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.

Pumpkins and Blue Pottery

Demo Set Up

Pumpkins and Blue Pottery Still Life

I like the blue and orange harmony with this set up and you may recognize some of the objects from another recent still life.   This was the painting that I did at the Duxbury Art Association Craft Show last week. I met lots of nice people who were interested in the painting process.
As for the show, the variety and quality of the artisans and their creations was superb.  I stood amid the sights and sounds of crowds and onlookers, as well as the aromas breads, pies, and sweet treats.   Immediately to my left was Sirenetta Seaside Chocolatier and you might know how I feel about chocolate.   Her samples enticed me to buy a box and I can personally state that this is outstanding handmade chocolate!

Yes, it was a true test of my concentration to get a painting done with all the sensory stimuli around me.  I got about eighty percent of the painting done, and then completed it from the photo reference above.

Pumpkins and Blue Pottery

Pumpkin Hugs, Mill Spool Kisses

Pumpkin Hugs, Mill Spool Kisses - Study

The Winsmith Mill in Norwood, MA is a fairly new location for the Norwood Art Association.   The grand old mill buildings house many antique shops on the first and second floors.   On the third floor is a spacious gallery area fully populated with the artwork of the anchor artists and guest artists.  The Norwood Fine Arts Gallery team has done a fantastic job transforming the space and generously provide space at the venue in advancement of the fine arts.   If you are in the Norwood area, plug 61 Endicott Street, Norwood, MA into your GPS and follow the directions to this expansive space with lots to explore.

Pumpkin Hugs, Mill Spool Kisses Final

As a guest artist for the month of November, I spent the day at the gallery last weekend and worked on the still life in this post.  It occurred to me that the shapes were X's and O's, thus the title (too corny?).   A medium sized pumpkin with a nice, long curled stem was the starring element, and a chunky, blue-gray vase that I purchased at the mill was the co-star.   I had brought several mill spools too, some of my favorite rustic props, and certainly suitable for a mill painting.   The backdrop for the set up was a corner with aged brick and original foggy, opaque windows.

I ran out of time before I could put on the finishing touches, but I did get a a reference photo to use for the last five percent.

Silk Spools with Fan

Silk Spools and Fan Stage 1

I don't ordinarily work on a square, although I really like when I see art in this format.   For a square, some say that the rule of thirds does not apply.  In other words, a composition with the center of interest in the middle should work just fine, balance on either side of a centered axis, both horizontally and vertically.  It was fun to play with this size again, since the last time I did one was the Out of the Box event through North River Arts Society last year.



Silk Spools and Fan Stage 2

The reason I was working on the square was that it was to support a silent auction.  After I completed it, I decided to enter something else instead.  I love this one. I had just attended a fantastic still life demo by Daniel Keys, so I pulled out my still life shelf and set it up with some items.   Mill spools are becoming more and more scarce and are one of my favorite pieces of Americana.   I bought the fan in Japan and actually has some splashy color on one side and neutral on the other.   I used the neutral side and in fact set up everything in neutral color so that I could improvise with the color.    The goal for this painting was use a color palette that was considered "hot" for 2013 (per a designer magazine) would interest more bidders.  

Silk Spools and Fan Final

I settled on a palette combination that has hot pink, turquoise, cobalt blue, and shades of gold.   The black lacquered vase was picking up a lot of reflections.    Winding the thread throughout the painting is a look I have used before and had fun adding again.

I'll let this sit a few days and decide if there are any other changes needed.   (maybe the blue spool is looking too flat?).   Let me know what you think too.