Seaside Lulliby

 This was a redemption effort.  I had an old self portrait from years ago that was just plain awful.  I don't like to waste canvas so I kept it thinking I would reuse it someday.  After years of ignoring it I finally was tired of seeing the old wretched attempt, and decided to paint over it with a new self portrait. 

I'm Back!

For the last fifteen years in October, nine college friends meet together on a beach in Florida.  We wait for this weekend all year long.  Raising children, the teenage and college years, celebrating weddings and then babies, suffering losses...we have shared it all.   This scene captures how we feel not only when we hit the beach for the first time, but that feeling of celebration when we all step off the plane.  

A Party of Apples with a Couple of Wall Flowers

Fruit Salad #1

Fruit Salad #2

I haven't done many still life paintings but that is changing.  Still life is a great way to do small studies that don't move and can be done rain or shine!  I did a series of fruit during the pandemic in acrylic, two of which are shown here, and just recently did the top painting in oil.  I am appreciative of the photo reference provided by Unsplash photographer Garreth Paul.  I loved the dramatic lighting.
 

Duxbury Beach Waves in the Setting Sun #2

We were at the beach for one of the last comfortable evenings of the summer.  The sun setting in the west put warm light on waves rolling in from the east.  I took picture after picture of the beauty hoping that it would carry me through the winter.  

 Can't get enough of the Beach in September...

The October wind is blowing and we say good-bye to the last days of summer.  I visited our beach an evening two weeks ago and the waves were crashing in against with the most beautiful translucency as the sun beginning to set.   I clicked away hoping to revisit these images during the winter months for a breath of summer.

Thank you for viewing.

LEMONS # 2 AND #3

I thought after my first lemon attempt, I would continue to paint a few more.  Not only did I have all the paints mixed up, but I rarely work with yellow!  I also rarely work with fruit!  So it was a great exercise.  I appreciated how the different ground on the canvas really makes a difference.

My second attempt, below was on a salmon colored board. I aborted that attempt as I just didn't like the colors.  For the third attempt above, I went back to a sepia toned canvas, changed the arrangement and threw some blueberries in.  I am attempting to stay loose and not get caught up in the details!  It is a challenge when you are used to focusing on small details on a face!