End of Autumn

We've seen the last of autumn and these two ACEO s show the end of the vibrant colors of fall. Yesterday was a beautiful Thanksgiving Day. Sunny, mid 30s and with a blanket of snow on everything.

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you all the blessings of the day.

Backlighting

This is an 8x10 I just finished painting for the Different Strokes Challenge. Starting with a photo I moved the objects around to make this arrangement, keeping the light flow from the back. POR

On the homefront it was above freezing today and we knocked the icicles down. They were geting so heavy I thought the gutter might come down.

Icicle Update

It was another cold and snowy night but the sun is shining now and as it melts the snow
on the roof the icicles are growing longer and thicker. No matter, we're snug inside watching the Ohio State/Michigan game.

And in the meantime I can paint warm weather scenes. This is from a photo I took down in the low country along the coast in Georgia. Its an ACEO, painted in acrylics.

Another Gray Day

I couldn't resist that bit of hopeful light blue in the foreground snow.
2.5" x 3.5"

Heres what it really looked like this morning. We've had about 24 hours of snow so far.

Winter Skies

I think one of my favorite winter landscape painters is George Sotter.
George W. Sotter (1879 – 1953) was a painter who is considered to be part of the Pennsylvanis Impressiontis. This group is from the Bucks County area of the state.George Sotter, John Fulton Folinsbeee and Walter Emerson Baum were the three most famous of the group.
.Lauded for his marine pictures and dramatic landscapes with cloud-filled skies, Sotter was particularly recognized for painting winter night scenes. He is also known for his work in stained glass.
I have painted this little ACEO inspired by his oil "Bucks County Night Scene"

Colors of November

Here are two ACEOs inspired by the colors of November here in Ohio. The first is a path in the woods at nightfall.The gold colors seem to shine brighter against the darkening sky. The second shows the mauve colors in the field on a stoarmy day. Both are 2.5 x 3.5"

Silver Pitcher

I once took a watercolor class with Maryann Boysten where we focused on painting on canvas with watercolor. There are techniques that allow you to build up rich,deep colors using watercolor glazes. Once finished you seal the painting and it doesnot need to be framed under glass. This canvas is 12 x 12" and gallery wrapped. Its painted from a still life that Maryann set up with flowers from her garden.

Itty Bitties

I painted these mini minis for use as Christmas ornaments. The art measures about 1 x 2" or 2 x 2" and I painted them for these sparkly hanging frames. The frames are made of satin and sequins.

Utrecht Art Show

Last night was the opening reception for the Miniature Show at Utrecht Art Store in Cleveland. It was a great show with a wide variety of styles and methods. I have four pieces in the show (photos of them soon!)
Today I recieved a nice note from Maureen letting me know that one of my pieces is featured on their blog today.

Check it out at www.cleveland.utrechtblog.com

I made a collage of photos from last night. Hope you can stop by the store and see it all in person.
Utrecht Art Supplies, Coventry Rd, Cleveland

Years Best ACEOs

I'm really honored to say that I have received four finalist awards in the contest sponsored on eBay by the ACEO community. One each for landscape, seascape, cityscape and photography!
The voting continues through the end of the month.
A special thanks to Wendy and all the volunteers who organized and ran this huge undertaking.

My current ebay listings:

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/kshpaints_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ

Sneak Preview

This is a little painting I did for use as a Christmas card this year. This is the front of the card and the small vignette is on the inside with the message.

Other artists who are thinking of using their own work on their card should take a look at VistaPrint - very reasonable prices! I have been pleased with their work.

A Cup of Kindness

This mixed media piece is my donation to the charity benefit to aid the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.
My collage is 4x4 on galley sretched canvas and inspired by the Emmy Lou Harris song.

Heres the link:
http://www.cupsofkindness.net/

Cardinals and Cameras

The cardinal is the state bird of Ohio. And they are great fun to paint. This little guy is the first to have his photo taken with my new camera. When my Cannon died and refused to even start I knew it was time to buy a new one. I really liked the Cannon Powershot and so I went for the new model, a 10 megapixel elph. They have done awaywith the view finder window and the lcd screen is huge. The camera software is intuitive and simple. I've had it out of the box for a few hours now and I really like everything about this camera.

Waiting

My acrylic painting is 6x6". It's really a study of shadows and patterns. Its based on the challenge photo from Karin Jurick this week.

Emile Albert Gruppe

Emile Albert Gruppe was born in Rochester NY in 1896. The son of a painter, in a family rich with artists, Emile studied at the Carnegie Art School, the Art Students League and in Europe. He also received instruction from artists George Bridgeman, Charles Chapman, Richard Miller and John F. Carlson.

It was with Carlson that he later founded the Gruppe Summer School in 1942. He established his studio in Gloucester Massachusetts with his brother, Karl Heinrich. His use of light but also his brushwork developed into a personalized style that intrigues me. A good number of his paintings are of the coast, either in New England or Florida or landscapes.

Emile lived to 1978. My time in Massachusetts overlapped his during that year. I wonder if I might have seen him at some point in the Gloucester harbor? I feel it seeing his work was a great opportunity missed.

There is an exhibit of his work currently open in Rock Port
http://www.rockportartassn.org/

Sketch or Painting?

more animals

Two Paths to the Hill

Painted in acrylics on board 5 1/2 x 10 1/2"

You can't follow the yellow brick road to Oz but you can take the red path or the blue.

My auction of this painting on eBay

2.55

Paean to a purse.

The purse is known by the number 2.55 because it was desinged in February 1955 by Coco Chanel. I remember I had a knock off in navy blue and I used it for years. I adored the design and still do.

This has to be the most perfect classic design for a purse. And its being celebrated in a moving tribute. The Chanel’s Mobile Art t exhibition is on a 2 year world tour and has already been hosted in Hong Kong and Tokyo. It will be in New York’s Central Park - Rumsey Playfield until November 9th, 2008. It is being held in a temporary structure designed by British Iraqi deconstructivist (and Pritzker Prize-winning) architect Zaha Hadid, which looks something akin to a UFO or a giant white snail shell.