Tickets

Tickets - 20x20"

Started a new painting today, a scene from the little carnival that visits Newport every spring.  I've gone almost every year to wander around and take photos.  I like to people watch, see the teenagers checking each other out, listen to them scream as they get spun upside down and around and around on the hair-raising rides that I would never dare get on.  (The ferris wheel is enough of a thrill for me, especially when they stop the ride while you're sitting at the top, and leave you swinging in the breeze!)

I painted a few scenes from the carnival back in 2010, mostly a few close-ups of the food stalls.  This time around I spotted the ticket booth with the flags flapping in the breeze, and immediately saw a painting in the making.  I loved the sharp shadows, the feeling of bright sunshine and heat.  I still have a lot of work to do, especially on Zipper ride, which is rather complex.  I'm itching to finish it.  Until I do, I won't be happy.

Interior Spaces

I've also been working on a series of interiors for a show I'm having later in the year at Gallery Ellipsis in Newport.  One of these paintings is of the People's Cafe on Thames Street in Newport, which I've shown here.  I decided to keep to interiors from Aquidneck Island, which has also included, so far, Jane Pickens Theatre and even Shaws supermarket.  (I'm not a snob when it comes to subject matter!)  I have to admit, though, I do prefer to paint more architecturally interesting subjects, such as Jane Pickens, especially as I'm a bit of a movie fanatic and I love old theatres, but sometimes painting ordinary subjects can make them more interesting, or at least I hope so.

"People's Cafe" - 24x24"

Kittypalooza

Have been working on a few projects over the winter, but my latest involves a lot of kitties.  My local veterinary practice commissioned me to do a small grouping of kitty paintings for their cat exam room.  I love animals, so it's been fantastic to paint what I love most.  Unlike dogs, cats generally have the same shape, but each one is unique, and I've learnt so much about their faces.  If possible, I've come to appreciate their beauty and individuality even more.  Here are three of the portraits.  All but two of the cats, who are resident kitties at the vet's office, are rescue cats from the Potter League, our fantastic local no-kill animal shelter, who I hope have long since been adopted into good homes.  The three shown here are Potter cats.

"Penny" - 8x8"

"Tigger" - 8x8"

"Wylee" - 8x8"

An apple a day...

I decided to do a small still life this afternoon, spur of the moment, taking the apples from my fruit bowl and arranging them in the new red bowl I bought to use for Thanksgiving.  I haven't been able to paint for a week, so this was the perfect subject to cut loose on and splash a bit of color around.  I love the warm color palette, and the chance to loosen up my brushstrokes and just have some fun.

After this, I have two commissions to do before Christmas, which should keep me out of trouble for a while.  It's good to keep busy!

"Apples" - 8x8"

Faux Phooey

Backtracking just a little, in August of this year I entered the Portsmouth Arts Guild's It's Your Masterpiece exhibition, which challenged artists to interpret a masterpiece of their choosing - not to merely copy, but to paint it in their own style and/or add a little something extra.

I chose Edward Hopper, being that he's one of my favorite artists, and his painting "Chop Suey", which I've always admired.  I love Hopper's rich color palette and the mysterious, somewhat solemn atmosphere that pervades a lot of his work.  I attempted to capture that with my interpretation, albeit with a twist - I wanted to modernize it and....well, I also added my cat Bob, just for a bit of fun.

I guess I did something right, as I won the Peoples Choice Award with my attempt, which was rather awesome.  But judge for yourself...

 

"Faux Phooey" - 16x20"

"Chop Suey" by Edward Hopper

Holiday Shows

For more info on the holiday shows I'm exhibiting at, which includes the Portsmouth Arts Guild, Spring Bull Gallery and Gallerie Ellipsis, I've attached contact information and show details for each gallery, or you can click on the links in this post for further info.

 

Horseneck Beach

In early October this year, on a trip to Westport (as chauffeur for hubs who was having sedation dentistry), I found myself at Horseneck Beach, early in the morning, and on a weekday.  I thought perhaps I would take a few pics, enjoy the sunshine, kill some time, but I ended up hanging out there for quite a while, digging my toes in the sand, watching the seagulls and the funny little birds who ran back and forth with the tide, and taking photos until the battery in my camera ran out.  It was such a gorgeous day, and there was hardly anyone around, so I had the beach practically to myself, apart from a few early morning risers catching the last rays of summer or getting some exercise.  I ended up with a tonne of photos, mostly of the waves, the dunes, the long stretch of beach, then over the proceeding weeks I did a series of small 8x8" paintings.  I also took a few pics of the wetlands across the road from Horseneck, so I painted one of those too.  Loved the golden colors of the marshland, as opposed to the cool blues of the ocean.

So now that Christmas is nearly upon us, I've entered my mini-paintings in various holiday shows around Aquidneck Island.  Four are at the Portsmouth Arts Guild, and three each at Spring Bull Gallery and Gallerie Ellipsis, both in Newport.  Here are some of the paintings being exhibited.

"Horseneck Beach" - 8x8"

"Horseneck Clouds" - 8x8"

"Horseneck Dunes" - 8x8"

"Waves" - 8x8"

"Waves II" - 8x8"

"Westport Wetlands" - 8x8"

"Seagull" - 8x8"

I don't think I've had this many paintings exhibited all at once before, in different galleries.  It's kind of exciting.

The Portsmouth Arts Guild show runs until December 22, and the Gallerie Ellipsis and Spring Bull shows open Thursday, December 5 and Saturday, December 7 respectively.