Pathway #5

6" x 4" original watercolor
SOLD

This pathway was cut through a field
in N.H. Pathways ultimately are
a study in perspective. They give
a sense of distance.

Tonight was trick or treat and I really enjoy
seeing the kids in costume. We had a lot less
kids this year. Both Moms came for dinner tonight.
My Mom is uncomfortable being home alone
on Halloween so she came for the evening.

I took all my mailers to the Post Office today,
so watch the mail for your invite! I am still
working on this large still life piece. I have
been at the same one all week. I should cut
another case of glass tonight in an effort to keep
up with Linda's framing and I really should spend
a few more hours painting. Thats a lot of shoulds
when your tired! Linda is also dragging and
I think she is trying to rationalize a night on the sofa.

ANGLES

6" x 4" original watercolor $200.00
SOLD

I have been painting large painterly pieces lately
and I wanted to paint something just for myself.
To experiment with angles. This was an interior
hallway. To the left is a hint of steps going down.
The light from the window draws you back the hall.

I painted all weekend, late into the night without
much of a break. Ok, I did take a short bike ride
but I was right back to my desk! Linda, her Mom
and a friend, Becky and her daughter spent the
weekend stuffing, licking and stamping 6500 envelopes.
Our annual Open House mailer is ready to go to the
post office. My new prints are here and I am pretty
excited with this years selection. 18 days...
Everyone mark your calendar for Nov. 16-18.
Its almost 10pm and I am going to cut glass for frames
for an hour or two. In case you think all I do is paint!

Pastoral View #4

4" x 6" original watercolor $250.00
contact: andy@andysmithartist.com

I have not painted a pastoral piece
for a while and I needed a change
of scenery from the larger still life
I worked on all day Tuesday.

I finished my last class yesterday. They
are a great group to work with and I will
miss them looking over my shoulder
oohing and ahhhing at my abilities!
They are good for my ego.
Next class is January 2008. That doesn't even
sound right. Today I took my Mom to the
hairdresser, an important all morning event.

That left the afternoon to create. Linda is both
excited and panicked, the mailers are ready to
be delivered, that means lots of weekend work
for her. Plus her fastest stuffer/helper is out sick!
The invites go out snail mail so if your not on my
mailing list, email me your address and you will
be sent one.

Tomorrow my internet is going to high speed.
We are switching servers just in case there are
glitches I am warning you ahead of time!

A Chicken...

4" x 6" original watercolor
SOLD

I really resisted painting this chicken.
I had been painting nonstop all weekend
and have had no time off! So I wanted
something a little less challenging for today's
blog. But, Linda has this thing for chickens
and she thought it would make a good painting...
I am a city boy but Linda has dragged me to
several farms for fresh material ~ no pun intended!
I always like the paintings after I do it, and it is the
same with this one, now that its finished I
am rather pleased with myself!

I had a productive day. I was up at the crack of
dawn to ride my bike. Back home for fresh baked
oatmeal which Linda spoils me with. Then down to
business. I painted the blog which took about
5 hours. I do not crank out my blog paintings. They
are complete watercolors and often take longer than
they should. Anyway, I also sketched a large
bench with a garden, and now I am working on
the one I had started on Sunday. It is 9pm and
I am still a long way from bedtime!

Friday update...

I did not get much painting done today. I spent
the morning at the printers, proofing my new prints.
They look great. I am very pleased.
Then home to pack the van. I needed to switch
all the outdoor show items (tarps and tents) for
indoor show items (rug and lights).
At 3PM we left to set up for the show in
Wilmington, DE. It is 9:50 and we just got home.
So...no blog painting tonight. I plan to demonstrate
at the show this weekend.

Oct. 20 & 21 Hagley Musuem Craft Fair
Held at the Hagley Museum on Buck Road
off Rt 100 Wilmington, DE
10am-5pm Admission $4
Booth #44 in the Library Reading Room
http://www.hagley.org/event-craft.html

Basket of Pears

5" x 5" original watercolor
SOLD

Another in my "fall collection". I found a basket
filled with pears at the market. They combine
a realistic plus contemporary style. I think they
would look great in an extra wide mat and a
black frame.

I know I missed yesterdays blog entry. Don't
for one moment think I am not painting! Just
working on my larger masterpieces!
We took time out tonight to enjoy a wonderful
dinner at a downtown Lancaster restaurant
called Checkers. Good meal with great friends.
Happy Birthday Bonnie!

Only 30 days to go...

I only have 30 days until my 24th Annual Open House.
That means madness in the Smith house. Linda gets
a little crazy with the amount of work to do. We put in
17 hour days. Money we have yet to earn is spent at
a wild pace. I only need to concentrate on creating
magnificent paintings, no pressure there.
For the past few days Linda has been putting 6,500
labels on envelopes while mumbling about the cost of
postage. Luckily she is in another room so she is not
messing with my painting vibe. After 24 open houses, we
have a routine down. I leave for a show and come back
to piles of completed work! We try to stay out of each
others way. This is a really big deal. It is a huge
investment in invitations, postage, frames/supplies, new prints,
food and wine...all on the gamble that
"if I paint it...they will come" Oh...and buy!

Since I am working on major paintings I will not get
a blog painted every day. But I will try to show you
what I am working on. For today, I have an 11"x22"
window with blue bottles. I am showing you the whole
thing taped down to a painting board with my paint
colors dabbled on the sides. If you click on it, it will get
larger. Notice the pencil guide lines.
Comments or questions are always welcome!

"Shaker Bench"

4" x 6" original watercolor
SOLD

After a busy weekend showing plus
working on a large painting, I went
with a subject I know well. I just
was not up to a challange today but
I wanted to keep up with my blog.
I fell back on a Shaker scene.

Evening #6

4" x 6" original watercolor $225.00
contact: andy@andysmithartist.com

We have had rain here the past few days
and this reminded me of passing storms.
This is a busy weekend.
Porchwalk starts tomorrow...
Oct. 12 & 13
Lititz Artisans' Porchwalk
Fri. & Sat. Featuring 33 artist & craftsman
on 5 porches in downtown Lititz, PA. FREE!
We are stop #5 Linda will be in charge here!
info...www.moravianmanor.org/artisan.htm

I leave in the morning for a show in VA.

Oct. 13 & 14 Virginia Fall Foliage Festival
Sat. & Sun. Held on the streets of
downtown Waynesboro, VA
Sat. 10am-5pm and Sun. noon-5pm
www.vafallfoliagefestart.org/home.htm

New Prints...

The decision has been made and the paintings are
at the printer. All last week I worked on the third
possibility and never got to share it with you. So you
are seeing the new pieces for the first time today. The
prints will not be available until the invitation goes in
the mail which is November 1st.

"Garden Club"











Still thinking about a title for this one...
maybe "Summer Gifts"












A word about printing. I am rather picky about
my printing. I am not sold on Giclee's and I am
definitely not interested in computer laser printing.
I still print the old fashion 4 color off-set lithography
method, where you need a loop to see the dot pattern.
I print all 450 at one time and I am present for the
printing and can make changes. I match color as close
to the original as possible. I print in the same size as I
painted the original. When they get to the studio, I
personally sign and number them.

The originals will be sold via auction bids. If you are
not on my snail mail mailing list send me your address
and you will receive an invitation to my Open House
and the new print info.

OK, that's it for tonight, back to the paints.
I am working on a 14x18 piece.
I will get a blog painting done tomorrow in between
the craftsman coming to set up for Porchwalk and the
long "honey do" list Linda has for me!

Bush River #2

6" x 4" original watercolor $250.00
contact: andy@andysmithartist.com

Another watercolor painted "Plein Air"
from the Bush River in Abingdon, MD

I have a 9AM appointment with my
printer tomorrow. That means I will
be working late putting the finishing
touches on the two paintings we
decided on.

Bush River

6" x 4" original watercolor
SOLD

I actually sat out and painted this scene from
life! We artists call that Plein Air!
I rarely get the time to do that. It was
the view from my camper window. We stayed
at Bar Harbor RV Park in Abingdon, MD.

Our weekend plans did not exactly work as planned,
they rarely do. It was to be a hunt for new subject
material and inspiration. The plan was to take lots
of new photographs. Friday we stopped in New
Castle, DE and of course the beautiful weekend started
out overcast. I kept telling Linda it was morning fog
and would burn off. By noon it was drizzling! So, not
much picture taking. We then drove to our camp site.
I am surprised we both have been enjoying our camping
experience. I think it is the quiet. Learning to just sit.
Without a TV, you go to bed early so you are actually
rested. Saturday we drove into Annapolis. We planned
to park in the Navy Stadium, and when we pulled up there
were thousands of cars lined up to park. Well... maybe not
thousands but it was a lot. Who knew it was boat show
weekend. But we are troopers, paid our $10 to park. Got
on the free bus and went downtown. I thought Linda
would have a stroke, now there really were thousands of
people walking around. You could not walk on the sidewalks.
I am guessing we were there 30 minutes when I nicely
suggested we leave. Linda was back on the bus so fast I
almost lost her! So it was back to the campsite to try to
regain the serenity we lost. That's when I painted this scene.
Sunday we took our good old time and drove the long way
to Montchanin, DE. The good husband that I am had given
Linda a gift certificate for her favorite Inn. Men, if you need
a treat for your wife I highly recommend this place, but you
will dig deep into your wallet.
Check it out... www.montchanin.com
We returned today with enough time to take Jason back to
Hershey School. He had a weekend break. It has been a
tough adjustment for him but I believe he is getting the hang
of it. He looked great and went back willingly.
Tonight I attended a meeting at our local school, it seems
they have been having racial trouble and I wanted to hear
what they had to say. I decided they definitely need our
prayers. I am now back at my desk with paintbrush in
hand until 11PM.

Ladderback

4" x 6" original watercolor
SOLD

I went with muted shades of brown today.

I had to squeeze my blog painting between
taking Mom to an appointment, a client visiting
the studio, and an evening dinner with friends.
I actually finished the blog at our friends house.

No show this weekend!! A break, however, we
are going on a hunt for new subjects. We are
leaving Friday morning, the first stop is
New Castle, DE historic district.
Saturday heading to Annapolis, MD and Sunday
to Ladew Topiary Gardens also in MD.

Gourds & Pumpkins

6" x 4" original watercolor
SOLD

Part of my Fall Collection. I saw these at my
local farmers market. The sun was bouncing
off the bowl offering wonderful light and good depth.


Well, I managed to get to my doctors appointment
without bumping into our President, and I am happy
to report I am in good health. Other than that little
outing I have been glued to my chair diligently
painting, with plans to continue till about 11PM.

Blue Pottery on a Blue Chest

6" x 4" original watercolor
SOLD

It is an interesting study to paint two objects
that are so close in color range and still have
them remain two separate items.

I also worked on another large painting.
It is the last one in the running as a possibility
to print.
Linda and I worked in the yard a bit tonight.
It was a beautiful evening. We need to get the
property all tidy and decorated for next weeks
"Porchwalk" For more info:
http://www.moravianmanor.org/artisan.htm

President Bush is comming to my town tomorrow.
We have an airport close by and they are blocking
roads in all directions. I have a doctors appointment
and it is across from the airport. It is just a blood
pressure check but I think it may be elavated
just from trying to get there!

I just had to stop writing this blog, my Mom called
and asked if I could come back to her shes having
a problem. I felt a rush of panic (Moms 85 and lives
in a cottage on our property) So we both ran back
expecting something bad...
She could not open her trash bag to put it in the
waste can... Ahhh the life of a good son.
Back to my painting, I plan to paint till 11PM
tonight. Ahhh the life of an artist!

13 Colonies Flag

6" x 4" original watercolor
SOLD

The color combinations is what attracted me
to this painting. The clear blue sky. I also am
into history so the 13 colonies flag intrigued
me. If you want a little info about the flag,
check out this site:
http://members.aol.com/MMichon/July4th3.html
I worked on this painting at my show over the weekend.
Which by the way was good! I also was able to connect
with an old friend who I don't get to see as often as I like
because they moved away. They have been buying
my paintings since 1989. Their dedicated support has
always come in when I most needed it. Thats what makes
my painting worthwhile...the friends I have made.