The more I get to know artists here in Maine, the more amazed I become.  Today I went to Asha Fenn's pottery studio.  I was going to help her move 135 bowls she threw and glazed to a nearby Sandy Point Community center.  The bowls needed to be washed and dried first!  At the Community center these bowls were lined up on tables.  People gathered early in order to select a bowl.  There were a 10$ donation for each bowl.  There were 12 types of soups and breads to choose from.  All of these bowls were sold quickly.  The Sandy Point Community Center was packed full of people.  Asha Fenn's bowls all were filled with soups to help supply the Belfast Food Pantry!  Great job Asha!



     Here are a few happy soup eaters!  Even though it was a slow year for pottery sales, Asha decided to give all she could throwing 135 bowls for charity!  I like that.  You can see some of Asha Fenns pottery online at www.AshaFenn.com 

    I have a art collector friend who likes Macoun Apples.  I tried one today!  They are delicious.  They are white inside with a crisp sweet flavor.  They are so desirable only one bag was left!  I was lucky to buy this bag! I discovered the Macoun apple was first developed in 1923 from New York. This apple is a cross between the McIntosh and Jersey Black apple.   The Macoun apple is thought to be the finest eating apple in the world.  The apple has an extra short stem and so sometimes pushes itself off of the branch!  One year the Macoun apple crop will be great but then the next year sparse.  Great apple!

     Have a great day!  I might get out and paint tomorrow!  I deserved a few days off from painting.  I have a new easel for painting large paintings! I purchased the Stapleton Kearns's model.   It is called www.takeiteasel.com  I also have a new plein aire umbella called www.bestbrella.com  I can't wait to get out and paint!

     I decided to take the day off from painting.  I took Daisy and Duke to the Belfast dog park.  There were no dogs there when we arrived.  Daisy and Duke rolled in all of the different smells much to my chagrin. 



     They really enjoyed themselves.



    Finally another dog arrived.  Daisy ran to greet the new dog.  Duke does this funny thing he learned from another golden retriever while living at the Bass Harbor Campground.  He tries to surprise the new dog.  Duke crawls up to the dog making himself as small as possible.  Then at the last minute he leaps up!  Dogs have been startled in the past.  This time Daisy ruined Duke's cover. 

     Duke really loved this young girl dog who came into the park.  This dog was mostly wolf!  The lady named Duke "pervert".  Nice. 



    After the dog park Daisy and Duke had Frosty Paws Doggy icecream.  She enjoyed this.  They celebrate the sale of a painting.  Today is Sue's painting sale celebration.  Daisy and Duke say "Thanks Sue!".  I think they would really like Sue. 

     Tomorrow I will paint again!  Daisy and Duke deserve a day to be dogs!

     A few days ago I was asked a question by another painter.  The question was:  How do you benefit by writing a blog?  Here was my answer!

1.  People who have already purchased a painting check my website to see my  blog.  They can see if I produced a new painting. It drives traffic to my website!  They also get to know me.  I become a real person they can identify with. They also love Daisy and Duke!

2.  I can see a smaller image of the painting.  Mistakes sometimes show up noticeably in smaller images.   I can fix these mistakes before the painting even dries.  I repost another photo of the image.  I am becoming a better painter because of the blog.

3.  Painters read my blog.  When I finally meet some of these painters, they know me before I have met them.  They smile and say they    enjoy reading my blog.  They know I work hard. 

4.  I can see my progress when I check previous year's blog entries.  It helps keep me motivated when I am not feeling so motivated! 

5.  When I hand someone a business card, they look at my website.  They read the blog which tells more about me.  They sometimes buy a painting because the blog has kept them connected to me. 

6.  I travel more to take photos for the blog.  I know I need to be active to be interesting! 

7.  I read more art books.   

8.  I post my blog on social media sites.  My social media friends read the blog.  Some of these new friends have bought paintings! 

9.  When I post a blog, the title of the blog goes into sort of a google bank of topics.  When a person does a google search, my title of the blog comes up under this search.  They go to my blog, read that blog post, and then check out my paintings.  I am surprised at how many people find my website and blog by doing google searches.  I have made a few sales. 

10.  I enjoy writing the blog.  I really enjoy reading the comments from readers.  It is fun!  I really appreciate you reading this blog.  Thank you. 

    Here is Daisy sleeping with her new moose pillow.  Duke played a little with the moose earlier.  They share their toys graciously.  She really loves this pillow!  

     There was a Frosty Paws doggy ice cream celebration tonight!  They are so happy Leslie purchased a Spruce tree painting!  Thanks Leslie! 

     I am resting up today!  I snacked on my aged French sardines.  They were delicious!  Thanks Sue!  The rest of you get out and paint!

"Spring Thaw at Thurston's Wharf" 12x24 oil on copper.  Sold today to collectors from Ohio at the Bar Harbor Art Show today!  This couple loves to eat at Thurston's Wharf lobster pound.  They were facinated with this Spring view.  They selected a few more paintings to accompany this larger works.  They loved my paintings on copper.  They were very facinated with the copper metal shining under the oil paint.  I loved to hear this enthusiasm.  I needed it!



"Seguin Light 1" 5x7 oil on copper.  Also sold today!

  "Bee on Hollyhock" 3x5 oil on copper.  Found a new home in Stockton Springs.  I was happy to see this return collector!  She arrived at the same time two other collectors were in my tent.  I had to figure out a way to be able to talk to all of them at once.  I didn't want to ignore one and talk to another!  So I sort of introduced them all to each other.  I let them each know how many paintings each approximately had.  So then they all understood why I was dividing my attention.  We all looked through the paintings.  They joked about starting a bidding war.  We just laughed and had fun.  I was so lucky to have such loyal collectors.



"Monhegan to Manana" 6x6 oil on copper.  Sold today to a collector who may own more than 20 of my paintings.  She brought me a present of fancy sardines.  She knows how I love these sardines while I am out painting.  I am not sure if the collectors know how happy I feel just to see them again.  It is like visiting with a dear friend!  I don't mind if they buy a painting when they see me.  It is just nice to visit a little.  Of course I do love to make a sale.  But it isn't the most important thing.  


    Boy am I tired.  I am drawing a complete blank! 

     Some of the other paintings I sold were not photographed.  They were ones I painted two years ago.  Somehow they never were put onto my website. 

    I was very happy to see all of the 19 exhibitors to do very well.  It was nice to see them all smiling! 

     Have a great night.  I think I will rest tomorrow!

     "Wicker Chair Amongst Orange Lilies" 8x10 oil on copper.  Sold today at the Bar Harbor Art Show.  The man who purchased this painting was on the cruiseship Queen Mary on it's way to Canada.  The man had a British accent.  He did say the painting would be traveling to Europe.  What an interesting sale! 



"Bar Harbor at 1:23 PM" 6x6 oil on copper.  Sold today.  A man and his wife just happened to be sitting on a bench near my booth.  The man just had to purchase this painting.  He admired the painting long enough!



"Sunrise in Vermont" 6x6 oil on copper  Sold also!  A man and his wife who collect many paintings really appreciated my work.  He said it was right on!  He couldn't pass up a painting.   They were thrilled!



"Leaf Peakers Have Arrived" 5x7 oil on copper.  Sold to a previous art collector who has several of my works.   She loves the idea of Daisy and Duke getting an ice cream treat!



"Colors of Thuya Garden" 5x7 oil on copper.  Sold to a couple on honeymoon in Acadia National Park.  What an honor it was to have them choose one of my paintings.  She just loved this painting.  They had not been to this garden yet.  But now they were planning to visit.  I hope they bring along my painting and find that very spot under the Thuya trees!  They were a sweet couple.  I hope they do well together.  

  "Schoodic Spruce Tree" 8x12 oil on copper Sold today to a previous art collector.  He collects my Spruce trees in particular for many years.  I painted this tree with him in mind.  When I showed him this painting he loved it!  I did tell him I painted the tree thinking he might like it.  He felt good about this.  I spent many hours talking with him as many customers came and went with paintings of their own.  He even helped let me know when it started to rain.  I was so busy I didn't know this.  Paintings were getting misted on.  We pulled a few tent strings to allow the sides of the tent to shelter the work!  It was very nice to see my customer again!



"Wooden Beauty" 5x7 oil on copper.  Sold to a man who plans on giving this painting to his father.  Together they worked on many wooden boats together.  Now his father is learning how to paint.  I told him how I paint almost all wooden lobsterboats I see.  I know there is not many wooden vessels left!  I gave his small daugher a minature oil painting as a gift!  

    There were many more oil paintings that sold today.  I felt very lucky for my sales.  Two painters bought work from me.  This is always a special thing to me! 

     Tomorrow I will be at the Bar Harbor Art Show!  If you are in the area, stop by!  I would really love to meet you or see you again.  

    Get out and paint!  Many people will love your work.

 

"Bee On Hollyhock" 3x5 oil on copper

     I just drove all day to Boothbay Harbor to pick all of my painting in Coco Vivo Gallery.  I picked up all of my work at Smart Studio and Gallery in Northeast Harbor a few days algo.    All of the Maine galleries are closing for Winter.   I am on my own marketing my work. 

     I will be at the Bar Harbor Art Show this weekend from 9am-6pm Saturday and Sunday.  The car is loaded full of paintings.  Robert has the cargo van loaded with art tent eqipment.  He will drive over to Bar Harbor very early tomorrow morning.  He sets up the tent by himself.  Then he calls me when it is time for me to drive over.  I arrive a few hours later ready to work.  

     It is not easy to do outside art shows.  Many people do not realize the art tent and metal display racks with covers cost us 5000$.  Painters pay 150$ for the show fee.   They pay a jury fee of 45$.  Painters really must have a merchant account to accept credit cards or they will not sell anything. 

    Customers expect top quality work at bargain prices with top quality frames.  Only the very best work sells.  Most painters do not sell anything.  I hope I get lucky! 

    If you are near Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island, come by and say hi!   It will make me very happy.

Artists gather to uncover the unknown, Quimby’s proposed national park

           

Photo courtesy of Marsha Donahue

Michael Branca paints Wassataquoik River for the "Painting the Unknown" exhibit at the North Light Gallery in Millinocket. His painting will be on display at the gallery until the end of the September.

Photo courtesy of Marsha Donahue

"Bridge on the Wassataquiok," Milton Christianson, watercolor.

Photo courtesy of Marsha Donahue

"Below the Bridge at Wassataquiok," Pamela Redick, mixed media.

“Guerrilla art” is all about making statements, often political, through public art. It might be as simple as leaving a leaflet in a library book or as illegal as adorning an abandoned building with graffiti. But for artists in central Maine, where there’s more wilderness than town, guerrilla art takes on a new form. In Millinocket, Marsha Donahue leads artists on forest trails rather than city streets to communicate a message to the community.

Donahue, owner of Millinocket’s North Light Gallery, brought a dozen artists into Roxanne Quimby’s proposed national park property on Friday, Sept. 16, to educate the public about the land through art. The resulting artwork will be on display through the end of September at the gallery.

“Walking with permission and a guide from Elliotsville Plantation, we hiked onto Roxanne Quimby’s land,” said Donahue. “I sort of charged the artists with looking around them and asking themselves, ‘What’s so special that could make this land a national park?’ The exhibition is to kind of answer that question a little bit.”

The “paint out” was to capture the beauty of the 70,000-acre chunk of land that abuts Baxter State Park. Quimby aims for the land to be designated Maine Woods National Park, an area that would be nearly twice the size of Acadia National Park.

Quimby has yet to approve any public tours of the land, so Donahue appropriately named the project “Painting the Unknown.” Participating artists signed an agreement that whatever art they produced when on the land could be used for publications in promoting the proposed park.

Donahue led a similar “paint out” in 2006 to support the campaign for Baxter State Park to raise $14 million to purchase Katahdin Lake and 4,000 acres of surrounding land.

On Friday morning, the group of artists — who responded to the gallery’s call for artists in several publications — crammed into a 16-person van donated by Matt Polstein, owner of the New England Outdoor Center, and loaded their supplies in a pickup truck to travel to Lunksoos Camps, where Don Fendler was rescued and which was purchased by Quimby in April 2011.

Making up the group was Jen Holmes, Mary Lou Moulton, Gaile Nicholson, Caren-Marie Michel, John Redick, Pamela Redick, Melinda Campbell, Renee Lammers, Evelyn Dunphy, Sandy Dolan, Milton Christianson and Michael Branca.

Five artists stayed at the camp to paint scenes of the Penobscot River, while eight of the artists, including Donahue, paddled canoes across the East Branch of the Penobscot River with guide Dave Weatherbee and hiked more than a mile to Wassataquoik Steam. Their progress was slowed only once when the group had to construct a bridge out of logs to cross an unexpected stream.

“There was no way to get across without going in over your knees,” said Donahue. “So we went off and got logs and built a bridge and [were] across in 10 minutes. This is what we do all the time. We’re artists. We come up with creative solutions to things.”

They reached the bridge of Wassataquoik Stream by noon, ate a quick snack and got to work painting.

“I really enjoyed watching the other artists create,” said Lammers of Bucksport. “There was a man, John Redick, who was pouring paint, and I just watched in amazement. And there was another lady who was painting on a piece of acrylic plastic and then laid a piece of paper over the top and pulled off a painting with a spoon.”

Lammers chose to participate out of curiosity of what the land looked like, and she was impressed by the views from the cabin of the spruce forest and the view of Mount Katahdin on the logging road to the cabins.

“I can see how [having the land as a national park] would really help the economy, and I can see how other people would like to see the land stay the way it is,” said Lammers. “I just hope, whatever happens, happens for the better of Maine.”

“For me personally, when I go out plein air painting, I like to think from a hiker’s point of view and to really get down into it,” said Branca, who climbed down a steep slope and propped his canvas between two boulders in order to paint his composition as close to the stream as possible.

“I’m really excited about the idea of the park, and I was excited about the idea of being able to see the land as well,” Branca, a longtime hiker of the Katahdin region who describes himself as “pro-feasibility study,” said. “And in terms of being part of a group, that’s something I don’t usually do, though I do often put on a backpack with my stuff and go out painting. I was painting on the top of [Mount] Katahdin two days later (after the group trip).”

When the artists made it back to camp at 7 p.m., they finished their compositions and framed them for the exhibit, which was hung at the North Light Gallery the next day, Saturday, for the town’s annual Trail’s End Festival.

On Saturday, the group of artists gathered once more on the sidewalk outside the gallery to paint street scenes, and on Sunday, a bunch of the artists relocated to the Golden Road, a long logging road that runs near Baxter State Park and is used by outdoor enthusiasts to access the many lakes and ponds and areas for hunting and camping.

“Everybody wants an annual event now,” said Donahue. “Maybe next year we’ll do a Katahdin scavenger hunt with a map and a view, and they have to find that view and paint it. We’ll see what happens next year.”

U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, the state Legislature, Gov. Paul LePage, Millinocket Town Council, the Fin and Feather Club and Maine Snowmobile Association are among the groups that have voted to oppose or have expressed skepticism about Quimby’s initiative, through which she hopes to create a Maine Woods National Park. Opponents have cited fears of hurting forest product industry lands and damaging state efforts to revitalize the region’s two paper mills. Medway’s school committee and Board of Selectmen are the only governmental bodies statewide that have publicly declared their support for a feasibility study of the park, as has Millinocket’s downtown business association and the Katahdin Region Chamber of Commerce.

Some proponents have complained that the park’s initiative too vague, the land too shrouded in mystery, thus Medway selectmen and other proponents have formed a committee to sell the initiative statewide that includes a DVD of the proposed park lands. Like the planned DVD, the paintings hanging in North Light Gallery are an effort to help the public visualize this treasured forest.

To learn more about North Light Gallery, located at 256 Penobscot Ave. in Millinocket, call 723-4414 or visit artnorthlight.com.

    I went to Mount Desert Island today!  Here is a beautiful view of Somes Sound and Cadillac Mountain.



    I watched as a lobsterman received a huge batch of rotting sardines to use for bait.   It was beautiful out today!  73 degrees!



     Here is a close up shot of the lobsterman and his bait in the black containers.  When I first arrived in Maine, I tried to buy fresh raw sardines for Robert to eat.  They only had rotting sardines for bait.  What a shame.  In Holland it is customary to buy fresh raw herring served with raw onions! 





     Here is my beautiful Miss Daisy.  She is ready for her nap after eating breakfast!  She is almost 12 years old!  Still beautiful.

   Have a great day!  Paint!

"The Wave" 8x12 oil on copper Finished!  Framed in light gold wood.  Sold.  Thanks.



"Sunlit Wave" 6x12 oil on copper Finished!  Sold to Robert.  Hee Hee.  Thank you!



"Beautiful Drumsticks" 8x10 oil on copper.  Finished! Sold.

 Framed in light gold wood or dark brown wood.  Both would look great! 

 Here is a close up of the chicken.  What nice drumsticks she has!






     Here is my Daisy and Duke howling for ice cream.  They seem to know when they should be rewarded for a painting sale.  So to celebrate the "Merry Go Round in Blue Hill" sale, Daisy and Duke had ice cream!



She eagerly accepted her cup of Frosty Paws Ice Cream! 



     Duke took his outside!

    Thank you Mary Sue for your painting purchase!  We all appreciate this!  Have a great night!  Get out and paint!

"Beautiful Drumsticks" 8x10 oil on copper.  I worked all day on my chicken painting.  I had a turkey cooking in the oven.  I could smell the wonderful poultry smells coming from the kitchen as I painted.   I hope to finish this painting tomorrow!



   





     Duke likes to hold his squirrel in his mouth while I paint.  He will sometimes hold his big black bear.  He will do this for an hour.  He likes to be complemented when he does this.  Pretty cute!

     Today I was reading a book called, "Art/Work" by Heather Darcy Bhandari and Jonathan Melber. 

      I have often wondered how and why painters put a copyright symbol by their signature.  The US law protects an artist who paints a painting.  The image created is owned only by this artist.  No one is allowed to copy anyone's painting.  So you don't have to get a copyright on every painting you create.  If you are walking down the street and see someone has used your painting to print on t-shirts to sell, then you can go out and copyright that very image they copied.  Then you can get an attorney to defend the infringement of your rights.  It is more difficult to prove and will cost more maybe.  Apparently when a painter uses the copyright symbol by their signature on their painting, it is to remind people they can not use their painting image.  Getting a copyright on all your paintings at once is the cheapest way to go.  All you need to do is google, copyright.  There is a website by the US Government concerning copyrighting.  Apparently it is easy to do online.

     I am studying Henry Hensche.  You can see some of Henry's paintings at www.thehenschefoundation.org.  I found an interesting website featuring a long article trying to explain Henry's method of painting light.  Here is that link:  http://blueridgeartist.com/media/pdfs/Henry_Hensche_Colour_Study.pdf    This looks like an interesting read!



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

   

"Beautiful Drumsticks" 8x10 oil on copper.  Not finished yet.



   Here is an upclose view of my white chicken.  I do like to paint an occasional chicken.  Why?  Because I like to eat chickens!  I told this to a spectator infront of North Light Gallery.  Unfortunately he was a devout vegetarian.  He said, "Ahhh...that is sooo sad!".  I took a look at this guy.  I think he even had a tear in his eye!  What do you say after that?  Not much! 

   I will work more on the chickens tomorrow!  It has promise!



     Robert came home from work with a box of Frosty Paws doggy ice cream!  He gave Duke and Daisy each an ice cream to celebrate my recent sale of a wave painting.  Daisy and Duke say "Thanks Edith for your painting sale!"



   Here is Duke on the right.  Daisy is on the back left.  They were enjoying this!



    After their ice cream treat Duke on the left had a burst of energy!  He ran a few figure 8's!  Daisy watches on!

     Have a great night!  The weather is perfect for painting!  Get out and paint!  You will enjoy every minute of this time. 

    Here is a great view on top of a mountain road of Mt Kathadin in the new proposed National Park in Maine. 




     Here is a river within the area called the East Penobscot River.  There are many waterways within the proposed park.



    Here is the main camp at Lunkasoos Camp.  The very spot is where there was a cabin in which Henry David Thoreau stayed in the 1800s.  I painted inside this cabin.  The view was just to great to pass up! 



     Here is another photo of the logging trail going into the Lunksoos Cabin area. 



    I really liked www.EvelynDunphy.com  a watercolorist from Bath, Maine.  She had canoed to an area to paint and now is seen here returning.  David, who volunteered his time driving the van and canoeing painters to painting areas is in the canoe also. 

  Here is www.MichaelBranca.com  from Bath, Maine showing his newly painted scene.  He also canoed to a location to paint.  He just graduated with his master's degree in fineart. 



   Here is www.JohnRedick.com .  He pours acrylic paints onto cradled gesso boards.  I really enjoyed watching John's process.  I later talked to John's wife who told me he has been pouring paint for 30 years.  The results are quite amazing.  He was able to paint three of these painting within a few hours. 



    Here we all were outside of North Light Gallery the next day.  The lady sitting down singing was the gallery owner, Marsha Donahue.  Caren Marie Michael was painting an acrylic scene of the town of Millinocket.  We were entertained by a local singer and guitarist.  He was an excellent musician.  On the side walk to the right, there were three more of us painters working on new paintings right on the street. 



    I painted a few chickens from a photograph for an upcoming show.   Jennifer painted me.   We had some fun. 

     The North Light Gallery had people (the artists!) come by to see the new work as well as all the other paintings in this gallery.  The painters each contributed 25$ for their lunch.  Transportation was donated by a local tour guide company.  The proposed National Park will use the painting images for free to produce a calender to sell to the public. These were all professional painters hoping to be seen and sell!  We did make new friends and so that may be the final benefit for the painters.  I always worry about how these events benefit the painters.  Very few painters make any income at all.  These events can cost them a lot of money in gas and hotels and art supplies.  Yet often the artists benefit the least. I think we all thought the lady who was going to donate the land would come out to see our paintings.

     Get out and paint!  

"Thoreau's View" 8x10 oil on copper.  Framed in brown wood and shipped free.

     Here is my first painting done at Lunkasook Cabins in the proposed National Park in the Millinocket Area of Maine.  This location has many historical events I found interesting.  We had a really nice and athletic lady guide who told us about the historical events when we arrived at the camp.  Henry David Thoreau's cabin was on this very spot in the 1800's.  This was his view.  I liked this idea.  I imagined him sitting here on this very spot admiring the mountains in the distance.  A young boy scout was lost in the area for nine days.  He was finally found here.  So it seemed like a special place to paint.  I painted inside the second floor of the cottage.  It was 45 degrees out.  I had five layers of clothing on.  Still I was freezing.  I didn't think I could beat this view by hiking somewhere else. 

     Many painters took canoes up the river and hiked.  They built bridges with logs with the lady tour guide.  They spent hours trying to hike, cross a river on a wet log with only a flemsy rope, and then painted a few hours.  

      The comraderie was so positve.  We were all so happy and polite and encouraging to one another.  It was a fun time today. 

    I am too tired to post photos of the land.  I have some wonderful photos of painters and their work.  Will have to do this tomorrow!  Have a great night.  Get out and paint!

    Today I drove to Millinocket, Maine to check in with at the North Light Gallery at 5:00pm.  There were many participating painters there!  Caren Marie Michel, Sandy Dolan, Evelyn Dunphy, Michael Branca, May Lou Moulton, and myself helped prepare sandwiches for tomorrow's paint out in the new National Park!  This is an amazing opportunity for all of us to see the unknown landscapes.  We will be the very first painters allowed to paint on this private land!  Well maybe not.

    Once a many sandwiches were prepared, we all went to dinner at a nearby diner.  It will be exciting to work along side of these great painters.  Jennifer, from Connecticut, left at 9:00pm tonight and will drive all night long to attend this event.  I am at a very nice, quiet, clean hotel.  I wonder what time Jennifer will arrive here? 



     I was able to drive into Baxter State Park before checking in with the gallery.  Here are a few photos for you to see.  There is a lot more Autumn color visible here compared to Acadia National Park. 



     It rained all day so you can see very little light here.  Tomorrow it is suppose to be very gray till noon.  We were a little worried about all of the gray in the morning.  We were planning how we will handle the gray with our art work.  One of the art collectors present for dinner claimed to be a fan of any painting with hot pink and touquise and an animal.  Hmmm. 



    The mushrooms in Baxter State park are huge!  These looked like a sort of trumpet.  They were the size on one of my hands!   I can't wait till my mushroom book comes.  I won't ever eat any of these mushrooms.  Don't worry.  The last thing I tested was a sort of "wild cherry" in the wild.  It turned my mouth numb.   I am more careful of these natural treats now. 


 
   Take a look at this amazing mushroom!  Bright red orange and the size of you hand!  I wonder what type it is? 

     I am going to get up tomorrow at 6:00 am.  I will drive to the North Light Art Gallery to meet up with all of the painters.  Then our journey and adventure begins.  I sure hope I paint well.  I hope we all paint well! 

     I will take lots of photos tomorrow of us painting and the proposed new National Park!   I will post photos of my new art work!

    Have a wonderful night!  Get out there now and paint!

"Birch at Duck Trap Pond" 5x7 oil on copper 350$ framed in dark brown wood and shipped free!

     I am driving to Millinocket, Maine tomorrow to participate in "Painting the Unknown:  Artists Paint the Proposed National Park"!  There is a large area of land called Eliotsville Plantation that is being donated to be turned into a National Park.  We are the first artists allowed into the area to paint. Well later I found out many painters have painter there.   They are going to use our painted views for advertising.  They are also hanging the paintings in North Light Gallery to be sold starting Saturday at 11-7pm.  There are some fantastic painters invited.  I am very happy to be one of these painters. 

     We are checking into the gallery on Thursday night.  Then we meet back at 7am to be packed away in large vans.  They are taking us to this plantation where we will paint all day till 4:00pm.  So we only have from about 8-4 to paint as many great paintings as possible.  There isn't any other painting day so I hope we have good weather.  The town of Millinocket has Trails End Festival activities planned all weekend.  

       As always, I will post what I paint tomorrow in Baxter and the new National Park!  You will be the first to see these new paintings of the unknown National Park! 



"Snow Days" 5x7 oil on copper Gifted to my sisterinlaw.



"Spring Thaw at Thurston's Wharf" 12x18 oil on copper.  Framed in light gold and shipped.  sold.



"Vermont Spruce Tree" 6x6 oil on copper sold.



"Winter Artist's View" 8x8 oil on copper Framed in dark brown wood and shipped!  sold.



"Winter at Bradley's Wharf" 8x8 oil on copper framed in light gold wood.  shipped.  sold.



"Sunrise in Vermont" 6x6 oil on copper.  sold

Please get out and paint!  It is going to be very cold soon!

"Merry Go Round at the Blue Hill Fair" 11x14 oil on linen mounted to board (Raymar) Sold today!

     An appointment was made to visit my art gallery, Lammers Gallery today!  I really like to have a gallery in my home.  I don't keep this gallery open usually.  I like to have the gallery open by appointment so I can go paint outside somewhere!  People understand and appreciate this. 

     On my new table I laid out all of my finished work from the last two weeks or so.  Everything else was framed on the wall or leaning up against a window.  I do still have about 25 finished paintings in a box with felt in between each work to protect them.  I like to show these paintings to people telling a story of the painting's creation. 

    The lady fell in love with the merry go round painting.  She just loved it!  I had a gold frame on my frame rack.  I showed her how it might look.  The painting looked amazing with this bright gold wood frame.  Normally I use a light gold.  I went into my framing room in the basement and framed the painting. 

"Going Home" 5x7 oil on copper.  Sold also! 

    She had already decided to buy this painting too.  Daisy and Duke will celebrate these sales with frozen banana and peanut butter yogurt!  They love this treat.  Thank you for the painting sales. 



     I went to Hampden to a living farm in quest of a pumpkin field. 




     These cows were at a nearby farm.  I found a few small orange squash to paint.   I did talk to a man who owns a vegtable stand in Hamden who has giant pumpkins in a field.  I hope he will call soon so I can paint him harvesting them.  I can just imagine this scene with a tractor, people, and pumpkins!  I even told him I would pay him some cash to do this.  I can only wait. 

     Have a great night!  Get out and paint! 

"Monhegan Surf" 8x12 oil on copper.  450$ framed in light gold wood and shipped free!

     When I was on Monhegan recently I took a few surf photos.  I decided to paint from a computer monitor today.  I worked all day long until Robert came home from work.  I am studying waves so that I will be able to paint beautiful New Smynra Beach waves at the Canveral Seashore Paintout 2011 coming up October 23-31 in Florida. 



     Here is a close up of the wave.  I learned today that just putting white highlights on the sunshine lit areas of the wave doesn't give a real sunlight feel.  So I first painted in some very light cadmium red mixed with cadmium yellow light in these sunlight areas.  I made different combinations of warm very light colors for these sunlight areas.  There were three or four different warm light colors in the wave's spray.  I think this more effectively creates that sunlit feeling than just white.  It is more interesting too.  I will have to remember this when I start to paint surf outside plein aire. 



   Here is a photo of this painting as I first got started.  I used cadmium red light with Lefranc's Titanium white in the foreground.  I knew the sunlight was hitting this area.  I did want to use white by itself for the foamy areas.  I wanted to save my lightest area for the spray where the light was hitting the water vertically.  I think this area would be the brightest.  Also reds and greens look great next to each other because they are complementary colors.  I used a lot of purples and blues in the shadow side of the foam.  I wanted to use a lot of yellows in the spray.  I did use a little bit of liquin in all of my paints to see if I liked it better.  It thins the paint.  I think I like to do this. 

     This last year I have noticed I spend twice as long painting any of my paintings now.  I seem to repaint areas many many times until I am satisfied.  I think this is good.  I am getting more particular.  

      Have a great night!  Get out and paint!

    Every Painter wants their website to come up first when their name is googled by a client.  I google my own name once or twice a year just to see what comes up in this search.  Once a printing website from an unknown asian country offered to print one of my paintings.  Even worse, I scrolled down this page to see many shaddy looking ladies videos available to click on!  I was shocked.  I emailed the company to please take my painting off this site.  They did.  Here are a few things you can do to keep your website visible and other link information appropriate for your clients to view!

1.  When you subscribe to sites you don't want to show up under your name, use a pen name or an abbreviated name.   For example:  You decided to make a t shirt for your Mom with one of your paintings on the front .  Now T shirt comes up under your google search of your name!  Your clients can now buy men's ties with your artwork on the tie!  Oh no!

2.  If there is a site with information you do not consider anyone's business, politely email them to remove the account.  For example:  Your home address or telephone number may show up!

3.  If you feel the information coming up is not appropriate, unbusiness like, or too much personal information, you can go into that account and change or delete the information.  Another words, change the name on that account so it doesn't appear.  You will still be able to access that account but it will remain not visible under your googled name!

4.  You can contact the website to close this account.  The information should not appear.  Do this nicely without threatening them!

5.  Bury the content by posting new information.  Most people do not look past the first page of content. 

6.  If all of this does not work, there are companies online you can pay to remove content you don't wish to have under your name.  Just google:  How to ungoogle yourself.   Many companies and more information will appear. 

7.  Use a different email address than your website email address when suscribing to accounts you want to keep personal.   You can get one free at hotmail.com.  For example, you want to join a high cholesterol unline group.  You don't necessarily want this posted information to come up under your professional painter's name! 



     This is a type of coral mushroom I found on Sears Island.  It is suppose to have a strong laxative effect and taste bitter.  I am not going to eat any of these mushrooms.  I just find their color and shape facinating!

  I have no idea what type of mushroom this is.  If you know I would love to hear from you!  Mushrooms can kill you so they are only nice to look at.



    Robert and I both admired this mushroom's appearance.  I don't know what this mushroom is either!  Maybe a King Bolete which is supposedly edible although the taste is supposedly not distinctive?   Your guess is as good as mine!  I  just admire their appearance.

     The weather is just perfect for plein air painting!  I hope you are painting!  Get out and paint! 

"For Better Or Worse" 8x10 oil on copper.  350$ Framed in light gold wood and shipped.

    Today I participated in the Bangor Paint Out at the University of Maine Museum of Art.  I had my copper panel stamped by the Bangor Art Society crew.  On the drive into Bangor, this wedding dress caught my eye in a store window on Main Street.  I decided to paint this dress.  The subject matter of a wedding dress is a universal one that any age of person can recognize.  The dark background against the white dress had impact.  Once I was set up infront of this dress I realized it was the light shimmering on the silk or satin material was what I needed to capture.  If I failed to achieve this shimmer then I would fail the painting completely!

     I asked permission from the store owner to set up to paint first.  This is always a polite thing to do. 

     Next I drew out the dress very small on my notepad.  This allowed me to get to know the dress.  I relaxed.  It helped me get a game plan.  I didn't spend much time doing this. 

     A professional painter once told me when he started doing a sketch of his scene first he was more successful with his work. So sketching out a small picture first or even many of them enables you to visually see which drawing is strongest.  There is a stronger chance you will end up with a successful painting.  I do this.  It was good advice.

     At first I had more detail within the very dark background.  This seemed to compete with the dress.  I decided to eliminate all of the lights or display racks inside of the store behind the dress.  I decided to go for elegant and the drama!  I found myself not concentrating on the design of the dress as  much as I was painting the and warm and cool light colors on the dress.  The last thing I did was carefully paint the highlights on the dress.  I squinted my eyes to see them.  I waited till the very brightest light was out.  The sun was going in and out. 



    Here is a close up of the bodice of the dress.   



     I always bring two frames with me to any paint out.  Framed paintings look better and more professional.  But most importantly it is easier for someone to handle a wet framed painting at one of these paint outs.  You never know who will be handling your work.  If it is an auction, someone may be standing infront of a huge crowd holding the painting.  Their fingers will get all oily with oil paint and mess up the sides of the painting.  The painting can be dropped easier without a frame.  Somehow paintings always land upside down.  Murphy's Law?  

     There is another important thing to do when you are participating in a paint out.  There are people who come and watch you paint.  I don't ignore them.  I talk to them.  I give them a postcard with my name, website, finished painting.  Sometimes I give them a brochure or business card.  I tell them about myself a little bit.  They enjoy this.  I ask them questions.  I answer questions about how and why I paint on copper.  People who watch you paint a painting sometimes end up buying the painting.  They like the idea of meeting the painter and seeing the work created.  Some painters ignore spectators.  I think it is a good idea to have a good attitude and be polite and congenial!  You are there for them! 

     There were approximately twenty painters who participated.  Our paintings were put on easels outdoors and indoors of this museum.  They served wine and appetizers.  The people who came were the painters and spouses and a few teenagers.  Only two or three paintings sold for under 75$. 

    I met a lot of painters who live locally.  It was a fun day!
Robert and I have been hiking late into the night at Sears Island and Great Mountain Pond Preserve.  We hunt for mushrooms.  We don't collect them or eat them.  We just look at them and try to find them!  We hike until we see the moon!  The weather is perfect for doing this. 

     Have a great night.  Get out and paint!

"Sand Beach Breaker" 8x12 oil on copper Sold to Edith in Holland!  Thanks Edith!  I hope this is the painting you talked about!

      I have been wondering ways of not using Gamsol to rinse out my oil painting brushes while I am outside painting.  I usually hold a papertowel in my left hand.  I shake the brush in Gamsol in between colors.  I wipe off the brush onto my paper towell.  The problem is my paper towel becomes wet, the gamsol goes into my skin, and sometimes I feel a little funny from this.  

     I asked my Facebook friends for a healthier solution!  You can be my Facebook friend by searching for Susan Renee Lammers on Facebook.  I would love to be your Facebook friend.  Here are some solutions my Facebook friends offered me as a healthier way to get a clean brush outside. 

1.  Many Facebook friends suggested using Graham's Walnut Oil.  They said Walnut oil is not only harmless it is healthy to ingest.  

2.  David Lussier wrote this:  Be smart, learn to use gloves.  Hands are extremely absorbant.

3.  Many Facebook friends suggested I use gloves while I painted.  They suggested gloves purchased at welding supply or safety supply stores, mechanic shops.

4.  Olive oil.

5.  Baby oil put onto dried baby wipes.

6.  Use Kleenex instead of paper towels to lower the amount of paper used.

7.  Use a drying oil says Robert Lewis.  He suggests the use of a poppy oil, linseed oil, safflower oil, walnut oil.

8.  One painter suggested I use a real live squirrell to clean off my brush.  He claimed they were expendable.  

9.  Many painters suggested I use a barrier cream on my hands.  One is by Winsor Newton.  Another is called Blue Magic 5216 Invisible Glove Hand Coating.  

     I don't think I will try any invisible hand coating.  I worry about the chemicals used to block other harmful chemicals.  It seems like the same worry about using sunscreen.  Some ingredients in sunscreen were later discovered to also cause skin cancer.  

     I did try on a pair of household cleaning gloves, purple, long extending my my elbows.  My whole hands and arms were too hot to paint after an hour.  I might cut them off to be shorter.  Maybe I can put in a few vents!  

     I like the idea of using Graham's Walnut Oil.  I may try this.  



"Sunlit Wave" 6x12 oil on copper.  450$  Still available framed in light gold and shipped free!

    

     This is a mushroom growing on a birch tree called "Artist's Conk".  You can pull one of these mushrooms off of the tree, draw on the white underside.  The drawing will turn light brown.  The mushroom will become very hard.  It is not edible.  It isn't poisonous either, just too woody to eat.  I did pull one off and draw on it.  I created a Delft Blue design and gave it to Robert.  He liked it. 



     I have no idea what type of mushroom this is called.  It looks frightening to me!  Scarey!  A blog reader, Mimi, has identified this mushroom as "Old Man of the Woods".  It is a type of bolete and supposedly edible.  I wouldn't eat this mushroom or any of them. 



    This was my favoite mushroom I saw today.  It glows a lavender!  It has an irridence to it.  It has a slimy surface.  Facinating.  I think it is called a Purple Corts.  A type of Corts can decrease the size of tumors. 



     Here is the same type of looking mushroom.  Beautiful!



    I have been mushroom hunting today at Sears Island.  I am not eating any of these mushrooms.  I find them interesting. 
"Unknown Mushroom #3."



     I think these mushrooms are called "Turkey Tail" growing on a fallen birch tree.  They are used medicinally for treating cancers. 



    This is one of the most dangerously poisonous mushrooms called Amanta Muscaria Var. Guesowii.  When you eat this mushroom you will have stomach cramps.  The cramps go away, then you get seriously ill within 5 days.  Victims of eating this mushroom go into a coma.  Their organs fail.  There is nothing that can save the victim because the poison has been in their bodies for so long.   



    I think these mushrooms are called "Black Trumpet".  They are supposedly the most tastey of all mushrooms. 



"Unknown Mushroom #5"



     These could be a false puffball if they are purple inside.  Or they could be an edible small puffball.  That is what makes eating these mushrooms so dangerous.  These puffballs can also look like a young Amanta which is the most deadly poisonous types of mushrooms.  This is the mushroom responsible for killing people.  Most other mushrooms just make people sick to their stomachs. 

   I discovered how to make a print of the spores of a mushroom.  You take the whole mushroom out of the ground, put it in a brown or wax bag, bring it home.  Probably use gloves. Then you cut the stem off using gloves, put the mushroom cap down on white or black paper or glass slide, put a bowl over mushroom for 6 hours, remove bowl.  Preserve the spore print with hairspray.  Spore prints can be used to help identify a mushroom along with a identifying book.  The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North America Mushrooms by Gary H. Lincoff is a good identifying book to use.  There are many books available.  I have discovered a mushroom specialist living nearby.  I emailed him to see if he could take us out to identify mushrooms.  

     Wild mushrooms have the largest amount of vitamin D in a non-animal form. 

      Why would anyone want to identify mushrooms?  You can harvest some types for food.  Restaurant chefs purchase them from mushroom specialists.  You can paint paintings of them.  It is a good way to get exercise while a painter is not working!  There are mushroom clubs here in Maine where they meet to find mushrooms.  Maine Mycological Association is the Maine mushroom club.  I think mushrooms are beautiful! 

    I must get out and paint!  Enough of my mushroom facination.

"Get Your Fish and Chips!"  8x10 oil on copper panel.  450$ Framed and shipped.

     All day and night I painted at the Blue Hill Fair!  This is a challenging place to paint.  I am getting use to all of the machinery noise. There are hundreds of people walking around the fair.  Tonight I got the most interesting questions.  From a three year old:  Have you painted more paintings today for me to see?  Are you cold?  From a 15 year old boy:  Can I have your business card?  He wanted to see my work online.  From a teenager:  How do you profit from doing this?  From a lady:  Is this going to be on next year's Fair poster?  These are not your everyday questions I get asked normally.  I had to think to answer them.  



     Here is a close up of the painting.  The sun was shining directly into my eyes.  I like to paint things backlit.  I was more relaxed today.  I am really enjoying painting at the fair. 



"Corn Dogs" 8x10 oil on copper panel.  450$ Framed and shipped.

     After having an Italian sausage and a candy apple and a gallon of root beer, I managed to muster up the energy to paint another painting!  A night scene of the corn dog stand.  What fun!  I worked for hours on this painting.  I should have bought a corn dog!  What was I thinking.  Oh well.  There was much interest in these two paintings from the owners of the stands.  This is their life.  Why wouldn't they love a painting of themselves working at a fair.  What a great painting to pass down to their kids. 

     I may go back to the Blue Hill Fair tomorrow.  I am getting really addicted to those red candy apples.  What will I do when the Blue Hill Fair closes in two days.  I don't want to think about that. 

    Have a candy apple and go outside to paint.  It is the best combination. 



     Here is Duke with his squirell dog toy.  He will sit with this squirell or his bear in his mouth for a long time. 



     Sometimes I catch him cleaning his squirell or bear as if it is a real animal!  He cleans Daisy too when she needs it. 



     Here is Daisy before she takes her nap.  She looks really sleepy!

"Great Night At The Blue Hill Fair" 8x10 oil on copper.  Sold.

     Today I painted from 1:00pm to 9:00pm at the Blue Hill Fair.  A local lady plein aire painter painted with me today.  She painted great paintings.  I wish you could see them!  Here is my evening painting.  We parked ourselves under the light of an ice cream vender.  This worked wonderfully.  We were prepared with auxillary lighting.  I admired two men with carnival stuffed animals under their arms.  They were really into the Blue Hill Fair spirit!  They were watching some younger members of their family.  The place was packed with people!  It was fun.  I like how this painting turned out.  How fun!  It is finished!

"Merry Go Round at the Blue Hill Fair" 11x14 Sold.  This painting is oil on linen mounted to substrate by Raymar.  

     I worked all day on this larger painting.  It was a difficult painting to tackle on the spot!  Everything was moving-the merry go round, people, the ferris wheel.  I did it!  I think I will allow this painting to remain as it is also.  It is fresh and juicey!  

     I ate a candy apple.  It was simply amazing.  I bought it for Robert but ate it.  So I bought him another two.  One for me and one for him.  I really like candy apples.  They are really good.   

     If it is raining tomorrow I will stay home and work on waves to something like that.  If it is sunny, I may go back to the Blue Hill Fair!  There are colorful scenes everywhere! 

Get out and paint!

"The Wave" 8x12 oil on copper.  450$ Framed in light gold wood.  Shipped free.  

      I have been working inside my studio every other day.  I drive a long distance to paint in Acadia.  I think it is a good idea to limit my driving.  I save money on gas.  I give myself a driving break so I drive better.  So today I was working from a computer monitor.  This wave was more difficult to do than the other two waves the other day.  I am not sure why.  At one point I almost gave up on the painting.  It was because I was in pain!  So I took a break.  I went outside.  When I came inside I felt better.  Sometimes my shoulder or trapezoid muscle hurts from holding the brush so long.  I usually take  two aspirins before I start working.  This really helps. 



     Here is a closeup of the wave painting.  In order to create the look of water, I decide what type of motion the water is making.  Then I mimic this motion with my brush.  If the water is swirling like in the foreground, I make my brush swirl on the copper substrate.  If the water is bouncing up, I bounce my brush up!  It is not as easy as it sounds.  I repaint an area a zillion times until I am content.  I think painting water is fun.



    Here is a few photos of people enjoying themselves on Sand Beach. 





     I think she was putting suntan lotion on his back.  This is an interesting way to do this!  I sure hope she fully covered his back with sunscreen or he will have hand prints on either side of his back.



I think this would make a nice painting. 





   This ocean is 57 degrees.  It is so cold your feet start to burn with pain before a minute is over. 

     I hope you are having a wonderful day!  We have had such great weather here in Maine.  Temperatures have been so perfect for painting outside.  We have had a lot of sun each day too.  Get out and paint!