My Painting by the Sea won an award!

I was very pleased that my oil painting  “Yellow House by the Sea won honorable mention at recent show with the Independent Art Society.  Oil painting, is a fairly new medium for me so it was quite encouraging especially since there were so many really good paintings in the show. 

The judge was Paul Bachem a very accomplished oil painter whose work I greatly admire he wrote this about the painting “ Although there is a sunlit feel to this painting, I found myself reacting to what seemed like loneliness here. The house sits amid a rather sparse setting and, as is always the case in my own work, I find myself wondering about the people who live there out in the middle of all that quiet. I felt the same way about this piece as I often do about Andrew Wyeth’s work. I don’t know if this is what you intended Vivien, but that is how it struck me when I first saw it. “

The painting was one of a few I did on Block Island while visiting off-season. (You can see more on my June 29, 2014 post )  I am always very relaxed on Block Island and enjoy the quiet before the summer crowds. The yellow house is actually a Bed and Breakfast called Avonlea where we once stayed and I was painting it from one of the Blue Dory Cottages, which look towards it. I really enjoyed painting at this spot for all I could hear was the ocean waves and the birds chirping, some so very friendly they would come over close to me as if to watch me paint. And yes the Island during off-season has a rather haunting loneliness feeling of a Wyeth painting. 

The End of Old Dock Rd

My mother passed away in August. I want to scatter my mother's ashes some place near the sea since she always loved it so. And we gave her a small memorial, with her close friends and family, which included poetry, music, beautiful opera singing by my son's girlfriend and of course irises to plant (my mother's name was Iris), a memorial that I hope honored her life and spirit. I so much wanted to return to the spot where I took her a few times, it was close to her nursing home in Kings Park. Finally the other week I was able to and I painted this small painting in oils. I hope to return again to do more paintings. Barely dry, I brought it for a group show and it is now hanging at the IAS show at the Plainview Old Bethpage Library.

The tide is going out

I walked along the beach today at the end of Old Dock Rd and thought the tide is receding. I should really come here one day with my paints and paint, but not today, not now. My mother laid in bed only two minutes away, she seems to be slowly slipping away. The tide is going out on her I thought to myself.

 

Mom always loved the Sea

Painting On Block Island R.I

We first vacationed on Block Island in 2008 and have made several trips back since. We fell in love with the natural beauty and relaxing atmosphere. The last few times I was able to bring my oil paints with me. This Spring while there I painted three paintings. Sitting on the back deck all you could hear was the birds chirping, they are so friendly, that some will actually eat from your hand. The skies are always interesting and changing. I hope I captured the peacefulness in these paintings that I felt. 

                                                           Up The Hill  11 x14 

                                                               The  Beach Crescent 11x 14  

                                                           Yellow House By The Sea 11x 14 

                       

        House By The Sea 16x20 

        

Around The Corner  11 x 14

Here are a few more from past years.  

 

          Avonlea  11x 14

Painting The Back Of the Blue Dory 

Morning On The Beach 11x14

Crescent Beach 11x 14

A few of My Spring - Summer Scarves

I have been big on Orchid and Purple this Spring.  This scarf adds also aquamarine and even hints of goldenrod, bronze. It is large enough to wear as a shawl over a summer dress!

 

I also love peach and salmon with hints of lemon yellow as in this scarf.

 

This multicolored scarf is  perfect for spring but can be worn all year round. A combo of silk and wool but very light weight and airy.

 

 

The one below also doubles as a scarf or a shawl and the colors are great for summer.

 

 

Please check these and more out on my etsy shop!

 

Painting a Silk Painting From Start To Finish Using Several Techniques.

 

I start a silk painting with an idea, from then on I proceed as the painting takes me. I often use a combination of silk painting techniques in one painting. Color is very important to me so I want to layout the color placement with a wash. I started this painting by outlining a few trees and rocks with a substance called resistad (by Procolour) mixed with my steam set dye. You can of course also use gutta to outline. The resistad will stop the dyes from bleeding over my line just like gutta will.

 

 

                I allowed the silk dyes to bleed as I painted a light wash. 

 

 

Since I wanted to add more controlled details, I painted over the entire piece of silk with a large brush a preparation of one part gutta and two parts turpenoid to coat the fabric. This allows me to paint as though I was painting on paper without the dyes bleeding in to one another. Best do this outside or in a well ventilated space.

 

 

After the solution dries I can go back to my painting adding more dyes.

 

 

Once finished the painting it is then steam set. This sets the colors so they will not bleed and brings out the brilliance of the silk dyes. 

 

 

                                          I added a mat and it is now ready to be framed!