November 2021 Challenge : “Whimsy”

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        “I thought I dreamed it” Procreate drawing on iPad Pro

By Mary Sheehan Winn

"Whimsical Holiday Gift Tags" by Pamela Coleman

 

                                                            "Releasing Whimsy" by Sally Dean

                                              20"x 20" acrylic, white charcoal and glitter on wooden panel

                             I found a doodle from a 1985 sketchbook- when I lived in San Francisco. 

                                                                   I had a blast painting this!

"Swim on Sistah" 5"x7" Acrylic by Tori Brega

"Friends" 8"x8" Acrylic Gouache by Paula Villanova

This one is an older painting, a couple of years ago, in fact, but I didn't like the painting I did for this month as much as I liked this one. Some days are like that, I guess, but I liked this whimsical gang

 of buddies.

"Bunch of Clucks" 4x4 Acrylic by Kelley Carey MacDonald

This is one from the archives....

"Play" 4.5 x 6 gouache by Jeanne MacFarland

 

"Sidewalk Chalk" ink and colored pencil by Jody Regan. Always fun to see what shows up on the street given a bucket of chalk

 

"Crazy Still Life" 24"x18" Acrylic by Page Railsback
 

October Challenge: "Pink and Orange"

"Boston Icon" Acrylic 12"x12" by Paula Villanova

Everybody at the meeting loves when the tray of coffee comes through the door.

"Ribbon Candy Sunset" 11"x14" Oil by Pamela Copeman

"Plus Turquoise" 12"x12" Acrylic by Tori Brega

A mandala using elements from my garden, I couldn’t help myself from adding turquoise to make the oranges and pinks sing… The central hand and heart are a symbol of their unity in one’s best creative process.

“Pink and Orange Tulips” 8x10 Sketchbook pen, ink, watercolor

By Mary Sheehan Winn

"Color Study, Island Sunset" 5"x7"Pastel by Margaret Farrell Bruno

"Pink Blanket" ink, watercolor & marker  9 x 9 by Jody Regan. Mighty Fred is one of my favorite subjects.  He loves this throw, but only on the pink side, never on its striped side.  Texture?  Color? Pattern?  Who knows?

"Pink Hat"  8x8, oil by Jeanne MacFarland 

"Ecstatic" 12x12 Mixed media on cradled board by Kelley Carey MacDonald

Orange and pink are such joyous colors, and they bring to mind happy times, sunny weather and flowers!

"Blue Bird of Happiness"  

Still processing the wedding last weekend in Maine of my oldest daughter!

30"x40" acrylic on canvas 

( work in progress) by Sally Dean

September Challenge: "Chair"

"Still Life With Chair" 8"x10" by Kelley Carey MacDonald

My favorite spot in the house.

"Orange Lawn Chair" 12"x16" Acrylic by Paula Villanova

We take industrial design for granted. Just trying to draw objects that have been carefully designed continues to challenge me. I will continue to take the challenge though.

"My Go To" 36"x36" Acrylic by Page Pearson Railsback

“Chair and Sunflowers in a Green Room” 

Painting combined with Procreate.

By Mary Sheehan Winn

I began painting this simple white chair with a pitcher of sunflowers upon it but I hadn’t set up a background. I liked where I was going so I put it into Procreate to see what could be done to resolve it. I ended up having the most success I’ve ever had with Procreate and loving the result.

 “Fairy Throne”   3” x 6”  mixed media by Victoria Chesley Brega

“Sometimes it’s nice to put down the paints and work 3D,  this little piece is made from dried day lilly stems, baroque pearls and tiny beach stones.”

"Time Travelers" 20"x16" Pastel by Margaret Farrell Bruno 

Two women taking time out at the museum. Possibly transported thru time.

 

 

Balloon Back Louis the 14th chair

16"x20" oil on canvas

by Sally Dean

I have two of these chairs and remember them fondly in my Grandmothers home. Now I have them and can't seem to part with them! 

"The Gang's All Here" ink and marker by Jody Regan. We love chairs at our house, maybe a little too much.  Our cats love our vintage chairs and we love that they do.

 

August Challenge: "Hazy, Hot, and Humid"

 

"Traffic Jam" 24"x24" Acrylic by Paula Villanova

Hot summer sun, cool summer colors.

“Thunder Storm Ahead”  8x10 Sketchbook Watercolor by Mary Sheehan Winn

This summer has been full of heat, humidity, rain and thunderstorms, in every way.

"Sizzler", 12x12 Mixed Media on Wood by Kelley Carey MacDonald

Although Summer is my LEAST favorite season - I do adore the colors of the sunset. The hazy, hot and humid days are ones I simply get through!  This let me play with shapes and colors that are Summer in the City type. The oranges, pinks and yellows are all playing well together!

"Marshall Point, Summer" oil 6 x 12 by Jeanne MacFarland

“Cooling Off” 10” x 10” Acrylic by Victoria Chesley Brega

“A couple catching the sunset, and any available breeze, on their dock off of one of my favorite little points at Watchic Lake…”

“Hot Summer Fun” Pastel by Margaret Farrell Bruno

"Summer fun on a hot summer beach. Nothing like cooling off in the ocean."

 

"Craft Shop" 12 x 16 ink & watercolor by Jody Regan.  Each summer I demonstrate painting at the local Marshfield Fair.  This breezy spot next to the Craft Shop is a pleasant wind tunnel during the hazy days of August on the midway outside.  It is a busy, beautiful respite.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Rocks" by Sally Dean

16"x 22" watercolor and acrylic on Arches 140 lp cold press watercolor paper,

I continue to love rocks and water. Humarock beach walks with my dog in the morning is my salvation and solution to hot humid weather.

“Hot Day” 10” x 7” Acrylic by Page Railsback

"When It Is Hazy Hot & Humid It is Time For Lobster" 8x10 by Pamela Copemen

July 2021 Challenge: "Summer Delight"

 

 "Overlooking the Glades" 8"x10" Oil by Margaret Farrell Bruno

A hazy warm summer day painting plein air with friends last week. 

What a view that this gentleman let our plein air group paint from.

"July Exuberance", 20x16 Mixed Media by Kelley Carey MacDonald

I am a little greedy when it comes to seeds and flowering plants, I love and want them ALL.  And the end of July rewards (?) me with Every kind of blossom, all jumbled together, reaching high and bursting with color - all order and planning jettisoned! 

Victoria Chesley Brega “A Good Read”  12” x 18” acrylic 

“ My niece Lyd relaxing afloat Uptacamp in Maine.  My old iPad is starting to pixilate a bit, which actually made an  interesting version of the cloud patterns on the water… Maybe a good sketch for a larger painting.”

"Garden Gate" 5 1/2"x7"n Oil by Pam Copeman

"Zinnias Forever" 10"x7" Acrylic by Page Pearson Railsback

"Oh, What a Perfect Day!" ink & watercolor by Jody Regan.  Created a watercolor journal while spending time on Monhegan Island, ME, this summer.  Each day is perfect, walking the island, drawing the comings and goings, meeting and chatting with people, always with the rugged backdrop of Manana Island across the harbor. 

"Rocks and Water" by Sally Dean 12"x16"

 painted tarpaper collage on tar paper and ink

I love being near any kind of water in summer. Looking at all the different rocks brings me joy.

"Cure for the Summertime Blues" Acrylic on Paper by Paula Villanova

On my deck of many colors...

"Kent House, Walpole, ME" 6"x9" Gouache by Jeanne MacFarland

A lovely home built in 1750 by sea captains on the shores of Clarks Cove on the Pemaquid penninsula on a summer day

June Challenge: "High Key"

What is a 'high key' painting?  A painting where the darkest colors are MID VALUE.  That means a middle tone between light and dark.  So the painting has an overall light feeling. 

"Summer Whimsey", 9x12 mixed media on 140 lb watercolor paper

by Kelley Carey MacDonald

  This was done in an Intuitive manner.  Many layers, some opaque, some transparent, with marks made by graphite and colored pencil.  Photographing a high key painting is tough, because the camera emphasizes the darkest darks and the lightest lights.  Let me just tell you those are mid tone orange marks on the lower left and the centers of the pink flowers are much lighter than that!

 “Color is Key”  9” x 12” Acrylic by Victoria Chesley Brega 

“ One of the day lilies resurrected from a former garden that was plowed under by the last owner of my new place, flourishing with just a little relocation and TLC…”

"Indian Head River" 5"x7" oil on wood block panel by Margaret Farrell Bruno

We are having unusually warm steamy days locally, more like August weather, and that atmosphere is perfect for high key paintings. This was a fun exercise to limit my values to 0%-50% on the gray scale.

“Pam’s Muffins” 5x7 watercolor and ink by Mary Sheehan Winn

Our recent “Painting Safari” took place at the Scituate home of our own “Hostess with the Mostest”, Pamela, who baked us delicious berry muffins and in her usual fabulous style, set them up in a picturesque still life in her front garden. I set up my camp chair in the shade and did this sketch. 

I had to tilt the tabletop slightly because it was at eye level, and I incorporated the windows which were not visible from my angle. Sometimes it’s nice to invent a scene out of different components. 

 

 

 

Sally Dean "imaginary vista" watercolor,gouache and prismacolor pencil paper on arches 140lb cold press paper 9"x 12"

              I looked up "high key" and it said to use mid range values. I should know this already but had to google it. It was fun to just be random!

 

Page Railsback "simple" 5"x 8 "acrylic

"Summer Garden" oil on board 11 x 14 by Jody Regan - don't you love Boston's Public Garden whatever the season?  I do.  

"High Key - Monet's Garden Giverny"  oil 9 x 12 by Pamela Copeman

"Dad in His Drugstore Circa 1965" Acrylic on Paper by Paula Villanova