2024/2024 Holiday #12 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

SOLD!  $155. (unframed) 4x6” mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10 $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 1/2 the price goes to $225

My last Holiday painting for the season, from downtown Lititz, PA.  I love these stars.

I am wishing everyone a wonderful, healthy and happy 2025.  AND, thanking each of you for your support of my paintings, I am very blessed.

2024 Holiday #11

 SOLD!  $145. (unframed) 4x6” mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10 $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 1/1 the price goes to $225

This is from Gettysburg, PA...

Another happy client showing off her painting...

catch up...

We have been going non stop! We started with a couple of days in Gettysburg, PA with friends, then a few days in Cape May, NJ with my brother's family, then Dec. 20-23 we were in NYC with Abbey and Ben. We saw the play Left on Tenth which we all liked a lot. After the play we walked to the Rockefeller tree in 21 degrees. It was freezing cold!! We are not hamming for the photo, we were seriously that cold!  Found a cab a few moments later!!   Time Square was PACKED, could hardly walk, this photo is after 11PM and a block from the tree...

Linda and Abbey did a 1000 piece puzzle and we all ate and drank well and had a great time with family. Next,  home for a night to catch up and repack. We were in need of some quiet time and we had booked a VRBO in Christiana, PA. Only 45 minutes from home but truly in the middle of nowhere! I must have said a hundred times how quiet it was. Only buggies out on the main road!
below is the reason to be here...

We had a fire going from the moment Linda's feet hit the floor till we went to bed,  for 3 full days! It was the perfect way to spend Christmas and celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary.

Back to painting and to help finish out 2024, I will offer this deal, it has been a while since I did this. A bit of a thank you to those reading my blog.

FREE to the 1st person to send an email and claim it!
If you are a past winner you are not eligible!

"Church Street View" original watercolor. I am guessing it was painted in 1994 and reworked in 2016 - a scene from Charleston, SC.   value $550
UNFRAMED, framing available $60 18x14" - shipping available at cost

I plan to paint 2 more Holiday paintings then move on to my usual January bird series.

2024 Holiday #10

SOLD!  $145. (unframed) 4x6” mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10 $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 12/20 the price goes to $225

A wreath from our local farm market.

My plan is to paint "Holiday" till 12/31, but not sure which days I am free to actually paint. We are heading to NYC tomorrow to spend time with Ben and Abbey!

2024 Holiday #9

 mini original watercolor  $225
A window from Glendale Flour Mills.

If these prints are on your wish list you should NOT wait...

SOLD OUT!   SAILING..
$95 framed 14x18

SIMPLE PLEASURES...only 3 left
$135 framed 20x23

1700's...only 6 left
$95 framed 14x18

You can order on my website OR send me an email.

Wednesday morning was spent in the dentist chair having a redo of impressions for a crown. Dentist wasn't happy with last weeks impression. I was not expecting to be numbed and a bit more work done. I wanted to go renew my drivers license but my face was numb so I blew some time at Shirks bike shop! I had to do that!! After the license renewal back home to paint. Meanwhile Linda was at her desk all day playing catch up. Some mats were cut and a client stopped in.

2024 Holiday #8

SOLD!  $145. (unframed) 4x6” mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10 $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 12/19 the price goes to $225

Antiques and decorations from our favorite; Glendale Flour Mills.

Monday we drove 2.5 hours to Leesburg, VA to deliver some paintings and have a lovely lunch with a client then 2.5 hours back home. Someone is getting some extra nice Christmas gifts!  Today Linda was at her desk, there was framing and boxing going on in the studio and I was painting and then a trip to UPS. Clients and friends stopped in, staying extra busy!

2024 Holiday #7

SOLD! $155. (unframed) 6x4” mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 10x8 $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 12/17 the price goes to $250.


Another painting from the square in Gettysburg, PA.
I really loved the combo of the bunting and the ribbon.
Said a lot to me...


We spent the weekend in Cape May with my brother and family. Cape May was packed! We took a trolley ride had dinner at the Mad Batter and visited the Physick House. Just enjoyed family time.

2024 Holiday #6

SOLD!   $145. (unframed) 4x6” mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10 $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 12/13 the price goes to $225


The Eisenhower Farm in Gettysburg at Christmas.


Painting today and had a client stop in and an afternoon lesson. Linda was at her desk all day.

This is my last one for the week.  We are headed to Cape May with my brother and his family for a little Christmas family time.  Next blog is Sunday night.

2024 Holiday #5

SOLD!  $145. (unframed) 4x6” mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10 $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 12/12 the price goes to $225

From the square in Gettysburg.

We spent our morning sitting at the Lebanon VA hospital with a friend while her hubby was having hip replacement.  I am so impressed with this VA.  Everyone was so kind and helpful.  If you are a local veteran I highly recommend going there.  The afternoon was spent painting and with a few drop in clients.

2024 Holiday #4

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

Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 8x10 $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 12/11 the price goes to $225

Holiday barn scene...

Monday...I had an early dental appointment, some crown work and Linda had a doctor appointment for her blood pressure check. I had a couple of errands and UPS to drop off orders then home to paint.

2024 Holiday #3

SOLD!  $145. (unframed) 6x4” mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 10x8 $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 12/10 the price goes to $225

A scene from Gettysburg with artistic license adding the star and wreath.


Did I mention BUSY?!?  Linda knows how to pack a day, a week!  Last Tuesday we went with friends to Hershey Theater to see Hamilton. I LOVED it and could see it again. Then left Wednesday morning with other friends for a few days in Gettysburg. Started with a good lunch at Blue & Gray Bar & Grill then a little drive around the battlefield and a stop at the Visitors center bookstore. We stayed at an Air BnB that Linda found that had a wood burning fireplace. So we had Jersey Mikes subs and a late night fire. I did a little painting, the girls started a Christmas puzzle and John read. Thursday was our rest day. Fire all day and just hung out.  Linda loves a wood fire.   Friday we had tickets to the Christmas tour at the Shriver House. Then "An Evening with the Painting" a behind the scenes program of the Cyclorama. That was fantastic, especially for an artist. Loved it and highly recommend it. Started with a lecture, then went behind and close up to the painting, followed by a viewing in the round.

Here is the 4 of us at the cyclorama.

Followed by a very good dinner at Garryowen Irish Pub.  I had fish & chips, Linda had shepherds pie and it felt like Ireland!  Saturday we checked out and headed to the Eisenhower Farm for a Christmas tour then home to laundry and mail and phone calls!

Sunday Linda and I framed and boxed orders so they could go out on Monday.

2024 Holiday #2

SOLD!  mini original watercolor  $225

Another whirl wind day. Took down the show panels in the house.
The girls were busy boxing orders. Phone kept ringing, which
is a good thing!  I ran to UPS, the bank, and dropped all our
pumpkins at a farm. Tonight we are headed to Hershey Theater
with friends to see Hamilton.  Wednesday we head to Gettysburg.

2024 Holiday #1 ~ PLUS 2 Portugal!

Over Open House whenever I had a spare moment I worked on small paintings.  So I am going to offer 3 today!

Holiday #1

From Byers Choice;  greens on a shelf.

SOLD!   $145. (unframed) 6x4” mini original watercolor
Available to the 1st person to email
(framing 10x8 $35 - shipping available at cost)
If unsold by 12/4 the price goes to $225
__________________________________
Portugal #1
The Douro Valley, Portugal  I am obsessed with the patterns in the land!

 mini original watercolor $225

__________________________________
Portugal #2
Pena Castle, Portugal.  I liked the light.

mini original watercolor   $225

Today was hopping busy!  All of the fall things had to be picked up and put away and we dug out some Christmas things.  I have a large pile of pumpkins to go to a farm.  Hung 3 wreaths.  We decided to buy a new fridge in case the prices go up.   We have a 25 year old Crosley who's seals cannot be replaced and its time!  So a trip to Martins and $1500 later...and that's with NO bells or whistles!   Then to New Holland to pick up the Suburban at the shop; sporting a new catalytic converter.   The grocery store, the pet store for a litter mat, Target for a dust buster. Then we took apart the studio so we can get back to work tomorrow. Cut a special order mat.  Its 6:30pm and I am beat, 8,837 steps, climbed 10 flights of stairs (running down to the basement to haul things up!)

and its over...

We had two excellent Open House weekends. Saw lots of old friends had some new clients and sold lots of paintings and prints. It is always amazing to see the amount of work that goes into the show and suddenly its all over.  A little let down...   My focus needs to change to Holiday/Christmas but I need to go on a search for subjects. We have plans for Gettysburg, Cape May and NYC.

I have a story to tell... December 1978 I went to the Village in Lancaster to dance and met Linda!! We have been together since that day. We  used to go out dancing 3-4 nights a week all around Lancaster for several years. When we started a family that stopped! We had not been back to the Village since 1982. It recently reopened. Last Friday after Open House from 10-5, then a family dinner at Scooters; Linda's brother and wife from Virginia surprised us with a visit.  And then at 7:30pm we went to the Village to hear Bump City and we danced till 10!   What a little thrill to be back there, So many memories! A bit full circle.

Open soon...

Today was the girls cook day, then rearrange the kitchen and stage the table.  I am making it sound easy but it was a full days job.


Here are the new prints...

Incase you need a reminder...  see you soon!

2 days...

 Today was cooking prep day for Linda and her helpers.  Cheese and meats are ready.  Toffee pretzels and Chex mix were made.  Linda woke with a red itchy eye and the girls were worried she had pink eye so we spent 2 hours at Urgent Care to find its only allergies!  Meanwhile,  I took our van to be looked at for a bit of work scheduled for next week, blew some leaves and washed off the front porch and sat with Linda at Urgent Care!  It is 6pm and planning on a quiet evening.

Two more originals waiting for Friday at 2PM!

4 Days to Go...

We had a "to do" list today and everything got done! The studio is set up with some older painting. Panels, covers and lights. We moved the check out desk from the studio into the area off the kitchen. I oiled the butcher block counters, polished the kitchen table. Ran to Home Goods for a pitcher for Sangria and to the farm for a few more pumpkins.

Here is a sneak peak...

Douro Valley Finished!

Here is the FINISHED painting! What a challenge it was and I loved it.



Backing up to where I left off...
You can see I am working my way to the top, row after row.

Moving up



Almost at the top...

After this I go back over the whole painting and soften it, add shadows from the overhead clouds.  Scroll back to the top and look at the finished painting one more time.  I am pretty proud of this one.

I worked till 10:30 last night and was back at it today.
Filling in the back row and adding trees to the foreground.

Concentrating on the foreground, going darker.



I am working a row at a time... stone terrace and green vines.

I had a client drive up from Solomons MD and had a nice visit.  Meanwhile Linda made ham & bean soup so friends are coming for soup and grilled cheese.  I am going to keep painting rows...

Last painting before Open House

For my last painting Linda said she needed to fill in with a landscape. I decided on the Douro Valley in Portugal. It was absolutely beautiful, it looked like a patchwork quilt. Terraces holding grape vines and olive trees. It is a UNESCO site and impressive.
This is our travel group at a pull over stop, look at that view behind us.  The photo does not do it justice.

So this is what I wanted to paint.  It is 11x15"  but packed with angles and texture.  I need to show vast distance.   I took a whole day and evening just on this drawing.  All by hand, using a photo on my cell phone for reference.

I woke this morning anxious to get started.  A slow build of  under washes, drying often.

Adding rows of vines and trees, terrace and small hills.   I want to get the flow, all the directions of the patches of fields, showing movement.   I went between excitement and frustration all day.  You are seeing about 8 hours of work today.  

I am expecting to work into the night...

9 Days till Open House...

9 Days to go! There is still 3 small piles of mats to cut and shrink wrap but framing is FINISHED! Linda finished the shopping today (except the fresh stuff). Labels are all printed and cut.
Meanwhile I finished and framed 2 paintings I had been steadily working on.

I have one more I started last night.  A landscape from the Douro Valley.  It is complicated and I want to take my time.

Creating a masterpiece!

I always start with a good drawing.  By hand! This is my first connection with the painting.   We had a 12x22 frame,  tall but narrow so selecting a painting that fits comfortably in that size takes some thinking.  This was perfect.
This gate is from Portugal, I took hundreds of photos and use them in my studio.  But I remember standing in front of this 16 century gate from an old convent turned boutique where we were privileged to spend the night. Convento do Seixo in Fundao Portugal.  


I do not have a set way to start a painting, each one is different.  With this,  I started with the pattern of cobblestones which are everywhere in Portugal. Notice the dip, like the cobblestones settled over time. Then painting up the walls.


Building slowly with washes to build the texture.  I want my viewer to feel the stones.



Ivy... just softens it a bit, against all the stone.



Add that beautiful soft blue on the gates.


I keep working, going deeper and darker.  Creating the feeling of an overcast foggy morning.
 And finally it is finished!  

I am painting, Linda is filling a few orders for pick up and started sending email reminders for Open House.  10 days...