2020 Holiday #20...last one!

SOLD!

4X6" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to  email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 1/1 the price goes to $275

Another one from Lititz
This is it for my Holiday Series!
I am going to paint  "Winter" next with a few still life pieces thrown in.
But first I am taking a few days off!

No time to spare...
I don't even know how I managed to get this painting finished today.  Luckily I drew it last night while watching a wonderful series called Escape to the Chateau.  Makes me feel like I am in France!  I knew my day was going to be hectic but it was over the top ugly. I had a TV and a remote to set up for Grandpa and I get a message from our tenant in the cottage that there is no hot water...   First off is plumbing issues.   Called my usual handyman brother-in-law and he doesn't know a lot about gas hot water heaters.   Tried a plumber, booked 2 weeks out.  Called a bike buddy with "skills" and he came right out.  To be continued.

Meanwhile Grandpa (86 yrs old) lives above the studio, he has been having TV and remote issues, actually the devices are not the real issue... enough said!    We ordered a smart TV which arrived this morning.  At 9am we went to pick up a new extra large remote that our provider, Blue Ridge Cable uses to pair the TV with cable...  I can't pair it.  Called tech support, on hold forever.  Finally we try for about 45 minutes and she gives up and passes us onto a higher level support.  Again on hold...forever.  Connects and tries again for another 45 min and we all decided the big remotes do not work well.  I drove back to the cable company and exchanged remotes for the normal size.  Again, I could not seem to get it to work.  So, back to tech support.  On hold FOREVER  but finally success!  At least until he presses all the buttons...
We ordered an Alexa...don't know if I can make it work.  I need easy or I'll be fixing this everyday!! 
I painted between the holds!  So here I am a bit late but with my painting finished, hot water heater has hot water and as of this moment the TV and remote are working... and I am exhausted!  Now I am going to pour us both a Jameson cold brew and call it a night.

2020 Holiday #16

SOLD!
4X6" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/31 the price goes to $275.

Another front door in Lititz this on is along Broad Street.
I added a bit more red to the wreath.

2020 Holiday #15

SOLD!

5X5" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/30 the price goes to $275


My town of Lititz does a nice job with decorations. I wanted to paint one of our stars so I chose the view with the beautiful Lititz Mutual building as its background.

2020 Holiday #14

 
SOLD!
4X6" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/29 the price goes to $250

I just needed something different for today.  A wintery scene with a pinch of Holiday.


I am now able to show a Christmas gift that went to VA.
The family farm.  Image: 15x11"  They took it unframed to do something special.


I just finished my last commission for 2020 and it is shipping out Monday. I will post it later.
SO... if you are thinking about a special painting of your own, send me an email. I like my commissions to be a partnership with my client. I try to make their vision into a watercolor painting. You provide the photos. We discuss what is the most important parts and what to leave out. Time of year, time of day... we work together.  To get a general idea of cost check my website under originals and you see sizes and costs and its close to that.   I can paint anything in realism (prefer no people or pets!). Send an email and lets talk.

Merry Christmas 2020

This is a special time of year for us with a lot happening over the years. 
Linda and I married on Christmas Day 1979.  We got married at home with a very small ceremony with our parents and  my brother and one girlfriend and a minister.  41 years later we are still together!


        
December 26, 1983 at 1:39am our daughter Abbey was born.    Linda was in labor all Christmas day and Abbey was born right after midnight.  We had a home birth (on purpose!)  Here we are 4 days later with a little one who never slept and neither did we!  



Christmas 1990
 We added a special girl, Rashetta.  She came to us that summer as a fresh air kid from Queens NY.
She flew off the bus in a whirl wind, asked if she can call us Mom and Dad and spent every summer and holiday with us since she was 7 years old!  The girls were different as night and day, boy do we have stories.  

And I am a New Years baby... born 1/1/1953 , yes I will be celebrating 68 years of a very blessed life.
So we have a lot of celebrating to do and it will all look different this year but the blessings still flow.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

2020 Holiday #13

SOLD!    Posted at 7pm, SOLD at 7:07!!
4X6" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day
$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/25 the price goes to $275

A Lititz door.

My plan is to take Christmas off and use the weekend to finish a commission. I will paint four more Holiday minis posting Sunday night.  Then starting January 3rd I am switching to Winter themes.

Thoughts: Traditionally we ate out as a big family on Christmas Eve with the idea that everyone could do their own thing on Christmas day. It included my parents (both no longer here) and Linda's Mom (no longer here) her step-dad (who is 86 and lives with us) our daughter, Abbey (lives in NYC) and usually Rashetta (lives in Portland OR).  We then opened family presents. This tradition has changed over the last few years as life has changed. But this year is...well, this year.      Linda is cooking and the girls are not coming home. While our table is smaller we have much to be thankful for.

2020 Holiday #12

Posted at 7pm...   SOLD   at 7:03pm 
4X6" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day
$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/24 the price goes to $275

Painting skates and sleds are a bit more complicated than they look.  Check out the knots in the sled rope!

2020 Holiday #11

SOLD!
4X6" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day
$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/23 the price goes to $275

Another Lititz scene. The bow was brown, I made it red! I liked the harmony of colors.

This is my next commission. A birthday gift. This is from Landis Valley Museum. The original photo was taken by the birthday girl who loves chickens.

2020 Holiday #10

SOLD!  5X5" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/22 the price goes to $275

This is the perfect Holiday painting. It has it all, great old stone building, candle in the window,
some greenery and a red bow!  From the historic Mueller House in downtown Lititz.

Meanwhile over the weekend two of my commissions were given allowing me to finally show you. I will start with this one and show the other one tomorrow.
Here is "Heaven Sent" The story:
A client lost her husband and the following day they went to the cemetery to arrange the flowers and a butterfly landed. It was early November... there should not be a butterfly...there is so much symbolism. This painting was a birthday gift to a special lady from her children. 
Tested my flower skills!  Framed 18x18"

2020 Holiday #9

SOLD! 
4X6" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/18 the price goes to $275

This morning was a quick trip to Ephrata to pick up a gift and on the way back stopped often for Holiday inspiration! Subjects for new paintings. This will be my last post until Sunday night at 7pm. Thursday will be spent shoveling. I live on a corner with our house right up to the sidewalk, right up to the street. So the snow on the front must be carried to a pile on the corner along with digging out 3 cars. Along the side of the house we have a good block but that can go into Linda's garden on the hill. Yes, after years of asking for one, I own a snow blower...but that does not make me like it any better! After we dig out, I need to spend quality time on my commission, Friday and Saturday all day and half the night will be devoted to it.

Thoughts: If you know me you know I do not like winter. I do not handle the cold. My fingers go white and numb. I can't ride my bike. It is cold. I can't ride my bike. I really try to find a bright spot. Yes, it is pretty. Yes, I have painted it and tried to like it. Linda has spent years trying to help me like it, or at least get through it. Years ago she borrowed cross-country skis from a friend, (a real friend would have let me use their Florida house for a few months, but No, I got skis!) After a big snow I strapped them on and went out on the streets of Lititz... I am sorry, it did not do it for me. I really gave it a go. After one time out I gave them back, not my thing Snow shoes were offered, I am not thinking that is any better. So I will ride my indoor rollers and wait till spring!

2020 Holiday #8

SOLD!

4X6" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/17 the price goes to $275

A little painted brick, a little stone, a beautiful transom, great green door and then add a beautiful wreath...A rather grand entrance.   Merry Merry!

2020 Holiday #7

SOLD!

5X5" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/16 the price goes to $275

A green wreath on a white door...clean and festive.  I thought the angle was interesting, from a sidewalk looking up.  

Shovels are out of the shed... bought gas for the snow blower...
Linda is much more excited than I am! But, counting my blessings;
we do not need to go anywhere, don't have to drive in it, my work
is at home.

2020 Holiday #6

SOLD!

4X6" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/15 the price goes to $275

This little gem is from a porch on Rt 501in Lititz.
I liked the rusty blades and the worn black skates. I took artist license and added a bow to the greens!

I have started another large commission so that means painting into the late night! Linda is busy filling orders; gift wrapping and boxing. We were busy all weekend with clients stopping in to pick up prints. I am grateful for all the support!  Feeling very blessed...

2020 Holiday #5

SOLD!

5X5" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/12 the price goes to $275

Back to Millbach Homestead in Newmanstown, PA. It is the colors and texture that interested me in this mini.

2020 Holiday #4

SOLD!

4X6" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/11 the price goes to $275

This is a porch in Lititz! Great shadows.

Thoughts: In a normal year our Holidays are hectic, we have Open House and then fill orders and have to be set up for classes by January 1st so we do very little decorating. This year for the first time since Abbey left home we decided to put up a live tree and dig out our decorations. When Abbey was little for some crazy reason Linda picked a theme and we made that years decorations. We were younger with more energy?? We never used the same ones twice. Over the years we made gingerbread men (our dog ate the whole bottom row!) one year we strung cranberries and popcorn, the girls were fussing the whole time about it being messy and pricking their fingers and Linda flipped out and yells "we are making DAMN memories" and to this day they tease her about making damn memories!   It made a big one!! Anyway this year we used some of the things we made... so there is the hand painted lightbulbs... the cut tin stars, we made paper pulp and molded and painted snow men, folded paper stars. This is just a few. But hanging it all did bring back wonderful memories and even though Abbey or Rashetta are not going to be home this Christmas they are with us in every decoration.

2020 Holiday #3

4X6" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day
 $250.

Back to Millbach Homestead in Newmanstown, PA They were selling these little trees. A bit challenge painting around the whites (in watercolor you always save the white as the white of your paper.)


Thoughts: We have a tradition at the Holidays that our son-in-law Ben makes Linda a special Holiday cocktail. This year we were not together for Thanksgiving (not for Christmas either 😞). But the kids sent all the fixins, even the sugar cubes and sprigs of rosemary and we had a cocktail hour on Facetime. Ben and I popped the champagne at the same time and he gave me mixing directions and we made them together and had a toast and chatted while we sipped. Now that is making the best of not being together! It was actually fun. It is important not to sit home alone and mope because for one year things are different but to create plan B.

2020 Holiday #2

SOLD

4X6" miniature original watercolor - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)

Available to the 1st person to email

(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/9 the price goes to $275.

This Holiday door is from Bethlehem, PA.  This has a bit of a reflection in the glass and I am pleased with myself how I handled the number 42!  These little paintings look even better in person, you will not be disappointed.

2020 Holiday #1

SOLD at 7:02!!    more to come!
4X6" miniature original watercolor  - A Painting A Day

$145. (unframed)
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost and free giftwrapping)
If unsold by 12/8 the price goes to $275.

This window is from Millbach Homestead in Newmanstown, PA. Great property and it is always beautifully decorated.   I have several subjects I plan to paint from there.

I finished my 3 Christmas commissions. One is delivered and the other 2 are being framed. I will show you later! I have an anniversary commission I am starting with a January due date. So I am staying busy.

Stay home and stay safe and wear your mask when your out!

2020 Believe

 
2020 NEW Mini Holiday Print..."Believe"
framed 8x10   $35

Original is available framed at $300.

Last year we went to Bethlehem PA looking for Christmas themes for me to paint.    "Believe" is from that trip.  Check out all my Holiday prints, order one for yourself and one for a gift!  Linda will gift wrap any gift order and we can ship it for you (at cost)!
Order options:  on my website  or send me an email with your wishes or give me a call at 717.627.3383.

I went a week without blogging, and actually had someone call to make sure we were ok!!  So kind.  But the reason for my absence is because I have 3 commissions I need to have done...shortly!  So my nose is to the grindstone, no fooling around, painting till late at night.  Unfortunately I cannot show them until later.