My first i-phone drawing

We were out with friends who had an i-phone and who allowed me to play with it. I tried to use my fingernail to get a finer line but it didn't work. It seems you have to use your fingertip. Kind of like using a 3" paintbrush on a 9 x 12 canvas. I think I'll stick with paint, at least for now.

Drinks at the Portside

Oil on canvas, 6" x 8"
Summer will return, one of these days...
 I'll be teaching a one day workshop at the Portsmouth Arts Guild on April 9 called "Painting a small still life". It's an all day thing, 9AM- 4PM. There's still room if you'd like to attend. If painting outside is your thing, in July I'm planning to teach an outdoor painting class in the town of Bristol. We'll be painting buildings and street scenes. This will be a 3 hr./wk class for 4 weeks. Stay tuned for details!

Coffee pot and apple- sold

Oil on canvas, 8" x 10"

This is a demo I did for my class at the Handicraft Club yesterday.
On another note, I'm going to be in a show at the Bristol (RI) Art Museum called "4 Painters and a Sculptor" for the first 2 weeks of April. Opening reception is Friday, April 2, 7-9 PM. Put it on your calendar.

The blue goblet

Oil on canvas, 20" x 20"
I think I'm going to take a break from painting flowers for a while.

For better or for worse... -sold

Oil on canvas, 24' x 30"
...when I get a big bouquet of flowers for Valentine's Day, I'm compelled to paint them. It seems like such a waste not to. (I am a very frugal person...) This one has taken most of my painting energy for the last week.
 My thanks to Joshua Kadtke and Linda Popple, who have both given me the Sunshine Award, which means I'm supposed to list and link to a dozen other bloggers whose work I like. It may take a while for me to get to that, but in the meantime, take a look at their work!

More coffee 2- sold

Oil on canvas, 24" x 30"
I did a little painting of this waitress several months ago, and really wanted to do a large painting of the whole counter at this diner. I did quite a bit of work on it, then set it aside for a week or two. After that I could more easily see what needed to be done to finish it. I got rid of a figure behind the counter on the right, scraped off and simplified the ceiling at the end on the left, and generally tried to lighten, brighten, and bring to a degree of finish, without slavishly following the reference. That's always the question- how much do you spell out, how much do you leave to the imagination?

Keeping your flats flat

Everyone has their own little tricks for keeping their brushes in good shape and make them last longer. Here's mine: After I finish cleaning my brushes at the end of the day (using mild detergent and sometimes baby oil), I have an old telephone book that I open midway, lay my brushes down, close it and put a weight on top (in this case, a glass brick that doubles as a holder for other brushes). It's fast and keeps the brushes nice and sharp.

Apples reflected

Oil on canvas,  6" x 6"
The silver pitcher was another thrift store find. I loved the upside down reflection of the apples and tabletop in the curve at the top.
 Price $100.00.

Coffee and news

Oil on canvas panel, 6" x 8"

Apple

Oil on canvas panel, 6" x 8"

Reflections in a mixing bowl- sold

Oil on canvas panel, 6" x 8"
What to do when the painting isn't going well? Go to the gym, then go shopping (at a thrift store, that is). A shiny mixing bowl, a few fabric swatches in different colors, and voila, instant still life.

View from the kitchen window

Oil on panel, 8" x 10"
We got a dusting of snow the other night, and I was really intrigued with the greenish yellow house, the red foundation, and the various grays of the ground, trees and sky. I really wanted to paint at least one snow scene this winter; this might be it.
Price: $150.00

Peek-a-boo

Oil on canvas, 8" x 6"
I've been looking at a lot of David Leffel  and Greg Kreutz lately, very classical, traditional painting. To paraphrase Bill Clinton, "It's the LIGHT, stupid". Or, that's what I tell myself.

Still life in a higher key

Oil on canvas, 6" x 6"

A quick sketch- I liked the way the little white carnations popped out against the muted background.

Cape afternoon

Oil on canvas, 6" x 8"