Keeping Watch

Keeping Watch

I have been working on this painting at art class and I will bring it in this evening to see if i've missed anything...so it may get somes tweaks yet. This painting is from one of my favorite photographs and I have been wanting to paint it! I took the photo with a cheapy disposable camera on a summer visit to Wildwood, New Jersey. I loved the colors and the reflections on the wet sand. And I loved how it seemed so quiet at the beach when in reality this lifeguard was surrounded by the crowds of a hot summer day at the shore.

Gulfside City Park, Sanibel

Even the parking lots are pretty on Sanibel Island! That's right! I came across this view in the parking lot at Gulfside City Park. It had rained and this little pond was full. It was a hazy and still morning and I loved the reflections in the little pond. This painting is 9 x 12 on Wallis paper.

A Gift from the Sea

I didn't get any painting done over the weekend. But I have chosen this one as my painting of the week. (see link on sidebar) I have a painting planned for today so stay tuned!

Early Morning Stroll

Just a quick one for today.....this is the beach on St. George Island, Florida. It was a calm and very peaceful day and while on our morning beach walk, we came across this couple and their dog. I just received my new pastels...a few new Mt. Visions that I've been wanting to try. Now I have to get them to fit into my pastel box!

Going Home!

I just wanted to share that I just sold this little painting of Magens Bay....and it will be going to it's new owner, back home in the Virgin Islands! This is a painting of Magens Bay as seen from Mountain Top on St. Thomas. The view from Mountain Top is breathtaking and the famous banana daquiris aren't too bad either! This week I will be doing more paintings from my last caribbean cruise since we would have been leaving to go on our 'Art workshop cruise' that was cancelled. I'll just dream and pretend!

Sapphire Beach US Virgin Islands

I've had some requests for some Bahamas Paintings. So I was going through my cruise photos and this one of Sapphire Beach called out to me. It wasn't the best beach day when we were there...big dark clouds were moving in. But we had enough time for a swim in the warm water and for me to explore the beach with my camera in hand!

St George Island, Florida

Morning among the Dunes

The morning we left St. George Island, the light was perfect. It was a gorgeous soft, slighlty overcast light that is perfect for photography. We stopped the car so we could wander the beach and take some last minute photos. This painting is from one of the photos I took. I love the sand here...it is as white as snow. Another great place to visit!

Misty Morning on Cedar Key

As we were leaving Cedar Key, Florida after a wonderful weekend, I had to pull over for some last minute photos. I love the salt marshes and I couldn't resist this view with the egret. It was a misty, overcast morning but further on down the road a beautiful rainbow appeared! Perhaps I'll try to paint that someday!

Seeking Seashells

Just off the easel.....Seeking Seashells. I've been busy this week with college paperwork for my son who graduates high school in May. I finally had a chance to paint and I was in the Sanibel mood. I love to walk the beach early in the morning along with the other shell seekers. And of course I can't resist a beach path. This path led from the area where the Ospreys rested in the big Casuarina trees. I spent a lot of time at this spot. This painting is 9 x 12 on Canson paper.

At the Top of 99 Steps

At the top of the 99 steps in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas...this is the view that will greet you. On a recent cruise, I walked up the famous steps and the view took my breath away! Perhaps I should name this painting 'Verandah Dreams' This painting is 12 x 18 on Art Spectrum paper. I worked on it over 3 weeks at my art class. We are working on making value sketches first to make sure we have pleasing shapes and areas of light and dark...not too spotty. Then as we paint we need to be true to our value sketches. I originally had this painting way to dark. I had to keep making the roofs lighter and lighter! I am learning to take it slow and really think about what I am doing as I paint.

Sunflowers

I am pleased to say that this painting 'Sunny Delight' has been sold. It was listed on my minigallery site and discovered by a gallery in Alabama. They also inquired if I was interested in expanding my gallery representation. This is an exciting development and I hope to learn more soon!

Here's an updated version of my flowers. The teacup looked funny so I tried to fix it. I think it's a bit better. I do like the colors and that's what I wanted to have fun with. Now I might try to do another one while the flowers are still fresh!

A Colorful Sunday

Today I felt like having fun with color. Jayne came over and I set up a still life with some flowers and a tea cup on a colorful afghan. After painting for awhile, we wished I had chosen a plain quilt! But we want to challenge ourselves by painting from life...so why do something easy! My photos somehow got loaded backwards, but you can see I started on the right with nupastels on white wallis paper. I then did an alcohol wash. The picture on the left is the final painting. I will also post a picture of both paintings and our set up. We spent a very enjoyable afternoon painting, eating brownies and talking about life...and stuff. Thanks Jayne!

Sunday's Painting

I'm getting set up for Jayne to come over and paint. I hope we will be getting colorful today! I'll try to get back on later to post our results. Head over to my new page at www.kemspainting.blogspot.com to see the painting of the week. Have a great Sunday!

Surf Fishing at Cape May

Here's a quick one for today. I was browsing the Reference Image Library on Wet Canvas when I came across some photos from Cape May and the New Jersey Shore. I was so excited because I can use some of these photos to supplement the ones I took when I visited the area. I did this painting using an alcohol wash. I was using a sheet of wallis sanded paper from the new batch. It buckled badly though. I wonder if it's the new formula? I'll have to look into that. Tomorrow Jayne is coming over to paint and I have a surprise for us. Tune in tomorrow to see!

Stone Harbor Sentinel

Yes I am back to seagulls again! This guy was found in the Stone Harbor Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor New Jersey. The Wetlands Institute is a wonderful place that preserves the salt marshes of the southern New Jersey Shore. It is a great place for observing bird life and naturally I found some seagulls! I painted this on my weekly practice on Canson paper. Now that's a challenge!

Cedar Key Palm

Palm trees have so much personality. This particuliar tree is located on the public beach on Cedar Key, Florida. We stayed in a motel right across the street from this beach and I remember that this tree stood alone on the sand...but it offered a nice spot of shade on a very hot day. I painted this same palm plein air from my balcony. I sold that painting and so I wanted to try another one. I have some time today so I may start another painting...

Sanibel Seashell

Sea Shells ... I love them! I suppose that's why I love Sanibel Island so much. So many shells! I always loved to collect shells so why not paint them as well! Last night at art class, Marsha was talking about how she loves to paint shells and she reminded me of this one I painted this summer. It seems we like to paint a lot of the same things! This is a shell I found on Sanibel. It is a Lion's Paw, one of the more difficult shells to find. I consider it my good luck charm. I think I'd like to paint more shells!

A View from my Raft

Ft. Myer's Beach from a different angle! One summer we rented a wonderful little beach house on Ft. Myer's Beach in Florida. What a vacation that was! Waking up every morning and stepping out the door right onto the beach! I remember the water being very warm and I would get on my raft and just float for hours. I took this picture one day with my waterproof camera. I thought it was a cool view of the beach from the water!

Touring Barbados ...Today's Painting

This morning I was going through some old photo albums looking for inspiration when this photo I took on a tour of Barbados called to me. What a beautiful island! I would love to go there and do some plein air painting. I can still remember standing on the edge of this cliff feeling the warm tropical breeze and being mesmerized by the colors of the sea. This painting is 9 x 12 on Wallis paper.

Something New!

I've been looking into ways to make my blog fun & interesting. I have added a new feature which is 'The Weekly Painting'. I have started a new blog where I will choose my favorite painting of the week and post it on Sundays. Ususally I will offer this selection for sale. You can find this new feature at www.kemspainting.blogspot.com Be sure to enter your email address in the subscription box so you won't miss any updates! Head on over there to check out this week's painting! Enjoy!

Bahama Birds..Finished for now

I took a break for lunch and came back and finished the birds. I'm going to let it sit for awhile and come back to it. For now I am finished with it. Now what should I paint next??? This is so much fun!

Bahama Birds part 3

When the painting was dry, I started to work with my soft pastels. I used a variety of peaches, purples and blues. When I had the water and sand just about finished, I added the birds. In this close-up, you can see I have some birds finished and just started the ones on the left.

Bahama Birds part 2

Next I did an alcohol wash. I painted over the pastel with alcohol and let it dry.

Bahama Birds part 1

I am using white Wallis sanded paper and I block in my painting with Nupastels.

Bahama Birds

On the easel today....I am attempting to paint this scene of a group of sandpipers of some kind on a Bahama's Beach. Birders call these kind of birds 'little brown jobs' since there are so many varieties and it is difficult to tell some of them apart. I found this photo on Wet Canvas' Reference Image Library. I don't usually paint from someone elses photo but this scene grabbed my attention. And besides I have been to the Bahamas and I have seen plenty of LBJ's! (little brown jobs) I will do this painting as a 'Work in Progress' so look for part one shortly.

Cedar Key Morning

Here is my painting of the day. I am trying to paint everyday...not always finish something. I was looking through my photos from my 2005 trips when this one caught my eye. It's from Cedar Key Florida. We went out early one morning on a quest for photos. I liked this little dock. It looked like a nice, peaceful place to relax for awhile. This is on canson paper.

Osprey Morning

Can you tell I was off today? I am making up for lost time! I finally had some time to paint so I made the most of it. This painting of the osprey was started in class weeks ago and I had set it aside. After fixing the seagulls I decided to work on the osprey. My goal when doing this painting was to have it polished yet still painterly. I will bring it to class tomorrow to see if I succeeded.
I love ospreys...they are my favorite bird. I came across this one on Sanibel Island last summer. I was walking along the beach early one morning when I heard the familiar call of the osprey...Kew, Kew, Kew....I looked over to the big Australian Pine tree where I spotted her. She was resting in the morning sun. I had seen her there the day before feeding on a fish. She let me come close and I took some photos. She was gorgeous lit up by the sun and I felt honored to be sharing the morning with her.

For the Birds!

Here's an update on my seagulls. I didn't like the middle gull's face so I brushed it out and started over.....his face I mean! I like this version better so I am calling it done. Oh, by the way it is 12 x 16 on Wallis paper with an alcohol underpainting for the sand. I have many more seagull photos so look for more in this series.

Harry & David ...A Couple of Pears

I am adding to my list of Art Goals for 2006. I want to paint from life at least once a week....whether I get outside to do some plein air painting or set up a still life. I started on this goal today. My sister gave me a gift card for Harry & Davids. We went to the store yesterday and picked out some things including a big box of pears. I couldn't wait to set them up to paint them. My other goal is to use Canson paper more often. I love the sanded papers but I think working on Canson is more challenging...and I want to be challenged. (sometimes!)
This is my first attempt with the pears and it's not so easy! I'll try another arrangement later before they get eaten.

Thoughts for the New Year

'Stone Harbor Marsh View 2005'

Happy New Year! The painting in today's post was done about a year ago at my second pastel class with Marsha Savage. I wanted to share it with you because I plan to do another one from the same photograph every January. I want to see how I change and grow as an artist. I feel like I have come along way in a year. I know I have learned a lot but also know that I have only scratched the surface. I have had a lot of fun which is the best part of all!

So, what do I have planned for 2006? Like the title of my blog states...I want to continue to paint my world ...wherever I may end up! I actually have spent the weekend going over our 2006 vacation schedule with my family and we have all agreed on our trips. I had hoped to go to France to paint with a group of artists...but I just found out my friend Cindy has friends we can stay with in the south of France...in between Nice and the Lavender fields (heaven!!!) So we are planning a trip for the summer of 2007. I plan to use this year to become a better painter. I will continue taking classes with Marsha. I have scheduled some workshops...one with Terry Ludwig and one with Albert Handell. I also am planning to take a workshop this fall with Lorenzo Chavez at a ranch near Taos, New Mexico. He was recommended by our teacher and I really admire his work...and besides....I LOVE New Mexico and we will be there for the start of the Albuquerque Balloon Festival which is a photographer's dream!

Another goal is to start doing a painting a day again....or at least every other day! So please stay tuned! Thank you all for looking!!!