Lewiston Art Festival tent photos

 People ask me 'How was the art show?' and my response is usually 'Which one?' The term art show can refer to a gallery opening, an exhibit of my work or of others or a museum.

Recently, that question refers to my annual Lewiston Art Festival exhibit. It is the ONE big weekend show that I have my tent at annually, with the most people. I consider it the social event of the summer season because I get to see so many friends and acquaintances that I may not have seen otherwise.

It is also the release date for my calendar, you can see the 2012 displayed on the table. All of the new monthly paintings are horizontal this year, if you have collected them there are different formats each year. For some reason I did not choose any long or tall paintings as I have been trying some new sizes recently.

The next outdoor event I participate in is a one day show,  Music is Art at Delaware Park, across from the Albright Knox. It is a celebration of music like no other, with a small number of artist tents and activities, a food section and organized especially for families. It is a fundraiser for the music in the schools programs, so come on over, Saturday, September 17, 10am to 10pm.

Photos, Kath Schifano tent at Lewiston Art Festival, 2011

Whitesville House

 Mike White turned 50 this summer, Carl designed an invitation to the planned pig roast birthday party, and I had an opportunity to bake a crazy birthday cake, camouflage icing, pig relaxing on a chaise lounge, dirt (almonds) around the sides. I just copied Carl's invitation and treated frosting like paint, mixing various muddy colors with my spatula. Off we went to Wellsville with cooler and my paint sets.

I always liked the view of Monica's pond and the woods behind it, but this hot afternoon it was particularly moody and cool looking. I settled myself in the shade of the house with my pastels to capture the scene, hoping that one of the balloons from the balloon rally that weekend would soar overhead and be reflected in the pond. That didn't happen, although there were balloons to be seen.

Several people came over to watch my drawing evolve that afternoon. Later in the evening we got into a conversation with Linda and Buck who have been updating and restoring the Whitesville House restaurant, tavern and hotel since 1992. I remembered this building from a great meal we shared with Monica and Mike during the snowiest winter. It is right on the Pennsylvania border and I had known Whitesville as a town occasionally mentioned on the TV weather.

They asked about painting an architecture portrait, so the following weekend I packed a variety of my materials and canvas sizes, spent 5 hours drawing and planning the painting in unbelievable heat and worked a bit more back in Wellsville. I returned the next day and 7 hours and gallons of water later went to my car at 6pm to see that the shade temperature read 101'. No wonder the paint was so sticky!

This old lady has great architectural bones and details and they have done an amazing amount of work to develop the porch, outdoor area, stone wall and waterfall, flower boxes and even more indoors. The hardest part (besides the heat) was the foreground, every time a car pulled out of a space, a truck would pull in so I could not ever see the entire front. I just ran back and forth making sketches and taking pictures. Although it was started as a plein air, I had to bring this into my studio to paint the rest of the wonderful details, the windows with beer signs, the flowers, red and white sign, porch rails. I am very pleased to have created a wonderful record of an historic building, it was built in 1826 as a hotel and you can still get a nice room there.

So if you are in the southern tier of NY, do stop at the landmark Whitesville House, a bit of history, great character, excellent food and wonderful caretakers.

Afternoon Delight 18x24, oil 2011

Upper Rapids, the fury of water

I am working on the perfect painting to capture the sound and fury of the upper rapids of the Horseshoe Falls. This is meant to be a really loud painting, I want you to hear the water crashing as it races to become a cascade. A blend of Plein Air and studio work, it woke me last night with the sound of water running, not as loud as I expect it will be, but loud enough for me to have to check water faucets!

I know that paintings can be powerful; I am putting enough power into this that it may dribble.
To be continued!


In progress (Untitled) painting on location, 12x24, oil on canvas 2011

Music is Art 9/17/2011

Please join us as we celebrate the talent and culture of Western New York Saturday, September 17, 2011, 10 AM-10 PM @ Delaware Park behind The Albright-Knox Art Gallery!

I'll have a tent there, it is my big fundraising supporter effort for the Fall; so take a chance on winning an artwork submitted by selected exhibiting artists. Music is Art supports the instrument drive for instruments in the schools program as well as new musicians. The September 17th event is an amazing chance for everyone in the family to have a good time. It is totally all ages, lots for the little ones to do for free and at least four stages of continuous music for everyone. FOrmerly on the grounds of the Albright Knox art gallery, now it is now across the street in Delaware park, Shakespeare hill area.

WIne On Third Art Exhibit still on the walls

Wine On Third is a neat bar & restaurant downtown Niagara Falls, a little jewel of a spot that is like nothing else downtown. The small plates are delicious and the wine list has a nice variety, there is a secret restaurant tucked around the side. My display was scheduled for July, a very nice opening reception was held on July 5th, right after the holiday weekend. 

The exhibit has been held over into August. Try to stop by, it is great to see so many of my large paintings displayed together. Besides, there is a daily happy hour and 40+ wines by the glass with inside and outside seating.

July Saturday with Monica

A great party in Wellsville for Mike White's 50th involved a bit of cooking and packing for a crowd-olive & feta salad, a crockpot of beans and a big layer cake.

Arriving from our two hour drive we sat right down to eat, the roast pig had been cooked and carved and all sorts of wonderful creations sat outside in trays of ice on a blistering hot day. The salad and beans were ready for those just starting to eat and more who came up for seconds.

Walking around the house, I found a big patch of cool shade overlooking the pond that reflected the sky and encroaching woodland. Since this was a balloon fest weekend we hoped to see a few, and I was hoping one would fly over the pond, putting my speed painting skill to the challenge. A set of pastels and  supplies was in my car and my after lunch rest involved recording this idyllic scene. Obviously no balloon went over or it would have been painted. There was one sighting to the north near sunset, and several ready for morning flights on the parade grounds as we drove home late that evening. All together, a perfect day.

This painting was hurriedly added to my 2012 calendar as a summer scene.

Pig Roast Siesta, 9.5x12.5 pastel c.2011

Youngstown & Used Sailboats

I missed the first scheduled date, but a second Youngstown marina paintout brought out many artists, they spread out on the docks to capture sky and waves, sailboats in the Niagara River and on land as well as the Youngstown Yacht club area buildings. Already in love with this area for inspiring compositions, I searched for a spot with shade and parked myself in the lee of a giant sailboat on a drydock rack. I had a giant tractor wheel next to me to serve as a table for piles of colorful pastel sticks. 

After a moment of studying the sailboats moored in front of me, I turned and caught sight of a small but lovely wood work building with a wide open door, colorful cans for gasoline and oil stacked inside the door. That would be my picture, so I turned my easel and supplies away from the water. As the day passed, sunlight started to sparkle on the red metal roof, followed by windy enough weather change to convince me it was time to stop.

This one is now on the 2012 calendar, going to the printer tomorrow.

Sailboats for Sale, pastel  9.5x12.5 c.2011

Last Part, Adirondack Publisher's Invitational

I drove for nearly 7 hours in the sun to register for my week in the Adirondacks; I checked in, moved in, and met many painters before, during and after dinner. I had come ready to paint ~ Paul Smith area is gorgeous and I was promised spectacular sunsets like the Hudson River painters had recorded.

Well, I really had come to paint, so I prepared my first oils and a small canvas on a rickety table on a 2nd floor deck. It was becoming more cloudy and overcast, but I took my chances because I was so ready to push the paint around---of course the skies would turn brilliant orange & gold, reflecting on the lake below. I chose a composition, laid in my shapes and underlying colors, waited for the spectacle of glorious color to arch into the clouds so I could fling paint at the waiting canvas at the absolute best moment of colors blasting a blinding sunset at me.

Nope, never happened. In fact the pink that did appear in the sky was so dim and fleeting that several people asked me if I made it up. Nope. But I did exaggerate the minor spectacle I witnessed, and if you have been following this, then there is no surprise that I was denied rich sunsets for the entire week.

This sweet little oil was set aside to dry, then left on the bottom of my collection. Only recently did I reexamine it, finding the simplicity, as well as my memories, strong enough to consider it for my 2012 calendar.

Listen for the Loon, oil 8x10, 2011

The Moon is A Balloon, 2011 & Wine On Third

 Years ago I started this rose painting, it was one of my early large floral pastels. It was matted & framed under glass-until the glass broke. I adjusted it to have a double mat after reworking the naked image in 2006, when I added blues to the previously white sky as well as more values of yellow in the petals. The rose peacefully settled in a quiet corner of the living room for several years. 

This summer I took it down and re-reworked it. The sky gained more blues, greens and a bit of violet, the  petal shadows were made richer with violet and orange and I finally completed the stem; poor rose only had sepals without a stem. Under glass, it is finally ready to show.

Invited to be July 'artist of the month' at Wine on Third, Niagara Falls, this painting is the first on the wall in a series of large florals and food paintings there as well as 6 Niagara Falls paintings. It is finally in public along with other studio works. Having mostly painted and shown smaller plein air paintings recently, I enjoy seeing the display of large works together, and it will be up until August.

The Moon Is A Balloon, 24x30 [framed to 30x36] 1995-2011

Part 3- Publisher's Invitational Paintout 2.0, Ampersand Pastelbord

Gabriel's Farm, 6x18 pastel, 2011

Ahhh, the mountains, an example of how they move and dance in the clouds. A nice breeze chased large rain clouds which mostly stayed away from our final location, Gabriel's Farm, only 7 minutes away and our closest paintout location. I had been using pastels for several days and was eager to try a new panoramic museum series panel from Ampersand, called Pastelbord. It is absolutely smooth and flat with a fine texture and can be worked to the edge without  marking. I spoke to Jim Markle about this new board and he liked the superflat surface as well, going off the edge to finish a stroke left no stripe and made us both happy. I think this is perfect for soft pastels, using their grey undercolor was perfect for the day and this composition. Afterwards I brightened the foreground as it was clear and bright overhead, the storm stayed in the distance, alternately covering and revealing the mountains. A field of wild flowers had all of us admiring the beautiful varieties, it seemed to have been planted for color.

Part 2- Publisher's Invitational Paintout 2.0

Continuing the Adirondack adventures.

After painting a few pictures in oil, carrying them fresh and wet into another person's car and looking at the results that evening in a dorm, I realized that pastels would be a good choice in the mountains. The pastels are heavy, but require less space and equipment to carry. It was a good decision as I was caught in the rain and had to work very quickly. My yellow Fantasy Island slicker stayed waterproof, but my plein air umbrella wasn't totally waterproof when it stayed wet. The first painting here is successful because I stopped early and the pastels captured the image I wanted and will allow me to paint it again on canvas without the distraction of details and with the richness of experience. That won't happen soon, it's a possibility for winter, so in the meantime, it is NFS and I like it just as is.

The second was painted from the dock at night, oh! how I love to paint at night, it was quiet and peaceful, and it is always a treat to see later in room light when finished. My hat batteries held up, so I could see my palette box and picture quite well. That evening was like 'yoga painting', peaceful, comfortable, healthy and calm.

Splashing water at St. Regis Falls really is orange, this is a study for another pastel made the same day. I decided to add more of the rocks to my second painting, in the meantime, the light changed and it seems like the amount of water crashing had increased. Three of us were under a pop up tent and had a wonderful time protected from weather. The foreground rock really looks like a seal from my location and a big turtle from the front. It can be seen in old photos and paintings and helps identify the exact location.

Slippery When Wet Flume, 12.5x9.5, pastel, 2011

Night on the Lake, 9.5x12.5, pastel, 2011

St. Regis Falls Splash 9.5x12.5, pastel, 2011

St. Regis Falls Monitor 9.5x12.5, pastel, 2011

Slippery When Wet Flume, 12.5x9.5, pastel, 2011
Night on the Lake, 9.5x12.5, pastel, 2011
St. Regis Falls Splash 9.5x12.5, pastel, 2011
St. Regis Falls Monitor 9.5x12.5, pastel, 2011

Life Changing Adirondack Event?

Painting for a week in the Adirondacks exposed me to a few art concepts.

1) I can climb up or down slippery slopes with an easel, 6' umbrella and wearing a yellow Fantasy Island rain slicker.

2) It's okay to paint in the rain. Not perfect, but okay.

3) I'd rather paint without the rain.

The Publisher's Invitational Paint Out 2.0 in The Adirondacks was a unique professional opportunity to paint alongside over 80 nationally known outdoor artists, to share rocks, experiences and turpentine. There were no lectures, classes or schedules, just a quick breakfast, packed lunches and all day on the road chasing waterfalls, rapids, flumes and mountains with paint and pastel. Sponsored by Plein Air Magazine, this was open to invited artists.

The original Hudson River School of painters packed their supplies and trekked these sights and made a name for themselves capturing 200-300 painted vistas and scenes that you see in museums and books. Now renamed the Adirondack Mountain Painters (founders) our group painted 700-800 scenes in one hectic adventure, carpooling and caravaning, parking alongside creeks and farms to capture new scenes with oils, acrylics, WC, pastel and camera.

Listen to the Loon at VIC, oil on board, 12x18, 2011

High Falls, pastel 15x12.5 2011

Rivershore colors

This Cayuga Island home portrait has been in progress on my easel for nearly 3 months and it is leaving me as a surprise gift to the homeowner. I had promised myself to never do another surprise house painting because there is little opportunity to spend time sketching the building and generating a personal relationship to develop the composition. Cameras flatten images and the eye is more honest. It happens to be cited on the water, surrounded by mature majestic trees so it was easier to select a view.

However, there are many details to any house and I did several 'drive-bys' to take pictures. The neighbors wondered what was going on, the kids playing hockey in the street just stared. It felt like I was lurking and clicked photos from the window of my car since someone always seemed to be home.

I took the first pictures in early Spring when trees were bare; this let me paint the sky, lawn and entire house and place the trees and significant branches. As the foundation plants grew in and trees claimed their shapes the portrait could continue. A fairly large painting, this is a lovely heirloom that commemorates the energy the owners invested in creating a lovely home.

There is always a little feeling of loss when another painting leaves. Now, what's next!!??

Rivershore Colors, 22x28 oil, 2011

Erie Canal Locks in Lockport

Two consecutive weeks were scheduled on the Erie Canal in Lockport, NY with Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters this month. We listened across the canal as children on field trips screeched and exclaimed waiting for their tour boat rides and the cruise narrator repeated his prepared speech about the history of the Erie canal, the height of the locks in Lockport and the upcoming 'widest working bridge' as well as train whistles and passersby. This was followed by the natural quiet of a park and the regular opening and closing of huge lock gates to change the water level.

Huddled under my giant paint umbrella, straddling a picnic bench, I relished each moment as I painted. The network of paths and bridges and stairs engineered under the level of the city of Lockport was fascinating. Both paintings are from the same location, the park across from Market Street, but painted one week apart.

Waiting for Tour at Noon, 8x10 oil 2011

Opening the Lock. 16x20, oil 2011

Delaware Park Rose Garden

Slipping off to Buffalo to paint the beautiful Delaware Park Rose Garden doesn't bring the Albright Knox Art Gallery to mind. All of the other painters-there were about 8-headed for the beautiful colonnade, surrounded by steps, columns, roses and trees. I had spent a full year painting only roses, so I was up to this challenge and liked the idea of varicolored bushes, clusters, longstems and bunch roses.

As I perused this lovely location, the sight of the Albright's E. B. Green 1905 building peeking over the end of the gardens grabbed me. I turned my easel around and accepted the challenge. Having painted on the grounds and having a profound respect for the institution, I did appreciate this distance view.

However, I ended my visit with about 50 new rose photographs, with all the varieties and colors one could imagine.

Look What's Growing in the Rose Garden, 11x14 oil on masonite 12x18

Photo; in progress plein air painting

Margaret Louise Park, Amherst, NY

My second visit to this jewel of a park was a perfect Spring day. We had been through a spell of cold and rain which caused a few paint-outs to be washed out.

The painters kept murmuring 'what a lovely day' as we drank in sunshine, listened to geese clattering over territory and birds celebrated their varied chirps.

Painting on a masonite panel reminded me how important the surface is to a composition. My oils slide like butter on warm toast but dry more slowly so each brushstroke must be carefully placed to avoid muddy effects. In this case, the tannin in the water created deep dark browns, but the sky and scattered clouds reflected themselves in all the light areas.

If this is the best plein air I create this year, I will still be happy. It is named for the turtles basking on the log in the water to the left of the tree trunk.

4 More Turtles, oil 16x20 2011

Olmsted Parks paintings.

It's unusual for me to paint from a photograph, but I was indoors, painting an Olmsted Park. I used a dull photo and my memory to capture the day I was there early last Fall. This Spring I spent a day with representatives of Olmsted Parks of Buffalo, painting at the 'Plantasia' event on the Hamburg fairgrounds.

The varied Olmsted designed parks in Buffalo include several traffic circles in the system, including at McKinley, Kleinhans, and Richmond as well as South and Delaware Parks. I donated this painting to their fundraising and by a roundabout way it remains much loved in

the office of Otis Glover, Director of Communication and Outreach at Parkside offices, 84 Parkside Avenue Buffalo

Olmsted at Delaware Park, 9x12, oil 2011

collection of Buffalo Park System

Chasing the sun from the shadows

My previous post showed a finished painting drying in the sun. Actually, painting on a canvas that has sunshine on it creates a very strange painting when brought indoors, sometimes it is positively garish and other times it is incredibly dark. It took me 3 ruined paintings to learn to ALWAYS have my canvas and my palette in shade. Therefore I bring a 60" artist umbrella to our paintouts as well as choose locations with abundant shade trees or overhangs. Standing in sun for hours, sunblock or not isn't a healthy practice either.

It helps to have a good sense of direction or a compass when plein air painting. In this case, I put a straight edge on the ground at the edge of the shadow and watched to see the sun move over the marker-it only takes 2-3 minutes to plot a good spot.

photos by Bobbie Peters

Working Weekend!

I managed to paint and visit Long Island & NYC over a recent long weekend. I painted one early morning and one afternoon on different days at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories and Education Center where Bobbie works, probably the prettiest site for a lab and a career. This is the view near the top of the hill and close to her office doorstep. The paintings show adjoining areas of the village of Cold Spring Harbor, across the bay; both were painted in glorious sunshine but the harbor photos were taken when scattered clouds changed my view and I took a break.

The painting below, on the easel, is set to dry in the sun as I relished the view and waited for a ride home, I have it home now having gingerly carried the still wet painting in my JetBlue carryon. The Library painting stayed at the lab in her office, I painted until 5 minutes before leaving for the train and it was entirely too fragile to move.

I plopped the wet picture on the shaded ground and took a snapshot to test the light. It needed more light for true colors so I moved the picture to shoot it again. Dead camera battery. I have no painting, nor do I have an accurate photo of it, but I did have the opportunity to spend hours with this view, the changing colors and shadows of morning, the moored boats changing direction with the breeze, pansies and flowering trees and a nearby fountain attracting a variety of birds.

Can you believe my sister works in this spectacular place? And she has the painting? I expect a comment as to how this photo of the painting compares to the real thing!


Photo Cold Spring Harbor

Cold Spring Harbor Library, oil 14x11 2011

Photo of easel, 'Mapping My Genome at CSHL, oil 11x14 2011

A Stir in the Mist

A Stir in the Mist has been out for a few months now, it is the wonderful hard cover cookbook published by the Niagara Falls Boys & Girls Club. I am proud to be a part of such an ambitious project, the committee was aware of every facet of cooking, writing and printing this lovely book.

My painting, 'Masterviews' was selected for the sidebar of the menu pages, and it was purchased by Diane Cimino at the cookbook kickoff last November. In the cookbook it is printed in blue as a screen. A few minutes later, I had another customer wanting the same painting for an out of town gift-for a former Niagara Falls resident. It is entirely unusual for me to paint a copy of my works, and the original was purposely softer in contrast to allow cookbook comments printed over the mist. I told the Koester family that their 'copy' would not be the same, it would have different color and less mist. Also different in balance of the composition, I am surprised how close the two paintings are. It will be a lovely addition to its new home in Missouri.

Click on A Stir in the Mist to see the book and turn the pages. I also drew the illustrations of food and provided Niagara Falls paintings for the divider pages.

Masterviews, 24 x 8, oil 2010

Masterviews Too, 24 x 8, oil 2011

Giant Croton captures me

Spring comes first at the Botanical Gardens, the cactus start to swell and palms put out huge new branches, ferns thicken and unfurl from their centers. Intrigued by the changing leaf colors as winter wanes, I found a crowd of colorful Croton plants and moved them around a little to isolate this one.

There was a lot more color after studying the plant, and this painting took longer than I expected. 'Some green, a couple of orange, a bit of yellow, leaves aren't that hard.' Or so I thought. The light on each waxy leaf created new hues and shades, the shadow of one leaf onto another created more.

I was positioned in a narrow aisle and the best moment of the day was a toddler who considered pebbles on the raised beds delicious. His stroller brought them right to his reach; he waited until Mom admired the Venus Fly Traps and grabbed a handful. We warned her, but he was determined to have his souvenir. Apparently he had been practicing this grab for a while, not a healthy place to eat, and he probably went home with a bit of extra weight.

Greenhouse Croton, 12.5 x 16.5 pastel 2011

Begonia in bloom

Thursdays at The Botanical Gardens continue to attract me....and my pastel boxes. As the winter flower shows were removed, and few Amaryllis remained, the begonia room's incredibly diverse leaf shapes and soon-to-be exploding flower buds were attractive, but not as interesting to me as the fish. I spent a day sketching the huge koi as they lazed in the waterfall's ripples, but soon realized that they were not going to stay still. As soon as I chose a fish, he hid. Frustration! I went home with many drawn pages of incomplete koi in my sketchbook, all in conte crayon.

The following week I went back to the begonias and found this brilliant orange bud bursting open, surrounded by vari-colored leaves draping themselves like servants to the royal bloom.

My drive to and from the gardens includes the Skyway. It's my favorite road here, with views of downtown Buffalo, huge ships below, the lake and Canada, leading into active and abandoned grain elevators, ice fishermen, Tifft Preserve, marinas and finally South Park.

I don't actually look at the street when I drive, I can see over the guardrails and I swivel like a bobblehead to look out in every direction. Here are two videos I found of my drive-with too much road, not enough lake.

Eastbound, with music

Westbound in the sunshine

Long Leaf Begonia, pastel 9.5x12.5 2011

Amaryllis

The botanical garden's recent Amaryllis show was a riot of color, strap leaves & thick tall stems topped by gaudy trumpets marching along the greenhouse paths.

This beauty was buried with sprays of tiny orchids at the entrance to the ivy house. I was attracted to the red, green & white colors as well as the way it reached into the path.

Untitled, pastel, 9.5x12.5 2011

Cattleya Orchid

Last weekend's Botanical Garden's event featured the glorious blooming orchid room and the Orchid Society Show.

Leading up to this event, the orchids have been casually unfolding from balls and ovals and even zigzag bundles from their host of strap leaves and air roots. Otherwise unremarkable plants have become riots of color, and each week we painters spent time checking out the buds and new colors.

I had worked at a popular florist when all women wore gaudy corsages for Easter so it was the biggest work weekend with hours right through the night. Everyone's Mom & Grandma needed to have a color coordinated flower and bow on their Easter finery.

This cattleya puts the smaller cymbidiums and phalaenopsis to shame by its sheer size, as a corsage it was a favorite but I never understood why the big flopping petals that reached halfway across any women's outfit was so popular, in those days the color to wear was purple.

For me, sitting in the orchid room with these screaming yellow flowers for a morning of mark making was wonderful!

Not My Corsage, pastel 9.5x12.5 2011

Springing into Spring?

Two days of sunshine & warm wind obliterated January's snow into puddles. I was ready to pack my paints & declare an early Spring. Wrong. Winter is back, but we are in the midst of art show season, so I am looking forward to art openings & sharing winter art stories & accomplishments with artist friends.

Last week, the 'Traditional' part of Art Dialogue Gallery's Western NY Artist Group juried membership show opened. My juicy tomatoes are hanging near the window-it seems my extra bright colors always have a hard time being placed in art shows, they are front & center, or on a single wall, or at the beginning or end. Sounds like I covered all the bases, but my paintings are rarely hung within the line of artworks on average gallery walls. I kind of like it that way! It will be up until mid-March when the 'Contemporary' part opens.

'On the Waterfront' at Artsphere Studio & Gallery, Amherst Street in Buffalo, opening reception is next Friday, February 25, 6:30-9 pm and will remain up until March 25. I had a hard time choosing only 2 paintings for this show, of all the tugs & grain elevators, downtown skylines and ships that I have painted in the last few years I could have had my own show altogether.

The two landscape paintings are plein air.

Karpeles Tomatoes, 11x14 oil 2009

Tug in a Cool Dock, framed to 19x21, pastel 2008

Lights under Michigan Street Bridge, oil 14x11 2009

Art is back in season

Finally, indoor plein air season! I have been going to the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens in the winter to paint over the past five years.

Everything changes quickly there, and seasonal displays of flowers add to the riot of color on the permanent plants. Amaryllis will be lining the walks soon.

Choosing to sit with my canvas on the same bench weekly would still result in very different paintings every time. This lemon tree has been my subject at least four other times, deep green fruit hides under big leathery leaves and tangled branches until subtle color changes to lighter green. The little white flower buds have a wonderful sweet scent.

Lemon Hide, pastel 12.5x9.5 2011

A Winter jewel

No. I have not been painting outdoors. This bit of winter is from last year, a sunny day with a lot of snow, enough to sink in it down to my knees in snow-I almost had to paint UP to my easel because it was braced on a fence. Getting chills just by remembering. Looking forward to painting some more purple shadows on the snow, which means we need to lose the clouds soon.

It was painted at the old canoe launch in Buckhorn State Park where I often paint in Fall, when leaves and shrubs hide the trees in the distance.

Creek Shadows, oil 8x10 2010

Open Studio 2010

My annual Open Studio event has evolved over the years and I look forward to seeing friends, sharing stories of my paintings and eating holiday cookies. Claudia Capolupo joined me for the day on Friday, its always a treat to have time with a good friend, wine & conversation.

Rearranging the studio for visitors involves framing new work, varnishing paintings from spring & summer and deciding which artworks are unfinished or need to be overpainted [not everything is a keeper!].

2010 was a Friday/Saturday event & the weather was warm and sunny, so there were many people out and the light streaming in the windows brightened the darkest corners. I'm pleased to show these photos of 'Holes in the Walls' studio at its best. Since that weekend is followed by so many holidays & preparation for them, visiting & parties, the studio stays clean & neat. I don't usually start any major works now but I am looking forward to some big projects for the new year. My 'need to paint' is satisfied by painting a few small works and drawing plans for upcoming projects.

Find peace & joy in whatever you do.

Letchworth State Park Weekend

After a minor whine/ rant last post, I have to admit to a two night get-away camp adventure in Letchworth State Park with Sherrill Primo, Joan L. Shaw and other NFPAP painters in October. Yes, I got cold 'camping' with a cottage, and it also rained. No matter, it was wonderful. I've returned to this Letchworth site & now have three pictures, one an older photo of my kids & Carl in front of this train trestle, another a little painting of the same scene with watercolors from a paint trip with Sherrill 2 years ago. This time, I was ready and the train trestle was finished-when the incredibly long train motored by, slow enough to capture the light glinting on the roof and slow enough for me to paint it from life! Actually, I can paint VERY fast.

The photo of me was taken by a tourist to the park, who happens to be from Buffalo, watched me paint for a while, took my photo & my card & sent the photo to me. Thank you John Gross! I'm wearing all the clothes I brought, I think there were seven layers, two pairs each of gloves & socks, but my smile is genuine. We went to paint the majestic Glen Iris Inn, but I happened to turn around & liked the shadows & light at edge of the meadow near the gorge. I stood under a tree that partially protected me from the constant mist and wind that started to get quite ferocious by the end of our adventure.

Are You Allowed Up There?, 24x12 oil 2010

By Glen Iris Inn, 8x10 oil 2010

TIfft Nature Center & Sanity

Those of you who know me understand the turmoil around me over the past few months. I have maintained my sanity by grabbing all rare occasions to paint, certainly not as often as I would like, & I haven't posted many new works that I have completed. My 'business of art' is set aside for now, but the studio is clean and serves as a sanctuary for music, sketching and thought.

Well, our first snow arrived & I finally spent the morning converting images for publication & hope to post several times in the coming weeks. Enjoy!

These two were painted at Tifft Nature Preserve in South Buffalo which is an idyllic park run by the Buffalo Museum of Science. It was reclaimed from abandoned railroad yards and factory dumps in the early years, when Buffalo was a huge port and transportation center.

Each year that I paint there I see nature overcoming the spoils of industry. As I painted the creek, a pair of deer frolicked in the distance, giant water birds came & went and the painting earned its title.

The little marshland portrait has a huge set of grain elevators in the distance; abandoned, trees and grasses have sprouted on the paths and fields, the buildings appear to recede as the trees gain height.

4 Turtles on a Log, oil 11x14 2010

Reclaimation, 5x7 oil 2010