Paintings

I'm working on a couple of new pieces. One is my favorite fall scene in Brookville, IN. Barb and I will be heading there later this month for a few days of plein air painting. I hope the weather is as nice as it's been here this week.

I sold another older painting this week. It's called "Lily Pads". The sales have been enough of an encouragement for me to look forward to doing some new things. 

16 x 20   sold

As well as starting a couple of new things, I have been reading a blog by a painter I only recently heard about.
His name is Stapleton Kearns. This blog has a complete course in the art of painting and filtered in between is a course on historical master painters.

All you have to do is go back to the beginning (from the archives) and read forward. It has taken me a couple of weeks just to get through a month of his blog. I think I'm in the last half of 2009 right now.

He holds nothing back. No secrets are concealed. I am excited again to incorporate some of these things into my paintings. I actually caught myself reciting some of them out loud today as I painted. Check it out.
http://stapletonkearns.blogspot.com/

Bye for now....go and create something.

Maybe even a pie.... or soup!

Paintings

I posted this painting some time ago and thought it was finished.... as I continued to look at it, I found some things I wanted to tweak. I like it better now.

8x10 "Between the Birches"

11x14  "At Rest"

11x14  "Sunlit Afternoon"

This is an ink and oil piece on a panel that I did a few years ago.

9x12   "Cart Full of Pumpkins"

Reminded me of Fall.

Must get more paintings done.... been slacking off lately.

Bye for now.....

Paintings

I also hung a few paintings at the TownHouse Retirement Center on St. Joe Center Rd. It's a small space and only holds a few pieces.  Funny thing happened.... since I had taken most of my paintings to Will Jewelers, I didn't have many fresh things left. So I decided to rummage through some of my older paintings that have been hanging around the house for a while.  I wrote clearance on them and put the prices low enough so that I could at least recoup some of my investment.  Four of them sold almost immediately.

I'm glad they have a new home and someone who will love them as I did.

8x10  "Back Door"  sold

11x14  "Bid Red"   sold

12x27  "Hay Bales"   sold

8x10  "History Center"   sold

I'm a happy camper.

See ya later.

Paintings

I have a few paintings hanging at Will Jewelers for the month of September and October. It's a really nice space with lots of natural light.  Maysville Pointe Shoppes, 10146 Maysville Road, Fort Wayne | View Map

My friend Barb is also sharing the space with me.

Isn't it really nice. The owner is very kind and accommodating also. Go in anytime and take a look see.

Plein Air

Returned from Michigan last week. Spent some time with friends in Traverse City. Here are a couple of photos I took while we were out fishing.


That's me reeling one in. A trout 21 inches.... the only one we caught.

The sunset was beautiful that night. Cool breeze and calm water.

This week Barb and I went to visit our painter friend Ellen who lives south of Indianapolis. We've enjoyed sharing stories, taking pictures and painting together. I worked on one yesterday that didn't quite work. Today I painted from one of the photos I took in Maine.  I called it "Dancing Birches".

Even thought the temperature reached 97 degrees today, we visited a pumpkin patch.....

and an apple orchard.

It's been a fun few days......

but... that's it for now! 

..... night.

Maine

Chapter 10

Foggy today..... hooked up with brother Gary again.... more sights.

I love this picture...I can see myself wandering through those grasses. Maybe I'll attempt to paint it?

There's my friend Barb playing peek a boo.  That was one huge bolder.

Is it lunch time?  Is there any lobster around? Sure 'nuf!  If you ever get near here..... lobster rolls are to die for.

Now they come in a hamburger roll.... you can get more lobster in one of those!

Do I have a witness?   Ooops, better not disturb her while munching.

We rounded out the day at Pemaquid Point lighthouse.
 http://www.lighthouse.cc/pemaquid/history.html

This is a must see if you get to Maine. Even with the fog it was dramatic.

Barb really hates to leave such a beautiful place.

 Back side from the rocks.

On the road headed West..... Stayed the night in New Hampshire.
Next through Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania.
And then... Ohio and back home in Indiana.

Stay tuned for the next adventure..... all of life is an adventure. Enjoy it while you can.

.....night

Maine

Chapter 9

Packed up and headed out.... good bye Airstream.


Breakfast at Dots..... Doug and Laura highly recommended.  There were more blueberries in this than muffin. It was yummy.

Visited a few landscape places with brother Gary. He is an artist in his own right. The difference being.... his canvas is the land.... any shape, any size. He can mold it to suit any situation. I like to brag on him. Trouble is I don't get to see him very often.

We lunched at the Camden Deli.....

Overlooking the harbor.

Then a late afternoon sail on the Lazy Jack II.  2 hours of salt spray and breezes.  God has given us several surprises on this trip. Blessings all the way along.

Staying at the Cedar Crest Inn tonight. I didn't ever want to come out of the shower.

And a level bed to boot. See, another blessing!

.... night

Maine

Chapter 8


Stockton Springs,  Fort Point State Park:


Fort Point Light was established in 1836 in Stockton Springs, at the west side of the mouth of the Penobscot River, to aid vessels bound for Bangor, a leading lumber port. The town of Stockton Springs was also a lumber port and a shipping point for Maine's potato industry.
The first lighthouse was a granite tower. The first keeper was William Clewly, who had sold his land to the government for the station.

Been doing some pen sketches since I returned home.

The pyramidal bell tower is one of the few left in New England and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bell, replaced by a foghorn, hangs outside the tower.

Yep.... sitting under the umbrella again. It helps keep the sun off me, my painting and my palette.

This is an oil house.... it was used to store oil for the lighthouse lamp.

I need to do some finishing on this one too.

Guess what we're having for dinner?  Seafood chowder. Those Mainers really know how to season and cook their seafood. Best I've ever had. Can't find this in a restaurant. Thanks Renee.

Also on the menu was goat cheese, cheese cakes. Now if you've never tasted these little delicacies you are in for a real treat. Mucho deliciousness. I wish I had taken a picture. Sandy picked them up as a treat for us. Thanks a bunch!

More of the Maine adventure...... stick around for the next installment.

...... night

Maine

Chapter 7

We were all pretty tired after a long day yesterday so decided to stick around. Late breakfast and then a short workshop on doing watercolor cards.  It was fun getting to use our new watercolor travel box that Renee gifted us with.




Time to explore. This is the view behind Renee's house.

It was low tide so the little boat was in dry dock.

Would you believe..... Chinese for dinner? Guess I'll fortify myself for the disappointment.
Sniff, sniff..... maybe there'll be seafood tomorrow.

Love it here in Maine....

.... night

Maine

Chapter 6


Up at 5am to catch the 7am  boat to Monhegan Island.

Info:   Monhegan is a small, rocky Island ten miles from the nearest mainland and scarcely a square mile in area. It is accessible only by boat and there are no cars or paved roads on the Island. Since long before the explorer John Smith visited it in 1614, it was known to Native Americans as a prime fishing area, and today its economy is still ruled by those who make their living from the sea, fishing and lobstering. The year-round population has seldom exceeded 65 in recent times.

For more than 100 years, Monhegan has been a summer haven for artists and other visitors who appreciate its isolation, the beauty of its wilderness areas, its quiet relaxed atmosphere, and its unhurried pace.

I was here 4 years ago but had a bum knee so I couldn't walk very far. Knee fixed. Now I can scale at least some of the hills. I settled in at Swim Beach to do a quick study of the shore. I'm there somewhere among the rocks with the umbrella.

This is my little painting of the wharf. I need to add some boats and finishing touches.

Fish Beach.... quaint little places.

Overlook from one of those hills I climbed.

 Don Stone is a well known artist whose studio we were able to visit.  http://www.donstone.com/

Me and my bud at the top of another hill. Phew... time for a sit me down.

Ice cream for lunch. It's been a busy day.

View of Swim beach from the boat dock.  Time to catch the last boat and head back.

We circled the back side of the island. Pretty treacherous, unprotected, open ocean.

Past Marshall Lighthouse.

Dinner tonight is baked cod with herbs, beer boiled shrimp, and spinach salad with tomatoes and avocados!  We had chocolate cake and fruit tart for dessert. Yes!..... Seafood again.

Pleasantly tired.

.... night