Daily Painting

Spectacular

Michael took a terrific picture of Captain Spectacular in his oversized swim shirt, it was one of those photographs that grabbed me by the lapels and demanding to be painted.  (I am relieved that swim class is going well.  Last summer he got comfortable putting his face in the water and though he has always been happy playing in the water actual lessons were a no go.)  This looks to me like a 1960s illustration.  Maybe the Hardy Boys is influencing me more than I know.  I gave him a little too mcuh neck.  16"x20", oil on canvas.

Beneath the Surface

Roger Williams University is still offering family swim on Sundays from 1-5.  It makes for a fun afternoon.  We brought the submersible camera.

Blue Bird

Yesterday we went to a blue bird house building workshop at the Powder Mills Audubon Wildlife Refuge. (See the RI Audubon Events Calendar for February here.)  It was a bring your own hammer event.  Captain Spectacular had a great time driving in the nails and learning about the nesting habits of small birds.  These blue bird paintings were made with pencil, watercolor and marker.  The old glue gun made quick work of our felt bird, inspired by ornaments in the giftshop.  Crafty.  

Too Excited to Paint

Here are a few things in progress.  All excited about Morocco I am having trouble concentrating.  Also I am currently on a sewing binge (some flowy linen dresses and art supplies bags for the trip).  Its also vacation week and just now Captain Spectacular is beckoning me to the couch to read "What Happened at Midnight",  #10 in the Hardy Boys series. (Do you know that the Hardy Boys went to Marrakech?  They did!  In #54, "The Mysterious Caravan".  A copy of which just happened to fall into our hands a few weeks ago; it was on sale at the library for pennies!)

In Your Own Living Room

I wrote this craft article forRhode Island's always helpful kidoinfo.  Wanna get away? You can travel anywhere in the world from your living room rug.  Enjoy a fantasy travel sketch workshop with your family with these simple guidelines.

Danger Looming

Please note the Kraken at far left.

Available here.

White Dress

Its been gorgeous weather here.  Michael continued to work on replacing our front porch,  our beloved neighboor came over and played with Captain Spectacular,  (he definitly deserves his own special moniker) um anyway I got to paint, and the house got tidied up!  Re this painting:  I do love painting dresses and i have a history with it; my unde3rgrad show featured enormouse paintings of Laura Ashley dresses.  Never the less while I was working on this I kept thinking of this hilarious scene in Bullets over Broadway (wish I could find some scenes with Jim Broadbent as "Warner Purcell";)(yes quick, netflix it!) when john Cusac's character wakes up in the night and starts screaming out his window.

The painting is available here.

Portrait of an Ear

Sunscreen, water, ear.  I stumbled across a summer photo that included this most beautiful of all possible ears.  6"x6", oil on panel.

Last Light

This is a collaboration with photographer William Talley.  I turned the sand into water somehow.  Thanks Bill!  6"x6", oil on canvas.

Distant Shore

From our recent beach trip.  Oil on panel, 8"x11".