3rd Model for People Painting People Project

We had a great session today with Laura Dillingham Mailman as the model.  We have been very fortunate in that all our models so far have been excellent in every way.  Laura has beautiful fair skin tones and blond hair.  We had three artists painting besides myself:  Cindy, Fran Butsavich , and Liz Peck.

Laura Dillingham Mailman, Model

Model Laura, Liz, Me, Cindy, Fran

Tomorrow (already) is the next model and it's at the Church in Bradford.  Wait until you see those pictures!

2nd model for People Painting People project

We had another wonderful model last night and 6 artists painted!  I'm so glad I did this as I am learning something every time.

Simone Cartier, the model

We started at 6 and finished at 9.

L-R=Elaine, Lix, Andrea, Anne, I'm taking the picture.

Here are a few shots during the breaks and some shots of the work.

First Day -PPP (People Painting People)

Great time, the model was great and two people showed up to paint.  The Merrimac Senior Center location worked out perfectly.  Next model is Monday night.

Anne, one of the artists who painted

The location with the model and Liz and Me

The location with the model, Ray, and Liz and Anne

Liz, one of the artists who painted the model

Ray, the model (shade version)

Ray, the model (light version)

 I'll try to get photos of the artists work to post here as well.

What? TV now?

My local TV station called me today to ask if I would do a show to go along with the People Painting People project.  I'm a little keyed up because tomorrow is the first sitting and I hope I have everything I need as I'll be at the Merrimac Senior Center facility.  I heard from a few artists who say they are planning to come and paint the model.  Check out the progress of this project on http://www.facebook.com/peoplepaintingpeople

People Painting People - The Merrimacians

I'll be painting portraits of fellow Merrimac MA residents during the months of August and October 2014.  I hope to reach a total of 30 sitters and have other artists join in and then we can exhibit these portraits later in the year at our library.

Read the article here in the Daily News (Newburyport)

Link to the People Painting People Facebook Page

Lori Putnum workshop

I'm with Lori Putnum on the porch where she created her video demo.

This was on the last day of the Canandaigua NY workshop in June 2014.  Sandy and I attended.  Sandy is a painting friend I met on our European painting trips through Margaret Egli Thomson.
You can see lots of artists videos on this site: Where in the World is..., promoted by Plein Air Magazine.  You can see Lori's there and see me sitting on the porch with the rest of the workshop-mates.

Charlie Movali at Northshore Art Association giving a lecture

In June I also attended what I think is Charlie's best lecture so far.  He is a genius.  I have learned so much from this man on design, color, elimination, suggestion.  Then at a plein air painting out at NSAA I actually had a one-on-one with him for a few minutes!

Portrait sketch of my husband by Mark Hayden

Mark Hayden painted this portrait sketch commission of George during two quick visits to his studio in Bradford MA.  I love it.  I study with Mark on Thursday mornings and I'm currently working on my submission for the portraits of Newburyport show in September of Fran Dalton.

My "People Painting People Project" isn't moving ahead very well.  I may have 12 people now and I need 31.  My visit to the Newburyport Newspaper hasn't proved very successful either.  In this case, no news isn't good news.

End of an adventure

Robert Genn (May 15, 1936 - May 27, 2014)

A very sad day.  

This man was amazing.  

I hope you had the pleasure of reading his twice a week letters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Genn

Sold another one at Rhythm

My Rhythm Cafe show for this year 2014 came down today and I discovered that I had sold another painting, pretty sure the total is 8.  It is more fun when people like your work enough to buy it.  I have been invited to show there again next year which makes me very happy because it is a great local cafe, excellent food, nice people, and my paintings look nice in that dining room, and it is good for community recognition.

One of the owners agreed to sit for a portrait for my People Painting People project in August, so that makes 9 people sitting so far!

Reception at Essex Art Center Show- Hayden and Weaver

Essex Art Center Show - Hayden - Weaver - May 2014

Last night I attended the show at Essex Art Center in Lawrence of the works of Mark Hayden, Jeff Weaver and a friend of Mark's who recently passed away.  All the work was wonderful and was presented well and looked very nice together.  It was well attended, I met lots of friends there and had a good time.

Annual Rockport Art Association Auction 2014

I love to attend these auctions and this one was no exception.  194 works of art were on the block.  Some incredible buys were had.  I didn't get there the day before or earlier in the day Saturday so I didn't get to preview these artworks. I don't have any room left in my house to put up paintings or I would probably have bid on a couple.  I didn't feel badly about not bidding though.  Sometimes when you leave and didn't bid you feel a sense of loss.  It is surprising that we ask, or buy paintings of current artists' work, for prices in the $500 range, yet we can purchase artworks of proven and time-honored master artists' work for that amount or less at these auctions.  Gloucester (NSAA) Auction coming up soon.  Northshore now has airconditioning! 

North Shore Art Assoc. Wine and Chocolate

This past Thursday night I attended the North Shore Art Association's opening gala with my sister, Pat, who was up from Florida to visit her sons.  It was a well-attended event with an overwhelming odor of chocolate, nice.  The show was very well hung, I don't know how they could squeeze in even one more painting--but it didn't look too crowded.  Here is a shot including my painting, 'View for Two', showcasing Forsythia, a wonderful springtime bush here in New England.

View for Two, a scene overlooking fields in the first blush of spring (two cardinals are also in it and the Forsythia bushes, yellow flowers on the right, are bright and cheery).

Here is a painting of one of my favorite artists, David Curtis, and this is not his usual plein air take on things, he usually does a broader landscape design, but I like this one and the colors are great.

David Curtis

In addition to the opening show, there was a wonderful solo show in another section of the NSAA galleries by

Paul Ciaramitaro Solo Show
"Wooden Boats and Iron Men"
April 24 - May 11
Gordon Grant Room
Reception Sunday, April 27 (2-5pm)
Open Free To The Public

Here are a few photos I took of his work.  There were a large number of paintings and drawings in every medium and every size and, gosh I would say maybe half or almost half were SOLD!

Demo at Buttonwoods, Haverhill MA

Susan Spellman, a children's book illustrator, spoke Sunday on the process of creating art for and publishing children's books.  The hour and a half demo and talk was very interesting and informative.  She has been working at this for many years and has more recently concentrated on fine art.

David's Amazing Plein Air Demo

David Curtis' amazing demo 4-17-14 at Lynnfield MA

This demo was a totally amazing event.  For the price of admission ($3) David was able to squeeze a lifetime of painting information into a lecture of about one hour and made it concise and interesting and understandable PLUS paint a demo (above) in less than another hour!  If this was a DVD it would be equivalent to at least a year of art college study and cost $200.  I believe it was a Guinness World Record event.

I wish I had recorded it.  Who knew?  I actually forgot my camera so I used my phone for this pic.

In under 2 hours which included a break with coffee and goodies, he covered everything.  I can't believe it.

Art and Design Cyclorama

I visited Cyclorama in Boston Sunday for an annual pilgrimage to see the Art and Design Show.  I attend two art functions each year at this venue.   Besides heart-pumping excitement I receive a large number of art and design magazines for which I always bring a book bag so I can carry them home.  I'm planning to attend a workshop in the finger lakes section of NY in June with Lori Putnum as instructor and with Sandi Beitsinger as my workshop-mate.  In the current issue of FineArtConnoisseur.com Lori is featured in an article Artists Making Their Mark.
I'm sharing a discovery with you today--lots of nice videos to watch:
http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/arc_demos.php

Scraggly Sunflower sold

A person whose knowledge of art I respect a lot bought my painting today.  I couldn't be happier.  This is the first time I've ever had that feeling that your painting has found a good home!   The gallery won't release the painting until I bring another to fill the spot, and tonight I realized that I can deliver one that would have gone to my Rhythm show in the morning.  Good timing!

Tomorrow I install the Rhythm Cafe Show.  I have a large number paintings and will determine which ones will actually fit properly when I get there. 

This is the picture on the announcement card for the Rhythm Show.

Any bets on the Garden Fairy?  I'm wondering about that one.  I thought is was a silly painting, but everyone goes to it right away. 

Rockport Show receiving day

Rockport Contributors' Show

Receiving day today at Rockport Art Association, Rockport MA.  I arrived in the middle of the 6 hours when they were accepting paintings and the big showroom was already elbow to elbow with entries.  I can't wait to see the show on Sunday during the reception from 2 to 4 p.m.

My choice for the Portrait Show in September at Newburyport Art Association

Artist Statement.

I chose Fran Dalton as my subject for the NBPT Portrait Show because she was a central figure in the local arts community (photographer) for many years who went through a very public sex change in her 50s, Fran Dalton lived in Newburyport most of her life and died at the age of 81.  She deserves to be included in any event that endeavors to showcase community members who make up the fabric of Newburyport.

Newburyport takes much pride in the colorful people who have lived here and shaped its personality. Fran Dalton is among them, a friend to many, and a charitable person who helped the homeless.  He lived on a boat at Charley Powers' boatyard and he and Connie Van Swearingen ( Van Ess) were immersed in Newburyport's thriving counterculture in the 70s, which celebrated individualism, diversity and even eccentricity

Dalton's life changed when Connie, his companion of many years, died at age 55. The changes in Frank's appearance noted by his friends culminated in his very public decision to change his gender and name — from Frank to Fran — in the 1980s. It was a decision that garnered much attention at the time.

She spent most of her life as Frank Dalton, a tall, lean man with craggy features, a deep voice and long salt-and-pepper hair pulled back in a ponytail. The entire town accepted her for the woman she was.

Her story has been aptly told through a retrospective exhibit at the local Library.  

Mary Pyche

Submitted March 5, 2014

Current Shows 2014 season

I'm pretty excited to be gearing up for these shows:

My upcoming show schedule is as follows:

1.  Solo Exhibition at the Rhythm Cafe, March 24th through mid-May.  I'll post my announcement cards tomorrow.  Reception TBA.

2.  Rockport Art Association Contributors' Show, March 23 to April 19.
Reception, Sunday, March 23 from 2-4, all invited.

3.  17th Annual Newburyport Regional Juried Show, April 25 to May 25.
Reception, Sunday, April 27 from 3-5, all invited.

4.  Portraits of Newburyport Show, September 12 to 27th.
Reception, Saturday, Sept. 14 from 7-9, all invited.

Portrait Show in September

I want to participate in the Newburyport Art Association Portrait Show coming up this September.  I didn't realize that I had to submit an artist statement by (new extended deadline date) April 4th.  Anyway, I thought I had plenty of time to ask someone if I could do their portrait.  I was at one of our favorite pubs with my husband and we were talking about this and who to ask.  My husband said, "Paint Mike".  He's the owner of that establishment and we have been going there for 33 years.  I thought it was a great idea too, but after we left I realized I hadn't asked Mike about it.  A couple of weeks go by, and I go in and ask him.  Well, he's laughing out loud, but guess what, someone asked him the day before!  Darn it.  I missed it by one day.  So after about a week, I decided to ask his niece, Michelle, who is a waitress there.  She is a beautiful blond with a wonderful smile and has been there forever it seems.  She hasn't agreed yet, but I sure hope she does.

p.s.  She didn't accept.

Whistler Show today at Addison Gallery in No. Andover

I'm headed out today to see this show with some friends.  It had a big writeup in today's Globe.  Nothing like a day at the museum with friends and lunch afterward.

DPW Day - navigation nightmare

DPW PAGE...During this BIG snow storm today I spent the entire day (again) on the computer trying to get my ducks in a row, more or less, getting my PayPal and my Dailypaint Works page working correctly.  What a challenge.  There were a number of things that I couldn't figure out in order to get it to work correctly, but I'll have to go in again later and see if I can fix it. It is a very involved sign up with all kinds of links and permissions that are needed in order for DPW to automatically "feed" things starting with PayPal and finishing with my sites themselves which includes blogs, FB, Etsy, the whole enchilada.  If it gets completed correctly, DPW has a tracking site that has every piece of information you might want about your artwork and sales, even from other sites.  I don't feel bad though because I'm probably not alone.  So the successful artists must also be web geniuses as well it seems.

REGIONAL SHOW ENTRY..I also submitted two paintings for the regional juried show.  Happily I was accepted to the Newburyport Art Association's Winter Juried Show which is now hanging.  I have never been accepted into the regional shows and I always blamed the photos!  ha ha

Gearing up, Facebook adventures

I'm in the last lap of gearing up for a better art career, and have made a Facebook Fan page.
My Facebook Fan Page
I've uploaded some old photos of artwork but I'm excited to be thinking about loading up new pictures of new artwork soon and often.

Tomorrow, it's DPW day and PayPal day and Enter the Regional Show day.  Wish me luck.

NAA Winter Juried Show

Video of the award winners' work, click here. 

The Winter Show at Newburyport is up now until March 1st.  Try to see it if you are in town.  There is some very nice work there that I did enjoy after not visiting there much over the past year.  New people have become members and my old friends are still there and a few have won awards this time.  Be sure to watch the video link above to see the winners' work and the juror's comments about the show.

2014 Winter Juried Show, Newburyport MA RECEPTION TONIGHT

Everyone is invited, 7 p.m.  !
Please visit my daily blog to see references to my two paintings that were juried into this show in Newburyport.
I'm excited also to report that today I noticed that I have had 10000 views to this blog!
Today's daily blog features a video clip of the "Father of Animation".  Very interesting Wiki story with videos that must be 100 years old.  Mary's Daily Blog

Portrait Studies

Garden Fairy and Portrait Group--Jan 2014

This post is not exactly an adventure, where this is my adventure blog, but it doesn't fit nicely into the daily category either.  I've been working on little miss Garden Fairy for a couple of weeks now, and it started out as a quick sketch for fun and I just kept going with it.  I'm still working on it, trying to resolve the background first before I complete her wings, etc.  My difficulties stem from creating this background out of my head rather than have something concrete to go on. 

The portrait group meets twice a month, and I'm beginning to wish I could work from the model more often than that.  It's a 3-hour sitting with breaks and every time is different in many ways.  I start differently for no conscious reason and have been working at getting the color results in the darks and lights of the skin that I want, and that is rich tones with harmony and correct value. Since I consider the work I do in portrait group "studies", I don't usually post them.