On The Bay

"On The Bay", 8" x 10", oil on linen covered panel

I captured this scene aboard Cape May’s bird watching boat, the Osprey.   The Captain and his mate, a local naturalist, treated us and our fellow passengers to a happy morning of bird watching amidst the bay grasses.  Husband was in his glory!

Towering columns of cumulonimbus clouds over land accurately predict the hot, humid September afternoon to come.   Winds off the ocean feather the tops, competing to take charge of the weather.

 I used three blues in this painting:  thalo, cobalt and Kings.  The Kings blue is near the horizon line.  Those of you familiar with Kings blue can appreciate how the camera and computer have a hard time communicating  this color!

Pink Sunglasses

"Pink Sunglasses", oil, 5 x 7"

Children love Sister Cities Park in Center City, Philadelphia. Families gather to enjoy water jets on the plaza and nearby, tucked into a shady garden, a trickling stream runs into a shallow pond for sailing toy boats.   Near the pond is a cart fully stocked with children's books for borrowing.  What more can you ask for?

I began this painting with an imprimatura of terra cotta red to give a sense of the summer heat.

Tiger Figs

"Tiger Figs", oil, 5 x 7"

These lovely Tiger figs are placed atop a weathered wood box I found at a flea market many years ago.  I particularly love this section of the top, the odd pieces, random marks and nail holes, the faded paint drips.  The color of the paint is an old-fashioned, chalky aqua green.  I mix it by graying a bit of permanent green light.

I create the wood grain texture by scratching into the paint, wet or dry, with a palette knife.  

Heirloom Tomato with Tiger Figs

"Heirloom Tomato with Tiger Figs"

5 x 7", oil on Ampersand Gessobord

Bid Here on Ebay!

I'm sooo lucky to have many farmers markets brimming with fresh produce here in the city. From the Thursday Fairmount Market to Rittenhouse to Head House, there is no shortage of fresh vegetables, fruit and flowers.  Here are three beauties atop an old box gleaned from the Golden Nugget flea market on Rt. 29 in New Jersey.

Two Apples and A Fig

Two Apples and A Fig

5 x 7", oil

Here is how the painting looks in lovely frame from The Frame Shop in Lambertville, NJ. 

This summer at the Philadelphia Free Library, I listened to physicist  Frank Wilczek speak about his new book, A Beautiful Question: Finding Nature's Deep Design.  

His talk inspired me to bookend this fig between two apples and paint them head on. The result is a very suggestive little painting, as you can see.

Market Bouquet

Market Bouquet, 6" x 8"

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/532875

After living in Bucks County, PA, for nearly thirty years, this summer husband and I took the plunge, downsized and moved back to center city Philadelphia.  We're a short walk from the Philadelphia Art Museum and the Barnes Foundation.  No excuses for lack of inspiration now!

I bought this little market bouquet in a shop called Plants, Etc.  The mother-daughter proprietors have filled the place to the brim with all sorts of lovely greenery, especially succulents and miniatures.  Lucky for me, the shop received a fresh delivery of flowers just before I arrived.  I chose this bunch of purple coneflowers, red and white alstroemeria and carnations from the refreshing coolness of their overflowing flower fridge.  

The bouquet is the first subject I've painted in my new city studio space.  Just the same as when I was back in Bucks County, I had to shoo the cat from my still life table to get started.  Upon completion the cat resumed residence, covering my lovely red cloth with a weave of cat hair.  The more things change, the more they stay the same! 

Ole' Smoky Moonshine Cherries

   These moonshiners are maraschino cherry red saturated beyond belief!

  

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I began with a burnt sienna under painting and gave the jar a coat of red to work into. 

Wiping out cherries and adding darks...

My husband suspects I only bought the jar to paint it.  He is right!

Silver Creamer with Strawberry

                   

"Silver Pitcher with Strawberry", oil, 5 x 7"

                              $75                      

     My daughters and I filled this silver creamer with fresh cream, arranged a plate of strawberries, and drank tea from great, great aunt Martha Wozniak's Aberdeen china to watch the first two seasons of Downton Abbey.  We left the series at the end of Season Two because we wanted Mary and Matthew, after that romantic whirl in the gently falling snow, to live happily ever after. And so they did.

Pumpkin Top

"Pumpkin Top", oil, 5 x 7"

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     This mini-white pumpkin is perched atop my favorite tea cup.  My friend Gladys Mitchell has a teacup just like mine.  Her brave teacup survived a house fire that damaged most of her belongings. After the fire, her cup still sat prettily perched atop her fireplace in the midst of a shockingly soot covered room.  

     

Washington Crossing Village House

"Washington Crossing Village House", oil, 8 x 10" 

NFS

   This house sits near the Washington Pavilion at the far end

of the tourist village in Washington Crossing Park on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River.  In early November autumn's colors are still bright but brittle, crackle underfoot, wrap the house a halo of pale gold. I painted in the company of my Shetland Sheepdog and the Artsbridge River Rats.