Ferry Ride & Happy New Year

On Monday we took the Cross Sound Ferry from Orient Point, NY to New London, CT on our way up to visit my sister Tina and her family in Maine. I always enjoyed people watching on the ferry, but now I do "people sketching" instead. It makes the 1hr 20 min trip fly by.

I would like to take a few minutes to thank everyone who visits my blog and shares their comments, as well as all of those who share their wonderful work on their blogs with the rest of us. I very much appreciate my blogging friends and their support.

Happy New Year to all of you!

I hope that 2012 brings lots of love, support, comfort, enjoyment, and artistic energy your way.

Night Sketch at Bayport Flower House

One of the things I wanted to sketch was a night view with Christmas lights. I did this sitting in the parking lot of the Bayport Flower House along Montauk Highway. Painting in the dark isn't easy. Even with the interior car light on while I was painting, I couldn't differentiate the paint colors. lol

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! We scooted up to Maine to visit family so I couldn't post while I was away. Paintings from there will be posted tomorrow.



Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

May this Christmas season bring you peace and joy, and the love of family and friends!

Enjoy!!!

Arch in Provence

I have been taking part in a watercolor workshop online at WetCanvas taught by Virgil Carter. We are working on (among other things) adding more luminous colors to our buildings. How do you think I did? This is from a small 5 x 7 painting that I had done in Provence when we were in France. I changed the view through the arch, but the rest of it is pretty much the same.

Bayport Flower House Tree Purchase

Trying to keep with the holiday theme I went back to the Bayport Flower House yesterday. As I got there these two men came out to attach this tree to the gentleman's car. I scurried to get my journal and pencil to sketch them in action before they were finished. Then I worked on the background.



PALS Plein Air Show Video

Things are hectic and I do not have a new piece of artwork to post.

However, here is a link to a video from the art show my plein air group had 2 weekends ago. If you actually watch it, about 1.17 minutes into the video is a photo of me painting. I'm seated wearing my sweatshirt and a bandana around my hair to keep it from being blown in to my face by the wind.

The video was created by Chris Salucci and that is his band playing the song. Enjoy!

www.palspleinair.blogspot.com


Just click on the video icon at the top or on the last post "PALS - A Brush of Long Island."

Sandy's Garden Center

I am trying to get something holiday themed sketched every day. This is another local garden center decorated for the holidays. I hope you are feeling the spirit!



Christmas at the Big Duck

Yesterday after Christmas shopping out east, I decided to visit "The Big Duck" in Flanders to paint. This adorable building was built by a Long Island duck farmer in 1931 and used as a shop to sell ducks and duck eggs. It is now on the Register of Historic Places and contains a museum (it must be small) and souvineers. They have an official Christmas lighting which I missed.



Whoopie Pies

My sketch group went back to Queen City Cupcakes in Patchogue to sketch last night. I took my chair and sat in front of the case with the whoopie pies. It was very hard to resist them cause I heard them described to several customers....hazelnut cream filling, oh my!



Holiday Color

With all the prep for the sale last weekend, and Christmas shopping, I have been neglecting my art. Last night I finally sat down and sketched a few things for the WetCanvas scavenger hunts and something in my December journal.



PALS Plein Air Show

This weekend, one of my art groups, the PALS Plein Air Limner Society had a show of our plein air work. There are about 20 members and each of us had a few pieces hanging and then had a lot of unframed work for sale. They are a really great group with a lot of talent!!! The work was hung on the walls by location. Here are a few photos from the show. If you click on the photo the picture will enlarge.

Trees for Sale

The Christmas tree lots are not as plentiful as I always remember, but I did find a different one to sketch today. This is 4 x 6.



Snowman Display

I have been busy getting ready for an art show this weekend, had a few holiday parties to go to, and was trying to Christmas shop too, so my painting time these last few days was limited. Yesterday I decided that I had to go out and at least sketch something for my December journal. It was raining so I found a spot in front of a Christmas display at a local nursery. This is 4 x 6.



Centerport Water View

My sketching seems to have been affected by holiday parties and such. I didn't get out to sketch or paint anything in the last two days. This was painted on Sunday at the harbor in Centerport. It is a really nice area, with several views that can be painted throught the winter from the car if necessary. This is 5 x 7.



Decorations

I was out on the north fork of Long Island near Jamesport. The area has a lot of garden centers and nurseries. I loved the piles of wreaths and roping ready for the holidays. This is about 3 x 5.



Holiday Ready

I don't know how long I can keep this theme going, but here is another local scene. I sat in my car in Southampton to paint this one. It was hard getting a spot with a good view. This is 5 x 5.



It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

With all the decorations bombarding us earlier and earlier each year, you would think I would be busy shopping, but NO. I haven't bought a single gift. I'm in the spirit with the Christmas songs, but I want to paint not shop. I sat outside one of the Christmas tree lots on Wednesday to paint this. It is 4 x 6.



Colorful Explorations

I've been experimenting to add a little color to my work. These are 8 x 10.