West Fraser is a fabulous artist that can paint the light in trees until it takes your breath away… the man can paint anything. Frequently seen in magazines his work is spectacular to say the least. In Charleston, SC his work is shown at Helena Fox Fine Art (106-A Church Street), a worthy stop if you’re in town, many magnificent artists all in one location!
West is in a solo exhibition at the Telfair Academy in Savannah, GA. The show is called A NATIVE SON, Paintings by West Fraser. West was born in Savannah and has painted low country scenes and coastal Georgia with amazing success. Click HERE for more info! The exhibition is on view until May 6, 2012, so if you’re in the Savannah, GA area…
I love this painting… to me it looks like an illustration for a magnificent book. Ohhh, the stories I could come up with just by looking at this image. Imagine being out in the woods and stumbling across this oh-so-cool cabin?! My imagination gets away from me, ha ha.
These little cheese crackers are the tastiest crackers in all the land… you can search high and low, near and far, and i’m telling you nothing beats these scrumptious little slices of heaven. This is the recipe Fred’s mom (Bobbie!) uses. The first time she made them for us we thought our tastebuds were going to explode, ha ha… they were way too good… dangerously good.
I admire artist Charles Movalli. I would truly like to meet him one day. He seems to be a nice guy with a sense of humor. I love that. His paintings are spectacular. My husband and I first spotted his paintings at Bayview Gallery in Camden, ME back in 2006. I can still see that painting hanging up high, it was the hull of a boat with the American flag. I was captivated. It was a large painting and it was spectacular! Since that time I’ve seen plenty of his paintings that I just fall in love with! “Looking Toward Fish Beach, Monhegan” is one… another that was on the Walls Gallery website (so I’m not sure where the painting is now or if it has sold), it was called “Just Another Workday”. Did you read the other day where I mentioned that little pop of an orange or red in a painting can make all the difference… so can a larger pop… love this one!
“Just Another Workday” by Charles Movalli , Image from Walls Gallery
Here’s a blip about Charles from the Walls Gallery website (the Walls Gallery closed the Wilmington, NC locationDecember 2011, which I was sad to hear… Walls was a nice gallery with some fabulous artists, to mention a few: Ken DeWaard, Tim Bell, Larry Moore, Cindy Baron) click HERE for more info… I see they mention that the Walls Gallery may be opening at the Greenbrier resort some time this year)…
Charles Movalli
Charles is a great ambassador for the Cape Ann School. Cape Ann is the longest active artist colony in the United States. No surprise. The place is one painting after another, just waiting to be painted. After all this time, you’d think the nay-sayers of art, the It’s-all-been-done crowd, might have a point, but Motif #1 still draws painters, who are still doing something that’s never been done before. Charles’ lecture on the Cape Ann School is not to be missed. Winslow Homer, Childe Hassam, Edward Hopper, John Sloan,Emile Gruppe are a few of the regulars going back nearly 200 years. Gloucester and Rockport are plagued by picturesqueness. It’s catching. Trash bins may even be lovely.
The focus of the artists Charles admired and learned from as a young painter (Emile Gruppe, Carl Peters, Aldro Hibbard) was composition, and his paintings have a solid structure even amid dinghies bobbing at the dock and buildings listing under their years.
Charles has a PhD in English and has written books and articles galore. The books, though pricey if you can find one, are fantastic reads for any student of painting covering not only many laudable artists, but also composition, color, and the wielding of the brush. We are still waiting for the book on Charles himself, but he has let us know that some things will melt and others freeze over before we’ll see that book. We’ll enjoy his paintings while we wait.
I told you… he’s got a sense of humor… love that! Catch you back here tomorrow!
I’ve been wanting to bake something. BUT, if I bake it I eat it… Oh, dilemma… I love to bake… then a **brilliant idea** happened upon me… Make CHARLIE cookies! Woot woot! No temptation to eat the dough OR the cookies! AND they’re so good for him. These cookies are a treat your dogs will love. The beauty of it is that you can make them as big/small as you like, so they fit your dog’s appetite. I found a recipe online and then I added some things and changed quantities on others. Also, I didn’t want to roll the dough out and use a cookie cutter, so I made them like human peanut butter cookies, rolling the dough into a ball and then using a fork dipped in a little water to press down on the cookie. They are adorable, and according to CHARLIE they are out of this world delicious! His little lips curled up into a smile after he ate it, I swear!
These are quick and easy, you will never buy treats again! Another plus, after I made the dough I cut it in half, shaped it into a disk, wrapped in plastic wrap and then put it in a freezer bag. I put that in the fridge until it got nice and cold and then plopped it into the freezer. Don’t forget to label it!
So here’s the recipe, like I said E A S Y !
Oatmeal, Pumpkin, Peanut Butter Dog Cookies
I N G R E D I E N T S
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cups oatmeal (Old Fashioned Oats if possible)
D I R E C T I O N S
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
With a whisk or mixer beat the pumpkin and eggs until combined. Add the cinnamon and peanut butter. Mix. Then add the flour and oats and mix until dough forms a ball. If it’s dry you can add another tablespoon or two of pumpkin and see if that whirls it into a ball, if not add a tablespoon (or two) of water. Remove from bowl and place on clean counter that’s been dusted with whole wheat flour. [If you want to save 1/2 the dough to bake at a later date now is the time to split it in half].
Pinch off about teaspoonful (small spoon) of dough, and roll into a ball, place on ungreased cookie sheet. (About the amount of dough as if you were making a small peanut butter cookie, make it bigger for bigger dogs and smaller for smaller dogs and adjust baking time accordingly). My cookies were about the size of a large malted milk ball… to give you a reference… doesn’t matter how big/small you make them, just keep an eye on them.
This is what they looked like before they got popped into the oven…
Once on the cookie sheet, dip a fork in water and make a fork mark, (just like you would as if you were making human peanut butter cookies) just don’t press too hard, leave them kind of thick.
Bake 30 minutes, check them occasionally, the bottoms shouldn’t get dark. You want them to bake for a good amount of time so that they harden. I baked for 30 minutes and then I turned off the oven and let them sit for another hour or so.
I also tried the roll-out-the-dough method and cut with a bone shaped cookie cutter… I rolled them thinner, so I kept my eye on them, just adjust the time, if you take them out and they’re still soft (try to break a piece off) put them back in, if they’re brown but not hard then put them in and turn off the oven, leave them for an hour or until oven cools… I had to do this, and at first I just cracked open the oven door for a few minutes so they wouldn’t brown anymore… they turned out adorable. Bottom line… it doesn’t matter to Charlie which way he gets them, and I think they’re cute as little peanut butter cookies!
After you take them out of the oven let them cool thoroughly, then… surprise your dog! I was so excited I woke mine up from a nap… he loved it! Another added bonus is all the fiber… very good for your little beast!
See, I did find a way to bake and not eat it, ha! Catch you back here tomorrow!
"WOW, this is the best cookie EVER!" - C H A R L I E
I absolutely love it when I run across a painting that just takes my breath away… this is one sweet painting. Fred and I were at the art walk in Charleston, SC a few weeks ago and we went in the Horton Hayes Gallery (if you haven’t been you MUST go, so many fabulous artists in one space!). Lovely work, I’m telling you, Mark Horton, Chris Groves, Nancy Hoerter, Shannon Runquist, Larry Moore, (and more) all so very talented. Then we went upstairs (if you don’t normally go upstairs it’s quite the treat, there are a treasure of beautiful paintings upstairs as well) we saw this painting “One Mile To Go” on an easel. The way the light hits the foliage, the light in the trees and WHOA that tiny red bird across from the bright sun on the bushes… brilliant! Adele Earnshaw is a very impressive artist… here is a blip from the Horton Hayes website:
A sixth generation New Zealander, Adele Earnshaw was born in Hastings and lived in Warkworth before immigrating with her family to the U.S. Her childhood in New Zealand has been a major influence on her work and choice of subject matter.
Adele’s paintings have been exhibited at the Natural History Museum in New York and have toured Japan and Sweden with museum exhibitions. The artist was selected to design the first three stamps for the New Zealand Game Bird Habitat Stamp Program. In 2000 she was invited to participate in the Ecoart Conference and Exhibition in Taiwan where her work was exhibited at the Museum of Natural History in Taipei. In 2003, Adele was selected as a judge for the prestigious Federal Duck Stamp Competition held at the Department of Interior’s Fish & Wildlife Service in Washington D.C.
Adele is represented by galleries across the U.S. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum and the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Her book, ‘Painting the Things You Love in Watercolor’ was released by North Light Publications in 2002.
Several years ago, Adele started to paint exclusively in oil after many years as a watercolorist. Although her subject matter still includes wildlife, primarily birds, she also enjoys painting on location and landscapes have become a major focus.
Easter was a nice day. Ate too much. Got home and needed to move, otherwise I was going to fall into a coma. Fred and I went downtown and walked around and took photos. I was lost in the photo-taking moments, and we walked for over an hour, it was nice! Felt good to move AND we got a few neat shots. This photo of a gate on Legare Street reminds me of Heaven’s gate, although I always pictured it would be bigger, ha ha…
I took this photo years ago when my husband and I went on a cruise with my parents. That was back when Norwegian Cruise Line departed out of Charleston. That was handy. We had a great time, caught the Little Black Taxi to the cruise terminal and were on our way for a week of rest and relaxation! When we were leaving Charleston I snapped this photo of Fleet Landing Restaurant. A great place if you’re visiting, it’s in the heart of the city, you can eat inside or out. On nice days there is nothing like eating on the water, even from inside a GREAT VIEW. Good view, friendly staff, not overly priced. Check out their menu!
We are all art critics at heart, some of us are better than others, but we all like what we like, right? Now’s the chance for your voice to be heard, your votes count… Maine Art is having a “Choice Art Show“, where all online participants have a choice… click on the “Choice Art Show” link and it will take you to the page where you vote. You select which piece of each artists work you like the most, then after you vote it shows how other people voted. I highly recommend this from other art communities, this is B R I L L I A N T ! It’s a lot of fun as well. Here’s the info from Maine Art, you have until May 31st to vote!
The painting above is another fabulous one from Dan Corey, one of the 12 participating artists! ENJOY!
Twelve Artists, One Gallery, and You.A one-of-a-kind Maine art show that makes you a part of the jury, opening June 6 during the Kennebunkport Festival.Voting takes place April 2 – May 31. Click ”Choice” above to vote.2012 Artists;Daniel Corey
Julie Freund
Philip Frey
Jill Hoy
William B. Hoyt
Anne Ireland
Henry Isaacs
Craig Mooney
Elizabeth Ostrander
Patrick Plourde
Janis Sanders
David Witbeck
And… on another note… LOOK through these paintings… FABULOUS paintings, outstanding prices… and all for a good cause, check it out!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Camden Snow Bowl Benefit Show
Dowling Walsh Gallery is holding a benefit show for the Camden Snow Bowl. Help us give back to the community.
Artwork has been priced to encourage buying for maximum benefit to the Camden Snow Bowl and Ragged Mountain Recreation Foundation’s redevelopment project.
Have you noticed how hot MOOSE HEADS are becoming? I thought about this for above the fireplace… dark brown walls with a white lacquer moose head, how sharp would that be…? If we didn’t have so much wonderful art I would truly consider it! How about for your home? Is there somewhere a moose head could make a major statement??
Restoration Hardware has some fabulous moose antlers in cast resin. They use antlers that were naturally shed to cast in resin. Great in a library, hmmmm??
This is such a sweet painting. I love the happy colors, very spring/summer… This painting was done by artist Brian Rego. He’s got a very distinct style and I like it! Almost that cool paint by number look that I adore… not sure how to achieve it, I believe it’s a style, and it’s one I like!
Brian Rego received a Bachelors of Fine Art at the University of South Carolina with a concentration in oil painting in 2004. He displayed his work in the Solo Senior Exhibit in the McMaster School of Fine Art Gallery in 2004. He is the recipient of the Ed Yaghjian Award from the University of South Carolina for distinguished undergraduate work. In 2007, Brian Rego received a Masters of Fine Art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA, and displayed his work in the 2007 Annual Student Exhibition in the Academy’s Hamilton Museum. Rego has participated in group and solo exhibitions and has shown his work in Australia, New York, Philadelphia, Vermont, Greenville, and Columbia. Brian currently teaches oil painting and drawing classes at City Art and at the University of South Carolina.
Artist’s Statement
“I paint my subject from life and consider it to be a great joy and an immense struggle. I hope to capture the feeling of these synonymous realities in my paintings. For me, the purpose of painting is to tap into something that is profoundly human, something sensual that lies on the fringe of memory, a reality both strange and familiar. “
Check out Brian’s website! Catch you back here tomorrow!
Well, we’re finally getting with it… we started watching Downton Abbey – Series 1 last night. I wasn’t sure about this… I had reservations… IT. WAS. AWESOME. To see how the very wealthy live is quite interesting… can you imagine having such a large staff just for you and your family? The trials and tribulations, the way the workers treat each other (poor Bates!), the way the family treats each other AND the workers… it’s encapsulating… you just can’t stop watching! Rent it, borrow it from the library, get it from Netflix, just watch it! You don’t want to miss out! Here’s a little blip from the PBS website:
The Downton Abbey estate stands a splendid example of confidence and mettle, its family enduring for generations and its staff a well-oiled machine of propriety. But change is afoot at Downton — change far surpassing the new electric lights and telephone. A crisis of inheritance threatens to displace the resident Crawley family, in spite of the best efforts of the noble and compassionate Earl, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville, Miss Austen Regrets); his American heiress wife, Cora (Elizabeth McGovern); his comically implacable, opinionated mother, Violet (Maggie Smith, David Copperfield); and his beautiful, eldest daughter, Mary, intent on charting her own course. Reluctantly, the family is forced to welcome its heir apparent, the self-made and proudly modern Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), himself none too happy about the new arrangements. As Matthew’s bristly relationship with Mary begins to crackle with electricity, hope for the future of Downton’s dynasty takes shape. But when petty jealousies and ambitions grow among the family and the staff, scheming and secrets — both delicious and dangerous — threaten to derail the scramble to preserve Downton Abbey. Created and written by Oscar-winner Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park), Downton Abbey offers a spot-on portrait of a vanishing way of life.
There are so many wonderful paintings in this world to choose from… many are from artist Kathleen Dunphy. She is AMAZING! Her artistic ability is out of this world… I normally try to select paintings that are for sale… Low Tide appears to be for sale (hurry if you like it, it most likely won’t be around for long!), there was another that caught my eye… it’s sold, but I wanted you to see it. To me, this is perfection…
“Morning Reflections” by Kathleen Dunphy
This is one gorgeous painting… it’s clear and crisp and truly looks, feels and even SMELLS like early morning out on the water. What a fantastic painting! Congratulations to whoever bought it!
Do you know nearly every single painting on her website that includes a structure of any kind has sold? Therefore… one more sold painting!
“Lange Barn” by Kathleen Dunphy
Here’s a blip (all images as well) from Kathleen’s website (fabulous website and blog, it’s got to be hard to find the time to keep things updated, post a blog entry AND paint, but I can tell you… WE APPRECIATE IT! So thank you to ALL of you wonderful artists who update and keep the rest of us waiting for more!).
In the mid-1990’s, Kathleen Dunphy started her art career by displaying colored-pencil dog portraits in coffee shops and veterinary clinics in Eagle River, Alaska. Little did she know that less than a dozen years later, she would be a highly acclaimed oil painter, exhibiting her work in galleries across the United States and garnering awards from some of the top art competitions in the country. Kathleen’s rapid success in the competitive art world was predicted when American Artist Magazine recognized her as one of the Top Ten Emerging Artists in 1998. She is one of those rare people who have true passion, dedication, and a gift for transposing nature’s beauty to the canvas.
Kathleen’s early art education included workshops by Kevin MacPherson and Dan Gerhartz. In 2000, Kathleen was awarded a full scholarship at the prestigious Academy of Art College in San Francisco, where she was mentored by artists such as Craig Nelson and Brian Blood. She maintains strong ties to the Academy, where she has been offered a faculty appointment and participates in the annual Alumni Auction. Further study with Scott Christensen and T. Allen Lawson helped hone her skills and refine her own unique style of painting.
In 2003, Kathleen and her husband designed and built a log home and studio in the Sierra Nevada foothills of northern California, where the pristine setting of her new home provides endless inspiration for her work. Kathleen’s landscape paintings can now be found in galleries from coast to coast, and in 2009, she exhibited her 10th solo show. Her honors and considerable and include important juried shows in California, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, and Maine; Best of Show from The American Impressionist Society; an Award of Excellence from the Oil Painters of America; five California Art Club Gold Medal Shows; six magazine articles, including being featured in Southwest Art’s Plein Air issue in 2009; the Federal Duck Stamp Competition; Birds in Art; Arts for the Parks; Grand Prize at the Acadia Invitational Exhibition in Bar Harbor, Maine; signature status in Oil Painters of America, Laguna Plein Air Painters, and the American Impressionist Society; and many others. In just twelve years, she has earned an impressive and growing reputation with galleries, private collectors, and art magazines across the United States.
In the spirit of passing on the gifts of her artistic abilities, Kathleen began teaching in 2005 and is a much sought-after workshop instructor. Her engaging style of teaching and one-on-one instruction garners high accolades from her student artists. She has also served as a judge for several art competitions. While her current passion is still to paint nature every day and produce a limited number of high quality paintings, she is now working on a book about her process of developing a work of art from field study to finished studio paintings.
In case you missed my post yesterday… THE CHARLESTON (SC) FARMERS MARKET STARTS TODAY in Marion Square! WOOT WOOT! Open from 8AM until 2PM… head on down and load up! It’s going to be a big time!
Hope to see you there! Catch you back here tomorrow!
Yippee! Tomorrow (Saturday) starts the Charleston Farmers Market. Located in Marion Square each Saturday from 8AM – 2PM. (Image from last year). I am thrilled! The market will go on through December. There is NOTHING like fresh fruits and vegetables, gorgeous flowers, tasty treats, and all kinds of artistic finds… we are so fortunate to have such a fabulous farmers market!
Last year we were listed as having the fifth best farmers market in the NATION! Whoa! Here’s a blip from the Charleston Arts website:
April 7 – December 23, 2012 Marion Square, Downtown Charleston
The Charleston Farmers Market is available each Saturday from 8am-2pm in the beautiful Marion Square, between King and Meeting Streets at the edge of Calhoun Street in the Upper King Street Design District. The park at Marion Square has long been the center of festive activities and is the perfect tranquil setting for the Farmers Market. Nestled beneath beautiful trees with plenty of room for families to gather and children to play, the Farmers Market comes to life each Saturday morning and offers an abundance of the freshest local produce, shrimp, plants, herbs and cut flowers. While strolling the Charleston Farmers Market, a delicious breakfast, brunch or lunches are available while listening to a variety of live entertainment. The Farmers Market also offers an amazing assortment of juried arts and crafts, providing the best selection and most talented local artisans.
Catch you back here tomorrow! Maybe I’ll see you at the Farmers Market?
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