Day 76

Well, time to be honest here. I am totally infatuated with pastel.... I never thought this would happen. I woke up this morning thinking about a Terry Ludwig set of Cobalt blues. I just love the pure colors, the way you can just get it off the paper and start again. I don't seem to be making as much mud as I do with oil, and it has the color that I love with watercolor. I don't even mind the mess it make on my hands since I discovered how wonderful it is to keep a chamois cloth in your hands. It gives me something to play with while I am "thinking" and it gets a lot of that dust off my fingers too.

This is a view of Tumbledown I have tried many times and just made messes....I am starting to like this one.

Day 75

Rangely Lake in the rain. Finally there is a bit of chill in the air, and the ice is forming on the ponds. I am anxious to paint the shadows on the snow.

I am still waiting for my Wallis paper. I ordered from two sources, and both were backordered. One shipment has been released and is in New Jersey. I have a painting that I don't plan to keep that I did on Wallis, and I am going to put it in the sink and wash it. This paper is supposed to be tough. A much better solution than the wood stove!

Day 73 and 74

Right at the moment many of us are hoping that this body of water freezes over in time for ice fishing and snowmobiling.

The reference for this was taken from our sailboat in the early summer. No thoughts of ice then.

Day 71 and 72

Mixed media is such fun, I really got some stuff sloshing around on this one.

New rules, I just can't post some paintings, and so, I won't. They will be posted in my Daily Painting gallery, but you will have to go there if you want to snicker! This should help me get through the rough times, and there are many.

Now I will try to get caught up on my postings. Christmas preparations are all done now, so I have no excuses. Just a week to go!

Day 70

My first painting completed in my "winter" studio. I am pretty much limited to pastels in this space, it is to small to do watercolor and I don't want the oil paint smell in the house.

Pastel is teaching me about value and this is supposed to be a learning experience. I have conquered the urge to blow the dust off the paper, now I need to stop blending with the fingers.

Day 69

The reference for this pastel was taken when we were trying to find a "shortcut" between Fayette and Livermore. The sunset that evening was magnificent. I have another photo or two to play with.

I am a very happy artist tonight. As we approach another long Maine winter, I now have an "upstairs" studio. My basement studio is cold this time of year, and by the time I get it warm I loose my inspiration. Now I can paint anytime I want, and be warm. There is only room for one easel and a good light but that is all I need! Thank you Santa.

Day 68

I took this reference on my morning walk, way before sunrise. This gave me an opportunity to invent the colors. What fun! There are plenty more cairns around town, I can see a series coming.