Stand out in the crowd - daily painting,cupcakes

6x6" oil -

today - all excited to start my first week in the studio with Internet, - got here and NOPE - no Internet. faulty router. So - while waiting for the cable guy to show, these little guys got their chance to be painted. so cute.

tomorrow is Feb 1 - can you believe it?? The looongest shortest month if you you live in an area that has a snowy winter -

to GET thru it in one piece - I like to have a creative project - something to challenge me and inspire me.....a few years ago some like minded folk and I started a face book group called "do what you love, February" and this year we're at it again.

Ideally I'd love everyone to post onto our flickr group that Ive set up for all of us to share what were doing!

So far - everyone seems a little flickr timid :( It easy and fun! don't be shy!!

This is an invite for any of you who would like to join in! - there is a link button to the group over there in the left column or click HERE !

BTW - I'm going to paint cupcakes everyday....JUST KIDDING....actually haven't decided yet - might be a portrait a day again - and I'm going vegan for the month just for fun :)

The Lineup - daily painting,cupcakes

6x6" oil on panel-


There are a million things to paint but painting cupcakes never disappoints. Swirling the oil paint on is JUST like swirling frosting on a cake. Plus they are so dang cute and perfect for these small format paintings. There is a little lineup of them in my studio ready to go - just right to kick of the sweet month of February.



If youve got a minute watch this video of the master pastry painter Wayne Thiebaud.


His paintings have always been favorites and remind me of the bakeries in the North End of Boston that my parents used to take us to as kids. - like this one


He doesnt always paint pastry - sometimes he paints women at the beach - a man after my own heart.

Red Stripe - daily painting,beach scene

6x6" oil on panel.

Summer World - daily painting, beach scenes

6x6" oil on panel. another little beach scene - little dobs of paint suggesting people and umbrellas, so much fun to paint and its nice to get lost in a little summer world while it snows outside

untitled for now - daily painting,children playing at the beach

6x6 oil. untitled for now. Love the composition of this one.
Usually a title comes to me as the painting develops. Not this time, weird because I like it.

Sunset - daily painting,floral,pink

6x6" oil. Just now, driving home from my studio there was the most gorgeous sunset over the bay. With the snow and the purples and pinks it was just beautiful.

I wasnt going to post this one but I thought of it after seeing that sky, so here it is.

No Slouch - beach scene, daily painting

6x6" oil -

Another little beach scene inspired by the photos. The ladies who go swim the beach for their daily workout - well they are just awesome.

below: my big cat and little dog watching the snow - loving this color combo too - the cool grays and then the wow factor of the red. might have to try this in a painting or two

Beach Read

6x6" oil on panel.
After yesterdays crappy weather we need a little virtual vitamin D.

Ahhh, reading a book at the beach, soaking up the sun......

Bathing Beauty and inspiration

6x6 " oil a bathing beauty - above and below some images that inspired it - ....its all about the colors. This boat scene jumped out at me -I love all the cool colors and then that little pop of orange - their compliment! how cool!
So with that in mind, I did the painting above - lots of cools and just a pop of warm.
What inspires you??

Rose Red - daily painting, floral

6x8" oil on panel. Rose Red - snow day today! thankfully had my box of paints and an extra panel still in the car.
None of my boys would sit still long enough to do a portrait so the roses won out. I used the same flat brush for the whole thing and tried to keep it simple. pleased with the results.
and below - well seriously how can you resist playing in all this sticky snow? ( fave part is the jar with candle in his hand)

Scott - About Face, portrait project

10x10" oil on panel. fresh portrait from the open portrait studio that I go too.
It doesnt get much more fun than that.

In fact painting faces is so much fun that Ive decided to paint a whole bunch this year - as many as I can - at least 100, hopefully more *gasp*
each one on a 10x10 panel and then displayed together like a giant face quilt.

there is a button in the side bar to the blog I set up just for the portraits - check it out

sweettart -

8x8 oil on panel.
finally back to painting after all that computer housekeeping. here is a sweet little bouquet of pink roses.
just for you and me
because we deserve them

Other stuff

More tech stuff :) - check out the sidebar <= on the left Ive added 2 new button thingys (do they have an official name?? or does button thingy work?)

- One is for a tutorial on how I make the panels that I paint on - basic, easy and economical - if you paint daily -they pile up fast! these will at least keep the cost down.

-The other is a link to a flickr group I just set up. - "Do What You Love, February" - a page for the creative group I started on facebook a couple of years ago - to inspire people to tap into their creative spirit and challenge themselves to use it everyday in February
...what better way to get through the mid winter doldrums right?
You are welcome to join the fun!!

OK - back to the easel (my youngest son said "Jeez Mom, I didn't know being an artist means doing so much Other stuff" ....truer words ...)

new blog button! grab one!

Look!

I added a blog button!

Its right over there => in the column on the right. It's so cute isn't it?

If you want (and I hope you do) you can grab it and add it to your blog. So fun right?

It took me a looooooong time to figure out how to do it and actually its not perfect but I still feel like doing cartwheels down the street.

If you want to make your own button, make yourself a cup of tea and start HERE.

Yellow Lab

8x6 oil on panel - last one from the plein air day, light fading and changing real quick. watched a couple and their yellow lab walk all the way down the beach - thats them in the middle. what I didnt get to paint was the snow covering the dunes - soo pretty. next time I'll do that first. back to the studio tomorrow

Winter Beach Stroll

8x6" oil on panel - found a dry spot in the sand and painted away. seriously nice way to start the New Year.
The beach was busy with lots of people, dogs and even some horses (at Horseneck Beach-how perfect. )
I really like this one, captures the feel of the day. below is my painting partner seeing horses for the first time...he was not a fan :)

Adamsville

6x6 oil - another from the marathon day of plein air painting. - what a treat to paint a snow scene but have it be 50 degrees out.

Winter by the Water

6x6" Happy New Year!! Starting off this year in the best possible way - painted all day OUTSIDE! - yes, in New England - on Jan. 1st! SO warm out, just couldnt resist.