Nothing says HAPPY HALLOWEEN like this painting! (Well, this is a print, but someone has the actual painting) – this stunning painting blows me away. The vibrance of the pumpkin with the light and the stem that twists and turns and is quite delicate at the end AS IS THE SHADOW.
I have this thing with shadows. When done perfectly they make a painting so much more dynamic. I love a stark contrast, and this painting shows just that. Vibrant, moving, mysterious, fun, magical. I love it!
Visit the Chadds Ford Gallery website for more work by Jamie Wyeth (as well as his father and grandfather – what a talented family!) – he paints with such passion. Wow.
Susan Graeber. I have featured her in the past, but I enjoy her work so much I just had to feature her again. Isn’t this cone flower painting wonderful? I love the intensity and the proportions of this piece. Stunning!!
Susan is known for her birch tree paintings which I adore, (and also everything else she paints). You can see where her heart is, it shows vividly in each and every painting!
I have had the good fortune of beginning my life long interest in painting from early childhood attending the Bryn Mawr school where creativity was encouraged. I attended Hobart William Smith colleges for one year and decided to commit to going to an art college rather than a liberal arts program,and then transferred into the Boston Museum School for two years. During that time period my family moved to Brussels, Belgium for three years, and I had the benefit of travel as well as painting programs during the summers in europe and seeing the museums first hand. After this time period I transferred into the Maryland Institute and graduated in 1980. I had a few jobs related to the arts including a gallery position, settled down and married an art dealer who is a works on paper dealer, and had two children.
I always painted plein air when our children were growing up, especially enjoying Maine and the Maryland countryside. I now am a full-time painter, and maintain a warehouse studio in Baltimore, but mostly prefer to paint on location. I love to paint on Monhegan island, Mt Desert island, New Mexico and Maryland. I am influenced by the artists Arthur W. Dow, Fairfield Porter,Wayne Tiebolt, Neill Welliver, Eduard Vulliard and others. I am most attracted to places in nature where light is creating abstract shapes, and color is creating a mood. Capturing fleeting light is always a challenge, and a thrill when occasionally it works in a painting! When painting, or even seeing that spot that pulled my attention, I am drawn to unexpected movements of light and beauty.
Ahhh, Monhegan! It seems as if I start most of my Monhegan posts that way. This is the building that you first see on the wharf. On the side of this building are all the notices about what’s happening, studios that are open, restaurant info, etc. Like a newspaper, it’s all there. If you ever get a chance to visit, even if only for the day, I highly suggest! It’s less than a one hour ride via Monhegan Boat Lines, which is the way we always come (Port Clyde, ME).
Happy Sunday!
📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED…
Have a great day and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!
Jessica Magee. Fabulous abstract paintings. They have such a cool vibe to them. I love her color palette(s). Calming but with a little jolt in some – I like that, a lot!
Having worked in a few galleries in the past I know how some people think that abstracts are so easy to create. “I can do that” I heard many times. Well… try it! I thought that too and let me tell you, if you don’t have some kind of plan, direction, know what works or what doesn’t or if you just don’t have the right kind of creative energy it can be a mess. Sounds like I know from experience, hmmm?
Be sure to check out more of Jessica’s work – some are on paper, some are on canvas – she’s got an eye for these for sure! I see via Jessica’s Instagram that she’s had a pop up show at West Elm and Room & Board. Pretty fantastic!
Jessica Magee was born and raised in Central Florida. Having a Grandma who was a professional artist and sign painter, Jessica became interested in the arts at an early age. Her Grandma taught her the basics of drawing the human form, how to use oil paints and even how to clean a paint brush. As an adolescent she would spend hours filling up sketchbooks with portraits of people she found in magazines, and in high school she took as many art electives as she could get her hands on. It was during this time in high school that she developed a love for abstract art and color. Jessica attended the University of Florida and received a Bachelor of Design in Interior Design in 2005, and shortly afterward she moved to Denver, Colorado with her husband. Jessica worked as a commercial interior designer for almost 10 years before becoming an architectural rep for tile and stone. During her time as an interior designer, she painted in her free time and became interested in developing acrylic color studies using unique color combinations in flowing and organic forms. Jessica had her first solo gallery show in 2013, and shortly thereafter received her first corporate commission with a local oil and gas firm. In 2014 and 2017, she was accepted in to the Cherry Creek Arts Festival in Denver, and 2015 – 2017 was accepted in to the Cherry Arts Festival at the Stanley Marketplace through a blind jury process. Before the Stanley Arts Festival, Jessica had many marketing opportunities present themselves. She was featured in a local newspaper publication and also was the subject of a television interview on a local Denver news station. Currently Jessica is working on a partnership with West Elm as a local artist in Denver and Boulder, and continues to produce artwork for corporate and personal collections.
We had SCE&G (South Carolina Electric & Gas) come out several months ago and tell us what we could do to improve energy usage, etc. This was one suggestion – we have a pull down stairway that goes to our attic (like many of you). When you close the door on the ceiling it’s not a sealed close, therefore there is hot air that eeks into the house in the summer and cool air in the winter. They suggested an attic stairway insulator – this was around $60 – and couldn’t be easier to use. You take the box up in the attic, then open it and it’s kind of like a pup tent that’s all set to go, you unpack and set it over the opening to the attic stairway. If you have to go in your attic for something, you just lift it (very, very light) and move it over, then place it back.
We bought from Lowe’s – I’m sure you can buy these other places, Lowe’s is just very convenient to where we live.
Home Light by Harry Stooshinoff 8×8″ Acrylic & Pencil
Harry Stooshinoff. An incredible artist with a wonderful ability to simplify. His paintings are striking! Be sure to check out his website – There is nothing like watching a video of a scene being painted. Magic!
I love Harry’s philosophy! He paints every day – his paintings are VERY reasonably priced. This is a man who clearly does what he loves every single day!
I am both a painter and teacher. I hold a B Ed, BFA and an MFA. I have been producing artwork almost on a daily basis for over 35 years. A few decades ago I started making small pictures so that I could start and finish the piece in one sitting. The work is small because an intimate scale encourages maximum intuition, freedom, and experimentation.
My work is both abstract and figurative, and there is no inherent contradiction between these sensibilities; one inclination supports the other.
I am prolific and I do not wish to die with 10,000 paintings under my bed! Making small work also solved a few practical problems; small work is easy to mail. I very much enjoy selling art online. Mailing pieces to destinations all over the world is a great pleasure.
I live in the rolling countryside of the Oak Ridges Moraine, an ancient landform located just north of Lake Ontario, and am inspired by what I see every day. I roam this unique place in all seasons, and document my impressions. At first view, rural environments may seem natural, but they have been continually altered and reshaped by man. The landscape will be very different tomorrow; it seems negligent not to record how it looked and felt today.
It’s a big NOISY world, so I make small, quiet paintings.
Harry’s right, it IS a big NOISY world – check out those small paintings!
Baked Chicken. So easy. So delicious. So many sides to serve it with AND recipes for any that may be leftover (I always bake extra). One weekend night we usually have baked chicken, the sides vary – then I use the leftover chicken for chicken salad, soups, salads, Quick Green Chicken Chili that I’ve posted here before.
I use chicken breasts with bone and skin. Chicken skin used to be touted as unhealthy, but studies now show that it’s pretty good for you (in moderation!) – We buy chicken breasts (no hormones/no antibiotics) from Whole Foods. It’s our preference… They are large. We split one for dinner, save one for soup (and it’s plenty after you pull off the skin, pull off the bones and shred) or chicken salad, or another recipe…
To make baked chicken…
Oil, S&P
Perfection!
OVEN 350 degrees F. (Use convection setting if you have it – makes the skin like fried chicken, no lie!)
Pat the chicken dry and then spread a little olive oil on the chicken, S&P.
Pop into the oven approximately 1 hour – insert meat thermometer – 180 degrees F and it’s done! Let it get nice and golden.
That’s it. End of “recipe”… How can you beat it? When I store the leftover chicken breast we do take it off the bone, seems to come of easier when warm, but we leave the skin on to keep the meat moist.
In this photo we had the chicken with a baked sweet potato (wrapped in foil baked along with the chicken right on the rack, not next to the chicken) and a bunch of lacinato kale, sautéed very briefly, and then left to steam with lid on.
We also have chicken with roasted vegetables (this is what we usually have) – then we can reheat veggies for the week! There is nothing better than roasted veggies!
A few minutes of prep and you have a good bit of your meals for during the week!
Benz Amataya Kuipers. These paintings are fabulous. Wonderful colors and shapes – to me they are just so happy. I love that Benz has her children join in on her paintings, or at least some of them. She posts wonderful videos of the kids painting. They don’t just splash paint all over, they put thoughtful strokes. Brilliant actually. I think for those of us who wish we could loosen up there is something to be learned here! You cannot help but smile when you look through her paintings on her website, FB and Instagram – I love to watch her children paint, they get so into it!
If you’re in the Chicago area, Benz (Amataya Studio) will be teaching a Family Painting Adventure – this sounds like so much fun! (Visit GrowArtists.com) – I think this is such an amazing opportunity. Two classes, one for ages 2-4 and the other for ages 5-12. In addition to showing their artistic skill, it’s a chance to bond over both of you painting on a single painting while reenforcing what it means to be a “team”.
An all-family painting session for kids 5-12 years old and their parents/caregivers. This is a process painting class. We encourage playful explorations of art materials, colors, lines, shapes and forms. We will provide a different theme for each class and trust the children to show us what they can do with paint. Each adult+child team will create an 8×10 painting to bring home in addition to other works on paper.
I am a Thai contemporary painter currently based in Chicago. I am self taught and started painting at age 34. I did not grow up making art. Books were my refuge. I spent most of free time in my childhood reading and writing. I wanted to be a writer, but somehow I went to a business school and even got a Master’s in Marketing. I was lost for a long time. Along the way, I have always had the desire to create. I’ve tried taking drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking classes, but nothing has stuck. I’ve always got hung up on the techniques and then I gave up.
It wasn’t until I had my children that I learned a truly liberating way of art making. The way my boys draw and paint amazes me. It’s so fun, so fearless, so real, so raw, so carefree. I wanted to paint like that, so I started exploring and experimenting with process-based art and haven’t stopped since.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My process honors the rawness, innocence, courage, joy, and spontaneity that I found in my children’s art-making process . My paintings are simply my spontaneous and unfiltered responses to my creative urges. My process is straightforward. I don’t plan ahead on how I want my paintings to look. I follow my impulses, choose colors and make marks that feel right to me at the time.
My art is open-ended and inviting. My highest hope is to inspire other reluctant painters (or artists, or anyone) to try their hands at art without being too hard on themselves.
Leaving Port Clyde Headed to Monhegan | barbara stroud
Talk about ethereal! This scene, the feeling while being there, and that fantastic light in the midst of the fog were all captured in this photo. This is the scene as we were leaving Port Clyde, Maine (in the distance), headed to Monhegan. Always a good time, the fog made it extra special this time!
Happy weekend – catch you back here tomorrow!
📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED…
I love snapping photos when the water is like glass, where the reflections are sharp and dramatic. It’s especially cool with fog hovering in the air. This year we had the foggiest trip to the island (Monhegan), thankfully the seas weren’t rough in the fog. I have heard stories…
The return trip was a bit rough, but at least you could see the coastline. The ability to see land and have my Sea Bands on did the trick, thank goodness!
📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED…
This is Fred. Fred squinting in the bright sunshine waiting for me to take a photo, then the HURRY UP look, the I HAVE TO CLOSE MY EYES LOOK (put your sunglasses on Fred!) and the ahhhh, the sunglasses feel good look!
This is an older photo, I love his sunglasses now, he looks like a movie star – gotta try to get that shot! This photo was taken on Monhegan Island (Maine) – wish we were there now…
IT’S FRIDAY! Get out and enjoy!
📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED…
Photos this week – Have a great day and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!
Loopsi Doodle – I learned the word from a friend, Carol Bass – a fabulous artist and person. I had posted one of my doodles on social media and she said it’s a Loopsy Doodle. I love that name! I have many of these, usually done while on the phone or mindlessly chatting.
Often times I start with the pen down and don’t lift it until I’m done. I see a break in this one, do you spot it? These are so fun, try it next time you’re on the phone!
📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED…
Is there anything better than a sunset? Truly, we have to stop making dinner reservations during this time! I think next year we will eat pizza and take photos of the sunset! Ha ha… I run outside and snap a few as quick as I can. It’s difficult to stop, the light and colors change so quickly, illuminating yet another area in a more dramatic way then the first however many photos! I love this one with the cottage light on – adds so much charm.
This is Monhegan. Beautiful, charming and peaceful…
Catch you back here tomorrow!
📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED…
I love how these lobster traps are stacked near the brewery on Monhegan. I realize they’re there for a reason and not just to look good, but… they form a wall of the coolest kind.
Monhegan, and even Maine in general is a lot like that. Items used for form and function and not necessarily to “look good”, but they do!
📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED…
ARTFOODHOME.COM 