Muse

This piece is for submission to the Klein Gallery for its August show which gives a percentage of the proceeds to the New Bedford Women's Shelter. The theme of the show is women. This piece references the muse, the madonna and Art Nouveau. Lilies symbolize purity.

Conservancy - Bush in Winter

Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment. Claude Monet
Although Monet is a little to sticky sweet for me at times, he and I are on the same team when it comes to loving to find color, make color, use color.
I'm a little undecided about how far to go with this painting. I'm just adding small branches at this time and contrasting them a bit more. I think the strongest part of the painting is the delicate shadow of the bush in the lower right corner.
Found a neat app, leafspot. It can identify a tree by taking a picture of the leaf. Maybe I can finally know what kind of bush this is. I think I've identified my bush. Northern highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum, is a species of blueberry native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia and Ontario south to Alabama, and west to Wisconsin. Other common names include blue huckleberry, tall huckleberry, swamp huckleberry, high blueberry, and swamp blueberry.

Lola and Margaux walk Minkcove with Wayne

Finished this little oil sketch for Lola.

Conservancy - Bush in Winter

Removed part of the log behind the bush. It just didn't work, too big? too dark? too flat? The space reads deeper without it.

Conservancy - Bush in Winter

Beginning to see some space in this painting.

Conservancy - Bush in Winter

I spent most of this session trying to add some light to the atmosphere and a bit of small branch work in the foreground.

Lola and Margaux walk Minkcove with Wayne

Lola is graduating from college. Her mother, Kathy, is Wayne's step-niece. Is there such a thing? Regardless, they and sister, Margaux, are family. Lola and Margaux were born in France and amuse me at times with their English. They both refer to Minkcove as the swamp. I keep telling them it is not a swamp. It is an estuary. Much more romantic, don't you think? Kathy's only advice regarding a graduation gift was, "she likes art". My plan is to give her a memento of a day she, Margaux, and Wayne spent exploring the swamp/estuary. Wash