An unusual commission

Usually when people commission me to do a painting, they have a specific idea of what they want. When my former brother in law requested I paint 3 paintings for each of his grown children for a Christmas present, he told me to decide what to paint. He gave me a budget and a time frame. It was freeing, but at the same time daunting. I had only kept in touch through facebook since my divorce almost 50 years earlier.  I had spent a lot of time with them when they were little at Cape Cod. This seemed like the obvious choice for me as it connected us with memories at their grandparents summer home in Brewster.

When I was trying to decide what to paint, I wanted to have two paintings that were  completely different but definitely and completely connected, because that is how I always think of the twins. 

My thoughts of times shared at the Brewster house seemed the perfect choice. The place is so beautiful (like the two of them) and offered great memories as well as many choices for subject matter.

So here are my paintings  of the Brewster beach. This was one of those rare times that low tide coincides with sunset and the flats reflect the light in all it's glory. 

It is a cosmic experience-same night, same beach, two different views. My daughter suggested they could trade the paintings back and forth or even take turns hanging them together.  I hope that they bring joy for years to come.

 

Filoli Rose

On a recent trip to CA, my daughter took us to Filoli. in Woodside, CA. (https://filoli.org/ ) The place was incredible. The history and the formal gardens were captivating.  I knew immediately that I had to paint something to commemorate the experience. My own roses always end up with japenese beetles. The roses here were perfection. SO the decision was an easy one.

I choose to paint looking into the rose itself with it's varying shades of pinks and peach hues and it's highlights and shadows. I cropped it to focus on that particular aspect rather than the shape of the entire rose itself. It was challenging to try and capture the feeling of depth and the curling petals. In the end, it was rewarding to have a little bit of Filoli on  my canvas.

 

My Hollyhock obsession

 This 12x36 canvas seemed to call out to me to paint more hollyhocks. It was during Covid and most of my painting was plein air in my yard or working from photos. These gorgeous flowers growing right by the back door were a no brainer. Because the yard sloped down in back, the hollyhocks stood out against the clear blue sky. Having only a few feet between my subject and my canvas gives an intimate view into the flowers themselves.  I liked the immediacy of the experience, the multiple views of the flowers themselves as they rotated around the stalks and the various stages of development from buds to full blooms. The pink and red flowers allowed for mixing a range of values with a very limited palette. I intentionally let the lower section begin to dissolve into an abstarct area to keep the viewer in the scene. This painting won first place at the Patriot Place  Gallery show. I  am keeping this one  for myself.

Painting Plein Air in the back yard

Painting plein air in my own backyard provides me with multiple possibilities, a convenient setting for taking breaks, and an opportunity to revisit the same spot on multiple days with the assurance that it will remain unchanged. This 18x24 painting, "Standing Tall" was done over several days.  Being able to look into the flowers and see the subtle variations in color is something that can't be done using a photo reference. These particular flowers grow along the edge of my vegetable garden. The woods that are behind provide a deep dark backdrop to the scene. The rhythmic pattern of the leaves and flowers creates a  pleasing path moving the viewer through the painting. The vertical repetition gives a sense of regal importance to these beauties as they rise up tall and impressive along the fence. The reds and greens create a natural color harmony and a warmth to the sunlit flowers. 

 

These Martha Washington peonies grow outside my back door. Peonies are one of my favorite flowers and over the years I have added different varities to my gardens. To me, this variety is one of the most bautiful. During Covid most of my painting was done outside in my yard. This is one of those paintings. The beautiful centers contrasting with the pink petals is part of what I love about these flowers; so I decided to focus on them close up and detailed rather than in a big bunch. The rich red green color harmony and the beautiful texture of the petals stand out against the neutral negative spaces. This painting was recently selected for the Norwood Art association cover photo for their facebook page. The painting sold immediately after I painted it. I set up some paintings on easels in my yard for one of my collectors who was missing coming to the gallery while we were closed for Covid. She immediately picked out this one. She told me my paintings brought her happiness.

I'll Always be by your side

This 16x20 oil painting is dedicated to my brother, Ken, who was always there for me. We grew up with a beach house in Marshfield MA that our grandfather built. Growing up, we spent every summer and most weekends there. When we arrived on the weekends we woud walk to the beach to see what changes happened since our last visit. Walking through the dunes to get to the beach always brought anticipation of what lay just ahead. We never know what lies ahead. We had a shared childhood and he was the only one who knew me since birth after our parents died. I hoped he would get to see this painting, but unfortunately we lost him before that happened. The painting was to be a beacon of optimism. In a way it still is. We had so many great years together and this is a tribute to that now. The path being traveled is symbolic in this painting. We never know what lies ahead.

Boys and their trucks-Pure Joy!

< These best buddies romping through the field are cousins. They love their trucks and their time at Lake Dillon with Grandparents and family. This 16x20 oil painting tries to capture the joy of youth. I eliminated the boats that were up close and emphasized the setting that brings so much joy. The vast space, with both the lake and mountains, brings a feeling of limitless freedom. The midday sun enhances the bright colors and highlights the boys as the main subject-the vehicle of this JOY. The color harmony of the landscape is incorporated in the boys clothing. The trucks, although small, stand out as their colors contrast with the blues, greens and violets. The boys connection is both physical and spiritual. These cousins were born only 2 months apart and have been inseperable. Hopefully that connection will continue throughout their lives.