Grateful Notice

                                                       "Mustard Field", pastel on paper, 15" x 15"
It's been a while since my last post, a very busy summer, with many plein air days. 
I want to give special thanks to a sweet couple from Pennsylvania, who were on a bike trip through the Champlain Islands, and purchased the pastel painting above, "Mustard Field".  They told me that this painting would be a special remembrance of their trip to Vermont.  I am honored.

                                                      "Snow Farm, Across the Road", oil on canvas, 12" x 16"
One of the favorite places I painted this summer was the Snow Farm Vineyard in North Hero Vermont.  It's a beautiful location on the west shore of the island, with many great views. In August, I was fortunate to teach a plein air painting workshop at the vineyard.  It was so much fun, I had terrific students, and the weather was perfect.  I'm hoping to teach many more of these workshops in the future. 
All in all, it was a very productive summer, meeting some wonderful people, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have been able to paint at so many beautiful locations here in the Champlain Islands.

A Celebration of one of Vermont's Beautiful Rivers

 

  Missisquoi Kayak Wanderings, oil on canvas, 30" x 30" 

 

The painting above is one of a series of larger works that I completed over the winter.  I never seem to tire of the beautiful Missisquoi river as a subject. It is one of my favorite places to kayak.  It is always changing; last year the river was very low, now in April it is running high again, overflowing its banks. It is truely a treasure of northern Vermont.

 

 

Orange Grasses, oil on canvas, 24" x 30"

 

This Painting, "Orange Grasses" is one of two paintings that will be included in the "Art on the Refuge" show at the Missisquoi National Refuge open house in Swanton Vermont, from May 18 through July 20. A portion of the proceeds from sales of these paintings will be donated to Friends of the Refuge, an organization that sponsers conservation and preservation,  many events throughout the summer, bird walks and canoe tours to the great blue heron rookery in the Missisquoi Bay each year.  The open house at the refuge will be Saturday May 18, from 10:00  - 3:00 with presentations at 1:00 on birds of the region, and at 2:00 for the art exhibit.  I hope if you are in the area, you will drop in!





Painting My Way Through February

                                             Imaginary Winter Scene, oil on paper, 6" x 6"

                                                      Absrtact, (Michael) oil on paper, 7" x 6"


These are three of the small works on paper I've been doing for the past month.  I've tried to keep up the practice of painting one of these each  day, and for the most part, I have been able to accomplish this.  It's been interesting to experiment and stretch, using all kinds of techniques and tools besides my trusty brushes, pallette knife, sticks,  paper towels, and cardboard.  My goal has been to simplify, simplify, simplify!

                                              Orange Everywhere, oil on paper, 6" x 6"

This way of working has led to some nice small studies that I think I will use as reference for my larger paintings.

 

Amber's Day, and other news

 

                                                              "Amber's Day"
                                                                             oil on canvas, 24" x 30"

Here is one of the new paintings completed this summer.  It is named for my daughter, based on a reference photo she took at the Alburgh Dunes last June.  I just loved the look of that brilliant blue sky and the plane of empty beach.  The perfect June day.  This painting is in the "Art at the Coach Barn Show" at Shelburne Farms, the show features over 100 artists this year and runs from Oct. 18 - Nov.4.

It was a busy summer, and because we had day after day of hot sunny weather, I was able to spend many days outside painting plein air.  My painting partner, Maurie Harrington, and I found ourselves painting many local barns around the Champlain Islands.  We are thinking of turning this into a project of documenting the many beautiful old barns in our region.

                                             "Dawn, Isle La Motte Bridge", oil on canvas, 12" x 24"

This painting is from a series of dawn paintings I have been working on. In April, the sunrise was just east of our bridge to the island, I enjoyed the peace of these early mornings, just the birds and an occasional fish jumping to break the stillness.