Girls Just Wanna Paint Show!

"Spanish Moss" 6x6

It's transition time for Don and me and the girls. After my fabulous week on St Simon's Island with my painter girlfriends I returned to Naples to pack up our house for the drive home to Marshfield. No small feat for a woman who likes her 'stuff'. So, this morning after days of cleaning and packing and farewelling we hit the road.  
My last painting from SSI is this cottage in charming Darien, Georgia. The local Art Association/historic society there is housed in the old Jail, where I read some incredible stories about Darien's dramatic Civil War years. Fascinating. 
I'm the last one to give up the gang here and name names ;) Here we are after hitting golf balls on the beach coached by Kathy Cousart. 

Kathy, Carol, Me, Kelley & Laurel

Lastly, I will not be home in time to attend the opening of our Girls Just Wanna Paint show at the Helen Bumpus Library in Duxbury but please go and support my homies from 2-4 tomorrow. The show runs through June.

Jekyll Island

Jekyll Island 6x6 oil on board

We arrived on Jekyll Island to humidity and high puffy white clouds which soon gave way to a breeze (thank Heaven) and a sort of overcast sky. 
The result was this minimalist work, photographed with the dust embedded ;) 
If you like this kind of painting check out Stuart Shils website. Click on Irish Oils and then click on the number 4 which is the period I'm referring to. He's since become more abstract, (which I like)  but these early 90's paintings are the first works I saw of his, in a gallery in Boston.

Postcard From SSI

4x4 oil on Gesso Board

I've been on the lam on St Simon's Island, Georgia with a 'gaggle' of notorious painters who shall remain nameless unless they choose to reveal their identity and let y'all know who they are ;) 
Yes, you heard me say 'Y'all' and I 'might could' be using some other Southern slang after hanging around in Georgia 'on my mind'.
This tiny study which includes the causeway onto the Island is 4x4 inches and was done on Monday afternoon when the weather was rainy and overcast giving a misty violet grey light to the marsh.

Strawberries Revolt

4x4 oil on board $100 plus S&H

I did this second painting on Monday and these strawberries just wouldn't cooperate. I tried to get a great composition with them but they just fell into 'line' like a bunch of pre-schoolers going out for recess. I paid them back by eating them ;)

Red Boat on Bluefish River

6x6 oil on board

This painting of a red boat moored in Bluefish River in Duxbury is my contribution to this month's Girls Just Wanna Paint challenge. Visit our blog to see the rest of the paintings and the information for our show at Helen Bumpus Library.

Strawberries and my 'kids'

Strawberries 4x4 

oil on board

Artists who teach always say that they learn so much from their students and it really is a two way street. These are my 'kids' (Carol Marine's expression and I'm proud to be one of hers) Beth and Linda who have both exceeded their expectations this winter. They've been coming to my home studio each Monday for 10 weeks now and although they are fairly new to oil painting they 'got it' right off the bat. They are diligent and paint outdoors and between classes. It came up today in a discussion about workshops that some artists are reluctant to share their"secrets" with their students so I generously shared my secret which is, that there is no secret. It's all hard work, learning to 'see' and painting miles of canvas.

Linda 

Beth

Von Liebig Center for the Arts

Susan Romanot and Instructor Mary Sheehan Winn
at Von Liebig Center for the Arts in  Naples, Florida

I've so enjoyed teaching here in Naples this season and each group of students has surprised me with their ability to go from-dare I say- fear?.. trepidation?.. to a painting in which they achieved more than they dared think they might. 
They all 'got it' and that has been the Holy Grail of my experience with these fabulous artists who are hungry to express themselves through their brushes as I always have been. I feel their journey and actually get goosebumps when I see their AHA moment.
This was my final class of the season at the Von Liebig Center for the Arts here in Naples and Susan's joy in seeing what she could do with paint was so exciting.
Here is our Face Book 'moment', posted by Callie Spilane, Director of Education at the Von Liebig. I'll see you next season. Same time, same place.

Boston Gas Tank 6x6 oil on board

This is a copy of my previous painting of this Boston Landmark, which I redid for the Girls Just Wanna Paint show which is coming up in May at the Helen Bumpus Library in Duxbury.  Check the GJWP blog for details. 

I drove my Mama to the airport late this afternoon for her flight home to Providence, thus officially concluding the family Wedding festivities. It was a fabulous time!

Chrissie (and her new truck) and Nana 

Peachy Gerbera Daisy

Gerbera Daisy 6x6 oil on gesso board

This Gerbera was a tough one. Part of the flower is in the shadow and is very dark and part of the flower is brightly lit. The value pattern is one of the key elements in a painting and this was a bit of a struggle. Despite the brilliant colors in the flower the mixtures are mostly grays so as to set off the pops of color throughout the painting.
Also, in spite of some sprinkles I managed to get in my swim this morning.. Of course I was the only one in the pool :D
I can't tell you what a distraction sunny days are. I feel like I should be out doing something but today, I'm loving  the cool, cloudy, rainy day we're having. Perfect for being in the studio. 
My last class at Von Liebig is Thursday, April 26 from 9-12. Click on my Classes and Workshops page above to sign up on line. This class has been a lot of fun! Hope to see you there.

Family Affairs

6x8 Demo at Lowdermilk Park 

This past weekend my dear nephew/son, Win, married his beautiful bride, Heather,  at a garden wedding attended by lots of family from 'home'. I hosted the little boys and their parents who left yesterday at 3:30 AM, and I am still catching up with myself . 

Haven't found the time to paint except on Monday morning when I met my students, Beth and Linda at Lowdermilk Park to paint plein aire. This is by no means a finished painting, as the lesson was more about eliminating elements of the scene to create a better composition and dealing with the constantly changing weather elements. Sun, clouds, wind. Values, of course. 

 Don't forget to sign up for my last class of the season at the Von Liebig.

See my pages at the head of my blog for information or email me.

Thanks for your visits and your comments. You keep me going.

Heather Davies Cottrell and Winthrop Sheehan Cottrell
April 14, 2012

Cherry Tomatoes

"Cherry Tomatoes"

6x6 oil on gesso board

When the time comes to give my paintings a title I often think of music. In this case I'm singing "Cherry, Cherry, who can I turn to",  by Tommy Tutone, while I'm painting thinking, I've got a great title. 

Except, it's "Jenny, Jenny, who can I turn to, 867-5309"  Why?  Don't ask ;) I can't explain the way my mind works.

I have five people signed up for my Painting a Day class at the VonLiebig Center tomorrow. Looking forward to it. Still room to sign up for my last class on Thursday, April 26th. Hope to see you there.

Peeping Out

"Peeping Out"
4x4 oil on Gesso Board

Happy Easter and Passover. May you all have peace and joy in your lives and when it just isn't there, may you have hope for the future. Special thoughts go out to some dear friends who are dealing with great loss, in one case and with a battle for restored health in the other. My two Lindas. Love you both.

The Greats

"Iced In" 30x40 by Charles Movalli

I don't have a painting to post tonight but I've been thinking of sharing the work of some of my favorite painters instead. The list is long but I have to start somewhere and today I was browsing the work of Charles Movalli and  marveling at his mastery of his medium-he works in oils and acrylics-and his total understanding of composition and understated, but powerful color harmony. I love the way he includes a fearless foreground in many of his paintings. I mean that the foreground leads the eye into and around the work. It may be just shapes and colors that indicate a dock or harbor but each brushstroke is perfectly placed. There are many links on the web but mostly to Galleries who represent him so I'll include the link to Bayview Gallery in Camden, Maine where you'll also enjoy the roster of other high caliber artists. Enjoy.

Sunflower in a Jar

"Sunflower in a Jar" 

6x6 oil on board

I'm on a roll with the flowers but I will say that I scraped this entirely and began again. Scraped that one and began this one. Wasn't sure if it was a keeper or not but I posted it anyway. There's actually a point when you're too close to the forest to see the trees. I've learned that I am not the best judge of my paintings and no matter how I feel about them, one way or the other, I am not the viewer. 

Gardenia in Red

"Gardenia in Red"

4x4 oil on gesso board

This time I dressed this gardenia in red. I must cruise around the neighborhood and see if anyone has gardenia bushes I can clip a bloom off of. 

I will ASK first. Promise.

Gardenia in a Jar

"Gardenia"
4x4 oil on gesso board

Moving right along, I turned my studio air conditioner to 66* and painted away. Despite the cool breezes, a bit of humidity has moved into Southwest Florida. 
JoAnn Sanborn gave me a Gardenia from her garden and I refrigerated  it so it would keep until I could paint it. This is a tiny 4x4 inch painting but I'm hoping it looks HUGE :D
Also, it has a beautiful scent and because it's a bit 'gone by', I put it atop the medicine cabinet where it's invisible but, not ;)

"Gimme That!"

6x6 oil on gesso board 

I'm painting on the smooth boards again because  the surface is great for the brushwork I do. I order them unprimed and give them three coats of gesso before I use them. I always like painting wet sand. There is so much color in the reflections and I love to play with the complimentary color harmony. Fun!
This is my painting for the 'Beach Time' challenge  at Girls Just Wanna Paint. This one gull was aggressively stalking the others and snatching things unseen, out of their beaks.

Sunflowers 6x8 Acrylic

"Sunflowers" 

6x8 acrylic on gessoboard

I spent the morning painting with my dear friend JoAnn Sanborn at her studio on Marco Island and she broke me out by setting me up with acrylics which I haven't used in 40 years save for a little study a few years back. We painted some sunflowers which I brought as a little gift for her. She gave me some beautiful gardenias which smell heavenly and are sitting in the fridge so as I can paint them tomorrow.

I loved the feeling of the paint on the smooth board and I didn't use a lot of water either. I did rinse the brushes and wipe them pretty regularly and then mixed up some more color because acrylic dries quickly and ruins the brushes.  

Then she treated me to lunch on the Esplanade overlooking the Marina where we enjoyed some good food and some laughs. A perfect day.

Although it's been warmer than usual here in Naples this winter, the breezes off the Gulf have been plentiful and refreshingly cool. You never thought you'd hear me say that did you? 

Naples Pier Sunset

Naples Pier Sunset
18x24 oil on canvas

This is an 18x24 canvas for my Gallery at Tin City. I blocked it in yesterday and finished it today. 

I also want to share some tips about the brushes I'm using which are Silver Bristlons with very crisp synthetic bristles that are excellent for the type of careful brushwork I like to do. After rinsing them of paint in Gamsol and wiping them dry, I wash them with Murphy's Oil Soap. Using a ceramic or glass bowl I mash the bristles gently against the bowl which has a capful of MOS in it. You will be shocked at how long it takes to rinse the brushes completely of paint. Use only cold or tepid water and keep changing the soap and rinsing until the brushes are completely free of stain when blotted with a paper towel. I then dip them into brush shaper (by Houston Arts) and shape them so the edges are chiseled. If some of them need it, I make a little splint out of paper and wrap the tips lightly and tape them. Voila! They last quite well with the pampering I give them.

Garlic Demo

Garlic Study Demo
6x6 oil on gesso board

I am loving my Monday class with Beth and Linda. They are getting the all important value lessons and most importantly they are having fun ;)

Drive By Toll Booth

Drive By Toll Booth
4x4 oil on gesso board 

I don't know how we managed to arrive at an EMPTY toll booth on Rte. 95 but it seems we did! For the past 12 years Don and I and the furry ones have been driving to Naples and back on this Interstate. 
Although I have many, many photos of scenes from the road, I still ride shotgun clicking away as though I've never seen any of it before. But there's the light and the weather and the time of day which all factor into each trip so sometimes I see a better version of something than I have before. Or at least I think I do. I love the abstract quality to toll booths and bridges and water tanks and gas tanks. I love being on the road.
Check out Karin Jurick's from Georgia to NYC and Back, paintings which are also scenes of Interstate 95. Her recent post, "ribbons in the sky" inspired me to look through my photos for that very scene which I think is Washington, DC.
Don't be surprised to see my version of it soon. I KNOW I have a photo ;)

White Dove

White Dove
6x6 Oil on Gesso Board

I've been at the pool recovering from my bout with value studies and my last wipe off.  But, I'm determined to get this dove right. The values still seem to be a tad off in the reflected light on the lower side of the bird, but perhaps I've been looking at it too long. Reflected light is deceiving and aways looks lighter than it is.
What do you all think?
Yesterday I went over to the Bonita Springs Art Festival to visit my friend JoAnn Sanborn who has painted the Everglades in all seasons for many years. She looked mah-velous and it was a beautiful day for the show. I'm looking forward to going down this week to visit her studio at the Esplanade on Marco Island. 

JoAnn Sanborn

Gray is the Way

I'm in value boot camp and nothing is as it really seems when it comes to lights, darks, reflected light and local color. The whites can't be too white or there's no room for the highlight. So what color would 'read' white, but not be straight from the tube white? 

Grays. Green gray, violet gray, orange gray ad infinitum. You can mix endless beautiful grays. I'd like to say that I finished this but I wiped it because I veered off the path and created mud. 

It happens.

"Lonely" 6x6 oil on gesso board

More Pig Love

 

 

 
In preparation for the value lesson I will be teaching my students tomorrow, I did a step by step demo beginning with a value block in in burnt umber. I inadvertently created a tangent but this can easily be remedied. Another good lesson ;)

Pig Love

"Pig love"
6x6 oil on board

The pig on the right is making "cow eyes" at the other pig because he has a crush on her, but she thinks she's 'all that' and won't pay any attention to him. I think she's going to come around though because he's irresistible. Don't you think?

Check out the rest of this month's challenge paintings at Girls Just Wanna Paint.

I've been painting this little pig again and again to get value and color saturation practice and wouldn't you know that today, the brilliant Carol Marine and her equally brilliant husband David, announced their newest cool DPW idea which is called ArtBytes. 

They are mini lessons on, you guessed it, value and color saturation among other lessons and demos which they've just rolled out. They're making them instantly available through PayPal for very low prices. I snapped up a few today and I'm sure I'll be returning to the 'well' as they add more. I've taken workshops with Carol and she is the best, most thorough teacher I've ever studied with.