A trip to the Isles of Shoals will spark any spirit!

I went STAR ISLAND this weekend to do some volunteer work, to get the Island ready for summer. Though it was raw, chilly, and the dusk came too soon...it was worth the trip!
The wi fi wasn't quite up to speed, so that was an adjustment, i am such an addict to wi fi stimuli'...but i adjusted!  The morning came and i think it was about 5am, when the "birders" got together to look for birds.
I joined them briefly, but ended up wandering off on my own, camera and coffee in hand....
The salt air was damp...the gulls were not quite up yet, but the birds were readying their day.
I walked down to the pier, to listen to the water slap against the wood...just to imagine what it must have been like, a hundred years ago.

I then started to look at the beach, that was under water at least half the time...and what a treasure trove of colors, textures and life!

I continued to putter around the island, to imagine the life on the islands full time. I guess you would have to be able to entertain your self with paints, books, cameras..or even just a curious brain!

The hotel is amazing, and it carries a lot of its history through the years, but i wonder what it would be in a hundred years from now. They have recently put in solar panels, which takes up a lot of the rocky shore, but you don't have to hear the constant hum of the generators...

the gazebo still stands, and is a significant structure on the island profile

Then there is the light-house, standing strong against the many skies that boast its beauty!

TO BE CONTINUED--

CLASS INFO AND SUPPLIES

Classes are on Tues evenings, 6:30~8:30 

All levels welcome

tuition is $65.00 per 4 week month.

$80.00 per 5 week month.

weekly is $20.00 per class

The monthly tuition holds your seat for that month.

Space is limited.

PHILOSOPHY...

In art, everybody has strengths in different areas, at different times.

Watercolor, like most mediums, takes a little bit of getting used to. I get frustrated when people say they tried it ONCE, and it was "so hard".  

Once is not enough to understand how the water, paint and paper are going to react to the person holding the tools!

The beauty of watercolor, is the idea that you can work photographically "tight", or so loose, that you may sit down to paint a bouquet of flowers, and end up with a storming ocean wave that gives you way more satisfaction then the intended project!

The actual watercolor in the beginning has to be in charge. If you try to control it too much, with out understanding it, you may end up in a frustrated image of "mud".

  TO learn from this medium, you truly do have to make mistakes, or allow things to happen that were not intended.  Ive seen people, put paint down, and blot it up, so many times that the actual paper has disintegrated in front of them. No matter the quality of materials, there are limits!

QUALITY OF MATERIALS IS just as important as the patience it requires!

SUPPLIES

The long version, on what and why!

PAPER

Watercolor paper is the base of it all. The good stuff is a little pricey, but it is so important while learning the medium, that you understand the thickness, texture, and absorbency.

I will post a list of preferred supplies after my explanation of why.  If you don't want to read all of the reasons at this time, just move forward and print out the list. But after going to your supplier, you may come back to understand the materials a little better.

April brings the early shades of green!

The spring brings us from the grays of winter, to the mauves and red and bright greens of spring. When you ask someone what color are the trees, they automatically say "green"...But looking again, green is only a part of it. Learning to vary the greens is most important when painting nature. Other wise you will have a flat, obnoxious painting. So often people use Viridian, and leave it at that. Viridian is a color to be used very carefully. It can over whelm your work and make it muddy with out being mud. You also have to commit to it, because i find it to be a "staining" color. Not one to lift well. Though, add a little red to the color, and it tones down nicely, sometimes it will work as a good color of shadow.
In class i used some photos of cactus's in various shades of ...green.

sso here is a little rendition of my shades of greens.A little yellow, blue and reds will always dominate the true colors. being the primary, so to alter the secondary colors, it only takes sense to give them a "push!"

I will be open mostly through-out 

The Stratham Fair!

The Fair grounds surround my home and my studio, so i will have at it!

A few to View.

We will see you at "Art at the Bartlett Mall"

Old Home Days in Newburyport Mass.

July 26 & 27 , 2014

SPRING!

water colors in bloom

The Pond Watcher

Portsmouth Waterfront

Peoni

Start Island

My Studio

warm autumn

Family reunion

where did the time go?

The Market at Rolling Green Nursery was a great time!

There are a few more before the season dwindles down...so pay attention!~!

ALSO, looking for a few new students to complete the "circle" in the studio. 

CLASSES are geared to all levels. Everybody has there strength and these strengths enable us to learn from each other.  

EVEN IF YOU CAN NOT DRAW A STRAIGHT LINE!!!!

Here are a pile of rocks, the piece above, you wet the paper randomly,

drop in colors loosely, and as it dries, you can define some of the more interesting rocks.

I will post the completed piece soon!

We had a great ARTISANS MARKET last weekend, at the Rolling Green Nursery in Greenland NH

www.rollinggreennursery.com

And, I behaved so well, I was invited back for the FARMERS MARKET

So, on that note, after shoveling and scraping, and scurrying like mice...we get it all done and continue on with the original plan!~

Portsmouth waterfront, is finished and framed!

Inside Barkers Farm, completed

language of the sea,

finished, not framed yet

My mermaid in the pond,,,,

where is this one any way?

Rye Harbour,

is this one done?  Not sure!

My pond lilies, close to being completed

Plus many more paintings, and note cards, and I cant wait to see what the Farners Bring!

Walking through the winter chill!

So many things to paint,

so many paintings started

and so many reasons to paint,

where to start~what to do!?

Getting ready for the farmers market at

Rolling Green Nursery

Feb 8 & 9

Saturday and Sunday

10:00 ~ 3:00

1~ my waterlily

2 ~ Still in process,

"Portsmouth Waterfront"

3 ~ My studio

Victoria Inn, Hampton NH

Ill be adding more as I go along.

Any requests?

How to find some inspiration!

Early winter, i sometimes struggle, trying to find some inspiration...Not wanting to go outside and tackle the elements, at this time...I start to paw through the thousands of pictures I take for a day such as this!   Below, BUTTONS, from an antique store, on the back roads of MAINE.

I could paint buttons, antique buttons, textures, colors, groupings, singles...what a story these buttons could tell!  But, being as they are...buttons can not speak...so its my job to speak for them!  Be listening....i hear them calling me...

Then, whats this....well, long after the summer flowers had gone to rest, i had some crazy california poppies, begging to be picked, and have there pictures taken...

I didn't want to disappoint. 

They were kind enough to allow the light to dance among their feathery petals,

so kind, that i may capture them...for eternity!

 The poppies also found a rewarding place on a window sill in my living room. My favorite time of the day is when the light comes streaming in through the panes of leaded glass.  Its almost as if they are say hello to the few remaining poppies, scattered through out the fallen leaves....

 This Caladium has captured an entire universe, right in the palm of this beautiful leave,
A universe of light and reflections, so minute, that only Dr Seuss would appreciate the goings on!
How i wish i could be absorbed by that little drop of water! BE FREE!

Morning light

a harbor waits

 tales of open sea

 gulls begin 

a day ahead

salt water sloshing

 docks, creaking

a distant bell, rythum waves

surrounding

  the pulsing 

 foghorn

breathing deep

 ocean air

fill the soul 

 deep 

ingrained

closed eyes

morning light

this was mine 

this is mine

and maybe

tomorrow

Salty lips

as rest

The Most beautiful park in my world

CENTRAL PARK NYNY

Somewhere, over the rainbow, this you will find

a friend, a song, a summer breeze

and the lust of a fading time

Who can't be inspired by this cotton ball cloud,,,Would you rather paint it,

or JUMP in it?

 The last piece of inspiration?   My Antique peonies, in yes. a blurry picture!  But enough to capture
my heart and the desire to paint these luscious beauties!  These have it all, style, fragrance and command!

Thank you for joining me in an inspiration activity.  Because i always have at least one camera with me, i will never be without the beautiful things i see, each and every day...

LIFE, no matter how hard, how tired, how sad how sick...there is never enough time, to drink it all in!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

2014

Waking up under a crisp clean coat of snow...

Who's to enjoy it any more? You have to shovel your way to your car, then spend 10 minutes trying to get into your car, (where you last saw your scraper, and gloves?)....You finally get in the car and you go to start it, let it warm up a bit while your cleaning it off. but when you opened the door, you neglected to wipe the seat where the loose powder falls. So you sit in the seat as it slowly sinks in, Start the car, and carefully open the door, to avoid that same powder dancing down the back of your neck...the one place i feel most vulnerable on this type of day.

You scrape diligently, only to have a wiper free up and get you yet again, but this time you've been sprayed in the face with a snowballs worth of powder!

Back in the car to shut off the wipers, by now, who cares whats on the seat, down your neck or in your face!  You just want to BE DONE WITH IT!!

Just a sample, this morning...had to be to work for 5 am, so eventually, that was the easy part of the day...Tried to get out for 10, to get home to my "open studio" Only to have the same fun, in the parking lot, trying to escape!

I sit now in my cozy studio, with my elder dog, and at last i can "enjoy" the "clean and serene" that surrounds me.

(And its not even winter yet)!

  

AN hour late, but I am here...

And its all good!  I finished this painting up now on to the next!

(

This has been a tough year to pull off an "Open House", due to weather, animals, space and life!

But Im moving forward as planned!  I just wish i had'nt broken my "BLACK N DECKER" tea pot! Now i cant offer anything warm to my guests!  

Well, i shouldnt say that, its 85 degrees in here due to the pellet stove David installed!

Getting ready for the storm as everybody else is, I will be here tomorrow (Sunday) 12/15/2013

Ive taken a few more pictures with my phone. I keep finding pieces that are stashed away due to lack of wall space!

Well, thats enough for now, time to go do some "MEET and GREET"

thanks for reading!

Art to Arts open Studio!

OPEN STUDIO

ART TO ART

Saturday & Sunday

DEC 14, 15, & 21, 22

10:00-4:00

15 JACKRABBIT LANE, STRATHAM, NH

603-583-6225

I have some new as well as some older pieces available. Prices from $3.00 and up, commissions available on request, as well as class info.  Light refreshments.

STUDIO OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ALSO

Don't hesitate to call or email!

603-583-6225

gardnluv@comcast.net