A Day In The Sun

After a weekend of rain, today Les and I headed out into the woods, to the back of our property, to see the fall foliage along the brook. How I love the smell of the woods, the cedar and pine, the wet dirt and composting leaves....all speckled with sun light. I swear I am going to head there in the spring to capture it all plein air....but this year I will work from photos taken today. I am busy with commissions now and upcoming shows, so my landscape work is going to have to wait.
It was a very healing peaceful experience this morning.....I needed it. We should all be so blessed to have a chance to venture into The Lord's woods.


On our way back, as we cut through our spruce grove at the back of our pastures, we have upon this fairies ring of mushrooms. I don't know the name of these mushrooms, or how fatal they might be...but I am sure that there are fairies somewhere near this spot that dance in the night with the deer and other wildlife looking on. At least that vision came to mind upon discovery of this ring!

Now back in my studio to work on a watercolor commission the rest of the day, I feel refreshed from my day in the sun.

Lipizzan Work Ethic

In spite of weather that is calling me to come out and dead-head spent perennials in my flower gardens…and to pick zucchini that are growing bigger by the second….I have been working on a watercolor and an new mixed media work. The watercolor is done, 18" x 8" and is called ‘Lipizzan Work Ethic”. When I saw the intense eye on this Lipizzaner and the power in the neck…I knew I had to paint this. Consider it done. And again I want to thank my good friend Juliet for your inspirational photograph.

I also finished the watercolor of Herefords and sheep, a winter scene from our old farm in North Pownal. For years we raised our own meat and veggies during our ‘ back to the earth” phase. Talk about being ‘green’? We were green before it became politically correct!

The mixed media piece I am doing, I did first in graphite to get my values right and to decide how I wanted to put the composition together…and I have now decided to do this one in acrylic and casein. I will be using the paints together, and this gives the work a different finish………another farm inspired work…getting ready for the Skyline Exhibit in September.

I am loving my new website and the fact that I can update it and change ” whatever” whenever I want. Check it out……… and the new artworks !!

Out And About? Not!

Earlier this spring, while snow was on the ground………I vowed that I would paint outside more often this spring and summer………..I did some quick sketches this spring of surrounding landscapes, houses and Belfast’s seaside atmosphere and lovely Victorian architecture. This watercolor is of a wonderful building in Belfast that has fascinated me since we moved into this area over five years ago. You can’t miss it as you drive into Belfast on Main Street…it is in your face. A lovely building!

When I lived in Italy, I painted and sketched often in the streets and piazzas of Rome. I had the works sold on the spot, as passer-bys watched me work and asked to purchase the works as I completed them.

Today I find I can’t work for long outside……….and even though I planned on working more outside, I prefer the studio and it’s bug free environment. Guess I am a sissy in my old age!!