Oxoboxo Morning

Oxoboxo Morning

Oil on canvas, 16x16

A few years ago, a friend and I started exchanging photos of the sky every day. It started because we'd found ourselves fascinated by the sky - her by the vastness of it, me by the colors and patterns, the stuff in the sky. 

We set out to exchange the photos for a year, but by now, it's three, going on four, I do believe. It's been a wonderful project, allowing me to see a part of her world, through her eyes, every day. In some ways, I've learned to see like her, a little bit. The project has helped me develop a new sense of vision, a new perspective. And it's been fun. Some days, the sky where she's been is exactly the same as the sky where I've been - even if we're half a world apart. Some days, the skies could hardly be more different - even if we're only a couple hundred miles apart. 

This is a painting I made from one of her photographs. I love the sense of dawning light in it, the bright colors in the sky and big dark humps of hills. And mostly, I like the touches of red at the tips of the tree branches, a promise that spring is indeed on the way. 

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I'LL HAVE THE "Oxoboxo Morning" painting, and some of my new florals, like the one to the left here, at the Paradise City show in Marlborough, MA, March 24-26. The show is in the Royal Plaza Trade Center. Marlborough is on I-495, about 45 minutes west of Boston, and 30 minutes east of Worcester. You can click here to get directions, and here to get a coupon for $2 off the admission fee. I'll be in Booth 404! I've done this show twice, and so I can tell you that it is a beautiful show, much like the one in Northampton, but smaller. And without the great Indian food... but I will get my fill at the show in May! 

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Stuff I've Seen

I saw this sign Vinton, Louisiana, on a beautiful road lined with Spanish-moss-hung live oaks. People were fishing on both sides of the road, a salt marsh on the east and 

a beautiful, fishy creek on the west. 

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Dog of the Day

The show in Englewood, Florida, was no good for selling art, but it was great for seeing dogs! 

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A Final Thought

"An artist's only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, 

and on his own terms, not anyone else's." 

- J.D. Salinger, "Franny and Zooey"

Autumn Morning - and Xmas Already???

Autumn Morning

Oil on canvas, 10x10

sold

I nearly drove off the road about six times, on the way from Cynthia and Kevin's home in northwestern Connecticut to the show a couple weekends ago at Paradise City in Northampton, MA. The autumn colors sang out, brilliant and clear and voice by voice. It was not the full chorus bellowing out "Hallelujiah," to carry out the metaphor, but a small choir singing an airy, complicated, gorgeous contrapuntal song. 

Finally, it was too much for me, and I got out and set up the easel and painted. I hung the little painting wet - and was thrilled when this mother and daughter decided to buy it. The daughter is an artist, and we all were on so much the same wavelength, it was, well, music to my ears. 

Happy buyers

My painting in the landscape

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Really??? It's not even Halloween. 

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Dog of the Day

Here's Abby, attack dog. She is turning out to be a gentle soul, but I think she'd definitely attack anyone who wanted to mess with Peter or me, or any of the dogs.