Figure drawing practice

Joined a figure drawing class tonight at Williams College. It's been 7 years since I've drawn the figure from life. Great practice for me. The figure forces me out of my tedious attention to detail and tight painting to seeing the "object" as a whole solid mass or a landscape with diverse terrain. Poses were 6 min. and 10 min. in duration. These sketches are on 24"x36" newsprint in charcoal.

HSV Gardener

A friend of mine is a professional photographer. I originally, with the approval of his, wanted to do an oil painting of his photograph. It ended up being a drawing instead. There is something illustrative about this drawing/photograph that I love. Thanks Ben for the lovely composed, inspiring subject matter. This was great exercise today. Forgot how much fun drawing with charcoal is. This is an 8"x10" charcoal on watercolor paper.

More glass and fruit

I quite enjoy painting glass with watercolor. This painting is not finished. Posting for artistic input. I am again struggling with the fruit and easily establishing the surface of the glass. I still believe this painting has full potential...

Lemon Reflection

Home sick in bed today but was able to muster up 20 minutes to complete this watercolor. I'm very pleased with the glass and not so much with the lemon. More practice with fruit for me!

Watercolor in progress

This is a still life that I started working on today. It isn't finished yet and I'm afraid of over working it, something I've been known to do with a piece. I'm letting it dry so that I can go back into the lemon and work it's knobby end and give it more volume. Any suggestions?

Odd Still Life

Underpainting of a pear

I'm back to Oil Painting. A good start to a quaint still life. This pear is nicely round and bulbous, a good study.

More still...

In Progress...

My first attempt ever at watercolors. This has been quite an adventure today. A completely different workability than oils. I feel almost forced to paint loosely, which is a good practice for me. I am very pleased so far with the water. I am not sure yet about the pastels, I may darken and earthen this painting up some. More to come...

Back in the saddle again

Hey folks. After two and half years of change in my life I've decided to return to one of my true loves, painting. I have been sketching a bit and have only hopeful intentions of painting again in the near future pending my new transformation of the third bedroom/office into a work space. This is exciting to think about. My creative juices are flowing! Stayed tuned...

My Latest Commission

18" x 24"

Charcoal on Strathmore Bristol 3 ply paper

Commission

16"x20"

Oil on Canvas

This painting was done as a commission for someone who's dog passed away three months ago from an illness.

RBIT postcard and poster

8 x 10

Acrylic on Gessobord

This is a design my daughter and I came up with for the Improv Troupe I belong to named "The Royal Berkshire Improv Troupe". I tried to make it fun, funny and eye catching. I hope it may be used for future performances, marketing etc. The letters RBIT will be printed on the highway just under the belly of the frog. This was pure fun to do. The design of the frog was my daughters creativity.

Another Blog

Hi everybody,

I have started painting in a new style with new materials, to me, with a different approach than my oil paintings. I would love to share them with you. Please take the time to visit my new blog, not to replace this blog. The new blog is called "Whimsy, Wit and Wisdom, paintings with playfulness". I will be posting my newest painting this evening. Let me know what you think! I love to hear your thoughts. You can find my new blog by way of my profile or by clicking on the link on the right of this blog called "paintings with playfullness". Thanks!

Lisa

Laundry Day

8"x 10"

Oil on Gessobord

A Charming, narrow street off the beaten path in Venice, Italy. It's not a typical laundry shot rendered out of Venice but when I examined the photo I'd taken, I decided to crop off the lower two thirds of it and this was the composition that appealed to me. The painting gives me comforting feelings about spring, warmth, the gentle soft fluttering of clothes on a line and the smell of newly cleaned linens. I also appreciate an eco-safe alternative to clothes drying other than an appliance. Time for me to start hanging the clothes on my line as well. I hope this painting evokes pleasant memories for you.

Lemon Martini, #1 and #2

Study of Lemons and glass

5x7
Oil on Gessobord

These paintings were attempted just as an exercise for me but they came out kind of cute so I think I'll sell them in my gallery. I am much happier with the glass on the left but I like the reflection of the lemon in the glass on the right.

Row Boat

8"x10" Oil on Gessobord

View from Hotel San Moise

9"x12"

Oil on Gessobord

I am in my new studio now and painting again. I will be posting a photo of my new studio and "gallery" space tomorrow or the following day.

This painting is another of Venice, Italy. The center of the photo of this painting is quite washed out. It has lost alot of detail and color from the painting. I haven't mastered capturing a great photo of one of my paintings yet.

This is the view I had just outside the entrance to my hotel. I was very lucky to have stayed in such a quaint, charming hotel as Hotel San Moise. I will return to Venice someday.

Please enjoy!!

Still Life of Gourds

8"x10" Oil on Gessobord

Trying something new, dutch masters' style!!

Angolo Veneziano Della Via

8"x10" Oil On Gessobord

Venice painting #2. This painting was done from a photograph I took while traveling through Venice, Italy. This was one of those impulse shots. We were casually strolling down the street when I noticed this corner. It just struck me as being perfectly composed. I loved mostly the angles in this photo. It also caught my eye with its cozy charm. I love wrought iron. This painting was hard not to paint tightly but I feel I did a good job at painting a non-organic subject as loose as I could, one of my struggles as a painter. I am glad I finished it tonight, I was getting a little bored with it. Time to move on.