Haberdashery

Haberdashery

There were three big, exciting purchases that I made when I graduated from college.   A car was first; a Dodge Omni, (brand new and shiny forest green)  and, hard to believe - a mere $4800.   The second seems a little strange now that I think about it, but it was an Electrolux top-of-the-line vacuum.   I think I actually paid for that via installments.  I hardly remember, as it certainly wasn't as exciting as the automobile!   The third big purchase was a Singer sewing machine.   It was state-of-the art at the time and I remember the sales person convincing me that the embroidery wheels were so easy to use that I was going to want to use them often.    For the record, I have never used them.  :)

The car and the vacuum cleaner are long gone, but my sewing machine is as functional now as it ever was.  This truly was an investment - and still going strong.    It has been set up in my studio now for a couple of months as I worked on face masks for my loved ones.  I clustered together some of the sewing notions (a.k.a. haberdashery) attempting to arrange a pleasing composition.   My composition expert helped with it, and soon it was time to break out my paints.

Capri Meets Boston

The "Stay-At-Home" challenge was presented to artist members of the Copley Society in Boston recently.   During the long storied history of the Copley Society of Art, there have been dozens of famous artists who were connected to or displayed at this historic Society.   We were challenged to choose a painting by one of the historic artists of the past and pay tribute to their work with a new creation.

John Singer Sargent was born to American parents in Europe, where he trained, travelled and worked.  Though very active in Europe, he frequented the Boston area in the late 1800s.   Many of Sargent's murals are found in the Boston Public Library, the Museum of Fine Arts, and Harvard's Widener Library. Sargent's largest scale works are the mural decorations that grace the Boston Public Library depicting the history of religion and the gods of polytheism. He worked on the cycle for almost thirty years but never completed the final mural. Sargent drew on his extensive travels and museum visits to create a dense art collection.  The murals were restored in 2003–2004.

Rooftop

Perhaps I should have paid homage to a Boston-based work, but his paintings from Italy are my favorites.  They have a flair all their own.   I particularly like this painting by Sargent because of the fun mood and carefree summer feel.  

Little Dolls

Little Dolls

What is sweeter than a little toddler fresh out of the bath in her new pajamas and robe?   The day was a busy one for all the baby dolls and it was time to relax with a big book. 

I purposely subdued the colors and supporting elements (doll and carriage) which gave it a serene, tonalist feel.   Have you ever checked out tonalism?   The restful feel of the tonalist palette is a way of communicating emotion in a two dimensional painting.  

Pine Cone Branch

Scrub Pinecone

I love to look at all kinds of artwork and I receive some daily collections in my email.   A recent painting of a single apple grabbed my attention and reminded me that sometimes an ordinary object in thick oil paint can be so beautiful.   With a painterly touch, it can even rival a more complex or busy scene.  

During spring clean up, pine branches are everywhere - a very ordinary sight in New England.  Depicted in an oil painting, it seems much more than bland and ordinary.    This is especially true if the bright spots have pink and blue and mint and lavender!