Catching the Sunset, 3

That brilliant September sunset was over and the sun was almost gone. The cars were heading back over the bridge.  All that was left was the violet glow.  I was attracted by the lavender hues of the sky, water and pavement. 

Catching the Sunset, 2

This scene is the second painting done from that beautiful September sunset!

 Catching the Sunset

Beautiful sunsets on Duxbury Beach are a never ending source of inspiration.  One evening in September of last year, a blue moon was scheduled to be present.  I, in the company of many, headed out to the beach.  The moon wasn't much to see but the sunset leading up to it was remarkable.  Our town has two beaches back to back, formed on a strip of land which forms a thin peninsula. One side is the bay of our town and the other side is the open ocean. We are on the east coast so the sun sets behind the outer beach.  The beach fence in this scene is protecting the beach grasses on the outer beach so it is being illuminated by the warmth of the setting sun in the west. 

Happy Place 2

Oil version of Happy Place

The first version I did of this scene, a color study in pastel,  was posted earlier.  This is the second version is in oil.  This piece was accepted into the North River Art Society, Focus on Figures show and received an Honorable Mention!  I was thrilled as this is always a great show with submissions from around the world.

It is the second in a series of depictions of many happy moments on Amelia Island with 10 close college friends.  We have been reuniting once a year on this beach for 15 years.  Our moments there are priceless encounters of love and enduring friendship.  I wish to convey this sense of joy in the paintings in this series.

Painting, Painting, Painting!

I have spent many years painting part-time, mainly doing portrait commissions, while also working as a Financial Aid Counselor at a local community college.  While I LOVE portraits and portrait commissions, I yearned for more time at the easel to stretch myself creatively in other directions as well. 

I am thrilled to now be fruitfully painting full-time every day!   This was one of the sliver linings of the past several sheltered years.  I began working from home like many people, which allowed me to paint and study more through the many on-line events and offerings that became available.  Eventually I felt it was time to leave my "day" job to be able to finally pursue painting full-time!  What a gift and such a joy!

I have been immersing myself in the last days of summer by painting seascapes.  I am so happy to share my painting journey going forth!  Thank you for visiting!

Seascape No. 1

Happy Flower

I had wanted to play around with a palette knife for some time.  My friend and I set up a still life of this little happy yellow flower one day in the studio and then went at it with the palette knife.  It was fun.  I like the sculptural quality.  As a happy ending, the painting sold at my annual Open Studios in November.

White Mug

I loved how the white mug looked so blue in shadow as contrasted by the warmth of the table it was sitting on.  It was a nice complementary situation that was fun to paint.

Pensive Nick

My son, Nicholas, was my first subject in an endeavor to loosen up my painting, though I hadn't begun "official" daily painting when I did this.  I was desperate to overcome an art block and knew that working small may help.  Nick was about 17 years old at the time, and I was pestering him to sit for me so I could paint him (again!).   He was clearly not happy to be doing this.  I took several photographs of him and then let him out of his misery.   I was happy to have found them now, years later,  to work with!

I know this face so well that it practically painted itself.   It seems to capture that teenaged angst.