I will be painting at the Lilac Festival at the Wentworth-Coolidge estate in Portsmouth, New Hampshire Saturday, May 25th! Stop by and say "hello" if you are in the area. This is a fun event for families-lots of stuff going on: stories, petting zoo, food, lilacs etc..........Several of my paintings will be on display along with other area artists in the Drift gallery! 

Two of my paintings have been juried into the Six Inch Squared Show at the Randy Higbee Gallery in Costa Mesa, California! I am honored to be included in this show with so many great painters. Opening is December 8, 2012.

Both of the paintings can be seen here:  http://6inchsquared.dailybrushwork.com
http://6inchsquared.dailybrushwork.com/Default.aspx?OJSID=90&OID=13&GSID=15&pg=43

Two Painters By the Sea

I have not been posting lately. My life has been so busy and I have been traveling.  I recently returned from a Master Painters workshop with Kim English. He is such a great guy and a phenomenal painter. Unfortunately,  I had an accident on the first morning of the workshop and injured my right index finger and part of my hand. I am still recovering from it, but I am finally able to paint again for a few hours at a time. I had a dream that I was back on Monhegan Island painting by the ocean's edge with a very rough surf. A friend came to visit me and we chatted for a while. Here is a painting that I did from that dream. It's a self portrait entitled "Two Painters By the Sea".

I used to drive to UNH every Friday to pick up my son when he was back in college. I always took a shortcut down this country road. There is a large farm on the way with a large grove of trees in front along the road. I had a very pleasant dream the other night, that I was going to get my son and those trees appeared. This is how they looked in my dream.

 

 "A Grove of Trees"  18" x 24" Oil on Linen board

Coastal Pines

Here is another painting that I did of pines along the coast. This one was painted in Acrylics. I felt like experimenting with a new media. It was fun, but I prefer working in oils.  Next, I think I am going to try some of the new water mixable oil paints. I heard that they are perfect for traveling. You don't have to try and locate solvents which can be difficult to find at certain locations. You just need water and soap to clean your brushes and I heard that water mixable oils dry faster which can be very convenient.

"

"Coastal Pines"
8" x 10" Acrylic on panel

Lilacs

I love to paint flowers. Lilacs are one of my favorites. I used a reference photo for this one, since they are no longer in bloom.  Everywhere I go, I take hundreds of photos that I can refer back to when I am painting in the studio. Whenever I use  photos,  I only use them in the beginning to give me ideas. During the painting process, I become so involved with the painting and what I am trying to say with the paint, that I forget the photo and often shut off the monitor and just go from there. I don't believe in "copying" from a photo.  A photo is only a guide to get you going with the painting and eventually while in that creative zone the painting starts to tell you what it needs and it's almost like it is painting itself.

 "Lilacs"
8" x 10" Oil on linen panel

Meadow By the Sea

I painted this one afternoon on site this past summer. One of my favorite locations. Hope to return there someday.

 9" x 12" Oil on Linen Panel