Artist Renee Lammers

  5x7 Oil on Copper panel.  "Nantucket Beach Houses"
This painting was donated to the Century House on Nantucket in appreciation for their artist in residency program.

     I learned a few things today while painting with John Caggiano.  We road a city bus to a beach town on Nantucket called Sconset.  It was really pretty.  This beach place had lots of cute grey cottages with flowers growing.  A few of the streets were made of white ground up seashells.  The grass was very green still.  The ocean was greys, green, and blues.  We painted a white seashell street lined with these beach cottages. There were picket fences on both sides. I played reggae music all day from Bob Marley.  We occasionally danced too.  I just bobbed in my chair.  But John really had the moves. Then we listened to David Bowie until John said enough! He was really only joking.

Here is a couple of photos I took on the beach.  



  

     These are a few things I learned from John today:

1.  When you paint a street, at the very end of the street, make sure it is in shadow so it looks as if it is laying down.  Otherwise, the end of the street will look like a pole.  It will look vertical.  Sometimes the end of the street has sun on it. But make it look like it is in shadow! 

2.  Don't tell a lady who is holding a dog, "Your dog doesn't look so well." This isn't a good way to win friends and influence people. John suggested I read this book again.  He was joking. The lady was very nice. I am afraid my comment may have worried her. She took off quickly after I said this.  I was really tired and hungry. Her dog was a miniature poodle who had red growths like tumors on it's skin. He also could bearly hold open his eyes.  She said he had been walking for over an hour.  The dog just didn't look well and it worried me!  Both John and I laughed ourselves silly recreating the scene.  I realized sometimes I tell someone an honest observation when I am painting!

3.  Paint near the shops to meet gallery owners and new customers.  People like to buy street scenes by the shops on Nantucket.

4.  A bungee cord works well as a belt to hold up your jeans if you have lost weight. A belt on Nantucket would cost 50$ for sure.

5.  Carry cans of sardines and crackers in your plein aire bag.  They make a great lunch. They only cost 1.00$ on sale. Sardines taste great when you are hungry.  They are healthy!

6.  When you are painting a cottage with white trim, don't paint all of the white trim.  Just accentuate it.  Or you will have a painting that looks like you were more interested in house painting! 

7.  When it comes to painting windows, don't paint all of the window lines in between the window panes.  Just paint a few to suggest them.  Best to keep it simple!

     I found a trail John had not gone on behind the cottage houses along the sea.  You could see into their backyards and their ocean view. It lead to a nice red and white lighthouse.  I couldn't walk that far.  So we went back to the baby jogger and found a spot to paint.

     I may be leaving Nantucket tomorrow.  If there are rooms available, she invited us to stay. I will find out at breakfast.  It has been a wonderful experience.  I have finished 7 5x7 paintings. They all look fine!  I really love todays painting!  I love last night and yesterdays painting too.  I will show you soon. Get out and paint!

  "Autumn on Federal Street" 5x7 Sold! 

  "Downtown Nantucket" 5x7 Oil on Copper  This painting was donated to Century House in Nantucket for their artist in residence program.  I am happy to have been a part of this program!

       I ate lots of wonderful oatmeal topped with fresh blueberries this morning!  John Caggiano and I headed down to Federal Street in Nantucket again today. There are many people touring all of  the fine shops lining this street.  I didn't go into any of these shops.  I did buy a 10$ toothbrush and toothpaste a few days ago.  I may paint this toothbrush and call it the Nantucket toothbrush!  No, not really. I painted a street scene all day.  I worked from 9:00 am till 4:00 pm on this 5x7 street scene!  There was a lady selling pumpkins, mums, and veggies on my left.  This gave the scene a real Autumn feel. Then the doors of the shops, signs, and buildings were on the right. There are bricks lining the sidewalks.  There are cobblestones lining the streets down on Federal Street. There is a wonderful feeling about this street.  Anticipation seems to be a common feeling among the people here!  Maybe this is why John likes to paint on this street. My paintings are turning out good so far. 

    I sold the painting I was working on today to an interior decorator. She loved my brouchure I design recently. I think my brouchure really helps increase my respectablity as I am painting on the street.  There are pictures of my gallery and dogs and work. This helps!  She wanted my painting for herself as a remembrance of her Nantucket trip. But later she said she may sell it!  She didn't know yet.   I will take the painting home, let it dry, put the galkyd on, frame it, and ship it too her!  It is a nice painting!

     I painted a nightscene on the opposite side of the street. I met a man who was interested in having my work in a new gallery he owned on Federal Street. He also wanted to buy the painting I did today.  I told him I would paint another street scene and maybe he may like that one too.  I might show him the nightscene I did later in the evening.  I think his store is in it! 

    John was working on the lady selling the veggies today again.  It looks great! 

     There was another artist this morning arriving with his wife at the Century House.  His name is Mat Cornell from Orlando, Florida.  He had a huge painting he worked a month on.  The painting was of a ocean scene.  It was very well done and realistic.  He said he only paints five paintings a year.  He was bringing it over to a gallery on Federal Street.  What a nice couple they were!

     I am headed down to eat another amazing breakfast!  Then I am out the door to paint all day and night! Daisy and Duke are enjoying ice cream each night!  Robert says they are very happy about this.  Daisy and Duke wanted to say thank you for their treats!  Woof! 

     I woke up early 7:00 am after the best sleep I have had in years.  I went downstairs to have the famous breakfast at the Century House.  It was simply amazing.  I ate a little of everything. I made a plain yogurt with a bunch of fresh blueberries, blackberries, and granola.  Then I had a bowl of cut up citrus. Even the citrus's skins were removed.  I had an english muffin toasted with cream cheese and strawberry preserves.  I do know the better I eat, the better I paint. I had a hot tea.  I can't seem to drink coffee anymore. The last time I drank a coffee, I was painting with Stapleton Kearns up on the Acadia National Park cliffs.  I started to rock climb. I came back down to paint.  Stape said, "You were scaring me a little."  I decided to not drink coffee after that. 

     Around 9:00 am John Caggiano awoke from his slumber.  I am not sure where exactly in the hotel is his room. All of the rooms here are very nice. They have a clean cottage by the sea feel. I have the AC running! It is nice and warm here. Even humid!  I am loving this.  It was cold in Maine. Jean the lady who runs Century Hotel is very nice and fun! Her husband is also very nice!  They love art and artists.

     The baby jogger carried my painting equipment and John's.  I push the cart to the location in the middle of town.  He pushed it back to the hotel.  Even John commented how well Schwinn's baby jogger carries art equipment. I think he may even purchase one!  We painted down by the shops from 10:00 am till 5:00 pm.  I sold two paintings to a lady and son.  He was so impressed with 20 paintings I brought from home that he was speechless.  He said finally I love them all! But unfortunately the lady didn't return with her cash.  So I guess she got held up.  It was exciting. John said I was very good at handling sales. He had a man come up to see how much his painting was. But he didn't want to pay that much.  He didn't want to pay my prices either. He probably could just afford a print for a few bucks.  Or maybe he just was curious what our prices were. 

Here are a few photos of Federal Street.






     I painted two paintings before 5:00 pm.  I was wiped out.  We went to eat at a sushi place. I use to love sushi.  I took a few photos of my sushi to paint later. The sushi man was amazed at John and I taking photos of our sushi.  We told him we were artists and were going to paint our food.  I told John I was going to make a 1000$ off my sushi.  Maybe I will.  I know I would like to own a sushi oil painting! 

     After sushi, we went to paint at night!  We both ended up with great night street scenes.  A rolex dealer fixed my date on my watch.  We met a local artist Elliot.  He was really nice.  Many people came out to comment about us painting all day and night. A few people wanted to know why we were doing this?  Funny reaction to hard working artists!  Most people were very enthusiastic and impressed with our night paintings!  I will post photos of all of these paintings soon!  I am getting out there and painting!  I hope you are too.  The world is too beautiful of a place to not really enjoy it!  I really do think the only way to understand the landscape is to get outside to paint it!

    Yesterday I woke up at 4:00 am to drive to Cape Cod!  I arrived at the  Steamship Ferry at 12:00 pm.  I paid my 30$ for the ferry and parked my car nearby. They took my luggage and put it on the ferry. It was a really nice ferry.  I will post photos later. Nantucket is very different from Monhegan Island.  There are many more houses.  They have spent much time and money on the landscaping and street lanterns.  There are cobblestone streets in the middle of the town lined with shops. John Caggiano was already painting a street scene when I arrived. I decided to paint him painting.  He said I did a great job on his figure. I was pleased he liked it. 

     Another thing suprising about Nantucket was how much warmer it is here. When I left Maine it was in the 50s.  On Nantucket, it was easily 70 and humid.  The people dress up here.  I brought a few of my nicest shirts to fit in!  It is suppose to rain all day.  I am going to go down into the shop area of town. John said it is a good idea to paint in this area. People are shopping and might buy a painting.  I have a box of really nice finished paintings, brouchures, post cards, and a stool to put it on!  The shop will be open for sales! 

     The breakfast here at the hotel is great! The entire counter of the kitchen is covered with fruits, granola, yogurts, breads, cream cheese, and preserves, juices, coffee, and tea!  I had a little of everything!  There are amazing paintings everywhere done by other artists who were invited.  I found myself munching on a english muffin loaded with creamcheese and blueberry preserves dazzled by the paintings!  Paintings really do add a lot to a house.  They are so enjoyable to look at!  If I had a choice between watching the top movie of the Summer or looking at paintings, you know which one I would select!

     The baby jogger will be carrying all of my painting gear and finished work in a box today!  I would never be able to do this otherwise. I am going out to paint! 

  I took James, a plein aire painter from Massachusetts, around Mount Desert Island today.  I showed him Bass Harbor Lighthouse, Rich's Wharf, and Cadillac Mountain.  We almost painted on top of Cadillac Mountain.  It was fogged in.  But we both really liked this foggy scene with Spruce trees and red blueberrybushes.  It was sprinkling and very cold.  We decided to keep on looking for another place to paint.  I showed him Sand Beach.  He wanted to paint there!  I carried all my equipment down long flights of stairs.  I knew I probably should not be doing this.  I set up to paint.  Sand Beach is beautiful fogged in.  The colors are great.  We were painting!  Then it started to sprinkle lightly.  My palette was covered with water!  I went back to get a red poncho and a plein aire umbrella.  James said he was doing fine! 

     People were coming around.  They had umbrellas and raincoats.  It was really amazing how many people really were at Sand Beach in the rain!  Ok, it was probably the first time they had ever seen anyone painting in the rain.  I have painted in the rain at night once on Monhegan island. 

     I started to tell people at the beach, "This was his idea to paint in the rain!".  People would laugh!  They took our photos for us.  Then the next group of tourist, James said, "She made me paint in the rain!"  Then the next group of people, I said, "James made me paint in the rain.  In fact he only paints in the rain!"  People thought this was so amusing.  James and I laughed too.  Finally after three or four hours of painting in the rain, we packed up!  It was really difficult painting like this.

     I will post more photos of today soon.  It takes so much time downloading photos for this blog.  I literally spend over an hour each day to blog.  I think it is worth it.  Have a great night.  Go paint!

  "Leaf Peepers Have Arrived!"  5x7 Oil on Copper Panel.  350$ Framed in gold wood or brown wood, your choice!  Shipped for free!

     My office was crowded today with wonderful people from all over the world!  I drove the van to Mount Desert Island.  I went up to Cadillac Mountain to paint.  I saw three cruise ships in Bar Harbor!  I have been doing a series of paintings from on top of Cadillac starting this last Spring.  Most of these Cadillac Mountain View paintings have sold.  During the Spring and Summer I didn't see any cruise ships.  So I thought, how fun to paint these ships.  The tourists were delighted with me painting.  There were ten giant tour buses filled with people.  They were watching me paint.  I passed out my business cards, postcards of my best 2010 painting, and occasionally brochures!  They really loved the postcards.  I made them smile ear to ear!  I let them take photos of me!  I posed for many people.  I answered their questions.  I was painting away when I looked down to see a uniform and boot.  I looked up to see a park ranger.  Sometimes it is difficult to assertain the emotion of a park ranger.  They have a look.  I smiled and said hello.  He said hello too.  I noticed he didn't see mad.  He asked me if I had been painting all day?  I said "No, just for the last two hours."  He asked me if I sold my work somewhere?  I said, "Yes, at Lammers Gallery in Bucksport.".  Then he said I was doing a great job!  I was relieved.  I know I wasn't doing anything wrong.  I had already had a ranger tell me one day to not sell anything in the National Park.  He did say I was allowed to give out business cards. 

  Here I am painting today.

  Here are a few photos of views from Cadillac Mountain. 



     Tomorrow I am painting with an artist friend of mine James.  James is a good artist.  I know I will learn a lot and have fun.  I will take him all over Mount Desert Island.  I bet he will love Cadillac Mountain.  I am getting out and painting!  I hope you are too!

  "Hurricane Surf" 5x7 Oil on Copper panel.  Sold.

     I headed to Mount Desert Island to paint today.  Just a few leaves were changing to gold or red.  I went to Sand Beach first in Acadia National Park.  There was tremendous surf!  It was sunny and 67 degrees.  I sat down in the carmel colored sand to take surf photos!  This surf was a result of hurricanes out in the sea.  Such beautiful waves.  I left and went down Park Loop Road to Otter Cliff's parking area.  I took many photos before I became brave!  I decided to paint this scene!  This is my fourth plein aire seascape with waves.  I think it may be my most successful.  Here are photos of the surf today.  Feel free to paint any of these wave photos.

  Here I am painting surf today!



  You can tell how windy it was because of the horsetails!









     I am driving down to North Yarmouth with equestrian artist, Kathi Peters, tomorrow.  Our goal is to hang the art show at the carriage museum at Skyline Farm.  The show opens September 25.  Admission is free to the museum each weekend for 9 weeks.  I am excited about seeing the farm.  I will take lots of photos!  Till tomorrow then...get out and paint!

     This weekend, Sept 25 and 26, I will be doing the Bar Harbor Art Show.   I will show you a few of my favorite available paintings!  It was cloudy all day.  I cooked a turkey!  It was great!

  "Towards Sand Beach" 8x10 Oil on Copper panel.  Framed in gold wood.  Sold.

  "Twilight at The Great Meadow" 6x8 Oil on Copper panel.  Framed in gold wood.  Private Collection.  Jackson Lab paid for the advertising use of image for their 2011 advertising!

  "Ugly Tug" 350$ Oil on Copper panel.  Framed in brown wood. Shipped.

  "Winding Creek" 550$ Oil on Copper panel.  Framed in Gold wood. Shipped!

     If you would like to add any of these to your collection, you can call me at (207) 479-9553.  I take Mastercard, Visa, paypal, checks, and payments!  Thanks!  I sure hope it is sunny out tomorrow.  I miss painting!

  "Early Autumn at Fort Point"  5x7 Oil on Copper Panel. Sold.

     I drove to Fort Point State Park today in Stockton Springs.  I really wanted to paint white birches today.  I have learned a lot about painting birches from Stapleton Kearns this Summer.  I wanted to see if I could do an even better job!  I am really finding my brush control ability is developing with the new use of my large flat brushes.  It is really amazing how I use the tip for dabs and the tip for a line!  I am still using a limited palette of Cobalt Blue/Quinacrodone Red/Cadmium Yellow Light with White.  It was cooler today, 60 degrees.  I am sure it was even cooler by the ocean.  I sat down today in a shady spot.  I didn't feel too guilty sitting down and painting.  I might add a few brigher greens on the trees by the sea.  They were backlight by the sun and so more intense in color.  The sunlight grass was not as bright because it was highlighted by the sun.  These are two completely different types of light on leaves.  A painter can only learn this by observing nature.  Photographs might not accurately show the intensity of these different lighting situations.  This is why I find it so valuable to get out and paint!  I know I am going to get so much better of a painter year after year by studying nature!  It is worth all of the extra effort and equipment. 

     I met a cute little cream golden retriever puppy today.  He was only 6 months old.  His master had taken him around to many places all day long.  He was trying to wear him out!  He told me the puppy is very well behave.  Very cute.  I had to pick up my gamsol for cleaning brushes.  I also had to hang on to my easel.  The pup put is paws on the lid of the cigar box.  Luckily I was holding the easel!  I might have ended up with my painting palette on my lap!  At least I had my painting taped to the lid so even if the easel tipped, the painting would have survived! 

     I kept my eye out for a skunk.  I could smell him, but did not see him!  

 

   This is a new brochure I designed.  This is the outer cover. 



     This is the inside of the new brochure.  I love Vistaprint.com.  I easily designed this online myself.  It did take a few hours to do.  I need brochures to help market myself.  Quite often I meet people while I am painting that are very interesting in my work.  I can give them a business card and a brochure!  This brochure tells all about how I paint on copper and why.  I could also use these brochure to market my work in new offices, interior decorating shops, and galleries.  I am not really interested in galleries right now.  I seriously doubt they could sell as many paintings as I did last year!  When you commit to showing your work in a gallery, freedom to sell on your own is not an option usually.  I would not be able to do any art shows.  I might not be able to sell my work on my website.  I wouldn't be able to do my painting marathons.  Basically I would have to wait till they sold something.  When they did sell one of my paintings, I might have to wait 2 months or more for a check.  My check would only be 50% of the actual sale.  I do believe they would deserve the 50% commission.  Some galleries would advertise for me or not!  So!  I have decided to market myself.  So far I am doing very well. 

  This is the back on my new T-shirt I designed.  Acadia National Park spent a lot of their recovery dollars on expensive signs saying:  Your recovery dollars at work!"  It is a shame they spent so much money on these signs.  So my t shirt says, "Your recovery dollars can work!" 

  This is the front of my new T-shirt.  I might wear this next Summer while I paint in Acadia National Park.  Good advertising and fun!  I designed this also on Vistaprint.com.  I think it cost about 20$. 

     I hope you had an excellent day!  I am taking it easy, sort of!  I decided to hold off on Monhegan Island.  I need to make sure I am healthy.  There is no medical care on Monhegan Island.  They can call the coast guard.  I hear it takes a long time for their boat or helicopter to arrive.  I also heared they charge you thousands of dollars to rescue you!  I am happy here in Bucksport!  I got out and painted!  Yahoo!

  "Sweet Daughney" 5x7 Oil on Copper panel.  sold.

   I woke up this morning early.  It was raining!  I worked in my beautiful and warm studio!    I decided to work more on Daughney!   So today I lightened the shadows in the sand.  I wanted the darkest darks to be in the dog.  I used a very limited palette of Cobalt Blue, Quinacrodone Red, Cadmium Yellow Light, and Zinc White.  It is challenging.  The darkest dark a painter can achieve is about an 8.  This creates a peaceful painting.  I think I like the painting much better now!  I may work more on Daughney!  Tricky!


 

     The firewood arrived!  This pile is about 14 feet by 14 feet.  It is two cords of wood!  Impressive huh?

 

      This is the sunrise view over Monhegan's Lighthouse in July.  I am going to Monhegan Island tomorrow if I feel like it.  I am planning to sleep early tonight.  Hopefully I will feel great tomorrow.  I need to deliver two paintings that are sold to a new art collector.  Plein Aire Painters Of Maine have a few artists staying at the Trailing Yew.  I hope to stay for two nights.  I am charging up my camera battery now!  Weather should be in the 60's by day and 40's by night.  This will mean no mosquitos!  I hope to take the baby jogger to transport my painting equipment.  I hope to paint a few beautiful paintings! 

     I am going to get out and paint!  Don't you think you should too?  Hee Hee!

  "Sweet Daphney"  5x7 Oil on Copper panel.  Framed and Shipped for free.  sold.

     I need to retake this photo.  I painted all day until late in the evening in my warm studio!  It is cold here in Maine now!  I saw this Corgi at Sand Beach on Mount Desert Island.  I stood there looking at this Corgi.  She looked so miserable on such a beautiful beach!  She looked wet, tired, cold, dirty and miserable! She was ready to go home.   I wanted to paint her.  I asked the lady sitting next to her if I could paint her.  She was laughing too because her dog was so cute.  I did ask her what the Corgi's name was.  She said, "Daphney!"  What a pretty name.  She did say when her ears are both up, the dog looked like an alien.  I liked her with one ear up and the other ear down.  I thought it looked like she was thinking and listening.  I liked her eye focusing on me.  I could tell she was not thrilled with my taking photos of her. What a cute little dog! I had fun painting her.  I think I will work more on this painting tomorrow!
  "The Comber"  5x7 Oil on Copper Panel.  Framed and Shipped for free!  sold!

     I am always trying to get a photo of a comber breaking on a rock.  For some reason this is the perfect ocean scene.  I guess Waugh might have thought it better to down play this big comber.  I did read somewhere in the Waugh book he said to not get too dramatic with these waves.  I like it.  I think it is facinating to see this huge wall of a wave.  There are translucent areas.  There are shadows of water stray.  There are beautiful colors within this comber.  I am pretty sure it is either a comber or a breaker.  I may have to research this.  I was painting for 10 hours today!  

    "Thirsty Girl"  Sold tonight!  Hallaelujah!

        I sold a painting tonight!  Daisy and Duke are happily celebrating with "Frosty Paws" dog icecream!  I sold "Thirsty Girl" tonight online from a previous collector.  I am mailing off two of her new paintings tomorrow.  Robert framed them tonight!  They look super!  Thank you very much for your purchases!  Daisy and Duke thank you too. 

     A few days ago I was eating an Italian Lemon Iced treat for humans.  The white cup resemble the "Frosty Paws" white cup.  Daisy and Duke stood there watching me in utter disbelief!  Duke had the saddest eyes.  Daisy was blowing air out of her mouth.  The action looked like a human pouting.  I had to put the treat back into the refrigerator because they were so hurt!  Cruelty to animals.  Daisy chewed up my nail file.  She is ten years old.  She has been chewing up my nail files for ten years!  Nothing ever changes.  In the hotel room, when we turned off the lights, we heard Daisy going through the trash can.  She has done this also for ten years!  We love them both though.  They are fun! 

     If it is sunny out tomorrow, get out and paint!  I sure will be painting outside!  White birch trees are going to be my target!

     Here is the information about a show my work will be at!  This Museum is very beautiful!

NORTH YARMOUTH, ME. - Come to “Homegrown,” a benefit sale of fine art and crafts inspired by Maine’s natural state. Skyline Farm’s 5th annual invitational exhibit is open from 10-3 each Saturday and 12-3 each Sunday from Sept. 25 through Dec. 4, or by appointment. For eleven weeks, you can buy artworks or bid on silent auction items donated by the artists and local businesses. Bidding action will conclude at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4^th.

Please join us on Saturday, Oct. 2 from 5-7 p.m., to enjoy light refreshments while meeting the show’s participating Maine painters Beth Carlson, Diana Johnson, Renee Lammers, Kathi Peters, Karen Pettengill, Anne Tarbox, and Wade Zahares; photographers Donald Verger and Laura Young; sculptor Jordan Smith; custom woodworkers Louis Charlett and Tom Dahlke; and artisans of fine crafts, including jewelry, glass and pottery Benjamin Coombs, Susan Horowitz, Gail Kass, Lois Kenney, Tony A.C. Kulik, Mike Mason, Lynda McCann-Olson, Deborah Peters, and Nance Trueworthy.

Artists are generously sharing a portion of each artwork’s sale and 100% of the funds raised from their Silent Auction donations to benefit Skyline Farm’s programs and operations.

Original creations for every taste and budget are for sale just in time for the holiday buying season. The show is complemented by carriages and sleighs from Skyline Farm Carriage Museum’s collection. Free admission.

Throughout the show, many weekends will feature artisan demonstrations, classes, and guest musicians (see website for details).

Contact Pamela Ames at (207) 829-5708 or [email protected], or see www.skylinefarm.org for more information and directions.

     I just got out of the hospital tonight.  I went in to the emergency room yesterday because of intense chest pains, inability to breath, sweating.  I thought I was having a heart attack.  Luckily Robert came home in time to drive me!  I was admitted right away. I was lucky because there were at least 50 other people waiting in the emergency room.  I was having pains of 10!  They put me in critical care right away.  They did EKGs.  They gave me nitro under the tongue.  They took many viles of blood checking for special enzymes.  The doctor was great keeping by my side. He told me he thought I was having a heart attack too.  I could tell he was stressed out.  Finally gave me something for pain.  Then something else for pain as the first medicine wasn't enough.  My vital signs were very high.  I guess when you are in any type of pain your blood pressure rises.  Robert was great through the whole experience. 

    They decided to do a chest xray after the enzymes were coming back normal.  They didn't think I was having a heart attack.  They needed to find out why it was hard for me to breathe.  They needed to rule out a blood clot in the lungs.  They also decided to have me drink a quart of dye to do a Cat scan of my abdomen and pelvic region.  When I arrived at the cat scan place I got really sick!  I guess the quart of dye I drank didn't sit well.  I hear this is a common thing.  Sorry for being so graphic.  I was very neat about it of course.  Then I was put into a cardiac unit over night and the next day.

     My roommate in the cardiac care was nice.  She had a terrible time with nurses bumping into her infected diabetic ulcer on her leg.  She screamed a lot. She couldn't walk. There was a lot of accidents going on all day.  I felt so badly for her.  I was so pleased to go home.  I was exhausted.

    My shocking diagnosis:  A  benign hematoma on my liver.  It will heal by itself most likely.  It was caused by an injury I do not remember.  There also was a problem with my lungs.  My lungs are not able to fully inflate.  She said this could be causing me fatigue.  She thought this might be the reason it is difficult for me to walk long distances or stand to paint.  They gave me a small plastic machine to use to strengthen my lungs.  All of my other blood work came out fine.  I am in other wise perfect condition.  After a few good nights sleep I hope to get out there and paint!  Maybe I will be more careful of my liver!  I just wanted to let you know.  I didn't want you to wonder why I was missing in action!

Update:  Cardiologist did many tests.  I don't have congestive heart failure.  I am fine!

  "Brightest Light at Blue Hill Fair" 5x7 Oil on Copper panel.  Framed and Shipped for free!  

     Today was great fun!  Two painters stopped by my house to invited me painting with them at Blue Hill Fair.  I had gone to Mount Desert Island to take photos of waves.  There were no waves.  So I came home earlier than usual.  I headed to Blue Hill Fair when I heard the news.  I loaded up the baby jogger with my painting equipment.  I was strolling around the fair with the baby jogger.  It was my second lap around the fair when I discovered the painters.  They were off the path behind food venders.  They had the perfect view to paint! 

     I have discovered professional painters don't like to have their photos or names mentioned.   Both of their paintings were great!  They were working very large.  They both worked high key.  We didn't talk much.  It was very loud at the fair.  Music, bells, and machinery made having a conversation difficult.  One of the painters said she loved my painting.  I appreciated her complements.  I was pleased with them both. 

     I was working with a very limited palette.  I used only Cobalt Blue, Quinacradone Red, Cadmium Yellow Light, and Zinc White.  I think it made painting easier.  I concentrated not on matching a color to the scene, but values. 
  "The Night Carousel" 5x7 Oil on Copper panel.  Framed and Shipped for Free!   The other painters left before dark.  I parked my self under the light of the ice cream chart.  I really had great fun!  One of the painters warned me the crowd might get wierder after dark.  This didn't seem to happen.  The crowd was very respectful and enthusiastic!









     I could have stayed there all night painting!  I think I had a break through tonight.  I had been at the fair each day, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  I didn't paint because I was too shy to paint at the fair.  I think I realized I am good enough of a painter to not feel shy or embarrassed.  This is what I like to do.  I can't worry about what people might say.  Besides, people are always positive about my painting on location.  I really have not had a single person say anything bad about my painting.  So I will be brave and paint where ever I feel like!  You too!