Two by the Shore

This is 4 x 6 done in watercolors and ink for the "Warm Weather" Exchange on WetCanvas. As a reference I used two of the figures I had done in my moleskin journal at the beach last summer. I don't usually use one painting to inspire another one, but I needed some warm references. lol

Norwegian Path

This is 7 x 10 and was done for the Virtual Paintout which is visiting Stavanger, Norway this month. I rearranged a few of the elements that I found in my google street maps view to make the compositon a bit better. If you haven't seen the site check out:

http://virtualpaintout.blogspot.com

Weekend Plein Airs

On Saturday I went to the Suffolk County Farm Museum which is nearby. I like painting the animals they have there. The cows are good at staying still, but the sheep like to move around a bit. I'm hoping to get back there again in the near future to see the new babies that are due (sheep and goats)! I was sitting in the sun and noticed this motorcycle nearby. I've never drawn a motorcycle before, and found it was like drawing boats...too many unfamiliar pieces that I can barely guess at. It was fun to give it a try.

Beach Walk

This is 4 x 6 done in watercolors and ink at a local beach recently. It is one of the paintings I sent out for the "Warm Weather Exchange" on Wet Canvas. This reached it's new home in Australia where Jacqui is very happy to have it.

Sweet Surprise

This is the only way I can have a donut safely! lol This was also done for the WDE. The reference was from one of Sharm's stocking exchange member friends named "donkeyrock." This is 5.5 x 8 done in watercolors...a little yeast, lots of sugar, a touch of chocolate. lol I could bit into this right now!

Little Julia

This was done for the WDE from a photo reference by Sharm. Julia is her adorable granddaughter. This is about 4 x 5 and done with watercolors and watercolor pencils.

Central Park Crossing

This is the other plein air I was able to do in Central Park. I found a nice bench to sit on and had a wonderful view. It was really crowded so I only selected a few characters to include in the painting. This is 4 x 6 done in watercolors and ink.

Central Park Transport

Going from yesterday's painting to this is a big change. My husband and I had tickets to a show in Manhattan last night. I've been wanting to paint in Central Park for a long time, so I convinced him that since it was such a gorgeous springlike day, to go into the city early. I sat just outside the entrance to Central Park where all the carriages line up for rides. The horse and carriage directly in front of me kept changing, so this is a bit of a combination of several of them. This is 4 x 6 done in watercolors and ink. Now I want to go back and spend a full day there.

Treasures of Provence

After doing a small grape painting in Feb. I searched through my own references for another one of grapevines. I took the reference photo for this in Provence in October. It was the only time I saw grapes on the vine there since the harvest had passed. This is 11 x 15. I did a demo of it that is posted on WetCanvas if you would like to see it. I also explained some of the problems I had doing this one.

http://wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=613086

Red Door

This was the 4th of Helen's references that I painted for the WDE on WetCanvas. I used watercolor and ink for this. It is 4 x 6. Thanks, Helen, for giving me so many references for our rainy NY weekend. I definitely kept busy.

Legs, Legs, Legs

This is another painting I did for the WDE from one of Helen's photos which I cropped. The black and white photo was of her mom & relatives long ago dressed in old style bathing costumes. I only did the legs. This is about 3 x 6 done in sepia.

Tulip Garden

This was also done for the WDE. I severely cropped the reference photo so I could focus on one flower. This is about 5.5 x 8 done on a blank watercolor greeting card.

Smile for Me

This was done for the WDE (Weekend Drawing Event) on WetCanvas this weekend. The reference was from Helen Percy Lystra, who happens to be a blogging buddy on my links. Check out her work if you have a chance. This is her gorgeous grandson. I've been experimenting more and more with portraits in that forum. This is about 4 x 4.

Flowered Courtyard

This is another painting (4 x 6) that I did in one of the greenhouses at the Planting Fields Arboretum the other day. I felt like I was surrounded by color.

Camellias

The other day I headed over to the Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, NY. They have a building containing nothing but camellias, and they are in gorgeous bloom right now. I did this in my moleskin wc journal and it is 3.5 x 5.

Terra Cotta Roofs

I did this plein air painting in ink and watercolors in my moleskin notebook, so the painting is about 3 1/2 x 5. I was sitting in the parking lot of a Tuscan looking winery out on the North Fork of Long Island. When I finished I went inside for a sample and to hear the jazz band that was playing.

Looking Out

This was also done for the WDE from one of Alain's photos. I like the way this came out, but I think I aged his grandson quite a bit. This is about 4 x 5.

Alain's Lady

This was done for the WDE on WetCanvas from a photo reference supplied by Alain. This is his wife in a photo taken many years ago. The photo was B&W so I played around with the color. I didn't get a great likeness of her.

Lighthouse Sunset

I did this one for the WetCanvas exchange with gouache resist, India ink, and watercolors. This is ATC sized.

Jean's Dog

This was my third painting from last weekend's WDE on WetCanvas. This was the first time I tried painting a white dog...all those shades in the white fur were fun. I did this with inktense pencils. It is about 4 x 5.

Autumn Leaves

This is 4 x 6 and done for the WDE on WetCanvas from one of Jean's references.

26th World Wide Sketchcrawl

Saturday was the 26th World Wide Sketchcrawl. I usually do it with my sister, Michelle, but she had to much snow to venture over to NJ. Instead I headed to the Atlantis Marine World Aquarium in Riverhead, NY for a solo crawl. It was fun to paint the variety of fish and creatures there, as well as the sea amemones and the plant life.

Brown Eyed Girl

This was done for the WDE on WetCanvas from a photo supplied by "justjean." This is her lovely granddaughter. The painting is 7 x 10.

Autumn Evening

This is another of my ATCs done for my exchange in gouache resist, India ink, and watercolors.

Venetian Balcony

This is 11 x 15 and was done in watercolor and ink. It was painted as part of a tribute to Olga, a WetCanvas member who passed away recently. She had a wonderful collection of reference photos that were in the WetCanvas reference library, and we were asked to do a painting from one of her photos.

Upstate Farm

This was done in plein air after we left the NEWS show (photos below). The area has some lovely barns, which we always try to get photos of. I don't understand how we can see them from the highway, but then can't get to some of them. This is 4 x 6 done from the front seat of my car in watercolors and ink. The last time we stopped there to take photos, the cows came running toward us...a friendly group. I finished this just before it got too dark to see anything. lol

North East Watercolor Society's Member's Show

On Sunday, my sister, Michelle and I went to the opening reception for the North East Watercolor Society's Member's Show up in Middletown, NY. We each had two paintings accepted into the show, and it was great to be "hanging" with some really super artists. Michelle's flowers are just gorgeous, aren't they?

Quiet Night

This was also done for my exchange with gouache resist, India ink, and watercolors.

"Palm Light"

This is another of my gouache resists for the exchange. It is ATC sized.

Lionfish

This lionfish was done for the WDE on WetCanvas from a photo reference by "mbeckett." Mike had such great photos it was hard to decide which ones to do. I did the grapes below and this one. This is 7.5 x 11 in watercolors.

On the Vine

This was done for the WDE on WetCanvas from a reference by "mbeckett." I started this with a pour and then worked on it for hours and hours (nearly 5). I don't usually spend that long on the WDE paintings, but this one just wouldn't let me stop. It kept growing. This is 7.5 x 11.

"Sunflower" & "Tropical Moonlight"

These were also done for the exchange on WetCanvas with the gouache resist, India ink, and watercolors.

"Pine Cone" and "Seashell"

These are the latest ATCs to arrive at their new homes for the exchange that I'm doing. Both are gouache resists with India ink and watercolors.

Steiner Street Charm

This is 7 1/2 x 11 done in watercolors and ink for the VPO. The city they selected for February is San Francisco. This was done from a view from Google Maps. You may want to check out the other work for this month.

http://www.virtualpaintout.blogspot.com

Pear Gathering

Yes, I did 3 paintings for the WDE from Jeannette's references. This is 7 1/2 x 11. I did a pour before I started developing the shapes. I think it gave it a nice background glow.

Heads or Tails

This is another painting done for the WDE from one of Jeannettes' great references. I loved the coloring in these fish!

Little Charmer

This was done for the WDE on WetCanvas from a photo supplied by Jeannette (IslanderNL). Many thanks for the great photo.

Here are two more ATCs that I did for the Fall/Winter exchange. It was such fun to paint these little kids.

Moonlit Night

This is another ATC done with the gouache resist, India ink and watercolors.

"Rocky Coast" & "Harvest Moon"

These ATCs were done with the gouache, India ink, and watercolor method that I used for the underwater scenes that I posted a few days ago. These were also done as part of the exchange I'm doing.

Artist in the Field

This was also done for the WDE hosted by KreativeKay on WetCanvas this weekend. This is 4 x 6.