Artist Renee Lammers

 
  "Finger Lickin' Good"  5x7 Oil on Copper panel SOLD

       I went to a farm in Morrill with Kathi Peters today to paint.  It was very sunny and warmish but very windy!  I found a somewhat safe spot to paint.  Still I found myself grabbing my easel to secure it during a wind gust of at least 20 mph!  We both decided to paint this chicken coop.  It is the nicest looking chicken coop I have ever seen.  There were a variety of chickens, ducks, one bunny who thinks he is a chicken, and a friendly and a mean cat!  Lots of animal action!  It was peaceful and beautiful. When I returned home, I used my photos on a computer monitor to paint those chickens in.  

  This is Kathi Peters's watercolor painting she finished plein aire today!  I love this painting don't you?  She is a great artist.   She had an excellent time.  She too enjoyed taking pictures of all of the animals.  We were pretty quiet all day except when Kathi called me over to see a cat on her lap while she tried to paint!
  This was the nice cat luckily!  Kathi loves animals.  She was able to communicate with the chickens, ducks, and cats so she could get better photos of them.  Pretty amazing!  I am suprised she completed such a nice painting with a cat sitting on her lap blocking her view and her painting! 
    Later the mean cat came up to Kathi as she was drawing.  Luckily this cat gave up trying to get petted.  The owner of the farm already had warned us about this cat. He bites. 

Look at all of the beautiful animals today!





This is a photo of the red barn!



     Tomorrow I start painting for my Maine May Painting Marathon!  A paint till I drop challenge.  I am ready!  I can not wait!  I will be painting a variety of subjects as I do believe it is important to paint it all!  Thank you Kathi Peters for the great afternoon painting en plein aire!  Have a great night!  Create some excitement in your life!  Get out and Paint!

  "Cadillac Mountain Spruce Trees"  has found a new home in Surry, Maine!  A very nice lady, Sylvia, came to visit me today at my Gallery!  What a great time I had.  The only thing about being an artist I don't especially like, is the isolation!  I am work very hard outside on a mountain listening to birds as I paint.  Very rarely do I see another soul!  Of course when Summer comes then I will be busy chatting to tourists while I am painting.  Many professional artists talk about this isolation.  Most enjoy the quiet times working at their easels.  "Cadillac Mountain Spruce Trees"  won my new friend's heart.  Her birthday is tomorrow.  She decided to help her husband buy her a birthday present.  I do the same thing!  So funny!  Guys never know what we want!  Bless their hearts!  It is so exciting to see someone so happy with their painting purchase.  I really do love this painting.  I remember when I was up on top of Cadillac Mountain, when I saw this scene, it literally took my breathe away.  I felt so much about these Spruce trees.  I think I really identified with them.  The beautiful glow of the distant mountain really also captured my attention.  This little 8x10 painting is very powerful.  Sylvia told me the photographs of my work do not do them justice.  They are more beautiful to see in person.  I am glad she was so thrilled to view my works.  

     I have 20 copper panels ready for my May Painting Marathon!    I know I will need more.   For now 20 will be enough to start. Tomorrow we are having excellent weather!  So I will be out painting somewhere! 

      I will be posting my paintings as usual on the blog and if enough time under the Painting heading on this website.  They will each be 100$ unframed shipped in USA for free.  I will wait till they dry, put a protective layer of Gamblin's Galkyd, let this dry, and ship the painting insured.  I think the best way to purchase any painting will be to call me, (207) 479-9553, and then we will process the sale, via paypal, check, MC, Visa!  I will make sure each painting is worthy of being created.  No sloppy paintings from this artist!  I am very particular with what I produce.  I wipe off many paintings.  Not as many paintings as I use to!  

     If you have any Maine photos you think I might like to paint, feel free to email me them.  No nudity please!  Ha Ha My email address is [email protected] .  I have many but I wouldn't mind looking at yours too!  Sylvia showed me her photos!  I may paint a few!  Beautiful.  A beautiful painting must start from a beautiful scene!  Or a beautiful photo!

    Have a great night!  Keep each day exciting!  Sometime a person has to create their own excitement!  Get outside and paint!

   

     


    

  I have decided to do a May painting marathon!  I am going to paint as many 5x7 oil on copper paintings as I can the month of May!  I will allow myself to paint these paintings plein aire and also in my new studio!  The month of May brings lots of rain here in Maine!  I am going to start each day at 12pm and paint until I fall asleep!  I will post these paintings here daily on my blog.  I will also have them for sale under the PAINTING heading on my website.  There will be a BUY IT NOW button under each painting.  I am hoping the proceeds of these sales will allow me to go to Monhegan Island this Summer for a few days.  I am going to offer these paintings at an extraordiary low price!  The next few days I will be cutting copper panels and fixing up my new art studio. 

  Daisy smelling the daffodils in my backyard!  You can see the Penobscot East Channel and Verona Island in the distance.  We now have green grass growing.  Spring is here!

  A few days ago I went outside at night to take photos of our view at night down by the Channel.  The half moon was glowing over the water.  Beautiful.

   Thank you for reading my blog.  I am excited about my painting marathon project!  Get out and paint!

    "Kathi Peter's Farm"  6x8 Oil on Copper  Sold! 

     I was invited to Kathi Peter's Farm again today.  I also gave the directions to the Northern Chapter of Plein Aire Painters of Maine.  I am incharge of the Northern Chaper.  We meet on Mondays.  Emails go out for the directions to the painting location on Saturday or Sunday.  Any artist can participate for free.  All we need is your email address to be put on the list.  No other artists showed up to paint.  Maybe it is still early in the season.  I really enjoyed Kathi Peters's company and her husband Les, and Nel and Adeline (Jack Russell and Corgi).  Spring has arrived at Cob Cottage Farm!  I set up right away to continue painting on a painting I started many days ago!  The sun was out!  Right away I painted over the sky!  I wanted a brighter sunny day sky instead of the clouds hoving over the farm.  I also added Spring growth on the trees.  Kathi made a suggestion to paint in the shadows of the fruit trees.  This painting was painted by two artists!  I was so glad she made this suggestion!  She also suggested to add a fence.  This worked out great!  It was really great to have her extra set of eyes!  I added highlights to trees, fruit trees, ground.  Then I looked up to see her dogs sitting in the identical place I originally had painted them in!  I noticed the Corgi chest stood out more and her little white paws too!  I added a little more white to the Jack Russel, Nell, and another foot!  Nell moves around a lot!  I was pleased with this painting and so was Kathi.  

     Next Kathi took me to a neighboring farm!  She asked permission for me to paint plein aire here at this farm.  This farm was just amazing.  Red barn, different chickens, a bunny who thought he was a chicken, ducks, and a nesting pair of Canadian Geese.  In the distance were mountains.  There was a pond.  A red chicken house!  Stone wall lined with trees.  I will come back soon to paint here!

     On the way back home I saw a sheep farm called Ynot Farm.  I stopped to ask permission to paint and take photos.  They were happy I asked permission.  This view looked like a painting from George Inness during the day!  Amazing.  Here are a few photos of this scene near Morrill, Maine.

  Cute lamb!





     What a wonderful day!  I just love to get outside, drive around, and paint!  Kathi is such a nice lady.  She showed me how to label a photograph of a painting image on the computer for art contests.  She also showed me a website which shows art contests.  It is called Callforentry.org  She is a very accomplished equestrian artist.  I am thankful to be able to spend a few hours with her.  Her dog Nell was so much fun too.  Nell jumped up on my lap for a few hugs!  Adeline, more subdued, let me pet her.  Have a great day!  Get out and paint!

  "Cadillac Mountain Spruce Trees"  8X10 Oil on Copper Panel.  350$  Now I am pleased with this painting.  It was a plein aire painting from a few days ago.  I used my computer monitor today to add some finishing touches!  When I was out at Cadillac Mountain painting this painting, I got so cold I had to quit.  It was somewhat finished.  I added some distant mountain trees.  I darkened the Spruce tree on the left.  I added some highlights to a few rocks.  Minor work but I really think it helped.  I like this one a lot now!  There is a glow of the mountain behind the trees and the trees are sparkling.  This is the scene I saw!  The pink glowing granite rocks typical of Cadillac Mountain. 

  "Raspberry Island"  11X14 Oil on Copper Panel.  Undecided on a price yet.  I worked for a while today in the studio on this plein aire painting I did yesterday at Port Clyde.  I did the clouds one more time!  This is the third time I redid the clouds.  I wanted larger cumulus clouds.  Yesterday's clouds were too small!  I may work on them again, who knows.  I straightened the ground under the island.  Somehow I had painted it at a diagonal.  I added ropes to the mooring bouys to the lobsterboats.  I added some highlights on the ocean from the clouds.  I may work more on this painting in my studio.  I want to see it tomorrow. 

     I went with my husband Robert, Daisy and Duke to Mount Desert Island.  First we went to Little Long Pond near Seal Cove.  Mrs. Rockerfeller set aside this large parcel of land for the animals.  People were riding beautiful horses on the carriage trails.  Many people were with their happy dogs.  There is a big pond under Sargent Mountain dogs enjoy swimming in.  We walked a long way.  Daisy and Duke would run into the pond and then walk some more.  The views were incredible.  Nice to get out and exercise.  Painting is wonderful.  I do need to walk and get exercise too! 

     At Northeast Harbor there is an amazing shop that sells homemade chocolate donuts.  We stopped for a few!  We also bought a gallon of water for Daisy and Duke!  Next we went to Cadillac Mountain.  Daisy and Duke seemed to enjoy the views. 


What a wonderful day.  I noticed one of my tulips at our new house is up!


Have a great day!  Make everyday exciting!  Create your own excitement by getting outside and painting!

  "Raspberry Island"  11X14 Oil on Copper Panel

     Today I drove from Bucksport to Port Clyde, a hour and a half drive!  I did a detailed drawing in pen and ink of this Raspberry Island before I painted it.  This is something I learned at Stetson University with Professor Gary Bolding.  He told us if we did a detailed drawing of the subject we were going to paint, the painting would come much easier.  He was right.  It gave me a chance to relax after driving and an understanding of my subject.

  I asked a local Port Clyde resident what this island was called.  He said, "Raspberry Island".  He also told me a retired Doctor owns the island.  He mows the lawn on this island.  He said, "It is like another world over on that island.  It is so different."  Interesting. 

  Here is a photo of Raspberry Island when I first arrived at 1:30 pm.  I loved the beautiful white puffy clouds and the blue sky!  Just what I needed to portray a beautiful Maine island!  The problem with these clouds are they move quickly.  There aren't many value differences within these clouds.  They just need to look fluffy and not complicated!  Get in and get out!  That is how I paint clouds.  The first time I painted the clouds, I didn't like them, so I redid the sky again without clouds and went on to something else.  I went back and did the clouds again later.  I still may redo these clouds once again.  I don't do clouds a lot so I have no experience with them.  I may need to use a photograph to do a great job on these clouds. 

     The other difficult part of this painting are the five lobster boats.  Most lobster boats will almost always be facing in the same direction.  I like to draw out my lobsterboats on paper and use this drawing as a guide.  Then I will wait till the boat is in the exact same position and paint quickly until the boat moves.  Then I will stop, work on another boat.  Finally I may resort to my drawing.  Especially if the boat leaves!  This happens a lot!  I can draw much faster than I can paint!  I do this with figures too.  And seagulls! 

     This painting is not finished yet!  I need to work on many things before it becomes a finished painting.  I haven't been working in such a larger size, 11X14.  I find it much more difficult to get a finished accurate painting from plein aire this size.  I love 6x8.  I know I can do this size well and quickly! 

     Here is a photo of me painting this scene.  Two nice tourists took my picture with their camera many times.  I wonder what they do with these photos?  Maybe they frame them and put them in their house!  Ha Ha 



     These are some photos of today.  I would have liked to have painted these scenes.  The tide was very low.  It is pretty, but I think it looks best when there is water.









     It was very quiet at Port Clyde today.  I guess most lobsterman work Monday through Friday.  I don't think the Monhegan Island Ferry is running yet.  It was warm and beautiful out.  I only had to put on my sweater at 5:00pm.  Have a great night!  I hope you try painting outdoors!  Plein aire is the life for me!  Get out and paint!

  "Cadillac Mountain Spruce Trees"  8X10 Oil on Copper Panel.  300$   I headed to Mount Desert Island today!  I wanted to continue my series of paintings there on Cadillac Mountain.   I was amazed at these trees and the beautiful glowing blue mountain!  I said to myself, "I must paint this!"    It was warm enough and not too windy at first.  By the time I finished, my hands were freezing!  But I so did enjoy myself.  I admired how these small Spruce trees live clinging on the edge of this mountain!  There was very little dirt for them to grow on!  The altitude, wind, and lack of nutrients keep these Spruces small.  They have a dangerous life living on the edge!  I can relate to these trees being a working artist!  Ha Ha.  Such beautiful scenery they view each day!  So do I!  Ha Ha

       I went to the Great Meadow on Park Loop Road.  I sketched the scene but it was way too windy!  I took a photo of it and with my sketch I can paint it later!  Here is the photo!

  There is only one birch tree left standing.  The is a large beaver who cuts down almost any tree around!  Changes the scenery here and keeps the meadow a meadow!  I have never seen the beaver.  I paint here a lot!

  Next I drove on Park Loop Road to this location.  I had to manuver through some trees to take this photo.  Many artists paint this spot.  There are beautiful round pink granite rocks made smooth by the waves.  There is a granite structure near the cliff that looks like a chimney.  Best of all is the color of the ocean.  The carmel colored granite seems to reflect into the blue green ocean.  I would have loved to paint this spot.  This may take more planning.  I think the time of the day, 3pm is perfect.  I will just need to rest up a few days before I tackle such an ambitious painting.  I will also need a larger square copper panel.  It may take many trips of painting to complete this.  There will only be about a two or three hour a day window of opportunity to paint this scene.  I might be able to pull it off! 

  This is the chimney up close.  Very interesting granite structure.  One thing I like about this scene;  It is recognizable!  People will love this painting. 


  I asked a tourist to take my picture while I was painting "Cadillac Mountain Spruce Trees".  I need a photo of me painting for a plein aire invitational in New Brunswick June 19 and 20.  There are 12 other professional plein aire artists who will be painting the town with me.  Then we will exhibit our works in two Galleries there.  I love to participate in these plein aire events.  I get to travel, paint, meet new artists, make new friends, and learn!  I may even sell some paintings.  Who knows! 

  This was right before sunset over Eagle Lake on top of Cadillac Mountain.  I wish I would have stayed up there for the sunset.  As I was driving off the island I saw amazing light show!  Orange ball of a sun.  Magenta and lavender clouds over the sun!  Incredible!

     An artist asked me, "How do you transport many wet oil paintings?"  I use Guerrilla Painter wet panel carriers.  If you call them up, ask them for seconds.  They are much less money.  I have five of these.  I just keep painting. 

      Once in a while I glaze my dry oil paintings with a coating of Galkyd by Gamblin.  This Galkyd is a nonyellowing polymerized oil, an alkyd.  It further hardens the oil paint, protects the copper from oxidizing and turning green, and binds the oil paint to the copper.  It has a glass like finish.  If I don't want so much shine, I have found, diluting the Galkyd with turpenoid by 1/3, creates a less shiny finish and does the same thing.  The trick to doing this:  Make sure the wet panel carrier is level.  If it is not level, the galkyd will move to one area.  Then I would sand down the galkyd, repaint with oils, dry, and re galkyd.  Another problem is to make sure there are no hairs or dirt or dust in the Galkyd.  If this occurs, I resand, repaint, and re galkyd! Painting on Copper is a tricky substrate.  It is so smooth, it is unforgiving.  Sometimes I use fine sandpaper on a dry oil painting just to get the surface just right!  There are still paintings ruined unfortuately by a golden retriever hair!  The majority of these painting finished are completed to perfection.  The copper shines through in some areas of the oil painting.  The pink luminous copper adds mystery and a little historic medival fine art technique to my painting! 

     I hope you enjoyed reading my blog today of my painting adventures.  If you have any questions, just ask!  Commenting is easy!  Thank you!  Have a great night!  Get out side and paint!  Make your life exciting and fun each day!

  "Island Seen From Port Clyde"  6X8 Oil on Copper panel $300

     Today I drove an hour to Port Clyde.  I love this area.  There is so much to paint here.  I really do think the water is a lighter color here.  Very luminous.  Here are a few photos of Port Clyde. 

  I loved the luminous water right before sunset!  Amazing!  Maybe because this area is sheltered from the wind the water is more calm. 

  I really liked this fishing shack on the left.  A working wharf was in the distance.

  I really liked this fishing boat!  I almost painted this scene!  I just could not decide!  

  I almost painted this view.  I really didn't have a large enough panel!  I drew it out!  But I erased it.  The sky was stormy looking.  It was too challenging for me.  I was tired from loons calling out all night.  Maybe I was tired from the drive or not eating enough.  I had very little energy!  So I decided to do a pen and ink with watercolor and relax!

  I was using Vodka instead of water with my watercolor paints.  I like the effects. 

  This is a very nice looking specimen of a Eider Duck.  They were having a great time today in the harbor.  I enjoyed watching them while I painted.  This is a male.  The female is brown.

  On the way to Port Clyde I passed by a beautful scene!  A field full of rams with babies too!


  This is the scene at sunset.  The colors are very pastel and luminous!  One of the reason I love Maine is there seems to be magical scenes everywhere!  Have a great night!  Get outside and paint!

  "Seal Cove from Cadillac Mountain"  8x10 Oil on Copper Panel

     I drove over to Cadillac Mountain!  It was suppose to be a sunny beautiful day!  I was psyched!  I arrived on top of Cadillac Mountain to find a light rain.  I pulled over at a rest stop overlooking Seal Cove, Northeast Harbor, Seawall, and maybe Bass Harbor.  I decided I liked the circular shaped lagoon area at Seal Cove.  I ignored the ran, sat inside my car, and drew on my copper.  It was about 50 degrees out.  It was very windy!  I do not like to listen to howling wind while I paint.  I find it unsettling.  I tried to ignore this.  Here is a photo of my Cigar box by Guerrilla Painter.  I use a hard plastic watercolor palette lid to hold my palette paper.  I like the lid for this as it has a smooth surface. When I am finish painting I put the bottom part of the watercolor palette on top as the lid.  Another words I reverse it's normal use.  Most of these watercolor palettes are very filmsy plastic.  This one is an older firmer one.  I have never seen another one like it.  I think I have owned it for twenty years.   

      This painting took me six hours to complete.  I noticed the water did not change in value or color.  The rocks changed in value and color.  Shadows were nice at 6:00 pm.  I decided to make sure all of my rocks and foliage looked like it did at 6:00 pm.  The rocks on top of Cadillac Mountain are mostly light green right now.  There are some specks of the beautiful coral color of the granite.  The light green color is coming from some kind of lichen.  I decided to try to stay with the colors present and try not to romantize the colors.  This is not easy. 

      There is something very exhilerating about painting on location.  This exhileration can come with additional energy and adrenaline.  The artist feels extremely inspired by the beauty of nature and the daunting task of trying quickly to paint it!  I never feel dread or feel like I can't do this.  I just do it!  Sometimes I make mistakes.  I was painting in a narrow confining area.  I was not able sometimes to get the proper brush marks I wanted.  There are struggles.  I seem to battle through them.  I am almost always satisfied with my painting.  I find it easier to paint from life than trying to deciper a terrible photograph. 

     After I finally finished this painting, I drove up to the Blue Hill Overlook.  I was sitting there eating my apple.  I realized I had not eaten anything all day.  I set up my easel while I was still eating my apple.  I decided to do a 3x4 miniature of the sunset.  I thought doing this would help me with all of the other paintings I have been painting at this very location.  I drew out the scene while I was eating my apple!  Then I set up my watercolor palette with the mess of colors on the palette paper.  The great part was the colors were already mixed.  I had to set down my apple to do the painting part.  I was really hungry too so this was not easy.  I painted this painting in 10 minutes.  I think this went quickly because lately I have painted three paintings of this scene.  I know this scene very well.  This painting went smooth.  I learned a few things. 
  "Eagle Lake Sunset"  3X4 Oil on Copper  200$ Framed in an exquisite gold frame from California!  

      The Sargent mountain is not that dark when the sun is going down.  The mountain is about a 6 or 7 in value.  The horizon line is a light yellow orange always for the last week at sunset.  The water areas for lakes or oceans gleam a bright light yellow in the path under the sun.  The water areas to the right of this is lavender and to the left is more silver blue.  These water areas are not a hard edge.  The water areas glow so this edge is soft.  The Eagle lake is lightest under the falling sun area.  The coast of Eagle Lake is the same value of the furthest mountain in the distance.  I was painting it a 3 value.  It is more darker because the sun does not shine on it.  The trees block the sun from shining on the rocks.  These rocks look lavender.  I also learned to simplify the sun setting.  The more carried away I get trying to describe the sun setting,  the more hoaxie it looks.  Sunset paintings can easily look cheesy.  Some artist say never to attempt to paint a sunset.  Frederick Church painted many sunsets and sunrises.  I like the drama during these times of days. 

  Here is my easel set up at Cadillac Mountain.  Terrible photograph.  I am glad I don't have to paint from this one!  Gee!  Painting is challenging enough to not have to deal with painting from a lousy photo.  There wasn't very many people gathered tonight at Cadillac Mountain for the sunset.  The colors were very pastel and delicate. 

  I took this photo from on top of Cadillac Mountain a few days ago thinking it was birds.  Wow was I suprised to see this.  For a few minutes I thought it was a photo from long ago.  The ladies looked like they were dressed differently than today.  The boat is modern blow up boat so it is the photo I took!  Interesting.  Thought they were boating ghosts!

  I went next to Jordon's Pond to see "the bubbles" as they are called.  I also drove by Little Long Pond!  Wow!  Was that a pretty scene.  I needed to get gas and go home.  Sun was gone, game over today!

      I have been reading  "American Wilderness by Milhouse.  I found this interesting:  An artist last name Reed, gave some advise to Thomas Cole about preparing for exhibition.  He told him to search through his plein aire sketches for a scene familar to the public.  This plein aire sketch was then worked up into a larger finished oil painting.  Many times when I am showing my paintings to a potential art collector, they are always asking me, "Where is that?"  They want paintings were they have been, where they recognize, where they have memories. Hmmm 

     I like what Thomas Cole wrote, "My thoughts run in a different channel.  If revealed, they would be little understood or appreciated.  But am I better or wiser for this sense and perception of the beautiful, when I imagine myself to possess in a greater degree than the many?"  I often feel like this!  I gave you a taste of how I think when I decribed things I learned from painting Sargent mountain at sunset today.  Crazy huh?

     An artist Whittredge tells a story of a visit to the village of Nemi on Lake Albano, southeast of Rome.  The village had one, very old inn, which had only one bed, celebrated for it's enormous size.  Bierstadt, Whittredge, Gifford, and Willam Stanley Haseltine (all artists)  spent the night in the famous bed.  Two of them slept with their heads in one direction, two in the other!  I would have loved to have seen this!  Ha Ha

     I am so tired!  I think I need to drink a lot of water!  I hope you enjoyed this blog tonight!  I love to hear from you!  Enjoy nature by studying it with a brush!  Get out and paint!    

    "Sunset Over Eagle Lake"  8X10 $350 Gold wood frame. 

     I have been enjoying painting a series of Cadillac Mountain paintings at sunset.  The clouds and colors are amazing.  I was trying to capture a Spring feeling and I think I succeeded.  I used many photos to paint this scene.  I am looking forward to the weather clearing up.  The sun has not been out for many days.  It has been raining too.  I can paint in very cold conditions but painting in the rain is not as easy. 

     I am always drawing my golden retrievers late at night.  They are nice looking dogs.  Very cute when they are sleeping.  I know they will not be around forever, so my sketches will be good memories of them someday.  Here are three of my better sketches of Duke. 



  

     I have been reading "American Wilderness" by Barbara Babcock Millhouse.  The artist Durand was doing poorly with his portraits.  His friend Cole told him to try plein aire painting!  "I am sorry that you are at times so depressed in spirits; you must come and live in the country.  Nature is a sovereign remedy.  You sit, I know you do, day after day, in a close, air-tight room, toiling, stagnating, and breeding dissatisfaction at all you do."  Cole's solution was:  "IF you had the untainted breeze to breathe, your body would be invigorated, your spirits buoyant, and your pictures would charm even you."  So Durand did go to the country with Cole.  Durand began sending paintings of landscapes to the National Academy exhibitions.  His landscapes quickly sold.  Durand gave up portraiture!  He announced, "I leave the human trunk and turn to the trunk of trees!"
  
     I do find plein aire exciting and healthy!  Nature is a sovereign remedy! 

     I saw the woodchuck again in my neighbors yard.  The crow was bullying the woodchuck! 
  

     I sold another painting this weekend.  The lady purchased the painting for a gift for Mother's day!  What a great idea.  I love the idea of supporting a woman artist for her Mom's present!  Excellent! 

  
    

    "Moon Over Trenton"  8X10 Oil on Copper 350$ Framed in silver or gold wood or black with a gold inner lip!  

     This is the painting I did today.  I drew out this scene using a photo on my computer monitor and my memory.  I changed the moon a little.  The moon was horizontal not vertical.  The photo I took of the moon just didn't come out at all.  I looked at it for a few minutes so I could paint it.  I know when a camera just will not capture what I see.  I am pleased with how it turned out. 

     I also worked on yesterday's paintings using my memory.  I didn't get any photos of these scenes yesterday.  I was too busy painting and forgot to snap a few shots.  

  



      I went to Sears Island with Robert, Daisy, and Duke.  We ran around chasing each other acting like fools.  I am sure people watching probably thought, "Oh my look at them!".  I ran after Duke and captured him.  Then he would run after me.  Then I picked up a stick and ran with it.  Both dogs chased after me.  Robert threw the stick into the ocean for Duke to retrieve.  Daisy preferred to sit on the beach and chew on her stick.  It was cold out! 

     I am reading a book called "Frederick Church"  by John K. Howat.  Church visited Mount Desert Island in 1850 and on.   His magnificent paintings of sunsets on the island were part of the reason in his lifetime, he was considered the chief artistic discoverer and canonizer of Maine.  Church's party of people accompaning him were called the "Tracy party".  Church played the piano, sang songs, led exhausting hikes, told stories, fished for their food, and cooked for them. One of the members of the Tracy party, Johnson, wrote about these days thirty years later.  He wrote, "So carefully planned and well selected a party could not fail to be a success, and in fact, its members that remain still look fondly back to the Mt. Desert expedition as the happiest frolic of their lives...When the summer was ended by a grand ball, given by the party to all the inhabitants of Bar Harbor in a barn, with decorations by Church, jokes by Winthrop, and dancing by everybody, the island thought that nothing half so "splendid" had ever happened to it before."

    A friend of Church, Charles Tracy planned one of these trips to Mount Desert Island.  He even went so far as to have a piano sent to Mt. Desert from New York for entertainment of the guests.  The large party of 30 people, stayed in the houses of several farmers.  There were no Summer boarders at this time.   They sent vegetable seeds ahead to be planted.   Church made a great hit with his caricatures of the individuals of the Tracy party. 

    Church named a lake on Mount Desert Island after all of the eagles soaring over it daily.   Still to this day, Eagle Lake has retained this name.  

     I hope you have a great day tomorrow!  Get out and paint! 

    "Porcupine Islands from Cadillac Mountain"  8x10 Oil on Copper 350$ Gold Wood Frame.

     I am sitting by a warm wood fire right now reflecting my awesome day!  I left Bucksport at 1:00 pm and was standing on top of Cadillac Mountain by 2:00 pm.  It started to sleet.  It was 40 degrees with occasional winds.  I set up my painting equipment right away!  I wore my jacket and scarf.  I had on my wool gloves once or twice.  I decided to paint the view of Bar Harbor and the Porcupine Islands.  I loved the colors. The colors of Spring are gentle and pastel.   I was sitting on the granite rockerfeller's teeth as they call them.  People were so excited to have the road open for the first time all Winter.  Soon there was a crowd of people around me.  They all said this painting was amazing!  This made me feel so great!  Sometimes I can not tell right away if a painting is a success or not.  Usually if people are telling me it is great, it is usually a keeper.  Not all of my paintings make it into a frame.  I can think of a few great ones that landed upside down on the pavement, into the painting palette, or on to the dirt.  That is the sad thing about plein aire painting.  I have never been injured, but there have been artists who have died doing this!  One artist fell off the side of a moutain and froze because he could not get help.  Very sad.  I try to be careful.

    "Sargent Mountain from Cadillac Mountain"  8X10 Oil on Copper 350$ Gold Wood Frame.
 
     I was sitting in my car after I painted my first painting.  I had an apple and some roasted peanuts.  I was going to draw some as Frederick Church did.  I labeled the values with numbers and wrote the colors.  I felt very satisfied doing this.  Then I decided I was just going to paint the sky.  I set up my box on my lap while I was sitting in my car.  I had my brushes on the passenger seat.  I put my copper taped to the lid of my easel box.  I use the cigar box by guerrillapainter.com.  It is smaller and lightweight.  After painting the sky, it was still light enough outside, I painted the mountains.  I had no intentions of completing the entire painting because I didn't know if there would be enough time.  I finished this painting right as the sun set.  I will take another photo of both of these paintings tomorrow.  There was not enough light to get an accurate photo.  The first painting has some light blue greens and lavenders.  The second painting has nice golds and oranges not seen to well here. 

     I was very pleased.  It was 8:30 pm when I finished and started to drive home.  On the way home I saw the moon and amazing turquosie blue sky.  Here is the photo of the scene I saw as I was leaving Mount Desert Island going into Trenton on the causeway.

   I may paint this painting.  It sure does have mystery and atmosphere.  I wanted to pull over to paint this scene.  I would  be standing on the bridge with my easel in the dark.  I was afraid I would be arrested by the police.  There may be a law against this.  I don't know! I have painted in the dark before.  I always bring my lantern in my car.  No problem. 

  This was a photo earlier before the sun set.  I found it very inspirational.  I am a Christian.  I felt like I was seeing a small piece of heaven.  The lighter color was really a light yellowy gold color.  Funny how photography does not show these colors.  Sometimes I think the camera just reads the mother color but does not capture all of the colors I see.  Or maybe I see more colors than a camera can!  Interesting...

  It snowed at some moments today, sleeted, and rained!  All of a sudden there was a rainbow!  Frederick Church would have painted in that rainbow!  I just know he would have!  For those of you who do not know who Frederick Church is, he was one of America's Best most prosperous artists in the 1826s till 1900.    He painted on Cadillac Mountain also!  Sometimes he and his hiking party would get lost.  They would sleep under the stars.  They would find their way home in the morning!  Luckily I have my car and do not venture far away from it! My equipment weighs too much! 

   This is a photo of the sun going down over the Sargent mountain area.  I was trying to take photos and paint at the same time!  This is a tricky thing to do!  Especially because the second painting I had to paint really quick.  The sun was setting.   I was painting fast!  I gave up on my normal smaller 6 fitch brush.  I grabbed my biggest brush,  I think it was a 12 fitch!  I was grabbing paint tubes, squeezing paint out, painting with my right hand and all the while sitting in my car!  At some point during my second painting I decided I was going to finish this painting!  I am glad I did.  I like this one too.

    So nice to be home again.  The fire feels great!  There is nothing better than a great day plein aire painting!  Such a satisfying feeling of adventure and creativity!  Please try to get out and paint!  If you mess up..do the WIPE OUT.  What is the wipe out?  Pour turpentine on your painting and wipe it off with a paper towel.  Have a great night.  I would love to hear from you! 

  "The Artist Sketching" 1922 Oil by John Singer Sargent 

     Some of my favorite paintings are of artists painting plein aire.  It is so facinating to me to see their painting equipment and clothing.  Here the artist is dress all in white.  I have seen other artists on Monhegan Island wearing white when they paint.  Do you know why?  It is so their colors from their clothing does not reflect on their white watercolor paper or oil canvas.  I love how Sargent darkened the surroundings to really make the artist stand out.  Very dramatic!  I need to remember to do this. 

  "Dennis Miller Bunker:  Painting at Calcot"  1888 25x27 by John Singer Sargent

I love what Dennis Miller Bunker was wearing!  How lovely the lady was dressed.  Artists today dress very casual when they paint.   I wonder what artists will be wearing in 100 years from now.  I can see the progression...suits or long dresses, tee shirts with shorts, and then what?  Swimsuits?  or Nude?   I hope not! 

When I was in Florida I wore shorter shorts and tank tops.  When I moved to Maine, I wore the same thing.  People in Maine sometimes would avoid eye contact with me while I was painting.  I realized after a year of living in Maine, most women do not wear THOSE shorts or tank tops.  So now I wear pants and polo shirts or oxford shirts during the Summer.  Now Mainers talk to me and all is well! 


  "Miss Wedgewood and Miss Sargent Sketching"  1908 Watercolor by John Singer Sargent

     I was reading a magazine article about an art exhibit of women artists from the Hudson River School of painting from the 1800s.  Women were sometimes not allowed by their families or husbands to go outside and paint landscapes.  Their long dresses and corsets also prevented them from carrying art equipment or hiking to paint.  Very few women painted plein aire then.  This is so hard for me to believe.
    
     I did not paint today.  I ran out of gas in my car on the way back from taking my dogs, Daisy and Duke, to Sears Island for a swim.  I sat in the car with two wet golden retrievers wondering what on earth was I going to do.  I didn't want to leave them in the car on Route 1.  I thought about walking to the gas station over the bridge with Daisy and Duke along.  We would have had to walk over a large bridge.  Daisy had sprained her ankle the day before hopping around.  She was excited the weather was nice.  She also had a sore behind her ear.  She recently had two seizures in one day. 

      I called AAA.  My membership was expired and they wanted 61$ to renew.  Robert was not allowed to answer his cell phone at work.  I decided it was an emergency, called his work, he had 2 hrs of free time, and he brought us gas!  The dogs and I were sitting on a log in the field near the car.  They were so excited to see him.  I don't think they could believe their eyes!  After putting gas into the car, Robert walked back to his car and was leaving.  I could see Daisy's tail went down.  I looked at her face, she looked very mad!  So I told Robert to say goodbye to Daisy and Duke properly before he left!  He did, they were delighted!  We were rescued!  Yeah!  After that I was unable to paint!  Oh well!  I am sooo sensitive!

     Tomorrow is an exciting day for me!  Acadia National Park is opening all of their roads!  I will be able to go to Cadillac Mountain and paint!  I do love to paint there!  Wish me luck!  I have plenty of gas in my car!  Thanks for reading my blog!  I wish you could come out and paint with me tomorrow!

  "At Sand Beach"  6x8 Oil on Copper panel.  350$ framed in gold wood and shipped for free! 

     Today was a beautiful day here in Maine!  It was 54 degrees, no wind, and the sun was shining!  I drove to Sand Beach, in Acadia National Park.  I set up immediately and started painting.  When it is sunny here in Maine, you just got to get out and paint!  We have a lot of gray days here.   I was going to write about the gray days being in the Spring, and then I thought about the Winter, and the Fall, and the Summer.  Most days in Maine are gray!  

  This is the scene at Sand Beach today.  My painting was gorilla taped to the lid of my guerrilla painter cigar box.  I like to use this tape because even if my entire easel blows over from the wind, my painting will still be taped to the inside of the lid, protected!  You can see how the camera darkened the cliffs!  These rocks were not that dark.  Sometimes I feel as if I do get more accurate values in my paintings.  I could also paint the different colors in those darker cliff areas.  I could see purples, blues, and browns.  A nice looking seagull came up and posed for me.  I painted him right in on the lower left hand side.  I needed something there to balance out all of the cliffs and rocks on the right side of the painting.  I loved the colors of the ocean today!  The sand here is an amazing carmel color.  So the ocean near the shore tends to have beautiful greens.  Today was just one of those days I was so happy I moved to Maine!  I am so lucky to just be able to paint here!  I am living a dream!  Each day I hope to paint better!

  I was just setting up when a lobsterboat started to put on a show!  First he headed quickly full speed into shore.  We all stopped and watched.  Was he going to land on the beach?  What is he doing?  Then at the last minute he turned and quickly drove on past the great head.  I was able to capture this photo.  Gives you a feel for the day!  The boat's name was Elana Jane.

  I drove next to Bernard on the quiet side of Mount Desert Island.  We use to live here in the Bass Harbor Campground for the first two years.  It is great to be back "home"?  I was in search of some lobsters.  I went to Thurston's Wharf in Bernard.  I recognized Mike right away.  I asked him if I could buy 20$ worth of lobsters!  He said sure Renee!  He walked down the dock to holding containers in the water.  This photo shows these containers.  He pulled out some lobsters and put them right into a bag.  I gave him my 20$.  WOw!  I was really excited!  This is another great reason to live in Maine!  I admit, I never pay for lobsters.  I have an art collector who includes a few lobsters and cash with his painting purchases.  Since today was an extraorinary day, I decided to live it up!  He said I could take as many photos as I'd like.  He said he thought the views from this wharf were better than at Rich's Wharf.  I think he was right.  I am going to paint here soon. 

  Here is another beautiful photo waiting for me to paint it!  I do love to paint these skiffs.  I should have stayed till sunset, but I wanted to get home.  I had lobsters to boil.  I am sorry if this is offensive to anyone.  I felt the same way when I moved here.  My lobsterman friend would bring me 5 free lobsters.  Once I tried to let one go, low tide beached him, and the seagulls ate him.  I came back later to see his shells scattered all over the beach.  Never again!  I decided I would boil them and eat them.  They are already too weak to escape and be free again.  So sad.  They taste excellent.  I didn't know to boil them for at least 15 minutes the first few times.  A very cleansing mistake.  Definately need to boil them for at least 15 minutes!  Ohhhh!
  The lobsters are boiling and my two golden retrievers, Duke and Daisy were watching!  I am soooo thankful I live in Maine.  Such a great place to live.  Thank you for reading my blog!  Please give it a try and get outside to paint! 

    "Kathi Peters's Cob Cottage Farm"  6x8 Oil on Copper 
     I am had such an excellent time painting this painting!  I painted in Kathi Peters walking her two dogs.  The painting is just pure fun!  While I was painting on Kathi's farm, I was standing on her deck by the bird feeder.  Many yellow finches and chickadees were gathering in a near by tree unable or afraid to eat at this feeder.  One chickadee came and sat one foot away from me to check me out!  A brave soul!  A beautiful bird the chickadee.  There was so much activity going on I am suprised I could paint! 

  Here is one of the chickadees.  I just love these birds. 

   That little jack russell, named Nell, was so cute and pesky!  I do think it is true these dogs really feel as if the world is there for them!  I met a lady in a campground who had her jack russell go to a dog shrink.  She said she was at her wits end with this dog.  The dog shrink told her more jack russells are sent to her than any other breed!  Nell was just fun and energentic.  Nell was not allowed to be in Kathi's bedroom without supervision though.  I suspect Nell is a real rascal.  The other dog, the Corgi,  was just an angel. 

     Kathi seems very inspired by watching me plein aire oil paint on my copper panel!  I suspect she may give it a try!  Her paintings of horses are amazing.  She paints with Casein, a milk based paint.  She loves the matt finish.  I have never tried this type of paint before.  Her designs are wonderful.  She really knows how to paint a horse!  Thank you for reading this blog!  Get outside and paint!

  Here I am painting on artist Kathi Peters deck overlooking her horse farm called Cob Cottage Farm.  The sky was very dramatic!  I painted plein aire with my oils on copper.  I sketched out my painting on a small piece of paper first.  I used  a 16 ounce weight copper panel.  I sanded the copper panel in circular motions using an extra fine sand paper. Next I quickly drew with a fine tip felt drawing pen on my copper.  I started with the dramatic ever changing sky first.  Then I moved on to the barn and grass.  I painted light tans on the grass in the distance.  I created more different brighter greens in the foreground.  I like to paint some warm red tones for sand under the grass.   I like to keep my grass strokes horizontal instead of vertical individual blades of grass.  I keep my grass simple.  I used a back brushing technique to scoop up green paint allowing the copper color to shine through.  

  Here I am taking a painting break to pet Nell.  She loves me!  What a great little dog.
       I had fun painting a horse using a small rigger brush.  He was moving around a lot.  I think I painted each horse a few times over until I got an impression of a horse.  Kathi Peters is a professional horse painting artist.  So this was really exciting!  I have only painted one other horse in my life plein aire!  Kathi enjoyed herself watching me paint.  We talked easily throughout this painting.  I decided to treat the occasion as a demo!  Kathi had told me she was interested in watching the process of plein aire with oils on copper!    I worked on each of the horses until I was happy.  I decided to paint a horse out in the distant field.  None of the horses voluntered to model so I painted an imaginary horse in.  All was going well until her rascal long haired jack russell decided I was suppose to pet her.  She jumped a few times on my back legs causing my brush to wipe out the horse in the pasture!  I wasn't so pleased with that horse anyway.  The sun came out finally!  The jack russell squeeked her toy!  Kathi's other dog, a beautiful quite well mannered Corgi was watching too.  I finished my painting finally.  I want to paint in Kathi walking infront of her barn with her two dogs.  I took a photo!  

  Here is Kathi walking her two dogs after feeding her horses.  The bright orange yellow barn door is the center of interest no matter what an artist would do.  So I will paint Kathi in with the two dogs to create a wonderful memory for the day!  We walked down to meet her four horses.  They are all so beautiful and well fed and healthy!  Amazing to see.  The jack russell had to be on lease because of her wild ways!  She was bitting the Corgi on the butt and then running away!  The Corgi was used to this activity!  Many times the Jack Russell did this!  Poor Corgi!  Her Jack russel dog was like five dogs wrapped into one!  Ha Ha So cute!

  Here is a photo of Kathi Peter's Cob Cottage Farm seen from her balcony.  It is a beautiful vista!  She has fruit trees which will be blossoming into pink blooms.  I accellerated this growing process for my painting to create a more Spring feeling.  
I will post the finished paintings as soon as I paint Kathi and her dogs in!  Thank you Kathi for such an amazing opportunity.  It was great meeting you and seeing your paintings in person. Kathi is an amazing artist.

  Here is Kathi Peters, her Corgi dog, and one of her horses!  She was trying to get the horse to lick the Corgi for me to see.  The horses love the dogs too!  Hard to imagine.

  Here are two of her mares.  These two mares are mother and daughter.  When I took this photo, the flash went off, and the horses both ran!  

  Here is the Corgi infront of her house!  The sun finally came out.  What a wonderful Spring day!   Please get outside and paint!
 

     Here are two paintings I did last year.  I sold them both.  I just thought you might like to view them!  I finished our taxes so now I will be able to paint again!  Some artists can paint under stress...not I!

  "Night Reflections"  Oil on Copper  Sold

  "Bass Harbor Light"  Sold

     I have been reading many art books I ordered on Amazon.com.  "Close Observation: Sketches of Federick Church" by Stebbins, "Different Views in Hudson River School Painting" by O'Toole, "The Poetic Vision:  American Tonalism", "American wilderness:  The Story of the Hudson River School of Painting" by Milihouse.  Some of these books are out of print.  Some are new.  I really have been enjoying Frederic Church's landscape paintings and his history.  Here is a few of his paintings he completed during his visit to Mount Desert Island, Maine.  This is where I lived for the first two years in Maine.  I travel from Bucksport to Mount Desert Island even now just to paint.  I will be doing a series of oils on top of Cadillac Mountain at twilight and sunset starting April 15 when the road opens! 

  Frederick Church's "Clouds on Mountain"

  Frederic Church's "Beacon off of Mount Desert Island"

  Frederic Church's "Lake Scene on Mount Desert Island"

  Frederic Church's "Fogg off of Mount Desert Island"  All of these FC Paintings were taken from Artrenewal.org.  They allow people to use these images for educational purposes! 

      I am getting a lot of inspiration from Frederic Church's work.  I painted many paintings from Cadillac Mountain on Mount Desert Island.   I now know from reading these art books, Church painted on Cadillac Moutain too at sunset!   Indeed there is something special about this place.  There are spectacular views here.  Each night are different colors and patterns of clouds as the sunsets.   I love the idea of painting  a series of these sunsets,  small paintings of something so grand.  I have learned how Frederic Church painted the quickly changing sunset.  He drew with his pencil and wrote notes concerning colors.  He did fast color sketches.  Then he used these in his studio to create bigger finished paintings.  Ahh Ha!  We shall see how this works for me.  I usually painted my small paintings of Cadillac Mountain at twilight before the sunset.  I had at least an hour before the sun went down.  Sometimes I painted inside of my car because of the severe winds!  This work was so dramatic!