Still Life with Plaster Bust

"Head of Athena in Black and White" (16"X12", Oil on Canvas, $300)

When I was doing the three plaster bust portraits in color (mentioned in the last post) as homework for my painting class, I was doing this black-and-white study in class. It felt freeing to paint this way, but I was anxious to apply it to color, so I did.

I did pretty well with this painting. Luckily, the bust itself was painted this shade of light gray and was set against a darker gray background on a gray table so as not to be confusing. In that way, this is actually a full-color painting!

I really loved taking painting classes, but the cost was prohibitive. I plan to take more classes as soon as I have more money for such pursuits.

I learned an awful lot in that class, most of which makes itself seen in this picture. It's all subtle stuff, but it adds up to my having learned something important at each session which results in being able to render things more thoughtfully and quickly.

Still Life with Plaster Bust

"Great Grandma's Plaster Bust" (16"X12", Oil on Canvas, $450)

When I did this painting I was in a painting class and was doing this as my self-imposed bit of homework. The plaster bust in question belonged to my father's mother. She lived in Orange, CT, which is right next to New Haven. She had two plaster busts in the house: one of my father as a child and this one here. My father isn't too sure about whether the child's bust is actually of him and he's similarly doubtful about this one's origins. It may just be a store-bought piece, but I guess we'll never know.

It's quite well done and has a languid expression that I did my best to capture. I'll try again when I can get back to painting and I feel I'll be able to do better. The main reason being that I did three portraits of this bust as homework. This is the best one. I'll probably paint over the others, either to do this subject again or to do something else.

You can see the red paisley-patterned throw that I talked about in other posts being used again as a background and I loved painting it. Flowing fabrics are such a joy to paint, with their large shapes and subtle shadows. I also liked the fact that this red background warmed up the cool look of the plaster and added motion to the picture.

Still Life with Pitcher and Wicker Chair

"Stoneware Pitcher and Wooden Bowl on an Wicker Chair" (11"X14", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

All these things came from my grandmother's house after she passed. The chair and bowl are from the 1840's. In fact, the chair is said to be from Abraham Lincoln's White House. I won't go into the full story here, but suffice to say that I have two Lincoln White House chairs.

The pitcher was a gift from an artist couple that my grandparents knew. My grandfather was an artist, as well as the art editor at a couple New York art magazines. So they knew lots of artists and my grandfather (who I never knew) was a real charmer. Lots of gifts came into their house over the years. This stoneware pitcher was made by M.A. Hadly. I don't know if that's a famous artist now, but that's what's on the bottom of the pitcher. It's really quite nice, with its cobalt-painted horse design.

The bowl is probably more collectible, as it's quite old and carved from a single large block of wood. The bowl and the pitcher both sit on the same red paisley-patterned spread that's seen in other posts. The painting was done in my old apartment on Beacon St in Brookline. It was an old and quite large apartment and a bit of the floor molding peeks up to the right of the bowl. The walls were horsehair plaster-and-lath construction with layers of wallpaper over that, and one of the many cracks in the paper shows itself on the whitewashed wall.

Still Life with Onions and Limes

"Red Onions and Green Limes" (11"X14, Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

Here's another example of my common approach to still life painting. Divide the canvas in to quadrants and do four setups that all ow me to explore the foreground/background dynamics and various overlapping schemes. As in earlier posts, this shows the objects kind of 'floating' on a monochrome background, but with massed shadows tying them to the 'surface', which gives the information needed to see that they're being seen from a slightly higher vantage point.

I like the combination of the colors, especially since I know that red and green are complimentary colors. I also like to think about what I'd like to make with these ingredients. I think I mentioned in an earlier post that chicken would be a good vehicle for garlic and limes. Red onion and limes would be another candidate for a chicken recipe. If you know of one, leave a comment that tells me about it.

still Life with Carved Horse Head

"Antique Horse Head Objet d'Art" (16"X12", Oil on Canvas, $450)

Another small item from my grandmother's house in Rockport. This was a tabletop object and didn't have a flat side or a pair, so it wasn't half of a set of bookends. It's pretty old, and I'm pretty sure it was just for sitting around. I was always intrigued by it (it was part of a horse collection that my grandmother kept in the den), with it's startled or determined look, and it's close-cropped mane. It must have been modeled on a military or police horse. I also always wondered if the rest of the horse was rearing up and kicking his front legs. Why else would his ears be turned backwards and his chin tucked in like this? I know there's no reins or anything in the sculpture, but I figured the artist left them out as distracting from the horse.

With the stone base, this hardwood-carved object is quite heavy, which adds a little to its air of 'importance'. I like the coloring of the wood and the overall smoothness of the old carving, as well as the purple-grayness of the stone base. Just the shape of this carving of the noble beast's head gives me an understanding of why so many people so passionately love their horses.

Still Life with Dying Lion

"To the Loyalty and Bravery of the Swiss - 1792" (12"X16", Oil on Canvas, $450)

This small carved-wood object is something that always hung in my grandmother's bedroom. She got it on a trip to Switzerland when she was a teenage girl. It's a tiny version of a very large sculpture in Lucerne, which is carved into the granite wall above a large pool of water.

The original is quite old and goes back to the French Revolution. It's a tribute to the Swiss Guard who were sent to France when the Revolution was brewing. Their duty was to protect Marie Antoinette. They fought bravely and loyally when the peasants finally got through to the queen, but in the end they were all killed and Marie Antoinette went to the gilloutine. (If you google the Latin phrase which makes the title of this piece, you can see the actual sculpture.)

I was always fascinated by this little carving and was happy to get it when my grandmother passed. I was also glad to have met two Swiss women who came to my display at an arts show in Boston last year. They recognized the sculpture in the painting and were interested to ask what I knew about it. I told them the history and was surprised to find out that they didn't know the Swiss lion's history! Apparently these carvings were quite popular in my grandmother's time - every house in Switzerland had one on the wall - but I guess the later generations lost track of the significance. I can't say that I know all of American History, either.

Still Lifes with Hammer and Tongs

Ice Hammer and Ice Tongs Under the Sink #1 (11"X14", Oil on Canvas, $325)

Ice Hammer and Ice Tongs by the Sink #2 (14"X11", Oil on Canvas, $325)

"Rusty Hand Hammer by the Sink" (16"X12", Oil on Canvas, $450)

"Ice Hammer and Ice Tongs by the Sink" (16"X12", Oil on Canvas, $400)

This is a suite of paintings much like the four pepper paintings in the earlier post. I like doing series of paintings, since they allow me to take an idea further than I otherwise might. By playing with different compositions I'm able to bring different elements out of the subject matter.

I came across these tools in the back of a building that was being re-habbed in the North End. They were to be thrown out with the rest of the junk, or taken by the scrap-metal man. I knew that I had to have them the moment I saw them. I could feel the history pouring off them.

These tools were used by the ice men that served the North End from the 1800's through the end of World War II. Big horse-drawn wagons would stop at each house and the ice man would hop out, carrying a hand hammer and a pair of ice tongs - this hand hammer and these very ice tongs. After using the hammer with its chisel-like claw to knock, and then rough out a big cube of ice from the slab in back, he would grab it with the tongs, sling it over his shoulder and haul it into the apartments of his customers and load it into their ice-boxes. What stories these tools could tell of life in the North End!

I truly enjoyed capturing the curves and weight of these now-rusty iron implements. I'll use them again in a painting some day, with a strong male figure and a horse, to recall the days of the ice wagon and the hard-working ice man.

Still Lifes with Peppers

"Four Sides of a Yellow Pepper" (18"X14", Oil on Canvas, $400)

"Four Sides of an Orange Pepper" (18"X14", Oil on Canvas, $400)

"Four Sides of a Red Pepper" (18"X14", Oil on Canvas, $400)

"Four Sides of a Green Pepper" (18"X14", Oil on Canvas, $400)

These four paintings can be seen as a suite of pictures that would fill a wall in a line, or two- over-two. I painted them to give people choices about what they liked in the food-painting realm of my work. The red pepper one is actually a re-paint, since some nice lady liked that color the most and only wanted that one.

I really had fun doing these paintings. Applying the principles of wet background, lost edges and complimentary colors to create the shadows on the surface of each pepper led to lots of good passages all throughout the four paintings. My mother likes the painting of the green one best. Which one do you like the best?

After doing the paintings, all these peppers found themselves in various salads. I must say that I find orange and yellow peppers to be the sweetest, red peppers to be the richest and green peppers to have the most classic "pepper" taste. Can you smell the roasted peppers and onions yet? Tina (my fiancee) used to cook them up when she lived alone, just to get that smell in the house. Now I cook them up all the time, just to get that taste in our dinner.

Still Life with Bananas and Limes

"Bananas and Limes" (11"X14", Oil on Canvas, $325)

Here's the other painting I mentioned in the last post. It works well with the other one and has the same dimensions to make them fairly look like bookends. All the same ideas are here: the floating objects, the massed shadows and the plain, warm background. Also food.

The small size of these paintings makes them easy to fit with a group of other still lifes and easy to display when I do shows.

I like the curvy shapes of bananas and the variety of poses they can be put in. They always look casual and the yellow color always looks friendly.

Still Life with Bananas, Apples and Limes

"Bananas, Apples and Limes" (11"X14", Oil on Canvas, $325)

I wanted to put a few elements into this composition, so as to be able to put some things in front of other things. I kept the objects 'floating in space', but massed the shadows and gave them some direction so they wouldn't seem rootless.

This painting and another small one flank the small gas fireplace that Tina and I have in our living room. I like them both, but I'd also like to try these subjects again. I like the subject matter and I like the colors. I also like the shadow shapes and how they lose a bit of sharpness as they get further from the objects. This one would be particularly nice in an entry way or a kitchen. I think that in the breakfast nook or on the patio would also be ideal. For now I have to keep it flanking the fireplace since our apartment is full of stuff and we don't have any of those other spaces.

Still Life with Sunflowers

"Four Sunflowers in a Clear Vase (the 4 Stages)" (20"X16", Oil on Canvas, $500)

I did this painting a few years ago and I think it still holds up. I used the thin wet background mentioned in the previous post and laid thicker paint on top to make the subject matter stand out and have some dimensional presence. Lots of people seem to like this one and I plan to include it in a still life show this summer at Boston City Hall.

The stems seem to break as they go into the water and the colors of the unpainted surrounding objects refract through the vase.

'The Four Stages' of the title refers to the principle in Ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement) where flowers are trimmed and positioned to tell a story. In this case, it's the four stages of life: youth, maturity, old age and death. I try to put small elements of the things I've picked up over the years into my paintings. The big Ikebana book that a friend's mother used to keep on her coffee table and the time I spent leafing through it is one of them. I think the intentionality of the arrangement is calming and contemplative.

Still Life with Yellow Peppers

"Four Yellow Peppers on a Field of Siena" (20"X16", Oil on Canvas, $450)

Four views can be just as much fun as nine views. In the previous group of posts I showed a few of my 3X3 compositions, the next bunch will be 2X2. This was the first one and is a little bigger than the full set of pepper paintings That I'll post next.

I like the lost edges that surround the pepper, knocking little bits of definition from the outlines at various spots all around the peppers. Lost edges are important to create an atmospheric feeling in a painting. I really enjoy looking at objects and seeing where I'd put a lost edge if I were doing a painting at that moment.

Contrast is also important for bringing certain elements forward and pushing others into the background. It's fun to play with such relationships and see what the effect will be when the brush is lifted from the canvas. A thinly painted and wet background is pretty ideal for doing all the push/pull, lost/found stuff that this painting takes advantage of.

Still Life with Pears

"Nine Pears in the Orange Dish" (20"X20", Oil on Canvas, $650)

This is another of my 'nine' series (or 3X3, if you like) of foods paintings for interiors like kitchens or dining rooms. I had a good time painting this one and I liked applying the thick paint that makes the dish so bright. The thick paint made lighting the canvas difficult for this photo, as the glare was a chronic problem.

The concept of putting the different views left to right and the same section of the dish top to bottom helped unify the composition. This layout and colors look more eye-catching in person and I enjoy seeing the response of people at shows when they see it for the first time. I plan to do more of these square (or 'cubed') canvases, perhaps using onions or green apples as my subject. I guess I just like painting foods.

Still Life with Green Peppers

"Nine Views of a Greenish Pepper" (20"X20", Oil on Canvas, $650)

No burnt orange dish here, but the 'nine views' concept shows itself to good effect. I also have a series of paintings that use a 'four views' concept, which I'll post later.

As usual, this one would look good in a kitchen, especially one where mixed salads are routinely prepared, or a restaurant where such salads are routinely eaten. The mixing of orange and green in this particular pepper (long since consumed) makes it look more delicious, and the various color shapes made it easy to turn it nine different ways for nine different 'views'.

Still Life with Apples

"Nine Views of an Apple in the Orange Dish" (24"X24", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

Again with the orange dish. This time I used it as a background for an apple, which I kept in the same position for three renditions while moving it around the dish a little. The colors are brighter than seen here, but I couldn't re-shoot it since I don't own it anymore. I like the concept of the composition and I've used it a few times, as you may notice later.

The apples here look pretty juicy, and the paint is thickly applied. I happen to know that the buyer put it in a dining room, so my food-centric approach to still life painting was borne out here.

Painting simple shapes, like oranges and limes is a good way to simplify your approach to painting, at least according to my favorite painting instructor. I've done that here, but the apple shape is a little more involved. I look forward to doing apple paintings again soon.

Still Life with Garlic and Limes

"Garlic and Limes in the Orange Dish" (14"X18", Oil on Canvas, $500)

Here's the burnt orange enamel dish again, and some limes. I told you I liked limes. I also like garlic, but mostly just use it to cook with. I can imagine a chicken dish that would be great with both limes and garlic. It sounds a little Asian, I guess.

This painting was based on massing shadows within a sharp light source. You can see the ellipse of the dish within the ellipse of light that frames the scene. I hope someone in the world has a rustic-style kitchen with lighting that would complement this light/shadow study. I like the bold mood in this painting and I'd like to do more like it.

Still Life with Kiwis and Limes

"Kiwis and a Lime in the Orange Dish" (11"X14", Oil on Canvas, $325)

As mentioned before, this orange dish is one of my favorite objects to paint. It's shiny burnt orange color and the elliptical shape (when seen on an angle) make it a natural for me. Here, it sits on a little platform, almost in the shadow of my studio sink.

I also like painting limes, as you'll notice in other still lifes (as well as eating them, so they're always around the house; these may be the only kiwis I've done, but they're always around, too) along with other elements. I think it makes them work well in kitchen settings, which makes them appealing and easier to sell. I have this one hanging in my bedroom now and I suppose it works there, too.

Still Life with Bowl and Pitchers

"Tabletop with White Pitchers and Cobalt Bowl" (16"X12", Oil on Canvas, $450)

These white porcelain pitchers are in my studio, as well as the antique cinnamon shaker and the inlaid wooden horse dish. There's another wooden dish inlaid with ducks, but I like the horse one. They're all antiques and they belonged to my grandmother. The 'new' element is the cobalt blue dish which is normally in my living room. I like painting ellipses and especially blue glass ones. The red paisley-patterned bedspread (used as a backdrop) seen here makes a few appearances in other paintings that I'll post later.

I like the sense of calm that comes from the use of the old wooden and porcelain objects, and the blue object, which is classically calming. I also like horses.

Still Life with Bananas and a Persimmon

"Tabletop with Espresso Set and Breakfast Fruit" (11"X14", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

The wooden 'pin box' of my late grandmother makes another appearance in this painting, also done in my old bedroom. The white porcelain espresso cup and maker are clearly the focus, echoing the porcelain knobs of the pin box. The ripe persimmon has color elements in the wood and the bananas harmonize with the table.

The leaf at the top of the persimmon is actually the thin viridian green underpainting showing through. It was the right color, so I left it. The underpainting shows again in the right corner behind the decorative small glass vase, but mostly as a way of harmonizing with the leaves.

This was one of my very first still life paintings after learning some of the principles.

Still Life with Lemon Slices Painting

"Tabletop with Lemon Slices on a Dish" (12"X12", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

This is another composition using the objects that surround me, this time in my old bedroom. The 'pin box' in the background (with the little porcelain handles) and the small wood box in the middle foreground both once belonged to my grandmother and date from before the Civil War. I was glad to have them as a legacy after she passed.

I like the combination of blue and brown, so this set up came pretty naturally to my eye. The yellow of the lemon slices find their harmony in some of the highlights on the wooden objects, like the arched top of the mirror against the wall in the upper left corner.

I also like the way the cast shadow of the small cobalt blue glass bowl shows the translucency of the bowl, making the shadow itself blue.

Sunflower Still Life Oil Painting

"Single Sunflower in a Striped Vase" (14"X11", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

This small painting was done with items I had lying around the studio. I liked the look of the setup in the corner I had constructed and the warm elements played well off the cool ones. The orange enamel dish is a favorite item of mine, and it makes an appearance in a few of my still life paintings.

I learned that it's important to have some elements overlapping in a still life setup, and to have a point of view that looks down on the grouping. I find that generally works well, and the more interesting the viewpoint the better.

Border Collie Watercolor

"Lady, Sit - Shake... Good Dog" (16"X12", Watercolor, SOLD)

This was done as a Christmas Present. Lady has actually been gone since the mid-60's, but is well-remembered by all who knew and loved her. It's hard to tell from this picture, but Lady was actually a runt and always wanted to be around people. She also always sat to the side, on one hip, as seen here. I feel this picture came out quite nice, considering I was working from one small photo from so long ago. When it was given, the recipient cried for her lost dog. I was quite touched and happy to hear that my picture had been so effective.

Bailey on the Deck

"Bailey on the Deck" (16"X12", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

This dog seems quite happy to be partially in the house and mostly on the deck, which was explained to me as being his usual method of relaxation in the summer, and the way his owners wanted him depicted. I can imagine that he likes the fresh air as well as the coolness of this shaded wooden deck. He lives in the North End and I see him out with his owners occasionally. I don't think he really cares about the fact that they thought enough of him to want his portrait painted. I think he just wants to relax - partially in and mostly out.

Wagging Mutt Watercolor

"Getting Ready to go Outside" (12"X16", Watercolor, $125)

Mutts are always compelling, and they have all the attributes that I like in a dog. They generally weigh about 40 lbs.; are short-haired; don't bark much; are very loyal and are generally very healthy. All the problems that come from pure-breeding dogs are absent in mutts, and left to their own devices, all dogs would become mutts like the one pictured here after a few short generations.

This little guy looks like he's ready to go out and be his doggish self. I like the mischief in his dark eyes.

Pug Watercolor

"Smiling Pug looking for a Snack" (12"X16", Watercolor, $150)

I love pugs. I didn't used t, but I have come to really like their enthusiasm and their smiling faces. This is a rather tubby one, but that only makes him seem more robust to me.

I often think about owning a black pug, and if I ever do get a dog I think that will be the one that I get. I'll name him "Sargent" after John Singer Sargent, my favorite painter.

I think this watercolor came out quite well, with the folds in the skin and the buttery color of the fur. I also like his eyes that seem to be saying, "You and I could be good friends."

Tabby Cat Painting

"Puddy Tat says, 'Come Closer'" (12"X16", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

This was another Posthumous portrait. Puddy Tat was a beloved cat and the owners wanted to be sure that she was memorialized with a painting. The wife in the couple is quite a good photographer and so was able to provide a very nice photo to work from. I think the result is quite good and Puddy's owners thought so, too. They also bought some note cards with this image, but haven't been able to send any of them. I suppose in time they'll be able to let them go in the mail.

I like the delicate natural lighting and the sense of feline calm that comes across in this painting and adds to the dignity of the animal. I also like the playful paw reflected in the polished floor.

Pomeranian Watercolor

"Pomeranian Pup on the Lawn" (12"X16", Watercolor, $150)

Pomeranians are some of the cutest dogs around, but rather high-strung. I imagine that their owners have a great time with them, their coats can be cut in so many different ways, and they get so fluffy in winter. When summer comes it's nice to see a Pomeranian with a Teddy Bear Cut, since I'm sure it gives them some relief from the heat. I know it's a little strange, but I also like to see the Lion Cut that some Pomeranians get. The first time I ever saw one I had to pull the car over and get a closer look.

I like the effect that the orange coat and the green background have on the eye.

Jack Russell Terrier Painting

"Maura Loves the Seashore - and You" (12"X16", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

This is another one of my favorite paintings of pets. I loved the photo I worked from and was happy to see that I could include the beach and the ocean in the background. Maura is quite a nice little dog and also quite smart.

She was sleeping on her owner's stomach after playing on the beach, relaxing on the terry cloth bathrobe. A slight shift of weight got her attention and elicited this sweet expression, as if she's saying, "this is the best day - I love you".

Maura's owner loves this painting so much that it took the place of her husband's photo on the mantle piece.

Horse Portrait

"Jim in the Stall" (16"X12", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

This was actually a posthumous portrait. Jim had passed away and the owner's husband wanted to have this for his wife, to remember Jim by. His stall in the horsebarn was the place where he could normally be seen, so that's where he was depicted. I was instructed to get the horse's little moustache into the painting, as well as his way of looking straight-on at whatever had his attention. I worked from photos, and I think it turned out well. I like painting horses and I hope to do more portraits of them.

Japanese Chins Painting

"Sam and Tom - Distracted and Curious" (12"X16", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

I did this painting for a woman in California and shipped it to her in time for Christmas. She called me to say that she had received it and that she loved it. I was happy to hear her say so, since I think it came out very nice, especially considering the dark, flash photo that I worked from to create it. I was glad to include the hand holding up the dog on the left, since it adds interest and shows the size of these small dogs.

Japanese Chins are particularly devoted to their owners and have been bred for their affection and their even tempers. If you like small dogs, I think these pups are quite a good choice.

Black Lab Puppy Painting

"Jake and Jack - A Kiss Behind the Ear" (12"X16", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

I might be inclined to post this painting in with figure paintings that I've done, but I see it as a pet portrait that includes a squealing little boy. The buyer wouldn't go for a picture of just the dog, so I charged more and included the picture of Jack. I'm sure he looks completely different by this time. It was a big hit with the grandmother, who the commission was done as a gift for. I still have the effusive thank you note that the buyer sent me.

You can see the pup's cold wet nose pushing the boy's ear and making him squeal. Jake has a playful grip on Jack's coverall straps, and is still small enough to take Jack for another pup.

Bichon Frise on the Porch

"Iris on the Sunny Porch in Rockport" (16"X12", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

This painting shows my mother's friend Mary and her little Bichon-Frise, Iris. It was actually a commission from my mother as a gift for Mary. I did this in Rockport as Iris played on my mother's porch (You maybe able to recognize this bright red porch from an earlier post of a painting that was done from out in the yard).

Iris is such a cutie and likes to greet anyone who comes by and invite them to play. She likes to play 'chase'. I've always loved the endearing lamb-like appearance of Bichons and the density of their delightful fur.

Geraman Shepherd Watercolor

"Samson on the Porch" (8"X12", Watercolor, SOLD)

It's not really accurate to say that this one is 'sold', since it was done as a 'thank you' to a couple that Tina and I visited in Seattle, staying at their house for a few days. Their dog, Samson, was a real sweetheart and was very obedient. I certainly wouldn't want to be an intruder in this house, come face-to-face with this dog, and then hear from the owner saying, "Samson - Protect!" On the other hand, I can certainly attest to the fact that he was always friendly and calm - and happy to go for long walks with whoever would take him.

Collie Dog on the Rug

"Bessie on the Oriental Rug" (12"X16", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

This is the painting mentioned in the previous post where I was able to put in the rug and a bit of the fireplace andirons in the upper left corner. This is one of my favorite paintings of animals that I've done, mostly because the dog itself is so beautiful, and also because of the luxurious setting. I like the warmth of the dog's coat and how it's set off by the pale blue details in the rug. I always think of Collie dogs as being rather like lions, with their dramatic manes.

Doberman Watercolor

"Franklin on the Beach" (16"X12", Watercolor, SOLD)

This was a commission that I had to do from photos where the dog was inside. I had to put in the pale background because the owner didn't want to see anything that would distract from her dog. (In another painting, of a Collie, I was able to put in the Asian rug that I think added a lot to the painting - take a look for it)

I especially like the lanky paws (that break the 'picture frame') and the sheen of the coat that shows the health of this particularly regal dog. The droopy ear is part of the package.

Newfoundland Watercolor

"Newfie with Stick - Let's Play!" (12"X16", Watercolor, SOLD)

This was actually my very first pet portrait and I got lots of great feedback for it. Everyone loves to see a happy dog, romping around and looking to play. I liked having the dog seem to jump out of the inner 'picture frame' with the white tip of his tail and front paws. The markings on this Newfoundland are also nice and warm, making it easy to push the colors and keep him looking friendly and happy.

Weimeraner Watercolor

"Sophie Resting on the Couch" (8"X12", Watercolor, $100)

This is a small, quick piece that I did while visiting some friends. I think Sophie would like to have a snack more than anything else. I was happy to have her stay pretty still for the duration of this little portrait.

Weimeraners have such expressive eyes and such patience for anything they perceive as being expected of them. They make good subjects for paintings and photography, and pretty good stand-ins for human emotions, such as longing and faithfulness.

Daschund Pet Portrait

"Zorro Relaxing in the Shade - Rockport, MA" (12"X16", Oil on Canvas, SOLD)

This is just one of the many pet portraits that I've done as a sideline while also painting scenes of the North End, Italy, etc. I love painting animals and trying to get something into the painting that expresses the animal's personality.

This little guy is resting on the cedar mulch under the bushes that line the driveway of his home in Rockport. I did a good job of getting a likeness, and I hope he's still smiling today.

Watercolor - Lake Sebago, Maine

"View from the Porch - Lake Sebago, Maine" (Watercolor, 8"X12", $100)

In an earlier post about Maine, I talked about the end of the day, when the sun would sparkle off the lake and I'd be on the screened-in porch, sipping wine and eating snacks. This is it. The picture is framed at the bottom and on the right by the screened window. The sparkles on the lake take tiny bites out of the pine tree trunks in the way. The low blueberry bushes are visible on the left and the mountains are seen faintly in the background. The mosses and patchy grass make patterns on the ground while the pump house for the cabins makes an appearance down by the water.

I can really feel the experience that I talked about at length in my first Maine post, "The Diving Float on Shingle Cove". That was for an oil painting, but I really enjoy the speed and vitality of doing watercolors in Maine. I also like the 'watercolor technique' in this picture, which makes the ground blend richly with browns and greens, while I used the edge of a wax candle to mask out the 'bites' of light up and down the tree trunks and through the overhanging branches.

I look forward to having more real experiences in Maine that make me feel the way this picture makes me virtually experience. I'm glad that I've taken the time to record on paper the things around me and to have taken the time on this blog to remember those things. I hope you can feel some of the same things and that you'll leave a comment below. Thanks for your time.

Watercolor - Lake Sebago, Maine

"Fun on the Diving Float - Lake Sebago, Maine" (Watercolor, 11"X14", $150)

I was sitting on the beach, under a stand of White Birches and watching the young son of the family we used to go to the cabins with play on the diving float with his dad and a friend. The float was pulled close to shore because the friend was a little squeamish about the water. That's him in the inner tube, keeping to the shallows. The father is on the left while his son is stepping back to take a running jump - probably on top of his friend. Their sailboat-of-the-year (they would sell them and buy a new-used one each summer) is on the beach with its sail slack, its rudder in the air and its tiller folded, waiting for someone to decide on a sail.

The tangle of trees and undergrowth along the bank fades into abstractness on the right. I think I was too distracted to do it quite properly; I wanted to get in there and have some fun myself - not do this 'artistic homework' - but I'm glad I persevered at least as long as I did. I like this picture and it certainly reminds me of the good times and the daily routine of activity and relaxation in fairly equal measure.

The morning routine that Tina and I had was to wake up early and go for a swim around the cove on the silent, still lake before anyone else had risen. Then a hot shower in the cabin followed by a breakfast of waffles, bacon, fresh fruit-filled granola and coffee. Probably a toasted bagel with butter, and a banana would make its way in there, but fresh blueberries was always a feature on the waffles and the granola. This is Maine in the summer, after all.

After breakfast, at about 8:30 or 9am, the long day of relaxing could begin: more swimming, and snorkeling (my favorite thing - spying on the fish in the rock pile at the other end of the beach) and lots of diving off the float. Exploring outside the cove (with snorkels) is also a favorite activity. Lunchtime was loose, as well as the continued swimming and outdoor painting schedule. It wouldn't be any fun if it felt like 'homework', now would it?

Watercolor - Lake Sebago, Maine

"Adirondack Chair Overlooking the Cove - Lake Sebago, Maine" (Watercolor, 14"X11", $150)

This is another watercolor from our summer times in Maine. The Adirondack chair seen here is one of four that sits around a low wood table that's used for breakfasts and lunches outdoors. There's also a long wooden picnic-style table, but I like to use this one - it feels more private. This one is right outside and down the rise from our cabin, while the picnic table is next to the BBQ pit.

You can see the mouth of the cove on the right along with the tall pines on the point that mark the entrance. The beach is behind the chair, down and to the side, directly across from the cove's mouth. Low blueberry bushes grow all along the edges of the water, and a high bush is at the edge of the beach. This was painted on the last day of one year's visit and the sadness of leaving is visible in the picture. We were unable to go this last year, because the cabins were being completely done over - The campground and property were bought by a new family three years ago - from wood frame structures built in the 1920's to stone versions with a little larger footprint. I hope we can afford to go back and see the new ones for a week this coming year.

The mountains around the lake are visible in the background and the rocks at the point are visible in the water. I know those things won't have changed, and I hope that not too much else has changed at Lake Sebago. I'll certainly blog about it if we go this year.

Watercolor - Lake Sebago, Maine

"Boats on Shingle Cove Beach - Lake Sebago, Maine" (14"X11", Watercolor, $150)

I've only done one oil painting of my trips to Maine, which I focused on in the previous post, but I've done a few watercolors on-site while relaxing in the afternoon. It's all part of the laid-back agenda that makes a week at Lake Sebago in the summer so wonderful for me.

This picture was made while sitting in a beach chair on a little spit of sand adjacent from the sandy beach and across from the four cabins that make up the whole cove. The cabin that Tina and I have stayed in fir the past nine years is the one on the left, cabin three. The screened-in porch mentioned before is visible on the right of the building, while the tall crank-out windows all along the front cast long shadows on the facade as the sun angles in the sky. The hammock trees are in front of the cabin, to the right, and you get a sense of the pine-style canopy over the whole area from this painting. The next cabin over is bigger, but we prefer to stay in the little one, right at the edge of the beach.

The sailboats belong to a family that used to always coordinate their visits with ours, but have gotten other places to stay lately. The limp sail of the boat in back hides the BBQ pit on the little grassy rise behind, while the blue boat with the taut sail is about to be launched for an afternoon idyll on the lake. The water is very flat and calm, and the sandy bottom is seen through the clear water. It will be a little to tough to get the boat out onto the main lake, but there's a fair amount of wind outside the cove to push the solitary sailor along.

The silence and stillness of the campground is palpable in this picture, as is the brightness of the sun once it's gotten past the heat of the day. Tina is probably reading in the hammock or making a shrimp roll-up to snack on. Meanwhile, I'm having a glass of wine and snacking on peanuts (as I recall) in between focusing my mind and paintbrush on the paper. What's not to love about that kind of agenda?

Lake Sebago - Maine

"The Diving Float on Shingle Cove - Lake Sebago, Maine" (12"X16", Oil on Canvas, $450)

I've only painted one picture of the beautiful vacation spot that I've gone to every year for the last nine years, Shingle Cove on Lake Sebago in Maine. I find it to be Heaven on Earth. Tina and I go for a week each summer, but not last year, because of renovations to the cabins. There are only four cabins and the cove is secluded and very small. It's surrounded by tall pines and has a small sandy beach. The cove has a sandy bottom, too - not the slimy mud you might expect. You have to know the owners to get a week's rental, so there's never a crush of people there, along with the fact that the cove and the pine woods behind it clear out to the access road are private property.

We rent a car for the week, load up all our stuff and drive up to Maine. We unload the car and head out to the supermarket a few miles away, to buy all the food and wine that we'll need for the full week. Then we take it to the cabin, unload it and settle in for the long relaxing week to come. No going out to the Rockport Shoe outlet, or the lame restaurants, or anything else that would spoil the perfect experience of being at the lake for a week. We swim and snorkel in the cove, use our float mattresses, barbecue on the big stone BBQ pit or make delicious meals in the kitchen. Every breakfast is a big one, every lunch is a light one, and every dinner is a great one. From noon on, the wine lamp is lit and the big hammock that we bring and hang right outside our usual cabin, number three, is swaying beneath the pines and inviting us to read or nap in its wide expanse. The sun is usually shining, and even if it's not, the rain is relaxing, brief, and sometimes quite wild and exciting for a spell. After which, everything is fresher and cleaner than before and the smell of the rain in the trees is intoxicating.

Every evening at about 4:30 it's time for cheese and crackers, grapes, and wine. Very civilized as the setting sun makes the lake absolutely sparkle and the shadows get long. Sitting in the big rocking chairs on the screened-in side porch while looking at the diamond-covered lake as we take a sip of wine and a bite of Asiago cheese-and-crackers is one of the finest experiences that we could ever hope to share. You can't believe the relaxation I feel from just thinking about it and writing it down. If you can't understand, then I don't know what to say. I can only hope that you too find your Heaven on Earth some day.

Gloucester, Mass - Bass Rocks

"Cloudy Day on Bass Rocks - Gloucester, Mass" (12"X16", Oil on Canvas, $450)

I did this one on-site, as it was part of the same NSAA plein-air painting course that was mentioned in the previous post. I was positioned high up on Bass Rocks with the rest of the painting group and chose to face the point of the coast where the old hotel is built. The lawn in front of the hotel used to have a pool, until the blizzard of '78 threw loads of huge stones over the seawall which landed in the pool, cracking at the bottom. They filled it in and landscaped it after that, placing some of the huge stones on the lawn. The gazebo on the left had to be completely re-built, too. All smashed up.

In this painting, the waves slosh around the guano-covered rocks where the seabirds rest, and splash up all along the seawall. The stone-covered beach, just visible on the right, is beaten by long arcs of waves, seen coming in one after the other. The curves of the waves and the curved coastline add motion to the painting, and the big rocks near where I was painting add a foreground element. The sky, being a sort of lilac purple, was unnaturally pretty, but combined with the wind and waves, foreboding nonetheless. It said that rain was on the way, maybe a bad storm. It did rain hard that night and through the next day, which spoiled the plein-air aspect of the painting group, but the last day of my long weekend was when I painted the sunny picture of my mother's porch from the back yard that's in the previous post.