Day 7 - 30/30 Challenge - Orient Point Lighthouse, Sunset - DONE

Orient Point Lighthouse, Sunset, pastel, 12x14.5"

I think this is FINISHED!  And honestly, this snapshot doesn't do it any justice. The purples are so much more vibrant. But such is the problem with blues and violets. Because of where blue and purple are on the spectrum, digital (RGB) cameras have a really hard time getting the color true. Eventually I'll photo in better light and make the adjustments in Photoshop to demonstrate.

On to the next!

Though many of these paintings won't be for sale right away, I'd like to direct you to my Etsy page where I'm having a little sale. Please consider purchasing a painting because, a. Christmas is coming, and these little 6x6s really make nice gifts, and/or b. the mermaid needs to buy some picture frames for the big solo show and selling a couple of these little guys would be a BIG help!

I'd also like to suggest that you sign up on the right side of this page for emails (not every day), and the follow button to get notifications when this blog is updated (for this month nearly every day, most times, not so much).

Get more info on the 30/30 challenge go to Leslie Saeta's blog by clicking here.

Day 5 - 30/30 Challenge - Orient Lighthouse Progress

Orient Lighthouse, Sunset, pastel, unfinished

Under the heading of "Yes, you've seen this before." The painting of Orient Point Lighthouse is coming along nicely. I would say this is about 60% done in this picture. The rocks and the lighthouse, need to be more clear - some more definition. I've already done more with the sky than is in this picture. I'll post the final tomorrow.

My goal in this 30/30 Challenge is not necessarily to paint 30 finished pieces in 30 days, but to paint every day for 30 days. With a solo show coming in November and some other life changes, this time around, just painting everyday will be enough to get a substantial bit of work done.

Though many of these paintings won't be for sale right away, I'd like to direct you to my Etsy page where I'm having a little sale. Please consider purchasing a painting because, a. Christmas is coming, and these little 6x6s really make nice gifts, and/or b. the mermaid needs to buy some picture frames for the big solo show and selling a couple of these little guys would be a BIG help!

I'd also like to suggest that you sign up on the right side of this page for emails (not every day), and the follow button to get notifications when this blog is updated (for this month nearly every day, most times, not so much).

Get more info on the 30/30 challenge go to Leslie Saeta's blog by clicking here.

Day 3 – 30/30 Challenge, Round 4. Orient Lighthouse

So as promised – not a finished painting. I've been at work on this painting of a sunset at Orient Lighthouse (Coffee Pot) for a couple of days. I had a smaller version of this from another 30/30 Challenge, but fortunately it sold! So, because I'm trying to round-out some paintings for the November solo show, I decided to to a larger, more substantial one.

This is about 12" w x 10" h on a really nice black paper I bought several years ago and I can't remember what it is - maybe Strathmore? I don't recall if it's specifically a pastel paper, but it holds the pastel very nicely and can tolerate some wetting.

Though many of these paintings won't be for sale right away, I'd like to direct you to my Etsy page where I'm having a little sale. Please consider purchasing a painting because, a. Christmas is coming, and these little 6x6s really make nice gifts, and/or b. the mermaid needs to buy some picture frames for the big solo show and selling a couple of these little guys would be a BIG help!

I'd also like to suggest that you sign up on the right side of this page for emails (not every day), and the follow button to get notifications when this blog is updated (for this month nearly every day, most times, not so much).

Get more info on the 30/30 challenge go to Leslie Saeta's blog by clicking here.

Day 29 - 30/30 Challenge - Private Gate

Private Gate

watercolor, 6" x 6", $35

(Available in my Etsy shop.)

This is a quiet little spot in Orient, NY – a lovely little village on the north fork of Long Island – where if you squint you'd swear you were in a tiny seafaring village 100 years ago. Lovely old Victorian houses and quaint cottages dot the narrow streets over looking Peconic Bay. (That's Shelter Island in the background.) It's a great place to walk or ride a bike and the reference photo for this was taken on one my evening excursions the summer I worked every weekend out there.

For more on Orient (formerly Oysterponds) go to the Oysterponds Historical Society.
For a short video (in which you'll see some of the other spots I've painted like the crab shack, and Latham's Farmstand) go here.

Day 25 - 30/30 Challenge - Box Turtle

Box Turtle

watercolor, 6" x 6", $35

(Available in my Etsy shop.)

A couple of summers ago I came across two eastern box turtles trudging along in Orient Point State Park. This one (the male) was following the female through the gravelly area at the side of the road - I have no idea where they were going, but I helped them across the fairly busy road to the scrub pines on the other side.

Day 5 - 30/30 Challenge - Christmas Crab Shack

Christmas Crab Shack

watercolor, 6" x 6", $35

Available in my Etsy shop

This little crab shack has sat on the edge of this marsh overlooking Orient Harbor (NY) for as long as I can remember. It sits right along Rt. 48 at the end east end of the causeway. It has weathered many a major storm and has looked a little forlorn at times, but someone always seems to make repairs and even hang a wreath at Christmas.
I'va also created a card on Zazzle for it. Click here.

The picture I used for reference was taken last year during the first 30/30 Challenge when I painted this image of a frozen Dam Pond (in my car!) just west of the shack.

It's one of my favorite things to see on my trips to the North Fork of Long Island.
I've painted it before - a pastel Moonrise, Orient Point.

Moonrise, Orient Point

Pastel,  16"h x 21"w (mat included), mounted on acid free board

$400 (includes shipping)

I got curious about its origins, so for more information go here and here. It even has its own Facebook page with some cool old photos from the 40s! Who knew?

Paintings For Sale - Long Island Part 2

I can safely say that there is no one more appreciative than an artist, when buyers Shop Local and/or Shop Small Business. After all, most artists ARE small businesses and purchases directly effect their lives.

I'm dedicating this blog post to the Long Island paintings I have available for sale in my Etsy shop. The eleven paintings in this collage,  are approx 6"x6", in various media, starting at $35 each. Part 3 to come!
(If you've seen something that's not posted here, please contact me.)

Visit my Etsy Shop to purchase any of these paintings

Autumn, Uplands Farm

Corn and Oysters, North Fork Farmstand

Early Evening, Orient Village

SOLD!

Rottcamp's Farm, Tractor

Moonrise at Sunset, Fire Island Lighthouse

SOLD!

Evening Thunderstorm, Sod Farm

Winter Walk, Jessup's Neck

Elderfields, Port Washington

Greenhouse, Bailey Arboretum

Kayaks, End of the Season SOLD!

Little Red Maple

Day 5 - 30/30 Challenge & Pemaquid Light and Back to My Real Life.

Pemaquid Lighthouse, Watercolor, 6" x 6" $45
Woohoo! SOLD!

I started this EARLY this morning (Thursday) and had every intention of finishing it right up, but real life and emails, etc. took over. I will do better on Friday.

It occurred to me last night, as I travelled home, that my day had a parallel quality. Up at 6 am, I saw the dawn break. I pack, walk and explore during my final hours on this beautiful little island. (Even more beautiful when the sun is out and I realize that there are other islands around and - shocking - you can actually see the mainland!)

I take some pictures up on Lighthouse Hill, at the school house, up Horn Hill, and hurry back to the wharf to catch a (very small) ferry. (I am the ONLY person leaving the island. How sad.)

The ferry captain stops at two small islands (barely more than rocks - do those count as islands?) to look at some grey seals. We look at them, bobbing about in the water. They look at us, bobbing about on a boat, and after a few minutes, we carry on. 

We see some porpoises surface and dive as we make the hour-long trip back to New Harbor. Muscongus Bay is prussian blue and fairly calm as small trawlers and lobster boats cruise about. Monhegan, Allen, Burnt, Matinicus, Metinic, Ragged islands and lots of other little islands, get smaller and smaller.

Once on the mainland, I make a quick stop at Pemaquid Lighthouse, just down the road a bit. The rock formations on this shoreline look like huge fossilized, eroded logs, as if someone had dropped an gianourmous load of lumber. It's very beautiful. 

I took a quick walk up the lighthouse, and took dozens more pictures. There was a group of painters set up in the picnic area. The light was sparkly and the colors were just saturated. I wish I had the time to join them.

Back in the car and on my way home. I reach New London early enough to make the (very large) 6 pm ferry. I take a few pictures of lighthouses as we leave Connecticut. 

The Sound is prussian blue and fairly calm, small working boats cruise along in the evening, sea gulls swoop overhead and the mainland gets smaller and smaller, becoming a sliver as it reaches west. Islands pop up on the left - Fishers, Little Gull, Great Gull, Plum Island, and finally a very big island – Long Island. Orient Light winks hello as we push through Plum Gut and the sun sets – stunning. The lone cloud reaches across the sky as a sort of mirror image of Long Island.

I'm nearly home...