Happy Halloween

 Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream

                                      Edgar Allen Poe

Degas 1997-2009

"When the Man woke up he said,
'What is Wild Dog doing here?'
And the Woman said,
'His name is not Wild Dog any more,
but the First Friend,
because he will be our friend
for always and always and always.'"
- Rudyard Kipling

Their is so much to say when you lose your very best friend and not enough words to say it. I think Rudyard Kipling said it well for my husband and I.

Big Blue

Big Blue   oil on linen   20x30

I always wanted to do a horse painting and here is the first one!

Mother and Son

Mother  oil on linen   8x8
Son  oil on linen 8x8

This  mother and son  were out on a cold  NYC day. Of course you wouldn't know they were in NY because I decided to not place them in Manhattan. I was more interested in them, as oppose to the city. There was something isolated about the two even though they were together. I thought they would work well out on what looks like an icy lake in Minnesota.

Top Hat , a Dreamer and time to Surrender

This piece is "Surrender ",  20"x 20" oil on linen. It is based on a musician I knew at what seems like a  lifetime ago. It was at the point when he finally decided to let the dream go. He never did become that "star" but I hear through the grapevine that he invented some board game and made a ton of money. Go figure!

This piece "Dreamer" is pencil on mylar mounted on a board with an oil color wash. Well the title says it all.

Here is a small painting from a series of pieces I am working on involving a top hat. This piece is 8"x8"  oil on linen and is titled of course,  Top Hat. 

A Loooooong Time

Lilly of the Fields

I have been busy, busy, busy but I feel like I am not getting enough done. Painting has been going slowly. I have always been able to "whip 'em out" but for some reason it is not moving along as quickly as I would like it to but I am determined and will get through this.

Anyway... here is a piece I did about a month ago to loosen up and have some fun,

"Lilly of the Fields." I love goats! Never owned one but I love them just the same.

A dear friend of mine, (who is a best selling and inspirational author, that you must go here to listen to her talk about nurturing creativity on TED.com) stopped by and when she saw this goat painting , I thought she was going to cry .

"Lilly" she shrieked "it's my goat Lilly!"

Liz, grew up on a Christmas tree farm and had a number of goats and apparently this goat looked just like her all time favorite love, Lilly. Needless to say , I titled this goat painting Lilly of the Fields and it is now on her wall and not mine!

Enjoy it and I will be posting more soon and don't forget to go to TED (which is a fabulous site) and listen to Liz's talk!

Something Different

Tara
Leah

While I am busy painting and finishing up my garden I thought I would post a couple of my photographs. These are photos which I  take of my models and use as compositional references for my paintings. These  lovely ladies will be in some of my new paintings soon. I will post more later! 

Na-a-ay-Sayers

 naysayer:  one who denies, refuses, opposes, or is skeptical or cynical about something..... and in my point of view, when a naysayer screws up, instead of taking responsibility for their actions they would rather find a scapegoat!

Been a While

This is a much better and accurate image of  "Madame". It was tough photographing it because of the high contrasts in the piece. Looks much better for sure!

 " Madame" oil on linen 6x6

" Lila" oil on linen 6x6

                      "Envy" oil on linen -SOLD

Well it has been a while and I finally have been able to get back to work! I am a little rusty but hopefully I will get back up to speed!

Neoteric Art Interview

I was interviewed by Norbert  Marszalek  for his really cool art site,  Neoteric Art.

There are a number of  great interviews and articles that are worth  checking out!

 

I have been doing a whole lot of painting lately but unfortunately, it has been walls and a very unusual library. My husband Michael, is a woodworker and he is making  a large "Dr. Suess" type library for a client. Very different indeed. Whimsical. He needed a  meticulous painter so I told him I would help.

I should be finished this week. Hurray!! Then back to the studio.

A Wondrous Life

Andrew Wyeth had been an artist that the public loved and the critics loved to hate.

I am on the "loved" side. If it wasn't for Andrew Wyeth I don't know if I would have found art.

When I was about five or six I was looking through a book my mother had about American artists. This was the only art book I can remember my family having at that time. I came upon an austere, somber painting of a cross with old white rags blowing in the wind against a barren landscape. I don't know why this painting moved me the way it did but it did . 

That painting was "The Scarecrow" by Andrew Wyeth and I have kept that book with me for decades.

I have been lucky to be only about an hour from the Brandywine River Museum that houses a wonderful collection of Andrew's, N.C's and Jamie Wyeth's (love their work too) works and I have gone to the museum often.

So today I was feeling melancholy as I drove around the countryside of Bucks county Pa. to pick up my eggs from a local farmer (I live along the Delaware River on the NJ side). The sky was sooooo grey , the forests tall and vacant and there were remnants of snow on the hills,  and I felt I was in a Wyeth painting.

He lived a long and enviable life. A  life consumed with the brush. We are so fortunate that the best part of him will be with us for lifetimes to come!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to all, no matter what religious celebration one holds dear to their heart! Even if you do not have any religious views, it is a time of year to reflect and have hope for a  better world. A time of year to get out and do something , no matter how small, to help those less fortunate and  to carry that spirit throughout the new year!

I am still in the process of moving into a new studio! I moved out of my old space and decided to work in my home studio for the winter to save a little money. I just got settled in when...... a great studio space in an old ceramic factory down the street became available.

Well it is so inexpensive ,$150- a month, I could not refuse it! That is about ten times less then what I was paying for a loft space in my small town . It is not anywhere near as "swank" as the loft but how could you refuse a decent space for a price like that!  This is New Jersey we are talking about, you couldn't find anything decent for less then $800!

I promised a few "symbolically tagged" artists I think you will enjoy. You may know these folks and if you do take another look!

Katy Schneider 

Stephen C. Layne

Justin Mortimer

Cheryl Taves

Paul Seaton

Benjamin Shamback

Cristina Cordova

Sangram Majumdar

Ray Donley

Philip Harris

Divine-SOLD

 I have been so very busy these past couple of weeks, moving out of my old studio into a new one and I have not been able to post. I see I have been tagged twice ! Thank-you and I am honored. I am having a hard time  finding folks to tag since every one I would tag has already been tagged . So I will "symbolically" tag some artists work which I think should be seen . Most of these artists are not involved  in the "blog" world as we know it.

I will  tag them in the next post as I am just starting my day and I need a little time to find the websites. You won't be disappointed!

Seven things about myself........unusual.

1-I am really bad at this because I am not very  clever, or have a natural ability when it comes to writing. I admire those who have the gift! (I am thinking Silvina)

2-I am a lot older then I think I am.

3-I own seventy different tubes of paint colors and use 3 or 4 at a time  plus black and white.

4-I very rarely if ever, paint on a white ground.  Sometimes a grey, teal , ochre and venetian red ground. Sometimes it is a wash, other times it is opaque.

5-  I do not draw on my canvas with charcoal or pencil when I start a piece. I will very loosely , sketch in with a brush. But I have been known to go into a piece with pencil lines during the process of painting or when a piece is near finished. I like the way that technique looks.

6- I have always loved abstract expressionism and painted abstracts for a number of years.

7-And last but not least I would probably kill for a really good piece of chocolate!

The little study above is -Divine  6x6   oil on linen   mounted on board

 

Well It's Been A While

The election is over and I can "get a life" again! I get myself too wrapped up in politics, especially when it comes to choosing  the president . Here are a few pieces  I've managed to complete. 

They are from top to bottom:

-Tango at Twelve   17x17   o/l -SOLD

This piece will be at Wally Workman Gallery  in Austin Texas, for the December  show "Twelve"

-Two    11x14  o/l-SOLD

A  study from the dancing series I have been sort of working on. I have a hard time with series. I tend to get bored quickly!

-Maggie's Boys- SOLD  24x36  o/l

Another from my red headed Maggie series. She is hanging out with a friend's goat, Whitey and Arthur the Westie.

Diana's Herd-SOLD

Zebra's have finally made it! 

I want to thank everyone that has left their wonderful comments in my previous posts. I have been extreeeemely busy and have not been able to respond back but I wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate them!!!

Diana's Herd         18x24   oil on linen  

Emmett

A pencil drawing ! Something I don't do very often but will try to do more of because I really love it. This is "Emmett, like you've never seen him", a drawing on some very cool recycled paper that can take a lot of abuse. Thank God because I  am so out of practice with a pencil that I surely needed my eraser!

Emmett is a kid's kid, but he was pretty sedate when he first came to my studio. He was quite apprehensive at first, as you can see in the drawing, but after half an hour he was back to his ol' self!

Maggie in Green-SOLD

This  piece which will be on view at the Wally Workman Gallery in Austin, Tx. in about a week.

I will be sending more work in the future to the gallery  after I fulfill a few commitments . 

If you are in the Austin area stop by and check it out! 

Maggie in Green   o/l    16x12

Maia's Last Day-SOLD

Alright, still no Zebra's, but I'm workin' on it!
This is a little painting of my wonderful young model Maia who will be leaving Frenchtown NJ for the great state of New York!

Maia's Last Day o/l 12x16

Goat in a Box-SOLD

One more goat before the zebra's!

Oscar and Chelsea-SOLD

Here is another little guy, Oscar and the very beautiful Chelsea. I am sure you know which one is Chelsea!

I am in a goat phase right now and believe it or not there are a lot of goats out here in this part of Jersey.
I have always been pretty much a figurative painter but I am really enjoying painting these animals.

Stay tune for the zebra phase in about a week or two!

Show Opening-Link

If you are in the Chicago area and make it out to Harbert Michigan on the lake this weekend, stop in The Judith Racht Gallery for a group show titled "Masks". I have this piece of my husband, "Michael in Greasepaint" included in the show.

Maggie's Goat- SOLD

Well it's been a while! Here is a new piece and possibly a bit of a new direction.

A Few More Paintings

A few more paintings! All are oil on linen, mounted on board.

The Man from Seville 14x14
Gitano 9x12
Hop A Long 9x12
The Girls 14x14- SOLD

A Few More

These are two more pieces for my future show.
"April in Black" and a lovely italian greyhound "Angel".

Blue Maia-SOLD

Big Boy

Getting Ready

I am busy preparing for a one person show here in New Jersey.I will post some of the pieces  as I finish them.I have done numerous one person shows  but I took a break these past five years from doing one and I am ready to jump in, I hope! 

Maia Lets Her Hair Down-SOLD

A small painting in the Maia series.
This is 11x14 oil on linen.

Maia's Glove-SOLD

This is "Maia's Glove" , the large piece I have been working on . I have to do a bit of tweeking in the shadows but I decided to post it anyway. I am getting antsy to move onto another piece!

Maia, another really lovely young model from my very small town on the Delaware. We seem to have a ton of gorgeous young women in this community of about 1200 people!

Enjoy!