5×7″, oil on linen panel

SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

This Hudson River School site in the Catskill Mountains is one of my favorite hike destinations. I go up there several times a year, and understand why it was also a favorite of the Hudson River School painters! This is probably destined to be my last Sunset Rock painting before the fall colors take hold.

Speaking of the Hudson River School, for those who have not gone to the Thomas Cole Historic Site in Catskill NY to see the Sanford Gifford show, you have until October 29 to do that. I just went back for the second time, and it’s truly a “Don’t Miss It” exhibit for those who love Hudson River School art, art history, and hiking in the Catskills. The show focuses on Gifford’s paintings done in the Catskill Mountains, and provides site information for where they were all painted too. There is also a show catalog available at the Visitor Center there.

8x10 and smaller, Catskill Mountains, Greene County, Hudson River School, Lakes and Streams, Landscape, Oil paintings, Shows and News, Sold | 1 Comment »

Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

The other day, I varnished ten of my new Hudson River and Hudson Valley paintings. They range from scenes overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades from New York City, to Peach Lake in Brewster, and Burger Hill in Rhinebeck, up to the ledges of Sunset Rock overlooking North South Lake (beloved Hudson River School site), and the Catskill Mountains. Some of these were started on location and finished up in the studio, while others were painted from my photos and other plein air paintings. They represent much of the terrain I’ve traversed over the past six months or so, in search of the best of what the Hudson Valley has to offer my muse.

The varnishing process takes time to set up, so I like to do large batches at a time. Usually that means about 17-20 paintings. Lately I’ve worked on some larger pieces, which has lowered my production in terms of quantity. Working on those big paintings has meant that the little ones tend to hang out in the studio longer, before they get photographed, varnished, and up on my website. As the weeks go by, they get more touchups and adjustments as I see them. I think this has led to an overall increase in quality. As I look at this set of paintings now, I’m really happy with what I’ve achieved in this batch. Here’s a photo that you can click on, and you can then zoom in on specific paintings.

The large, framed painting of the Hudson River and Palisades is already spoken for, and out the door. (I do miss that one already! But there is a smaller version of it available among the others, and I can always do another large one for you on a commission basis.) The smaller works above it are all available and in search of new homes. If you see one that interests you, send me off an email (or comment below), and I’ll get back to you with more information. They will all be posted individually as I adjust the single images. Some of those have already been posted with prices, and are visible by going to my home page and scrolling down.

16x20 and larger, 8x10 and smaller, Acrylic paintings, Available, Bannerman Island, Boats and Ships, Brewster and North Salem, Catskill Mountains, Cold Spring and Garrison, Columbia County, Dutchess County NY, Fall, Farm Scenes, Greene County, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River School, Hudson River Valley, Lakes and Streams, Landscape, Oil paintings, Palisades, Peach Lake and Brook, Plein Air--painted on location, Shows and News, Sunrise/Sunset, Varnishing Oil and Acrylic Paintings, Westchester | No Comments »

Please click image below to enlarge:

Dear Friends and Art-lovers,

I hope you can join me on Saturday, June 11 from 5-8pm at RiverWinds Gallery to celebrate the opening of my solo show, Hudson Valley Hues. I’ll have 11, 24×36″ paintings in the show, plus an assortment of new little ones just off the easel. I have been working on this series of paintings for two years. They are paintings of my favorite scenes throughout the Hudson River Valley. I’m so happy to finally be able to share and show them.

For those who cannot make it to the opening reception, the show will run from June 9 through July 3. The gallery is located at 172 Main Street in Beacon. Hours are Wednesday through Monday from 12-6pm. Please stop by and see the show if you can!

Jamie

16x20 and larger, Acrylic paintings, Available, Beacon, Bear Mountain and Iona Island, Brewster and North Salem, Catskill Mountains, Cold Spring and Garrison, Farm Scenes, Gallery, Golden OPEN Acrylic Paintings, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River School, Hudson River Valley, Lakes and Streams, Landscape, Oil paintings, Olana and Hudson NY, Peach Lake and Brook, Shows and News, Sunrise/Sunset, Tilly Foster Farm | 2 Comments »

24×36″, acrylic on Ampersand Gessoboard, framed
$3,000.00 plus $125 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

If you think you’re having a deja vu moment, this painting is similar to the one I posted last week! I took a series of photos of the Great Blue Heron in my yard. Here he is in a more upright pose, and it is a more detailed and refined painting. This painting is all done in shades of blue. Below is an image that you can click on for a larger, clearer view of the painting.

16x20 and larger, Acrylic paintings, Animals, Available, Beacon, Birds, Color Inspirations, Hudson River Valley, Lakes and Streams, Landscape, Peach Lake and Brook, Pets Wildlife Animals, Shows and News, Winter and Snow Scenes | No Comments »

Finally you can see 19 of my waterfall paintings in one place! For the month of November, I have a show of Hudson Valley Waterfalls hanging at the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library in North Salem, NY. The show can be viewed during regular library hours.

The paintings are for sale both at the library and here on my website. To see the paintings that are in the show, you can click the Ruth Keeler Library Gallery category here on my blog, and scroll down the paintings. I think there are still a couple that haven’t yet made it onto my blog, but they will be added soon. Or better still, go check out the show and you can see them all in person!

Shows and News, Waterfalls | No Comments »

12×16″, oil on linen board

$675.00 plus $25 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This painting has been in progress for a really long time. I spent a few days out on location painting the falls, trying to capture the light very early in the morning, while the foreground was still in shadow. I worked on it in between in the studio. Finally I am considering it finished. In fact, it is varnished, framed, and hanging in it’s new space at Bistro Brie & Bordeaux in Windham, New York!

Here is an image of the painting that you can click on for a larger, clearer view:

8x12 to 12x24, Available, Catskill Mountains, Greene County, Hudson River School, Lakes and Streams, Landscape, Oil paintings, Palenville and Catskill, Plein Air--painted on location, Shows and News, Waterfalls | No Comments »

7×5″, oil on linen, framed
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

This sweet old tree overlooks the Hudson River at Olana, home of Hudson River School artist Frederic Church. I did two little paintings of this tree on site, in different formats, in order to decide how I’d like to compose a large version.

8x10 and smaller, Columbia County, Fall, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River School, Hudson River Valley, Lakes and Streams, Landscape, Oil paintings, Olana and Hudson NY, Plein Air--painted on location, Shows and News, Sold, Trees | No Comments »

12×16″, oil on linen panel
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

On Saturday, October 5, I had the great honor of receiving the Second Place award at the Olana Plein Air event. Entry into the event was highly competitive and they only took 25 of us to begin with, so I was especially grateful to receive the award among such an accomplished group of artists. Olana is the homestead of Hudson River School painter Frederic Church. His 250 acre property and Moorish style mansion are a painter’s haven at any time of year, but especially in fall.

We had two and a half days to paint. I was feeling stressed by time factors because I had my dogs at home and knew I would not be able to spend as much as I’d like on location. I had a petsitter walk them at noon, but that still didn’t give me until sunset, and of course sunset is The time to paint at Olana!

This is a view off Ridge Road at Olana, and it’s one of my special favorite spots. It features Kaaterskill Clove in the distance, which was one of the areas painted by many of the Hudson River School painters. Knowing I was pressed for time, I set my easel out at the site at 7:45am on the first day, and then went to the 8am breakfast orientation/registration meeting. When the meeting broke, I was all set to paint. As I was nearing the end of the painting, this fabulous barge and tugboat went by! Sometimes they appear at the wrong time in the painting process, but I pretty much had that area completed and was able to pop them in as they passed.

I did five paintings during the two and a half days, and in the end, was torn between two of them in deciding what to submit for the juror and auction. Each artist had to select just one painting. Everybody’s paintings were beautiful!

Many thanks to the Olana and Columbia County Council for the Arts staffs for their hard work before, after, and during the event, and to all the art lovers who came to the auction and bid on paintings. I’d also like to thank my fellow painters for making it such an enjoyable event and being so supportive of one another.

Here is an image you can click on for a larger view:

8x12 to 12x24, Boats and Ships, Catskill Mountains, Columbia County, Fall, Farm Scenes, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River School, Hudson River Valley, Lakes and Streams, Landscape, Oil paintings, Olana and Hudson NY, Palenville and Catskill, Plein Air--painted on location, Shows and News, Sold | 3 Comments »

8×10″, acrylic on Arches board
$200.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

I have big news! Jurors have gone through the artist applicants for the three day Olana Paintout and Art Auction on October 3-5. They have selected twenty-six artists for the event, and I am one of them! So I’ve been spending some time strolling the grounds there and doing lots of small plein air pieces at different times of day, to help familiarize me with vistas both old and new on the 250 acre estate.

This view of the Hudson River and Catskills is not one I’ve painted before. The Hudson River appears as a streak in the foreground amidst farmland and low hills, before arriving at the dramatic skyline of the Eastern Escarpment of the Catskills. It’s quite different from the south-facing view we’re all accustomed to seeing from the front of the mansion. I’d like to revisit this spot a few times.

Below is an image you can click on to get a larger, clearer view of the painting:

This painting was done with Golden Open Acrylics. They were such a pleasure to work with, staying juicy and blendable all through the painting process. I used them on an Arches hot press board that I sealed with two coats of Fluid Matte Medium. The painting can then be varnished and framed like an oil painting. I love this surface for acrylics! It’s one of my current favorites, and the varnished paintings look absolutely stunning.

8x10 and smaller, Acrylic paintings, Available, Catskill Mountains, Columbia County, Golden OPEN Acrylic Paintings, Greene County, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River School, Hudson River Valley, Lakes and Streams, Landscape, Olana and Hudson NY, Plein Air--painted on location, Shows and News, Sunrise/Sunset | 1 Comment »

6×6″, Oil on Ampersand Gessoboard (archival panel)
$150.00 plus $12 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

I can’t even count how many sunsets I’ve witnessed at Frederic Church’s homestead, Olana. Sometimes the sun just drops like a stone and the lights go out. Other times, I’m treated to a magnificent festival of light and color. Photos from those occasions become the inspiration for many paintings in various sizes, formats, and mediums. Such was the evening of this particular sunset. The yellow light blazed behind the Catskill Mountains, and there was a red rim of fluting along the edge where land meets sky. On these evenings, one can feel Frederic Church’s passion for the view that he was fortunate enough to call “home”.

8x10 and smaller, Available, Catskill Mountains, Fall, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River School, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Oil paintings, Olana and Hudson NY, Shows and News, Sunrise/Sunset | 4 Comments »

8×10″, Oils on sealed, primed hardboard
$200.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

I drove up the mountain to South Lake, where Thomas Cole did his famous painting, Lake with Dead Trees, and many other Hudson River School painters did their renditions of Round Top Mountain’s peak looking down upon the lake. It was my intention to finish a painting I’d started there on Friday. However, the light was totally different, and I saw a beautiful sunset emerging. I decided to do this new painting instead, and chased the sunset to the very end.

8x10 and smaller, Available, Catskill Mountains, Greene County, Hudson River School, Lakes and Streams, Landscape, Oil paintings, Plein Air--painted on location, Shows and News, Sunrise/Sunset | 2 Comments »

Acrylic, 11×15″, custom framed to 16×20″ in beautiful gold frame with archival ivory mat (Framing included in price.)
$450.00 plus $40 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This is a scene along the Hudson River in Cold Spring, New York. I’m really enjoying doing splashy acrylic paintings on watercolor these days. I treat it like a transparent watercolor to start, using thinned Golden Airbrush paints in just a few transparent colors, splattering paint and working into it, and working light to dark in a traditional watercolor fashion. Then I go to opaque color where I want a less transparent effect. I’ve been working on this approach with acrylics for about a year now, and I feel like it’s finally starting to come together on a more consistent basis. I’m liking this one a lot!

Here’s an image you can click for a larger, clearer view:

I’ve been working in the studio more lately and have noticed that I’m feeling even more exhausted than when I was traveling to locations. Yesterday the thought occurred to me that maybe the glare from working off references on my computer screen is bothering my eyes and brain, resulting in that tired feeling. Last night I decided to print out a bunch of large photos to work off of instead of staring at the screen. I feel so much better! Maybe working off printed photos will help some of you other artists out there, if you’ve had similar reactions to long days of painting while staring at a reference image on a computer screen.

8x12 to 12x24, Acrylic paintings, Available, Boats and Ships, Cold Spring and Garrison, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Valley, Lakes and Streams, Landscape, Shows and News | No Comments »

(Click image for a larger view)

You’re all invited to my show opening this Saturday, November 10, 2012, at Bannerman Island Gallery, 150 Main Street, Beacon, New York. The opening starts at 5pm, and includes small paintings by a number of Hudson River Valley artists. These small format works make perfect and personal holiday gifts. Come say hi and browse the Beacon shops and galleries. It’s Second Saturday, so the galleries will all be having their opening receptions, and all the shops are open late. I hope to see you there!

The image on the show card is a 4×4″ miniature acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, set on a smart, black table easel. It features a tugboat on the Hudson River, with the Palisades in the background. It is available at the gallery for $150.

Bannerman Island, Hudson River Valley, Shows and News | 1 Comment »

Many thanks to Jacob Sound for producing this wonderful video of my paintings, set to music I recorded with my duo partner, Andrew Lafreniere. The piece we play in the video is titled The One by California composer Peter Madlem. The paintings were all selected from my website by Jacob. I love the way he zooms and pans with the camera, leaving me feeling like I’m strolling through the landscapes. Some of these works are for sale and some have already been sold, so some of you collectors out there might see a painting in this short flick that is up on your wall! Feel free to contact me if you see a painting you’d like to purchase.

You can contact Jacob or see more of the videos he has done on his Facebook page or via email at jacoburi306@gmail.com.

Landscape, Shows and News | No Comments »

On Easter Sunday, New York Plein Air Painters (NYPAP) lost its founder and leader, Ted Beardsley. Ted was one of those rare individuals who always put the interests of others ahead of his own. He never let on about his own multitude of accomplishments, and instead put those talents to use painting and helping promote the artists of New York’s plein air community.

Ted recognized early on that a state the size of New York would have to break into smaller chapters in order to be able to serve the artists and grow. In doing so, Ted touched our lives in a very personal and direct way. He always made time for anybody who called. He directed without being pushy. He believed in an organization that would serve not only professionals, but anybody who wanted to enjoy the thrill of painting out on location, without regard to skill level. This made NYPAP an open and welcoming community.

On a personal note, I will miss Ted terribly. He left very big shoes to fill. His generosity and many selfless acts will stay with me forever. I can’t even count how many artists have become my personal friends over the years because of him. Our Lower Hudson Valley chapter is over 160 artists and growing. It never would have even gotten off the ground without Ted. I hope that wherever he is, he knows how much he has touched our lives, and how much we appreciate his kindness, talent, and compassion.

Shows and News | 3 Comments »

My husband has been on vacation this month, hence the reasons why you haven’t seen many paintings here. If you’ve been following my sketches on my other blog, you have seen a few of the places we’ve hiked to, and what I sketched while hanging out on the patio with my Sweetheart. This past week we’ve had Hurricane Irene to deal with, and that sure packed a whallop around here. We are fortunate that our property survived quite well and we had no flooding in the house. We also managed to retain power almost the entire time. Here are some of my personal photos that show just a tiny portion of what happened around me.

Here’s a photo along Kaaterskill Creek in Palenville, by the Woodstock Avenue bridge, which gives an indication of the general road conditions following Irene. The creek makes a sharp turn here, and the power of the water against the bank collapsed an entire section of the roadway. A woman’s house along the creek washed away during the storm.

Our back yard started to fill up quickly when the storm hit:

We were fortunate that the house and septic were on high enough ground, and with good enough drainage around the house, to not be affected. Things have pretty much returned to normal for us here at home. To show how much water there was, here’s a photo of one of our streams now, with a “moderate-to-heavy” amount of water flowing:

Here’s the same stream just after the hurricane. The water had actually subsided a bit by the time I got out there to take this photo:

One of our small waterfalls is also a dramatic tale of what the storm brought. Here’s a photo from before the storm. You can see that the water flows only to the left side of those rock ledges:

Well, here it is just after the storm! There’s so much water here that you can’t even see the ledges at all! The stream couldn’t contain all the water, which is why it jumped the banks in the back of our property and flooded the yard.

I’m so thankful that we fared better than most of the folks up here in the Catskills. So many have lost everything. It’s a real tragedy. With the sun shining and the dog playing in the pools by the waterfalls again, it’s almost hard to believe that so many are left with no homes and nowhere to go.

Shows and News, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

I did this little 9×12″ watercolor across a two-page spread in my Fabriano Venezia sketchbook to show you what my new blog looks like! If you’ve enjoyed seeing my sketches, hearing my rambles about the artistic process, and looking on while I varnished paintings, primed panels, mixed paint, and built foamcore pochade boxes, most of those things will be posted only on the new “Sketches” blog from now on. That blog is at http://HudsonValleySketches.blogspot.com. You can click here to head over there now, and subscribe there to continue to receive all my posts online.

Don’t worry; this This Hudson Valley Painter blog isn’t going away! It will still be here, and will contain my completed paintings that are available for sale. The sketches, product reviews, and thoughts on the artistic process will be on the new site.

How to Make Paint, Landscape, Not Currently Available, Personal Collection, Product Reviews, Shows and News, Sketches, Watercolor | No Comments »

I have six paintings going up to Kaaterskill Fine Arts for this show in Hunter, NY. Hope some of you can make it there!

Click image to enlarge:

Shows and News | 2 Comments »

My friend and fellow artist, Gretchen Kelly, is writing articles about some of her favorite artists. Please check out her blog post today, featuring yours truly! Many thanks to Gretchen for this special commentary. It’s been wonderful having Gretchen as a friend and painting buddy.

While you’re there, take a look at Gretchen’s expressive figure drawings and paintings, and her vibrant landscapes. I especially like her use of gold leaf in some of her multi-media landscape paintings.

Shows and News | No Comments »

While out painting at Bannerman Island with friends two weeks ago, we were offered a show at Bannerman Island Gallery! The opening is this Saturday, November 14, 4-8pm. I’ll have some of my new fall works there, including the one featured below.

Available, Bannerman Island, Cold Spring and Garrison, Fall, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Quadricentennial Series, Hudson River School, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location, Shows and News | No Comments »

Many thanks to all of you who took the time out of your busy weekend to attend my Hudson River Journeys and Hudson Valley Journeys shows this weekend. For those of you who didn’t make it there, Hudson River Journeys will continue to run until October 4. Hudson Valley Journeys runs through September 29th. The 11×17″ prints of Boscobel Overview are available for buyers of my work at either show, as well as RiverWinds Gallery in Beacon. You can see the print at the bottom of the first image below.

Here are some photos I took of the North Salem Library show this morning. Unfortunately, there’s some glare with the paintings facing the windows, but it will give you an idea of what is there. All of the North Salem paintings in the Hudson Valley Journeys show can also be purchased custom framed as shown, directly through my website here via PayPal. If you see something you’re interested in, just let me know where it is in the images and I can email you a direct link to that painting’s post with pricing information.

And best of all, here is the cake for the show!

Shows and News | No Comments »

Sunday, September 13, from 12:30-2:30pm, I’ll be having a luncheon reception for my show, Hudson Valley Journeys. It is at the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library, 276 Titicus Road, North Salem, NY. Please stop by, say hello, see the paintings, and have a bite to eat if you’re within striking distance!

For pricing and purchase information on the painting above, click here.

Shows and News | No Comments »

Come join me for a reception at the opening of my new solo show, Hudson River Journeys, this Saturday, September 12, from 4-6pm at the Bannerman Island Gallery, 150 Main Street, Beacon NY. There are 24 of my Hudson River paintings hanging in the show. They show scenes of the Hudson from the Palisades up to Athens, NY.

PLUS

For the month of September, any of my paintings purchased at one of my shows or galleries comes with a beautiful 11×17″, hand-signed poster print of my painting Boscobel Overview in Fall for you to frame and hang. These posters are available at Bannerman Island Gallery, RiverWinds Gallery (174 Main Street, Beacon NY) and Ruth Keeler Memorial Library (276 Titicus Road, North Salem, NY).

Remember that you are also invited to my luncheon reception at the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library this coming Sunday, September 13, from 12:30-2:30pm. My Hudson Valley Journeys show is there. I hope those of you who are in the area can make it to one or both of these events.

Shows and News | No Comments »

Tomorrow I will be hanging my solo show titled Hudson Valley Journeys at the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library in North Salem, NY. It will run from tomorrow through September 29. Please join me for a luncheon reception at the library on Sunday, September 13 from 12:30-2:30pm. The address is 276 Titicus Road, North Salem.

I hope many of my viewers will be able to get over there to see the show. If you cannot make it to the reception, you can see the show anytime the library is open. Here is a link to the library hours when you will be able to see the show.

The painting above is the one that appeared on the card for the show. It is a view of the beautiful Open Land Foundation property along Baxter Road in North Salem. It is available for purchase at the library or through my website at this link.

All of the paintings in that show are custom framed and also available through my website. If you click the Category on the right for “Brewster and North Salem”, you will see that some of those paintings are now listed as custom framed. Those are the ones in the show. (Works not in the show are unframed.) I do not generally offer framed works through my website, so if you’re interested in something ready to hang on that favorite wall, this is a great opportunity to pick up a custom framed piece at a great price.

Brewster and North Salem, Hudson River Valley, Peach Lake and Brook, Shows and News | 1 Comment »

This is my first-ever video slide show! I hope you enjoy this display of some of my paintings that have been done with the slow-drying Golden OPEN Acrylics.

dailypainters_video_33wbrgg0e03bg_2.avi

Demos/Work in Progress, Shows and News | No Comments »

There is a show of paintings by the Hudson River School artists at Cedar Grove, the Thomas Cole Historical Site. The show is titled River Views of the Hudson River School, and celebrates the Hudson River Quadricentennial. There are fifteen paintings in the show which feature the Hudson River and its surroundings, mostly in the Catskill area where the show is taking place! The paintings are on loan from private collections and will be in the show until October 11.

I’m going to try to see this show asap….maybe even tomorrow! To read more about the show and the Thomas Cole Historic Site, click here to visit their website. There is a PDF file there that you can download with lots of information.

Shows and News | 3 Comments »

Yikes….I think I’m going to be very, very careful from now on when painting at the top of Kaaterskill Falls! The park rangers say that accidents like this happen every year. It is so tragic. From the top of the falls, the sides are very sheer. Climbing down there is extremely dangerous. It’s unfortunate that they cannot prevent people from attempting to ascend and descend the falls.

New York – NYSP SP Catskill Accidental Death Investigation
By admin • Jun 14th, 2009 • Category: News

Mullins had been hiking with one other person and was descending the slope when he slipped on loose shale and mud. Mullins fell approximately 60 feet off of a cliff and struck rocks below the trail. An autopsy was performed at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany and the cause of death was listed as multiple traumas due to the fall.

Shows and News | No Comments »

I did it! I know I’m way behind the times, but I finally got onto Twitter. You can follow me by clicking the “follow” button on the JamieArtist widget on the left sidebar <---- . Hopefully over the next couple of weeks I'll be able to figure this thing out. I'm hoping this keeps me more in touch with everybody as I run around my crazy life! I didn't paint today, as I'm getting ready for my Rhinebeck show. The Opening Reception is June 5 from 5:30-7:30pm, at 6423 Montgomery Street, Second Floor, Rhinebeck, NY. You’re all invited! Come see Hudson River Valley landscape paintings done by four members of the juried, international Daily Painters group. There are 167 artists in the group, and four of us who are within a couple of hours of Rhinebeck are gathering ourselves and our work together to meet and greet our viewers. Come join us for a wine and munchies celebration with great art. Here is the front of our post card for the show. Can you pick out which painting is mine?

Shows and News | 3 Comments »

Usually I don’t post if I don’t have a completed painting to show, but I’ve been thinking lately about how many fascinating things artists are involved in on the days when they don’t paint. Perhaps I should post about that sometimes, like right now!

Each spring, the U.S. House of Representatives has a high school art competition. The winners from each district are then hung together in the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Today I was one of five artists hanging the show for Congressman John Hall’s 19th Congressional District. We hung over 90 paintings by area high school students at the Putnam Arts Council gallery space at Tilly Foster Farm, in Brewster, NY. Congressman Hall will be presenting the awards on Monday, May 11. You can read more about it at the Putnam Arts Council site and also on Congressman Hall’s website. Congratulations to all the students who are in this show! Be sure to stop in to see it if you’re in the area. It’s always worth a trip to Tilly Foster Farm to see the newest arrivals in historical animal species, antique farm equipment, shows at Putnam Arts Council, and the change of seasons!

Other artistic ventures today included cutting a huge bouquet of lilacs from my yard. If it pours tomorrow as it’s supposed to, and I don’t feel like working from a photo, I’ll have these beautiful flowers to paint and smell in my studio.

Last but not least, I took a walk outside this evening, where I was hoping to get some photo references from which to paint the yellow sky I saw over the lake just before sunset. In the process, I inadvertently scared off a Pileated Woodpecker exploring a rotting tree stump, saw a Green Heron flying overhead, and enjoyed a cute muskrat swimming in the brook. I almost didn’t notice the deer on the other side of the brook. He was so well camoflaged that he was nearly invisible. He stood there staring at me for a long time, before turning around and trotting off. I took a picture of him, though I’m sorry it’s not a sharper image. Can you spot him?

Here’s a closer crop to show you where he was “hiding”:

Tomorrow I’ll be doing a frame inventory and ordering frames for some upcoming shows (more on that soon…), but hopefully there will be some time to paint too!

Shows and News, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

My friend MaryLou Roberts sent along this story today. It is a true story from the Washington Post. I think it says a lot about our society, and it made me realize that one of the things I love most about painting, and plein air painting in particular, is that it forces me to “stop and smell the roses”. How much do we really see and hear of the world around us? Feel free to enter your comments on this post.

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the
violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for
about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was
calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of
them on their way to work.

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best
musicians in the world playing some of the best music ever written,
how many other things are we missing ?

You can click the play button below to see the YouTube video of the event as it happened. It’s worth the listen if only to hear snippets of Joshua Bell playing the Bach Chaconne!

Shows and News | 2 Comments »