2021 Holiday #1

 
SOLD!  $145. (unframed) 4x6” mini original watercolor

Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 12/2 the price goes to $250.

This is my first Holiday painting for the season.  Its a little dark but its the only way to make the star stand out.  I went with a street view with star lights in my hometown of Lititz, PA.  While I was painting today we had some snow flurries.  I hate the cold but it was nice to see and even better that it did not lay.  I am putting off getting the shovels out!

2021 Landscape #29

 
SOLD!   $145. (unframed) 4x6” mini original watercolor

Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 12/1 the price goes to $225.

This beautiful stone house is located off the Heritage Rail Trail in Seven Valleys, PA

Commission #3 is finished!  Now gathering my photos for the next one.

2021 "Seasons Greetings" Holiday mini print

 This years mini Holiday print is ready... 
"Seasons Greetings"

framed 10x8"   $35      
Black frame with white/black mat  or walnut frame with cream
Linda is offering FREE gift wrapping!  Tell me if you want it wrapped.
I will ship to where ever you need (within the US) at cost

There are 18 other mini Holiday mini prints available.

Buy one for a gift and another for yourself.
You can order on line or email or call the studio.
Always check your Spam folder for my reply emails, I have issues with my email going into junk...

As for the new Holiday mini Original paintings... I plan to start December 1.  If you have a good photo feel free to send it to me.

Holiday Update:  We had the Holiday to ourselves this year so we planned a bike ride.  We chose the Heritage Rail Trail from York to Glen Rock PA.  It was a little chilly but we did 30 miles round trip.  In Glen Rock we stopped at a bench and had a turkey sub and a tasty cake!  Not quite a turkey and pumpkin pie.  The tandem is now put up for the winter.  Linda had 296 miles this year, not bad for a self proclaimed couch potato!  But the rider in me wants to make her go around the block a few times to round it to 300!!

Friday was spent getting supplies for the cottage repaint.  I was shocked at the price of paint…$60 a gallon and that was not the best. Around January we will be looking for a new tenant by recommendation.  Looking for an older quiet person.  No smoking, no parties and no pets...  Its a 600 sq ft one bedroom cottage on our property. 
Saturday was spent moving furniture around in the house, packing antiques to keep them safe and rolling up the carpet.  Doing some home remolding; a new kitchen and laundry room.  It is going to be a messy long project which is Linda's baby!  I am staying out of the way and working on my commissions.

2021 Williamsburg #4

 
SOLD!  $145. (unframed) 4x6” mini original watercolor

Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 11/25 the price goes to $225.

Williamsburg Virginia...

Sending everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  We are planning a quiet day, if its warm enough we are taking the tandem out for the last ride of the year.  Otherwise I think Linda is planning on hitting the sofa and watching the Hallmark channel!

2021 Williamsburg #3

 
SOLD!  $145. (unframed) 5x5” mini original watercolor

Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 11/24 the price goes to $225.

This is a view from inside the tailors shop looking out to the grounds of Historic Williamsburg.   A colonial dressed woman is standing outside.  This one screams Williamsburg!

Spending my time working on my commissions.

2021 Williamsburg #2

 
SOLD!  $145. (unframed) 4x6” mini original watercolor

Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 11/20 the price goes to $250.

I found this in the Tailors Shop in Williamsburg. 
I fell in love with the glass, it is setting on top of a writing desk.

My moon commission is finished but I am not showing it until my client picks it up next week.  The final painting is a surprise to her.  I am staying focused, today I started my next commission, this is a gift so I cannot post it.  

Meanwhile I helped Linda cut some bushes, trying to get the gardens put to bed for winter. Linda had her 2 month implant check and all is looking good.  I have my annual glaucoma check up, I have had glaucoma since I was in my late 20's and holding steady.

2021 Williamsburg #1

4x6” mini original watercolor 
Framed 8x10    $300.

This view is across the street from the Peyton Randolph House.  We took the Freedom's Paradox walk and I highly recommend it.  Worth your time, free with a ticket.  We are usually in Williamsburg in April and at Christmas.  November looks so different.  There was a fresh coat of paint on every building, that was nice to see.   Love the educational path they are taking with the "enslaved".  Well done.   My only issue was the long lines everywhere to eat, obviously short staffed.  We did get one lunch at our favorite place, The Blue Talon.

I had the privilege of being included in the film for "A New Day" - Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute. It is worth the time to watch the whole film, but to see me go to 7:18. Art is the highest form of hope. Gerhard Richter.... WOW! 
Today we dropped off some donations to Art of Recycle, we donate often to them. BUT it was the first time we actually went inside. Linda wanted ribbon for our bookmarks. What an exciting place. FULL of anything you could want and things you never knew you needed! I used to think it odd that Linda saved wine corks or her Oui yogurt jars... but now I get it. Take the time to check it out. I love the idea of recycling. You could wander around for hours.

Week update and commission progress

We just came back from six fantastic days in Williamsburg, VA.  After the drive down we had dinner with Linda's brother.  We do not get to see him too often.  Wednesday we parked at the Jamestown Settlement and rode the tandem on the Virginia Capital Trail.  A paved trail that goes to Richmond!  Follows along route 5.   We did 20 miles to Charles City and stopped for lunch then went 20 miles back.  A total of 40 miles!  We had a second evening visit with Linda's brother. 

Thursday we met our friends at Yorktown.  We had breakfast and ordered a box lunch at Mobjack Bay Coffee, both were very good.  We had a fabulous private hybrid tour of Yorktown and the battlefield.  We wanted a taste of both . This was SO much better than trying to read about the battle.  I highly recommend it.   Contact Mobjack Bay  and ask for J Michael Moore, historian.   This was really the way to go.  Next we went to the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown,    A well done museum and we needed more time! 

We met the rest of our group, a total of 8 of us at the house we rented in Hayes VA right on the river with fantastic river views
.

Here is a great photo of my brother, Carl with Linda

The next two days were spent at Colonial Williamsburg.  I never get tired of being here.  We also spent an evening at Busch Gardens Christmas Town.  All the lights and music put us in an early Christmas mood. 

 Now its back home and back to work.  Today I ran my RV to New Holland to have it winterized.  Adair's came to measure for some new flooring in the house and the cottage. 

The rest of my day was spent on my commission...  I did get a little painting time last week.

working on the window frame


Adding color to the pumpkin and bottle and the table.

Adding more detail and going darker...

So close to being finished...

2007-2021 Door #2

 

mini original watercolor   $225.

The 2nd of the four paintings for sale on Marketplace that I purchased.  This was originally from 2007.  I retouched it.   I little peek into a cabinet.

I will not be blogging the rest of the week, an explanation will follow later!

Commission

I have permission to post my next commission.   It is a piece to go with one my client already has.  It will be framed 14x18"   My instructions were: inside scene with a pumpkin and window looking out to a moody full moon.  So I was pretty excited to start this.

First is my drawing, all by hand

Next is getting a moody night sky painted in

It needs a fall landscape...

2021 Landscape #28

 5x5” mini original watercolor      $250.

This barn is from the grounds at Pleasant Hill, KY.  I liked the green Kentucky grass against the red barn.

Commission #1 is finished.  #2 will be started tonight.  I think I may show the progress of that one.

2009-2021 Winter Series #12

SOLD!   $145. (unframed) 4x6” mini original watercolor

Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 11/5 the price goes to $225.

There is a story to this 2009 painting.  I saw four of my paintings for sale on Marketplace.  Usually it is prints but these four were mini originals.  The person selling received them as a gift and it is not her style.  I know... I don't understand either!  Anyway, I bought them.  Now since 2009 my skills have improved a bit so I retouched it.  Just went over it and made it stronger.  It is from Canterbury, NH.

I used my day to work on my commission.

2021 Pumpkin #6

 
SOLD!   $145. (unframed) 5x5” mini original watercolor

Available to the 1st person to email
(framing $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 11/4 the price goes to $250.

Thank you Lydia for the use of a great photo.
This is the last pumpkin for the season!

A photo sent from collector "Don".  This is his living room wall.  Most of the paintings are his Andy Smiths!

2021 Pumpkin #5

 
4x6” mini original watercolor    $250.

Not sure how many more pumpkins I will paint.  This is the last one we have that the squirrels have not eaten.  We had about 15 pumpkins setting around and the squirrels got them all.

I am starting commissions. The first one is a gift so I cannot show it. But I am working!