Daily Painting

In the woods

From photographs of the little girl in a pink dress and red shoes from our camping trip (I have accidentally added a few years here). 8"x10", oil on panel.  I'd like to paint it again, flesh out the Rhododendrons in the foreground and do more to show the proliferation of branches.

The Great Outdoors

We had our first real camping trip with fire and marshmallows and it was terrific!  Experienced friends of ours took us to George Washington campground in Chepatchet RI where you can drive right up to your site with lots of blankets and firewood (and drive back home from in a flash floods threatening downpour as we did last night).  I really was lead through the woods by an enthusiatic little girl in red patent leather shoes; her two sisters, also in party dresses, trailed behind with our son examining and collecting caterpillars-it was like being in a fairy tale or a John Singer Sargent painting. (The static nature of the figure in my sketch is entirely inaccurate but the best I could muster from memory.)

I sketched in the shade while they all frolicked for hours at the lake.  Next time I'll try painting a camp fire.

Oh and I see that this evening Elizabeth has posted a uniquely summer sketch also.

More Little Dresses

I have several large canvases in the studio which makes these all the more appleaing to work on.

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.

Pink Dress, Blue Dress, Green Dress, White Dress

Not necessarily in that order:

 Available here.

Pink Dress with Butterflies

Just because.  6"x6", pencil, pen, watercolor, Ad marker  on watercolor paper.  (Available here.)

Swimmer.

Isn't it odd how i have been painting people underwater while Michael has been painting life jackets and life boats?  These paintings will be shown along with various others of emergency equipment and the drawings and prints of Stephen Fisher at Providence's venerable Lenore Grey Gallery this fall.  Opening Reception: Friday September 30th, 5:30-7:30.

Painting #420.

Not sure what to make of this one.  I started out with a photo of a friend's daughter, set it aside a few months ago and then picked it up today.  I think I'll interpret the text as related to the idea that perhaps, within my friend's troubled-if not anguished- relationship with her daughter's father, she could find some peace in in the glorious life of their child.  The painting morphed into a (romanticized big-eyed) dead ringer for me at about 7 years old.  My sister Amanda's birthday was yesterday, maybe this painting is also an homage to us.  Whaddaya think sista?

Paintings # 372, 373 and 374, on the ferry.

Does my genius know no bounds?!  Ahem, excuse me,  that is, I found it immensely satisfying to work from the glorious light and color in these photos. Wednesday we went to Block Island with friends.  Speaking of genius, this ted talk by Elizabeth Gilbert "On Nurturing Creativity"  is excellent and funny.  These are oil on panel 6"x6".  I love working on panels (the texture is smooth and rigid-pushes back against the brush-relative to the rough, flexible feel of canvas).