally thawed him out and saved his life! Now, a little rough around the edges,getting on in years but otherwise fine. We thought he deserved a portrait....oh and his name is "Frostbite"

At the Beach

6x6" oil on masonite

Two Turtle Doves

6x6" oil on masonite
I love vintage cards and have a bunch. Recently my mother gave me a few more and one little cutie inspired this painting. I had big dreams of doing a different painting of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Two Turtle Doves might be as far as I get. I pretty much crossed this project right off my holiday 2do list...what was I thinking???

Down Time, Santa at the beach painting, debbie Miller

6x8" oil on masonite

Its crazy this time of year isn't it?
 Even if you say it wont be...It Is.
 Lights, gifts, wrapping paper, gift tags, parties, cards, baking, candles, endless shopping lists, crowds etc etc....
can you imagine how 'the big guy' feels?

 Santa must take a serious beach vacation in January.  He deserves the down time.

Snow Flying

6x6" oil on masonite
December 7 already?? the days are flying. Crazy busy weekend coming up, lots to do. Have a good one ...and Go Pats!

Gone Sledding

6x8" oil on masonite SOLD

My brother surfs here in RI all winter...my sons dont...yet. They go sledding, at the school nearby or our friends hilly backyard...anywhere they can really. I make the hot chocolate.

Below is art by my 9 yr old. His favorite shoes.

Peace (2)

6x6 oil on masonite SOLD

Lazy Days: daily painting, beach scenes

6x6" oil on masonite SOLD
Happy Chanukah

Reflecting

6x6" oil on masonite

I paint this alot - people -actually girls mostly- staring out at the ocean. While painting, I was thinking about that and decided that I'm drawn to this kind of image because 1. its familiar, 2. when creating you tap into your 'inner child' - well at least you should, in my opinion- so in a way I am painting myself. Does that make any sense? dont know. but the artist I am now is in many ways the child I was. and 3. just dang fun to paint :-)

So I guess take a second to reflect on yourself as a kid, what did you like to do? Do you do any of those things anymore? You should...take yourself on a playdate.

In the Surf: daily painting, beach scene

6x6" oil on masonite sold
These little beach scenes are becoming my favorites. One of these days, I'll paint a few really big ones

"Teamwork" daily painting,beach scene

6x6" oil on masonite sold

Usually I dont like to say if I like a painting or not but this one I do like, maybe because watching kids create stuff at the beach is the best...give 'em some sand,water and a shovel and its amazing what they can do, often working together to make incredibly creative things...its great.

***ALSO***, if you are in the Peterborough NH area...actually Antrim NH, My good friend Heidi Schwieger is directing the Antrim Players production of A Christmas Carol. It opens tonight and her daughter Sophia is part of the cast too. Wish I could be there! So if you're nearby check it out and give them a big 'break a leg' hug for me.

Have a good weekend all!

Cliff Walk

6x6" oil on masonite sold

Peace

6x6" oil on masonite
surprise...no beach scene today :-)

Towards Good Things

6x8" oil on masonite

Free Bird

6x8" oil on masonite sold

another one of those 'more than one title' paintings. :-)

PSST....theres a new blogger/painter on the scene: Dave Gonville a very talented painter, surfer and my brother. Be sure to check out his work.

Good Things on the Horizon

6x6" oil on masonite sold

Misty Beach

6x6" oil on masonite SOLD

Off Season Beach Walk

6x8" oil on masonite SOLD

A Beach Day

6x6" oil on masonite
This painting will be nicely framed and available at The Donovan Gallery next week along with a few other little paintings. You can contact me or them if youre interested in purchasing this one. Also, theres just a few more days to vote on my painting "Fledgling" that is in the SmallWorks NA show at The Greenich Workshop Gallery. ***this is a big show, I am so proud to be a part of it ***
Have a good weekend all. I'll be preparing more boards to paint and making cranberry sauce.

Moms On Duty

6x6' oil on masonite sold
I love to work on a painting with the title already in my head. For some reason its more fun. About 6 titles were bouncing around, this is the one that won out. We're so lucky-my friends and I- that this is the way we spend many of our summer days. Sweet. But not easy, as every mom knows ...we are ON DUTY the whole time. ...but still. aren't we always? might as well be at the beach.

Beach Day

6x8"oil on masonite. these beach paintings are sorta dreamy, I like them. Below shows one in a great floater style frame that its new owner Pat Warwick had made. She is a fellow RISD alumni and really great ceramic artist, check out her beautiful work here. Seeing my paintings in their new homes and the different way they get framed is so cool. If youve got one take a photo and email it to me I'ld love to see them and share the different ways they are framed and/or displayed. Also, I donated one of my little paintings to the RI PBS Arts Auction, the online bidding has started and the onair auction starts tonite. check it out.

Salt and Checkers

6x6" oil on canvas

A Checkered Past

6x6" oil on masonite
chilly gray day and Ive got a cold. ...so in a kitcheny comfort food kindof mood, I ended up here. love black/white checks and green apples. tough for me to paint though so everynow and then I paint them for practice. I love the shadow on the right.

When I'm Big

6x8"oil on masonite

A Little Preppie

6x6" oil on masonite panel

Breezy

6x6" oil on masonite
breezy cool. just so you know, these are kinda 'wonky' on purpose...thats where the fun comes in. they'll evolve and thats fun too. if you paint all the time all sorts of things happen :-)
**** also the voting for Smallworks North America is closing in a couple weeks. You can vote for my painting HERE!!!!

Drama Queen

6x6" oil on masonite
I still dont have my computer so this was 'quick color corrected' again. Its close except the green is sooo much prettier in person, more 'apple-y'. These are waaaay fun to paint. :-)

Glam Up

6x6" oil on masonite SOLD
I'm so not a glamour girl but I do have a thing for chandeliers and like painting them in this kindof illustrationy way. thinking about adding words maybe,... a little series of these is in order. My 'people' paintings will be back soon, sometimes I need a break to get recharged.

'Leaves" :daily painting,plein air,autumn

6x6" oil on masonite SOLD
I cant think of a good title. I asked my husband (who is tired of this question) and he said "Leaf Me Alone" :-)
I still dont have MY computer so I have to admit that I color corrected this with 'auto correct'. needless to say its NOT correct color. The sky is a much prettier blue and the leaves are more yellow. Its the best I can do for now.
These tree tops were my muse last winter. Today they drew me in again, the yellow against the sky was just too yummy and because of the storm expected tomorrow, they'll be gone soon.

Shades of Orange

6x6" oil on masonite
The last of my zinnias.

Happy Fall

I didnt paint today. Instead I got to take care of this little pumpkin :-) (my niece, dressed in my sons old coat)

Football O' Lantern

6x6" oil on masonite

Happy Halloween!! This is our football jack o' lantern that sits on top of our tv for the season. :-)

flashy, bad photo, Ive got major computer troubles so posting may be sporadic until I get things worked out. Still painting though! and ooooh new studio space soon...hooray!!!

A Colorful Crowd 3

6x6" oil on masonite

These are the other 2. the one below is bigger - 9x12 I think, and I'm still working on it. Out of the 4 I'm happiest with 1 the most, then 4.

Busy sports weekend around here...all good and its not over yet. Go Sox!!!

Following Change

6x6" oil on masonite
When I painted this the David Bowie song "Changes" was on and its been stuck in my head ever since. "ch ch ch ch changes, turn and face the strange...." Its so perfect for this time of year with all the leaves and weird Halloween stuff.
I forgot how fun these 'jar' paintings are to paint. I did 4!! And I like to paint them 'backwards'. meaning ; I paint the background first, its all about the negative space between the sticks and leaves. then I do the rest saving the white highlights for last.

A Colorful Crowd 2

6x8" oil on masonite panel

Options- daily painting,children,beach

Options
6x6" oil on masonite panel
this is my new favorite beach painting. love his hair.
*edit* forgot to say: GO RED SOX !!!

The Miracle Suit

The Miracle Suit
6x6" oil on masonite panel
If there are 'rules' for painting, one of has to be 'paint what you know'. Well, as a 41 yr. old mother of 3...I'm familiar with the Miracle Suit ;-)

Summer One : floral, daily painting

Summer One
6x8" oil on masonite panel
I STILL have a few zinnias left!!! Where is the fall weather I love??? It was reeeally nice out today....for August.

Board Buddies, daily painting,children, beach

Board Buddies sold
6x6" oil on masonite panel
I was told that for bloggers its good to put lots of keywords in the title because that is how Google works...SO thats the reason for the wordyness. My daily painting has been a bit sporadic lately. next week will be better, loads of paintings are spinning around my head just waiting to come out! More children at the beach - of course but a few other surprises as well. stay tuned. happy weekend all!

Gearing Up, daily painting, children, street scene

Gearing Up

6x6" oil on masonite panel sold

Another from my Street Scene series with children. This little girl was 'gearing up' to go rollerblading, but I also love her little top and sense of style; kinda gearing up to be a 'tween' soon.

The dappled light on the street was fun to paint but my favortie part is her ponytail. --which is often my favorite part, kinda like adding the bright highlight on glass in a still life...those are the fun things for me - that and coming up with the composition. - I LOVE that part :-)

Puddle Path 3, plein air daily painting

Puddle Path #3

6x8" oil on Masonite panel

The puddle path again. What can I say, its a favorite spot for plein air painting :-). No people this time, just one lone Quahoger. (thats a clammer for those not from RI)

Autumn in the Cove : plein air daily painting

Autumn in the Cove sold
6x6" oil on masonite
Another Plein air today...how could I resist with this gorgeous weather. This time I went to the cove in the morning. Painted on a red ground this time, it just makes the blues and greens pop

October Light,daily painting plein air at the beach

October Light sold
6x6" oil on masonite

sortof in a painting funk lately. Today, feeling a bit run down,and not wanting to paint at all, I decided to take my dog for a walk at one of my favorite painting spots and see if the mood strikes. A plein air at the beach on a gorgeous October day is surely a cure for the painting blues! The beach grasses that were all green a month or so ago, now are yellow,orange, sienna,ruby red and even lavender! My dog thinks this is definately how we should spend our days.

I cant decide which of these pictures captures the painting better so I am posting both until I decide.