December bike ride to sketch

On this beautiful warm December day went for a bike ride to my favorite botanical garden with my portable stool and sat and did an ink sketch of a winter landscape in the afternoon sunshine.

Brought it back to the studio and added some final touches with different size ink nips-just love the Longshadows in this leafless landscape. 

Egg Rock light house in watercolors

This watercolor done of Egg rock lighthouse which is off the coast of Maine had hundreds of birds nesting on a small island. It captures the drama of the afternoon sunlight from the view from our boat.

I did another version of it in oils which I will post tomorrow.

Jane sun bathing

Too wet to sign this 5 x 7 in oil!

This is a challenge for me doing figures the emphasis was on catching the light on the form which happens to be the body. I like that she is more in focus then the secondary subjects next to her and shadow.and of course I like the subject drinking her piña colada on the beach what's not to love about that! Lol 

Holiday cookies

A fun little 6x6 oil in honor of all the holiday cookies left out for santa! Enjoy! 

Evelyns house portrait

  

I don't think people realize how many steps go into a commission painting you meet the client you take photographs you agree to a price you create sketches until both of you are happy

Here is the stage and what you have to do color swatches to figure out which color green is going to go where. That was the challenge here since there was so much green how to approach it and how to make each tree look delicious! 

This is the final work of the house portrait many hours of layering the watercolor so it would remain fresh. I added a lot of water with each wash I'm happy with the final product but again it's always what the client likes. Note the cat in the door way this was a special touch that I knew the homeowner would like. I'm pleased what do you think? 

Now I think I ve got to go get to holiday shopping and cooking since I have over 20 people coming for the holidays! Enjoy!

Today's Yummy Artwork

Watercolor backlit flower done in the sunshine. The difficulty in this was I had to make sure that each color did not run into the other I think it came out successful what do you think? 

If you cant paint- become the subject in Art! "Happy 29th Anniversary Kiss" Grand Central Station New York City

Interior Design Tips for College Dorms

5 Best Interior Design Tips for College Dorms Summer is over school is beginning and for some that means being away from home, Like my daughter Marissa. Here are some interior design tips that we used inher College dorm that do not allow you to nail into the walls. Tip #1 Use Blue painters tape on the wall and then you can use any tape on topof that and it will remove easily at the end of the semester #2 We love3M hooks they come in a variety of sizes some even with a metal wire tohang coats calendars paintings you name it #3 Have a favorite piece ofart or picked up a really cool poster go to Staples or your localteacher store and have it laminated if you wanted to be extra specialPut a black mat around it and then tape it to the wall #4 Michaels andAC Moore have a lot of end of summer items at 80% off search through and find some really cool items to hang on the walls. In this photo Ifound wooden frames for $.59 and spray painted them black and Marissaprinted out photos of friends and family #5 If there is a door to acloset in the room one side you can hang a mirror that is also a wipeoff board and the two hooks also act as a coathanger and on theopposite side pick up a 24 clear shoe holder at bed bath for 15 bucksand you can store a bazillion items in there Hope you enjoy these tipsif you have any please share them with us

Beautiful

Beautiful reflection of the sky created by the rain on the board walk at Long Beach

Love it! 

Hand Art!

Awesome Henna art by my intern Ansel- that girls has got talent!! 

Good luck Alena one of my most talented students on her way to college today! Never doubted you Could do anything you put your mind to! Good luck at Syracuse! See you back in the winter to share all your wonderful stories!!

Sharing the sunrise up on Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Parkwith my honey! Maine is where my heart is- how about you, what place do you love?

At the studio today... Julie's rendering of her favorite record album! Sweet!

 

Here is one of my oil paintings i did of the Bass lighthouse before I saw it in person. I also did one.10-15 years ago in watercolors. I couldn't believe that the rocks were actually pink in person-It was from the pink Granite!! Lol

Finally Here! After all these years of painting the Bass Light House I finally got to see it in person! Stayed a few hours to do value studies from different angles. Very challenging with all the tourist around!

Sneaking it in...

Its hard to get time into painting when your setting up and teaching then cleaning up and do it all over again and have time to squeeze in life. This one was requested by Robin on a recent shore trip done in deep wash and glaze watercolor technique.  I stayed up late to finish it- i like, I may do it again and change the colors. Unlike oils- you cannot paint over it- but for now i am pleased! 

Front page of newspaper

Thank you to the editor for front page news on my studio- the garden art studio! I love what I do! How lucky am I! 

Today at the studio.....

This is Jack who is entering 9th grade in the fall taking my advanced painting summer workshop this week and he did an amazing job at the studio today! He took this shot over at Greenport Habor out East and we worked off a little print out and then on the ipad which is so much easier to see details that are dark like in the black ship and poof an amazing painting! His brush stoke is rich with details, like in the board walk. Just love it! Jack has only been at the studio since April but is returning in the Fall and we are happy to have him as one of members at The Garden Art Studio here in Mineola NY.

I am so excited this is my first blog post! Thanks to summer interns Marissa, Ansel and Jacks for their help so I could teach this week. This 6x6 oil is of the jersey shore, and lives by the sea with the two in the painting. Here's to many new beginning to come! Look for upcoming video painting posts and online store!