Michelle, our model at the Hyter Group

Michelle was a great model. I love it when the model actually takes some time to think about what they are going to wear and to come up with a theme. Michelle is wearing some kind of African dress, a matching scarf and yes, even her earrings match. She is a beautiful and it was so much fun to paint her. She kept that smile going the entire time and it is the rare model who can bring such warmth to a pose.

SOLD

11" X 14"

Plein Air at the Waterville Arts Council First Annual Plein Air Event

Last Friday and Saturday I participated in a local plain air event. This was the first time the arts council in Waterville hosted an event like this and I give them a lot of credit. It's not an easy thing to plan and if the weather doesn't cooperate you are really in trouble. I especially liked the commemorative wine glass they included in the goody bag.

Friday was chilly, but Saturday was warmer and sunny.

I painted a street scene on Friday featuring a legendary diner called the Koral Hamburg & Diner and kept my friend Jim company when he wasn't teaching all the little kids in town how to paint.

Pretty Pink Petals, Painted Impressionistically :)

 

9"x12"

oil on linen

These roses were left on my desk last Friday in a plastic root bear bottle that someone cut the top from and used as a makeshift vase. When I got them they had obviously been in water for a few days already. I suppose they were a gift from a thoughtful co-worker who couldn't bear to throw them away while they still looked so pretty. And while they were absolutely gorgeous I could tell they wouldn't last the weekend so I took them home, found a nicer container and painted them that same evening. I knew they would not retain their good looks into Saturday.

So this is a typical alla prima painting painted very quickly and roses are hard to paint for me when I'm NOT in a hurry, so it is what it is. I was forced to keep the flowers loose and impressionistic, and didn't even try to render a lot of detail. It just felt good to paint after a week or more of dealing with my remodeling projects.

This week I am attending a Paintout sponsored by the Waterville Arts Council and the weather sounds like it will be perfect, so I'll get a bit more painting time in. Then it's back to the remodel project, which will require more priming and painting of walls! I expect the work to be complete by the end of June and then perhaps I can take a few breaths and relax awhile.

I have aqua colored glass in the bottom of the clear glass vase and that's what  gives this painting all the wonderful cool reflections, in addition to the fuchsia colored roses.