Two Recent Demos

I have finally finished Front Walk which was painted mostly during the Artists' Open House Weekend on October 13th. Although I fussed and adjusted details quite a bit I think those of you who watched the painting appear in the front studio garden will recognize it as the same painting, but finished. At the end of my demo that day I knew I had some choppiness...too many competing areas in value. Luckily I kept the colors limited to a fairly narrow range because the texture & values were contrasting and bordering on chaotic. By constantly looking at this painting I feel I have worked out it's problems and made a dense and complex garden scene with the warmth of a perfect aurtumn day in my tangled garden.

Last week I was asked to give a demo in front of Hill Country Artists. They are a great audience; asking educated questions and absorbing concepts like sponges. What fun. House with Blue Roof is my finished painting and not much was done to this one after I left the meeting.SOLD

Both will be for sale soon at $400 framed in rustic gold wood frames. If you write to me I will tell you where they are being shown.

My Vacation

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Eight days with my husband driving south to Washington DC, we visited several galleries and the National Museum of Women in the Arts and then to the Smithsonian American Art Museum. We went there specifically to see Georgia O'Keeffe and Ansel Adams: Natural Affinities. This exhibition alone was worth the trip. I've been to the Georgia O'Keeffe museum in Sante Fe numerous times as well as most of the major exhibits of her work on the east coast in the last 30 years and I saw several "new-to-me" paintings. The parallels between these two friends working at the same time in different parts of the southwest were surprising. This exhibit continues through January 4, 2009 (and it's free). Also at the museum is Earth and Sky: Photographs by Barbara Bosworth which we both liked immensely; images from her series National Champion Trees and wonderful color works of songbirds being held by people - only until Nov 9.

We loved this museum so much we went back the next day. The National Portrait Gallery shares the same building and we spent hours looking at Women of Our Time; 75 Twentieth Century Photographs...included some very enlightening reading - click on link for web exhibition.

We finally tore ourselves away from DC and headed to Chincoteague/ Assateague refuge and National Seashore. That's where I did this small plein air painting, looked at ponies and birds, sketched for hours, read some, sat on the beach lots and generally acted like I was on vacation.

"Local Talent"

Glenburn Township 4th Annual Show and Sale is going on right now through December 11. 9-noon Monday through Thursdays. It's not often that a township gets lucky enough to have Joanne Benson as an employee. She's turned the historic and beautifully renovated train station into a community center for art. She has found room on the walls for over 80 pieces of local art this year.
And she finds time to paint, too, as can be seen in her lovely featured watercolor "Anemones." The township supervisors and Lackawanna County Arts & Culture Municipality Grant have supported her efforts. So has Patsel's Restaurant.

Just goes to show what can be done in a community that wants and welcomes art.

570-563-1177 for directions and info.

My painting Narrow Gouge Again that is featured on the cover of the Artists' Open House Weekend brochure is on view, but not for sale, at "Local Talent." Also Clouds Roll In is there and it is for sale along with many wonderful oils, watercolors, acrylics, prints, photographs by other local artists.

Artists' Open House Weekend-12th annual

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October 11, 12 & 13 is a great time to visit over 26 artists in their studios from one end of Susquehanna County (northeastern Pennsylvania) to the other. Award winning potters, carvers, woodworkers, clay artists, painters, collage makers, printmakers, photographers will be ready to welcome you to our beautiful rural area. Penn's Woods are putting on quite a show of their own. You can pick up a map brochure at many local businesses, any of the studios or download one here.

This is a free, self-guided driving tour to about 20 studios. Some of these studios are only open at this one time of year. It is a rare chance to see work before it goes on to a gallery or National exhibit. The artists enjoy showing their work in person and talking about the process of inspiration and technique. Monday is demonstration day and most everyone will be demonstratins an aspect of their craft.

I will be doing a watercolor demo at 11 and a pastel demo at 2pm here at my studio. Please stop by. Follow the pink arrows.

Irresistible Palette

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I love these colors. I use similar strong complimentary colors often to create a painting that has power.

I took Night Begins to the Butternut Gallery where it will hang with Goldenrod Field for the next month or so. The Butternut Gallery and Second Story Books is at 42 Church Street Montrose PA 570-278-4011. They are open Wed-Sun afternoons. Both paintings are framed with mats in rustic gold wood frames about 17 inches square overall. Night Begins is a studio painting and Goldenrod Field is a plein air painting. They are each priced at $400.

Fall Brook, World Wide Paint Out

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September 5th was the day of the World Wide Paint Out. Painters who work outside thought about their fellow artists in Brazil, Italy, Australia and Canada as they either painted alone or with a group.

Our group of 11 Northeast PA oil painters, watercolorists and pastellists had a ton of fun and made an important discovery...Batter Busters!!!perfectly delicious organic pancake batter in a squirt can!!! NFI, but we think everyone should know about this fuel for outdoor painting. It proved to have creative powers, too. Some folks made multiple paintings. I only got this one at Salt springs State Park, but I like it very much.

This painting will be for sale in the very near future. If you are interested in it, contact me because I have promised paintings to several local venues and will have to tell you where you can see it. It is 8 x 12 inch image size, framed with a mat in a rustic wood frame and the price is $400 wherever it is shown. The overall framed size is about 16 x 20.

NEPA Regional Art 2008

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Two of my Fig Street Series plein air pastels will be shown in this exhibit. My work will be hanging at the Hope Horn Gallery, University of Scranton, although the exhibit includes Keystone College's
Linder Gallery, AFA Gallery and Marywood University Galleries as well. The progressive reception starts on the 11th at 2pm at the Hope Horn Gallery. I will miss the festivities because I will be here in the studio hosting visitors during the Artists' Open House Weekend.

Both paintings were done on location in my daughter, Zoë's, Scranton backyard garden. It is a lively and colorful spot.

Artists' work was chosen from 25 counties;16 in Pennsylvania, 6 in New York and 3 in New Jersey. So I am very happy & honored to be included. The Hope Horn Gallery is a beautiful venue at the University of Scranton.