4th Model for Portrait project

Today the model for the People Painting People project, Angela Davis, was painted at the First Church of Christ activity hall in Bradford, MA by probably 15 painters.  A couple more artists signed up to paint more of our portraits.

Angela Davis, Model

I'll be receiving more photos from other people who took photos, but for now here are a couple:

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