January - a great Art Month

This final week in January had the Plein Air Painters group painting some of their best works. Enthusiasm was high as we finished this months paintings.
We had a visitor.....Michelle Walker! IT was so good to see her after her long hiatus. Hopefully she will come back and paint with us. We missed you Michelle!
We also missed some of our fellow artists this week...Gloria, Charlene, Fred, Sheila, Terrie and Priscilla.
We wish Priscilla a very speedy recovery from her foot surgery. WE MISS YOU!

Gigi painted these Lobster Boeys hung on the line, in oil
Very good use of color

Linda's painted her dog,Alice. This was her
first pastel....How beautiful!

I (Sue) painted these watering cans in pastel. The painting
is in progress.

Rita painted this scene of Heron nests in pastel. She
added some shadows that completed this beautiful painting.
Great job Rita!

Rita is working on this wooded scene using pastels as
her medium. She has brought lots of interest along the path.
This is going to be a beauty.

Liz started this scene of a home in Stonington using acrylics.
The perspective is interesting and inviting. This will be
a strong painting. Can't wait to see the finished version!

Gail has painted this scene on Yupo paper using watercolors. You are
amazing Gail. This painting is SWEET!

Gail painted this on Yupo also. Wow, The Master painting
a master! Great job.

Nancy painted this "bunch of boats" using oils. This composition
is very interesting with all the shapes bunched together. The
reflections are fabulous as is the painting!

Nancy continues to amaze us all with her oil paintings. This
is a gorgeous scene that invites you in and makes you want to
never leave. Great color usage....wonderful perspective
interesting composition. I could go on and on.

The line up for our critique

Gigi discusses her painting during the critique

Linda, Liz and Gail during critique

Me,pointing out the great job Rita did on her pastel

Me, again during the critique

Gail and Carol in discussion

Linda and Gail 

Our Gigi

The line up of paintings is being discussed during the critique
session....that's me!

Mid January Snows

Last week we trundled through snow to Paint at the Senior Center, today was extremely cold ( too cold to snow) The Plein Air Thursday group persevered, after all, painting inside is a treat for us.
We started the session with a brief overview of Cezane. With a careful eye we looked at the Cezane's  close attention to form and light. It was an informative session.
The group then broke out their paints and painted using some of these concepts. Learn from the Masters!
Here is the selection of painting produced this week.
This week we missed our fellow artist, Priscilla. We all wish her a speedy recovery. We also missed Fred and Gloria.
Hope to see you all next week.

Charlene painted this with coffee!! Beautiful and the perspective
is interesting.

Gigi painted this sweet little gem with oil....See in the
background is our own Mt Katahdin

Gigi is fast and produces these beautiful little paintings
This is an outdoor market painted in oil. Sweet!

Carol painted this still life  in the style of Cezanne. Great job
on the glass jar.

Terrie painted this apple in acrylic. The light on the
apple is wonderful and very dimensional.

Terrie painted thisMaine still life in acrylic. This is a great composition
can't wait to see the finished painting.

Carol painted this with a pallet knife....She is donating the painting
to the Bangor Symphony's fund raiser......I want to bid!

Rita is in the beginning stages of the very large pastel woodland scene.
You can see the interest building up. Nice job.

Liz is going to paint this acrylic painting with a modern twist. I know
I am going to like this one....great use of color.

Gail painted this Maine scene with oil. She painted it last
week using Yupo paper with watercolor. I love them both.

Gail started this oil painting and I think this is going to be a beauty!

Sheila painted this sweet little dog using acrylic. Great job painting the
fur. i want to take him home!

Nancy painted this beautiful peaceful scene of Nova Scotia.
I posted two of this painting because of the difference in
colors....my camera was going crazy.

Nancy, This is a keeper. I think the composition is intimate and
inviting. Beautiful!

Terrie, Linda, Rita, Carol and Gigi participate in the critique 

Gail, Liz, Terrie, Charlene, Linda, Rita and Carol.

Sheila listenings to the comments during the critique

Our great friend and Mentor, Linda, was a surprise guest.
Great to see you Linda!

I (Sue) painted this using oils. I was trying to do something that was more colorful
and the sky at sunset seemed to fit the bill.

Snow Storm Today

Yes, Snow. I know some were praying for snow and I think their prayers were answered today. Some of us hardy (or crazy) artists showed up to paint. We had a limited critique so we could get home before the snow got really deep.

Gail painted this watercolor on Yupo. Wonderful shadows and reflections.Gail
don't wash this one...it's a keeper!

Gail getting ready to leave

Linda Sterns (our newest member) and Liz work on their
Paintings

Rita is assessing her painting

Carol has her pallet knife poised for action.

The cover of Linda's sketch book (card by artist and teacher Barbara Mallonee)

Linda's sketch of a interior view of the Roosevelt Kitchen at
the home on Campebello

Carol worked on her painting of the potting shed. The flowers in the
pots make for a lively painting,

Rita added to her pastel painting the bird roosts which made this
painting very interesting.

Liz worked on her acrylic of a Mexican patio.The umbrellas are fun
and adds a point of interest. Lovely!

I (Sue) worked on this painting of the view from Mañana

The Beginning of a new year with inspiration from Van Gogh.

It was so good to be back in the studio after Christmas break and see all my artist friends and get back to the art of painting.

I (Sue) did a small presentation on Vincent Van Gogh and his paining "Starry Night". We then sketched from one of our own photos using his style of short strokes to show motion. The letter to his brother Theo was a glimpse into Vincent's personal life. Didn't you love the sketches he did in the margins of the note.VeryInteresting if I say so myself!

 Gail stopped by to visit but could not stay. We missed Sheila, Gigi and Rita this week and hopefully they will be back next week.
The whole group was in a very productive mood and brought their "A"game. See the postings below.

Watercolor painting by Carol Brooks for the Christmas Art/card Swap. Priscilla was the lucky recipient

Fred painted this pastel in the style of Vincent Van Gogh and
he did it in 5 minutes! Beautiful Fred!

Fred painted this as an experiment and was very unhappy with it
I recovered it from the trash. I thought the subtle tones would be
perfect underpainting.

This is Fred laughing a me!

Priscilla painted this beautiful abstract ( acrylic)of a canoe on the
banks of a river. Love this one Priscilla

This is Carol's oil painting of the Cranberry Island General Store.
She is almost finished ...just wants to add a bike near by and finish the
sign. This paining is just so expressive. 

Carol is painting this scene of some flowers on a plant bench..oil .painting
is in progress. You've got a great start Carol.

Liz painted this intimate scene of a Mexican veranda that comes
alive with those wonderful umbrella. This acrylic is in progress
Liz, I know this is going to be fantastic.

Nancy painted this oil a few years back and decided to finish it
The colors are so soft and the shadows are mysterious that they draw the
viewer into this beautiful still life. Can't wait to see this one finished.

Nancy finished this oil painting of this early morning scene...the
smoke off the water as the sun peeks over the horizon. This is
so beautifully painted with the reflections invite the viewer to look
just a little further into this serene scene. 

Gloria began this oil painting of an old fallen down house and
she wiped off some of the paint only to discover that the wiping
made the right front look like a cliff...will she leave it this way or paint
over it??  We'll see next week. Great start Gloria!

Terri painted this scene in Acrylic, This is a lovely composition
and and an interesting subject. The subtle tones of the water and the sheep are
in contrast to the person watching. Fabulous job Terri

This is a quick sketch by Terri, using Van Gogh's style to give motion and
interest to the scene. Van Gogh would be proud!

Charlene painted this oil paining using just two tones. I love this
interest in the foreground and subtleness of the light vs. darks
Very interesting!

This is Charlene's sketch of the painting she is doing.

This is the actual photograph of the paining, I like your paining better than
the photo, Charlene!

Liz, Terri, Gloria, Priscilla and Charlene watch during critique.

Carol and Gloria....look up Carol!

I (Sue) painted this scene of Nanana off the coast of Monhegan Island at
sunset. This is a 6 X 6 oil paining and now would like to paint
this in a larger size

I (Sue) painted this in oil and wanted to use a different style. I thought outlining the rocks
brought them forward and made for an interesting effect.

I (Sue) painted this oil on a 6 X 6 canvas. The painting is in progress

This is my (Sue) attempt to finish a painting I started in the fall.
I think I need to do some more work on it.

This is an oil painting I (Sue) completed of Stonnington Harbor.