Postcard Invitation

I have two large pastel paintings in the Winter Members Show at the Southern Vermont Art Center in Manchester and was pleasantly surprised to see that one of them had been chosen for the postcard. It looks quite festive. Come to the opening reception on Saturday afternoon if you can; December 6 from 2-4.

Today marks 7 years of blogging here. The title of my painting featured on the postcard is Number Seven - a serendipitous good omen for the next seven!

Please look at Rodrica Tilley Gallery of available Paintings when you have time. The paintings on exhibit in Manchester are Number Seven and Community Garden, Putney.

Midwest Morning

Early morning of a soon-to-be-hot July day is a treasure to enjoy in the moment. This one was somewhere in the midwest...agricultural pursuits...a common enough American scene...turned magic by the slanting, warm-toned sunlight among the cool shadows.

11 x 14 soft pastels on Colourfix board for sale soon.

Halloween - Mwah hahahahahahahagh

American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) seems to always show up in my gardens. It is native and has medicinal uses...including poisoning. I can appreciate gaudy and I love robust, so I let it stay. The larvae of the Giant Leopard Moth eat the leaves. Some birds love the ripe berries.  

This is a small (9 x12) plein air pastel done almost completely with a set of Derwent pastel pencils on #600 UArt paper. What a fine day for sitting on a comfortable garden bench with familiars, wine and art supplies. 

One never knows when one will need a spot of poison.

The CLARK - Williamstown, Massachusetts

A gray morning, our calendars were clear, Michael and I started off to see some art. I am in high spirits and the fall foliage matches my intensity. We can't wait to see the re-opened permanent collection after years of extensive planning and construction. It is incredible! The Clark owns some superior pieces and their new home is a real beauty.   Explore it here.

Exhibitions? Yes, we strolled through Make It New: Abstract Painting from the National Gallery of Art, 1950-1975. A nice overview of the period and I was happy to pick out several by women painters from across the huge gallery...Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell, Yayoi Kusama and Lynda Benglis....maybe more. I did not take notes. I want to go back and actually read and learn. That time period coincides with mine...and one thing I learned was there were few or no women in abstract shows. As you know I have been counting girls and boys in the exhibits I attend for too many decades now. I say things are getting better, slowly, in some galleries. There is still room for improvement when a historical review is put up. Look harder...find those female artists.

We did not spend enough time reading Radical Words; from the Magna Carta to the Constitution. Thumbs up for including: The Emancipation Proclamation, The Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and others. This is important. Go there first, not last. It is small and immensely enlightening.

The new galleries housing the permanent collection was what we really came to see and we looked through all rooms...a quiet, low light, un-crowded, intimate viewing of some of our favorite works by John Singer Sargent, Edgar Degas, The French Impressionists, George Inness, Winslow Homer.

I discovered a new favorite oil painting,  Friends or Foes? Late in his career, Frederic Remington painted some nocturnes of exquisite beauty. I think there were some things that worried him about the 'winning of the west'. This one features a single figure, a Blackfoot scout mounted on a small black horse, in a vast western landscape of snow and stars. Far in the distance shine a few lights from a small settlement? trading post? encampment? saloon? The scout seems to be asking himself the title question.

For me this is a perfect picture, drawn by a master. It pulls the viewer into the blue shades of the night and miles of snow. The simplicity of the work speaks worlds to me...about the Native American perspective...the quiet of a snowy night under the stars...how big and lonely some parts of the west were...the seductive pull of the bright lights...and the vulnerability of the single figure alone in the dark...thick with mystery.

Artists' Open House Weekend - Susquehanna County, PA

 The 18th annual self-guided tour of artists and artisans' studios in Susquehanna County...northeastern Pennsylvania takes place October 11, 12, 13, 2014 10am to 6pm.

Check out the map. Plan your route. Talk to carvers, sculptors, potters, painters, photographers, woodworkers, furniture makers, stained glass artists, jewelery artists. Get great deals on original art. See where it's made.
http://www.artiststour.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Artists-Open-House-Weekend-Tour/364097641137 

 My paintings and prints will be at the Butternut Gallery in the center of Montrose, PA along with that of other tour veterans; Joe Welden, Tom Canouse and Betty Bryden.

Best of Show!!!

OMG! me?

'Eastern Horizon' took home the big prize at the Vermont Pastel Society Juried Show today at Arabella Gallery in Windsor, VT.  There are plenty of very good pastel paintings in this show, but it was my lucky day. Sean Dye, judge of awards, liked mine best. Thank you. Thank you.

This show will be open through October 5...11-6...closed Mondays. All paintings are for sale.

Two Exhibits Opening

Two of my pastel paintings have been juried in to each show:

Eastern Horizon and North End Market are hanging in the Vermont Pastel Society annual juried show at Arabella Gallery in Windsor VT.

Exhuberant Garden (above) and Vermont Garden Triptych (below) are in Manchester,VT. at Southern Vermont Art Center National Open 2014.

                            Sold
Details are in sidebar under Exhibits and Events...or contact me.

Hope you can catch one of them. I will attend both openings and would love to see someone there I know.

Please look at Rodrica Tilley Gallery of available Paintings

Tent Living

My daughter and son-in-law are building a cute small house this summer in Central Vermont. This is where they live until the house is closed in. It is a pretty comfy abode actually. I'm visiting this day and was not too useful at the building site. So I did a watercolor sketch of the tent in the landscape.

Please look at Rodrica Tilley Gallery of available Paintings when you have time.
You can see the building project progress here

Bennington Museum

The promise of seeing some Alice Neel paintings got my husband and me to Bennington for the afternoon. We had never been to the Bennington Museum at 75 Main Street. There were wonderful surprises waiting for us.

 

Alice Neel/Erastus Salisbury Field:  Painting the People 
is a very special exhibit which you can see until November 2, 2014. I did not know how interesting the comparison of two American artists painting people 100 years apart would be. The similarities and differences in style - of brushwork, attitude and fashion - made for a fascinating exhibition. I think I'll go again...I do love Alice Neel paintings and there were some gems there. 

The other surprises? Many, many Grandma Moses canvasses; I find these charming, intriguing and quaint in small doses. And who doesn't like Bennington potters?

But I LOVE Rockwell Kent and there were three of them on display from their permanent collection. Unfortunately, his paintings, seem to suffer in photographs. The way to appreciate Kent's paintings seems to be in person. Luckily they keep turning up in my New England museum travels and are always a happy occasion.

And lastly, George Aiken Wildflower Trail...a work in progress...outside on the pine knoll on the museum grounds. This is exactly what we are trying to do on our own wooded acreage; remove invasives and restore native plants, adding some seating to appreciate the beauty.

Hope you get to go to the Bennington Museum this summer or fall. They make it easy...open daily.

The North Wing Opens

Adjoining space has been added to my studio - almost doubling the area! Now I can store my paintings and actually display some. This is very exciting news for me and I look forward to an Open Studio Event in the future...in the meantime you are cordially invited to visit.(by appointment 'cause I'm not here all the time..but close-by, usually) Loads of free parking ;-) and new paintings.

 














The front door of the (3 acres under roof) building at 22 Browne Court that houses my studio and many other diverse businesses. Oh, there's my assistant (husband) now, moving yet another painting.









Please look at Rodrica Tilley Gallery of available Paintings

A New Hampshire Barn...and...

One of the few plein air paintings I've done since my Mojave trip in the spring. One of my fellow life drawing classmates invited artists to his wonderful historic property; full of gardens, architecture and a view of Mt. Monadnock. Hope he asks us back again because all I got done was one corner of his barn...Ken's Barn 12 x 12 pastel...available for purchase.

Speaking of which...the other new thing is a blog of all my paintings for sale currently. Some have been in storage too long. Some have been greatly reduced. Some not much. This will change as new ones are posted.

So, besides, drive paintings here and there, weed the garden and buy more plants that's about my summer so far. There has been much contemplation in the garden, too. What about you?

"The feeling of being present is most alive in this painting.  I can feel the scene and almost smell it."

 One of the eloquent readers of this blog sent that comment to my email regarding this painting. Thank you, thank you. I love hearing from you all.
       

Three Lady Emma Hamilton Roses

An 8 x 10 inch painting of three of my roses...blooming now. This pastel painting and several others are taking a road trip down to Butternut Gallery in Montrose, PA. They are big, medium and small garden paintings...all reasonably priced. Hope you will stop in to see them during summer /fall. Call for hours: 570-278-4711.

I like roses with scent. Do you? Why bother with unscented ones? Yes, yes, they may stand up to the rain ...not turn all brown like some of my old-fashioned Albas. And, yes, they may bloom all summer. Who cares if they don't have a sweet perfume? Many of the best things in life are fleeting...home-made cupcakes, good-behaviour from dogs and heirloom roses.When the roses are taking a break and some of their foliage is shabby, look elsewhere (breaking waves, lilies, a good novel).

BTW, Lady Emma Hamilton is one of the hardier David Austin roses. It is not floppy, it re-blooms, it has dark foliage and few thorns and a color that belongs here in the Green Mtns. What's not to love?  I would describe the fragrance as "tea". David Austin says, "the flowers have a strong, delicious, fruity fragrance with hints of pear, grape and citrus fruits" . 

Always interested in your news.

You are probably wondering who was Lady Emma Hamilton.

For Pastels Only on Cape Cod...AWARDED!

Pastel Painters of Chicago Award:
Eastern Horizon, Rodrica Tilley

BARBARA COURTNEY JAENICKE  Juror of Selection and Judge of Awards wrote this about my painting;  "Even on the coldest of winter days, when the warm glow of evening light envelopes the cool hues of snow and is captured just right by the artist, you have a magical painting such as this one. The artist here pushed the extreme warm/cool contrast of this winter scene to create that magic-hour glow. The warm sliver of reflective water is just enough to draw the viewer into the painting without overpowering."

I am honored.


Eastern Horizon, my pastel painting of a sunrise from my dining room window, has been included in the Pastel Society of Cape Cod's annual national juried exhibition; For Pastels Only. You can see it and some other top notch work if you are lucky enough to be on Cape Cod between June 18 and July 13.
So, if you've had your fill of sand and sun step into the cool halls of the Cultural Center of Cape Cod, 307 Old Main Street, South Yarmouth, MA. The Opening Reception is Saturday June 21 beginning at 6pm.

And if you are anywhere near Brattleboro this summer, let me know. We can meet at my studio...exciting news there...more room! Huge (everything is relative) expansion coming. More on that soon.

Mojave Desert

Irrigated roses, Sunday morning, Under the Eaves Inn at Zion in Springdale, Utah

I've been painting from Death Valley to Zion NP and you can see the latest 3 states (numbers 45, 46 and 47) in the Fifty State Plein Air Painting Project. I was in time for spring...not a banner year for desert wildflowers due to lack of snow and rain, but there were still plenty of blooms in ditches and pockets all over the Mojave Desert. I saw wildlife; mule deer, black-tailed jackrabbit, western cottontail, roadrunner, kit fox, birds that I cannot identify, and a western coach whip snake, commonly called Red Racer....none of which are in the photos below...just their habitat.

Desert Springs Botanical Garden, Las Vegas, NV
IMHP, the best thing in Las Vegas...and the home of above mentioned forty inch long pretty snake.

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge - alkali water, home of the amargosa pupfish, Nevada and a totally delightful surprise for me. Uniquely beautiful place.

My Death Valley set-up with partially completed painting

Self portrait in Golden Canyon, Death Valley NP, California

Kolob Canyon, Zion NP, Utah

The Mojave Desert is the smallest and driest North American Desert. Covering just 22,000 miles, it is located in California, Southwestern Utah, Southern Nevada and Western Arizona. Both Death Valley and Charleston Peak are located in the Mojave Desert, giving it a range in altitude from 282 feet below sea level to 11,918 feet above sea level.

Let me know what you are up to. I welcome questions and comments...this trip filled some of my life dreams; Death Valley, Zion and Cirque du Soleil!

Vermont Pastel Society Members Show

Living in Vermont, just two and a half years, I like to explore; I took my first trip to Randolph yesterday. I drove through sleet, mud and downpour because I was delivering some paintings for the annual VPS members exhibit at the historic - and very much alive and thriving - Chandler Music Hall.


I could have taken Amtrak because the northbound Vermonter stops here in Brattleboro and then Randolph, every day.  Freight trains, too? I can see the typical rail yard assortment of buildings and mysterious equipment and piles of "material"....maybe a track repair facility? I'll find out because I am going back for some plein airpainting in Randolph. It's a town with character, music, art. What's not to like?

Dreams are Made of This 16 x 16 by Rodrica Tilley 2013

The exhibit of work by some members of Vermont Pastel Society is in the Chandler Downstairs Gallery. As you exit the ladies room you will see our paintings on two walls. You are invited to the opening reception this Friday April 4th, 5-7pm. (Stay for Mustard's Retreat and John Gorka performance) I have learned never to be disappointed at being placed near the bathrooms...many people will see your work...believe me, there are worse placements for art...and the lighting is good. My painting, Dreams are Made of This is available for purchase from Chandler. 802-728-9878

New Orleans Museum Visiting

 During a recent week spent in New Orleans we found countless works of art to appreciate. I fell in love with two painters in particular at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art; 

 Clarence Millet's 20th century landscape oils absolutely glowed. The brushwork was loose and fine at the same time.

 The "cosmic vision" pastels of Will Henry Stephens really hit me....so inspiring.

 Gaston Lachaise'  Heroic Man towered over the competition at The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at NOMA. 
And plenty of competition there was...over 60 modern and contemporary sculptors from all over the world were represented in this pleasantly designed garden with walks, bridges, pavillions and lagoons. 
Free admission.  Thank You! 

City Park in New Orleans has a slogan..."Every great city deserves a great park"...they sure got that right. Art, music, great food and friendly people are the norm there!

If you want to see why we were in Louisiana and what else my daughter and I did there look at the Fifty State Plein Air Painting Project.

I try to visit at least one art museum/gallery every month and write about it here...usually, just briefly sharing what I liked most. I welcome your museum faves and comments, too.

Twelve Nocturnes

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Moons have appeared in my work over the past 35 years. I feel their energy; they pull me from bed to watch them set. These small pastel paintings began with rough pencil sketches and notes made in the dark, out of doors. I purposely did not use a camera for reference. What I actually see is usually better than I am able to capture with my basic photographic skills.  I wanted to rely on my plein air observations. They were completed during daylight in the studio. 

I chose Algonquin names (in English) for many of the titles...so descriptive, useful and evocative. Shown from top; Sturgeon Moon, Worm Moon, Long Night Full Moon and Wolf Moon (on desk).

Go to the Butternut Gallery, 204 Church ST, Montrose, PA and you will see these small (six inch square) night scenes, framed in shadowboxes (eight inch overall square). You will also see many new works from seasoned and emerging artists and have quite a good time there. Call 570 278 4011 to confirm winter and early spring hours...tentatively Thursday-Sat.11-5.

The moons were mentioned on this blog last year before the dozen were finished and framed. By Thursday, March 6th, the whole dozen will be on the wall at the Butternut Gallery.

First Plein Air Painting of 2014!

The first day to paint outdoors is always a joyous occasion for me.  45 degrees is my personal cut off point...and it got to 46 before the sun went behind clouds. It involved a trip to my studio to round up some equipment and supplies, but I actually got out on my deck to do a small pastel painting of our wetland...and one of our fallen pines with it's roots at a 90 degree angle to normal. We have freshly fallen snow and now that I've made something out of it, I can agree with all the Vermonters who are declaring with delight that this is a "real winter".

Favorites at WAM

Under two hours from my home and involving NO Boston-like traffic sits the Worcester Art Museum.  It was a lovely bright frigid day to spend in a warm car and browsing this wonderful museum with my husband.

I love pleasant surprises and there were many;

The architecture dates from 1898...except for the 12th-century French chapter house which was the first medieval building ever transported from Europe to America. It is the second largest art museum in New England and was the first to purchase French Impressionist paintings. Parts of the movie American Hustle were filmed there last year.

Alice Neel, one of my favorite artists, portrayed people in their true colors. She did not glorify or pretty them up. She loved the human condition and expressed it in all it's misery, comedy and character. In Julie and Aristotle (1967) she has painted the plight of many dog owners; the dog has made a mistake and regrettably the girl has stepped in it.

by Alice Neel

This 2003 mixed media painting by Jenny Scobel is titled March. The artist leaves it up to the viewer to interpret. I have no idea what it is about, but I love it...still trying to figure out why...captivating and strangely familiar graphic elements. Beautiful "drawing" of a powerful woman in a strange world. I eventually walked away from her reluctantly. There was a mirror-like pull when standing in front of this work. It is a highly original work. What do you think?

 by Jenny Scobel

Happy New Year!

January has been busy;

* there was a ton of drawing to do; a half marathon, weekly portrait classes, life drawing class and then just everyday sketching and drawing...and 12 months of drawings to sort, store and photograph, followed by a trip to recycling.

*there were resolutions to make (and a whole month all ready in which to break most of them).  One that still has a chance is my determination to finish The Fifty State Plein Air Painting Project...only seven states left...flight reservations have been made for Louisiana in March...any suggestions as to specifics? things not to miss while my daughter and I are there for a week? On to Nevada, Utah, California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska later in the year.

*12 little pastel nocturnes had to be put into their fussy little shadowbox frames...which was made more complicated by the lack of adequate heat in my studio (cold fingers are not nimble).

...all to tell you I have had a productive first month of 2014...even though no blogging. I hope you are getting some things accomplished, too. 

Pen and ink, charcoal or pencil.