Dot Milk?

SOLD

This is the entry to the DailyPaintworks Challenge of 2 weeks ago. I've just been really busy the past 2 weeks with graphic work and other things, so I did not get to paint anything appropriate to submit until now. Luckily, artists can post entries at any time. The Challenge was called "The Color of White" and artists were to paint 1 or 2 white objects on a patterned fabric. I chose a a very bold, happy pattern with a lot of white in it for my glass of milk to sit on. The object was to paint white objects using almost no pure white. The only pure white used here is in the bubble rings.

Mac & Cheese

This week's Daily Paintworks Challenge is to paint an image with the theme "home". All paintings entered in this chalenge are donations and ALL proceeds from sales will go to aid Japan disaster relief. Artists pick which organization the sale will go to and I have chosen the Bronx Rotary Club. Not just because I am a member, but also because our Foundation will match the monies from the sale, effectively doubling the value for disaster relief. Every penny goes directly to Japan, there are no management costs detracting from the donation. Visit: http://www.dailypaintworks.com and Click on Challenges, and then Help Japan Challenge. Today I am on page 1, but this may change. Details for purchase can be found when you click on the painting. This is a departure from my determination to keep the body of work intact until I have my 365 paintings, but it is such a worthy cause, I could not resist.

The why of this painting is simply this, when I think "home", I think of comfort, coziness, my sanctuary and comfort foods. Macaroni and cheese is a major comfort food for a lot of people I think. Simple and satisfying. A cute painting to hang in your kitchen.

Mica Java

If you've been following this blog you know by now that I am an amateur rockhound. These big sheets and books of mica are some of what I found in South Dakota. This big mug is my favorite for tea and was hand made by an artist from Oriental, NC.

Skyflyer, Playland

This is a horrible scan of this painting. I just couldn't get the scanner to read the richness of the darks and I just couldn't seem to adjust it w/o it reading the glare off the brushstrokes as lighter areas.

At any rate, I went on this ride a few years back with my friend's kids. My first clue should have been that none of the other adults would go on it with them. A few spins in, I thought I was having a brain aneurism. I felt really bad for two days afterward. They really should have a sign that anyone over 40 should not go on this ride! I guess the "Let's get Marg, she'll try anything" days are over.

Willie, Millie and Fornasetti

SOLD

 Here's another set of salt and pepper shakers from my collection. Their bold black and white, graphic coloring goes well with the Fornasetti bookcover.

Thumper's Bounty

SOLD

This little ceramic Thumper belonged to my husband. He's had it since he was about 4 years old. Alas, Thumper is no more. During one of our trips to North Carolina, a squirrel got into the attic, worked its way down to the basement between the walls and came out down there where the ceiling is just the open rafters in his workshop area. Apparently it freaked out and went berserk. As it ran around it knocked things all over the place. A whole shelf of flashlights were on the floor, prints on my framing bench were all on the floor, anything on a window ledge was knocked down, and of course, poor Thumper who used to live on a ledge as you came down the stairs, was shattered on the floor. 

Alas, poor Thumper, we knew him well.

Paradigm Shift

A play on words, but, yes, I do remember typewriters. Not ones that had these types of keys though. However it does tend to make me feel a bit old when I think about how my nephews and nieces will not know the things that I grew up with aka, typewriters, 8 tack tapes, record players and vinyl records, no cell phones, etc., etc.

Desire

SOLD

I think the title of this piece says it all.

Tea Partners

I love these quirky pieces of pottery. The handmade creamer and teapot have so much personality. They make me smile just to look at them. They were each made by different talented artists represented by Starving Artist Cafe and Gallery here on City Island.

Etude en Gris

SOLD

This trio of gentlemen were on the "boardwalk" at Orchard Beach during the Bronx Ball last year. It was a partially overcast early evening, so the shadows soft and vague. I thought their legs made an interesting composition with the geometry of the walk pavers.

Everyone else is running around getting photo ops with the celebrities and I'm photographing legs! Ha!

Winter's Ice-olation

SOLD

This piece was a commission for Compasslocker.com which is a company that sells tugboat related items. It was commissioned for a Christmas card design. They buy reproduction rights only, so I thought I'd make it part of my Painting a Day series. The only difference between this and the card is that I digitally added Christmas wreaths to the stern instead of the tires. Tugophiles can find more Christmas cards and prints by me on that site.

Violets

These I think are an acquired taste. I can remember in elementary school hating the taste of these. I thought they tasted like soap. Years later, in college, I used to eat them all the time. I used to buy a pack of them from the vendor in the Astor Place subway station to munch on on my ride home. I still love them! And I love that they really haven't changed their packaging. It still has a nostalgic look.

The Monster Mouse

SOLD

This is an iconic ride at Playland in Rye New York. There are so many memories for me here. In Fact, my younger brother was almost born here! But everywhere I look here there are great opportunities for paintings. Now my fun is in painting the rides rather than riding them!

Bathing Beauties

All the luxuries for a soothing bath. Aren't you feeling relaxed already? I'ts the light play through the bottle of bath oil that I love best here. The bottle is so beautiful that I haven't the heart to open it and use it!

The Aged Wolf

This is a boat anchored by Sand City Island on Long Island. It is named for the main character in Jack London's Sea Wolf. I just love its crusty, rusted nature and the worn mooring lines. There is something ruggedly romantic about it, just like London's characters. There is actually a huge osprey nest on top of the bridge. I think it fits its name, hulking, and standing strong, defying it's wear and age.

The Herculean Laborer

SOLD

This little boy is the grandson of a neighbor of mine. He was tirelessly working at scooping the water away with a sieve-like beach toy. I don't think this was one of Hercules' 7 "impossible" tasks, but it could have been.

Killie Cotillion II

Another little painting of the killies.

Killie Cotillion I

Just standing on the dock one day I was watching the killies (killiefish) circling round and round in their perpetual dance.

Tideline Miniature

From my favorite Island in our part of the Sound...Huckleberry Island. So many of these tiny baby crabs can be found in the tideline "cooked" by the sun. He's actually less than 1" across.

Long suffering hubby has to put up with me collecting and toting these things home to paint. He's a good and patient man!