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.

Season's Greetings

We are getting our first real snow tonight...6"-12" they say. This will make fellow Vermonters happy. I will try to appreciate the beauty of having my world transformed overnight. It is always a magical event and made even better by a little sunshine! If your December is a dark gray gloomy one, here are some rays for you. 4pm Winter Garden.

This large pastel is finally in the frame after a particularly long gestation period in which it just hung around and hung around my studio...sort of like the snowdrops...wishing won't do it...one must just wait until the time is right. Not sure where it's next stop is, but I think I will enjoy it for awhile in it's finished state.

Family at Cottonmill

Saturday December 7 10-6
Sunday December 8 10-5
2013
FREE!!! 
74 Cotton Mill Hill, Brattleboro, VT

15th Annual Cotton Mill Open Studios and Holiday Sale!

Zoe Tilley Poster and I are guests in Michael Poster's Photography studio for the BIG weekend. There will be over 60 artists, artisans and small businesses showing their work or opening their doors as part of this vibrant community at 74 Cotton Mill Hill, Brattleboro, VT. Michael will be showing some of his recent photographs. Zoe's illustrations, cards, prints and shirts of various beasts drawn in graphite. I will have some 2013 selections from my Fifty State Plein Air Painting Project up on the wall.

Not only is the food by Entera (Tristan Toleno) but there will be Caricatures by Chas. Rak. That's in addition to circus acts, marquetry, blown glass, felted wool, really huge ceramic vessels, owl food, sterling silver jewelry, framed sports and music memorabilia, turned wood, jazz, custom furniture and MORE, way more cool items that may just delight someone on your list. Did I mention caramels and jam...and  the best granola ever? Crepe paper flowers and skin creams. Dance and.....sugarplums? 

 Michael and I would love to have you stop by. The Cotton Mill seems to have a changing intriguing cast of characters. Come visit your faves and see who's new in 2013.

Beware, there's a chance you might want to run away and join the circus.

Happy Thanksgiving

There are many, many things to be thankful for today...one of the small things is that there are still sheep in Vermont. I just love sheep...what is it about them?  There is a whole flock of brown ones on Western Avenue in Brattleboro. They were freshly shorn when they arrived at Solar Hill in September. and I thought they were goats. I should not have hesitated to paint them...who knows where they will be by spring. Maybe I will still get a chance this fall.

I hope your Thanksgiving is a warm and safe one. Eat hardy. Be nice.

This is the painting I fell on Halloween week. I think I actually improved it and with a bit of tidying up it turned out better than I had thought before the tumble/smearing.  

Two Finnsheep 12 x 16 soft pastel on Wallis Belgian Mist board framed and for sale on a wall near you soon.

Calendar Features my Painting

 The Historical Society of Cheshire County is producing a calendar featuring 12 art works from the 2013 exhibit 64 Miles; Along the Ashuelot River in New Hampshire. My plein air pastel painting, is one of those chosen.

Ashuelot River Homes