Last Painting Class

Well actually we didn't paint at all because it was cold and rainy.  The wind was fierce so we took a short walking tour around Wickford to scout out some future locations.

Wickford has some very old and well kept houses.  Some date from the 1700's and there is a harbor.  We will definitely come back if summer ever comes.

But here is what I entered for the Warwick Art Museum themed juried show, the art of the car.

Pussy Cat Prius

I found the head in the middle of a crosswalk and the body came off a Prius, given to me by my friend Laura.  She also gave me the piece for the nose.  I love it when people find things for me.  The tail was a metal circle, from a hub cap I think that I bent in half.  The ears came from a cup cake tray given to me by Robin and the top of the head is something I found on the street.  The problem, I have discovered, with spring is the streets get swept and there is not a lot to be found.

Beach Chair Redux

I worked on the beach chair picture again and put in a background and sky.  I also reworked the chair and I am still not happy with the color - too purple.  Maybe I will give it another try, with the chair more blue or gray.  Maybe I should put in the green in the background like the photo?  I'm thinking it is too plain.

 

Painting Day

What a great day to spend on the beach painting.  With only more class to go, I can hardly count myself as a plain air painter but the class did get me painting again.

I chose a difficult subject today but I didn't realize that at first.  I spent an hour making the drawing and I am still not satisfied with it.  I took several pictures and I will paint this again until I get it right or closer to being right.  Here is what I chose:

.

and here is what I ended up with:

I am still not happy with the drawing and it is more purple than I wanted.  I will add in a blue sky and some sand.  Maybe I will practice with water color pencils.

Saturday

I spent a half day working in the dress department and it was total insanity.  First of all, Lord and Taylor carries way too many dresses so it baffles me when someone asks if there are any more in another place.  I was glad to be out of there to see at least part of the day.

A duck flew into the window but apparently it is ok because nothing was on the ground.  Now I have duck goo on the outside of the recently washed window and I was the one whining about how it was not necessary to have window washing twice a year at the condo association meeting.  Boy is my face red.

Painting at the Beach

Class # 3 for Coastal Plein Air.  It was actually warm today and I got a little sun.  Here is what I did today:

I am going to do more touch up on this because I don't like the grass in the foreground and I want to make the house look better.

Class at the Beach

We had our first official class at the beach today.  It was sunny for a change but it was windy and cold.  I was attempting to paint this scene

which ended up looking like this one

I wanted to have an impressionist feel and paint loosely for a change.  I was using a pre primed masonite board for the first time and I plan on priming the next one because I didn't like it at all - much too slippery.  I didn't know how much paint to use and nothing seemed to stay in one place.  I was going to wipe this off but I think I will give it another chance and paint it again, now that I see the photo.

Cinco de Mayo

 Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Since I had to work on Saturday, I missed some celebrations here in Providence and a lot of other things going on that day.

Today I was back in the studio reworking the mailbox picture.  It looks s little better but I have to go back in once again when the paint is drier.  I didn't have my camera with me so I don't have a picture to post.  Tomorrow for sure.  Also the weather looks like it will cooperate so we will be painting on the beach on Wednesday.  I am expecting to be very cold.

New Project

Since it was cold and rainy on the first day of the Coastal Plein Air workshop, we painted indoors instead of going to the beach.  I painted from a picture my sister took in Italy and here is the work in progress:

I wanted to paint in a loose, semi abstract style but I can't help myself.  I spent too much time fussing with details and now I have to wait for the paint to dry so I can fix it and maybe loosen up.   There is something about painting that makes me want to get in there with tiny brushes.

I like the flower pot and the concrete thing it sits on but the rest needs some serious work.

April Over!

April is finally over and I can't remember a month that was so miserable.  I don't think we had more than three days of sun.  By the way, for those who are reading this we New Englanders do a lot of complaining about the weather.

On a lighter note, I was accepted into the Westerly RI open juried show with this:

Truro Cottage

I have done this image several times in various sizes and I was a little surprised that this was the piece they chose.  Tomorrow is the opening but I don't know if I will attend since it is kind of far.  Many thanks to my studio mate Laura who suggested that I enter it.