Moose and Sailboat

2.5"x3.5"

Here's a little moose painting I did. It was one of those that just flowed- I didn't over think it. The thing is, when I'm in the 'zone' or creative energy is flowing freely through me, I can paint anything easily and effortlessly, but when I'm not, everything is so much harder and usually doesn't come out as well. It pays to be 'plugged in'.

Here's another one - it's just a miniature, but I liked how it came out. Maybe I'll do this one in a bigger size someday.

Chatham Lighthouse

Chatham Light 2.5'x3.5"

I went to Chatham today to drop off some work I'd done for Maps of Antiquity and to see Sienna's soccer game. (they tied 1-1).

Here is a map (reproduction) that I had worked on recently.

Before my hand coloring.....And after. You can buy this and many more antique maps and reproductions from Maps of Antiquity (online or in Chatham on Rt. 28. )

Well, that's about it for today. Back to work. I have more antique steel and woodcut prints to color from a dealer across the country. And that's what I'm doing on a Friday night.
(I hope you are having more fun than me!)

**Just for the record, I am very grateful to have the work!

Great News!!

2.5"x3.5"

I'm so happy!!!!!! My motorcycle is up and running once again! It turns out the main fuse had blown- so for only $2.49 it was all fixed. Ahhhh I am so relieved. I thought it was going to be faulty wiring and cost me a fortune to get fixed. And what better day for it to be up and running because it was about 64 degrees out!
I jumped on, filled the tank, and took off towards Orleans. Route 6A was beautiful with all the autumn leaves hanging over the winding road. I rode until my back hurt, then I got off to stretch just in time to hear my phone ring. It was the oil burner service man- he was at my house and I was supposed to be there to let him in. Whoops! Oh well. He came back a little later and everything worked out perfectly (as it always does).
*That's an affirmation in case you can't tell- "everything works out perfectly". I say it often, and you know what? Everything DOES work out perfectly- in divine order. Life is good. Today- life was GREAT!
Oh and I just finished some nice paintings (aceo miniatures) like the one above. I thought this one was fitting for my little story today because of the road in it. See them on Ebay today....
http://stores.ebay.com/Cape-Cod-Artist

Fall Photo's

Just some random photo's from the fall. Sienna and Qena....15 and 1....

Sunrise in the graveyard....what a beautiful day and the trees were so vibrant!Brielle making apple crisp and apple brownies at Auntie Grethe's....
Sienna and I in the back seat of Grandmom's car....

I'd say the Cape is at it's peak for fall foliage. The Maple trees are fiery yellow, orange and red. The Oak trees (which are more prevalent here, are yellow and brown for the most part).

Happy me, out in nature.
The weather has been so nice the past couple of days- in the low 60's! I just wish it could stay like this all year, but we all know that as soon as those last leaves fall from the trees, the long, cold winter sets in. So, I'm savoring these last few precious moments of warmth and sunshine.

Amazing Angel Paintings

I have been feeling like painting angels lately- I mean really feeling it- like I just want to drop everything and paint angels!

8"x10"

I've talked to a few of my recent (angel) customers and I've heard the stories of where these angels are going. My heart goes out to all of them but I'm also really happy that these angels are going where they were intended to go. It is my belief that each angel makes it's way to whomever it is supposed to be going to, whether they get it as a gift, or it is for the person that purchased it.
2.5"x3.5"

Here's a different one, check out these colors! I never would have thought to use browns to paint angels with, but....the angels told me otherwise!

8"x10"

I love LOVE how I don't labor over these paintings. They just flow out of me and I don't even think when I'm painting them. Then when I'm finished painting, I feel so energized. It's such a different feeling. No wonder why I want to paint angels all the time!

I had to show you this one. I painted the background, let it dry, then took a brush loaded with off white paint and in just a few strokes - look what came out! It's pretty neat when you realize that I don't even have a plan about what I'm going to paint when I put the brush to the paper.

You can see these and other angels in my Ebay store right now. http://stores.ebay.com/Cape-Cod-Artist

New Marsh Painting (large)

1'x3'
I just finished this painting and I'm not sure what to name it yet. If you have any good ideas email them to me -for ANY of my paintings for that matter. (bretenb@yahoo.com) I seem to use up all my creativity in the painting process so when it comes to naming them...ugh.
I also paint at least 30- 40 miniature paintings a month and I name all of them, so......can you see why I'm fresh out of clever names?
Anyway, I'm pleased with how this one came out. It's on 3 separate canvases that each measure 12"x12". (I don't think this photo does it justice though.) It was kind of tough painting the three canvases because they wouldn't fit on my easel so I spread them across my desk and worked that way then every time I needed a fresh perspective, I had to carefully move all three wet canvases to another location so I could see them from further away. Back and forth, back and forth. Finally I just started bringing a loaded brush over to the paintings instead of moving them back. Next time I'll rig something on my easel so they'll all fit, but I was just too into the painting to think about HOW to do it easily.

Well it's Saturday evening and I spent the day with Brielle up at her college. Well, not really AT the college, we actually went to the mall then had lunch. I had such a nice day just being with her. Now it will be 2 whole weeks before I see her again. I miss my sweet lamby when she's away at school, what can I say?
:)

Painting of flooded beach road

Sienna, her boyfriend and I took a walk down at Crow's Pasture (conservation land, and drive out beach in Dennis). The road to the beach was temporarily closed due to high tide. The marsh was so high it made a huge uncrossable puddle- and made a beautiful opportunity for a painting! I loved the blue reflection of the sky against the brown sand and all the variations of greens in the background. I couldn't wait to get home and do a painting. This is the the study of it- in ACEO form (2.5x3.5"). I just added the fence for interest, it wasn't really there.

This is the completed painting measuring 18"x24"x1.5". I am very happy with how it turned out. I'd say it was even a bit dramatic but I that's what I was going for.

Wild Visitors

The other day I looked out my font window and saw quite a site! Three Turkeys on my lawn looking for something tasty.



These big beautiful birds used to be quite rare on the Cape. In fact, I don't think I ever saw one as a kid growing up here, but now they seem to be everywhere. There's a whole flock of them that hung out at my daughter's high school so she used to see them all the time from the classroom window. For me on the other hand, it was a wonderful treat to see them- and in my own yard no less!

After a while of pecking at my unkempt lawn (I've been sick so I haven't mowed it in a while) they settled down for a rest right there by the road, knowing full well that Brielle and I were watching them from about 10 feet away. Oh and my cats were kind of freaking out when they saw them. They didn't know what to make of these HUGE birds- like: should I stalk them? Or are they stalking me? Hmmm

Cranberry Harvesting

It's Cranberry Harvesting time. I did this little piece last week. It's hard to resist painting those rich reds of the cranberries.

This one of the well maintained bogs across from the Cape Cod Tech High School. I wasn't the only one who stopped to take photos! There were people walking all around the bog taking pictures and you could buy the freshly picked cranberries in the warehouse. After they flood the bog, these machines dislodge the cranberries or 'pick them', then since cranberries have lots of air in them, they float to the top of the water. Later they reel them in with a floating barrier like my painting above. It's pretty neat to watch the whole process but sometimes it takes several days. The next time I went by the bog it was totally dry and it looked perfectly 'manicured' so I missed the actual harvesting part.

If you've never seen cranberry harvesting it's worth checking out. It's our main 'crop' here on the Cape- even though we don't really consider the Cape as being farm land.

Outer Space Koi

That's kind of what I thought when I painted my latest painting.... 'Koi swimming freely in the Universe'. I know, my mind works in strange ways, but there's just something about painting Koi fish.... They're so relaxing to watch and paint. I almost feel like they are a representative of my own soul swimming or even flying around unencumbered, weightless and free. Ahhhhhh

This painting came out spontaneously- no thinking, no laboring over what to do or how to do it. I love those kinds of paintings! And I dove into my favorite colors of paint (note; the original has more purple in it than this photo shows- and we all know how much I LOVE purple!)

Now that I'm finished, I wish I had done it bigger. This painting is done on 2 canvases each one measuring 11"x14", so it's roughly 1'x2' on the wall. I can visualize it being at least 3X's that size, maybe I'll do another one in the future.

Baseball Paintings

I FINALLY got around to doing some baseball paintings that I had intended to do in the early summer. Actually, I was going to do a large one, but that stilllll hasn't happened. (I guess you can tell baseball is not MY passion.)

Although I have to say, I enjoyed doing these tiny renderings (they are only the size of a baseball card). You know, something different. I paint so many paintings a month that I actually get bored sometimes if I don't mix it up a little. I took these reference photo's at a Cape Cod Baseball League's game (Yarmouth/Dennis vs Harwich?) and the players were very friendly and didn't mind having their pictures taken.

http://stores.ebay.com/Cape-Cod-Artist

Fall Leaves

Here are a few fall photo's courtesy of my daughter, Sienna. She took these in Vermont last weekend. Here on the Cape it's still green as can be.

I'm not going to write much today- still recovering....

Lighthouse Collage

I'm getting ready to sell some smaller items at the Cape Cod Art Assn. upstairs gallery. I had this nutty idea of combining an antique map with one of my aceo's (miniature painting) and this is what I came up with. I kind of like it!
So much so, that I did several different lighthouses with corresponding maps.

I also have the Sacrifice Art Sale coming up this Sat. at the Creative Arts Center in Chatham. I have some interesting idea's for that too.

As for right now I'm headed to the couch to veg out. I caught the awful bug/cold/flu that Sienna had, you know, constant coughing, sore throat, stuffy nose, fever, achy all over...I'm sooo hoping that Brielle doesn't come down with it too. She's taking some heavy duty college courses this year and can't afford to miss anything. Anyway, I have to stay up for Desperate Housewives tonight. Ugh, that might be tough but hopefully it'll be worth it. You know I'm addicted. Wish me luck, and good health!