Copper Paintings by Renee Lammers

"Cadillac Mountain Spruce Trees at Twilight" 4x8 oil on copper panel. 300$  Framed in light gold wood.  Shipped!

     I drove to Acadia to watch the waves at Sand Beach.  Unfortunately there were no waves.  There was no wind either which made painting on top of Cadillac Mountain an excellent choice!  I headed there right away and set up to paint. 



     Here is a close up of my spruce trees.  They were backlight by the sun.  I liked all of the purples and oranges!  I listened to James Taylor today.  I had the entire mountain to myself.  It was a very nice day!



     Here is a cave called "Anemone Cave".  It is located by Schooner Head.  It used to be on all of the Acadia National Park maps.  But at low tide tourist would climb down into the cave and damage wild life living in this cave.  I am sure there might have been a few injuries too.  So now it is kept off all maps.  I discovered this cave after reading an article in a 1960's magaine about Acadia. 













     Some nice photos of people at Sand Beach. 

     Have a great night!  Get out and paint!  I might paint at the Blue Hill Fair tomorrow!

"Sunlit Wave" 6x12 oil on copper 450$ Framed in light gold wood.  Shipped!

     All night long last night I was thinking about painting a few seascapes today!  I got up this morning to find a package from one of the ladies who attended the plein aire retreat.  It was a seascape book called, "Manet and the sea" by Wilson-Bareau and Degener.  The book has seascapes from The Art Institue of Chicago, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.  I studied the seascapes by Monet, Manet, Gustave Courbet, and more painters.  I liked Johan Barhold Jongkind's paintings of the sea.  There was also a thank you note from the lady.  How nice!  Thank you  Sharron B! 

     Isn't it a coincidince I was planning on painting seascapes today and a seascape book came?  Once I was sitting there stumped a long time ago wondering what colors I should paint a yellow sunflower in the shadows.  I couldn't figure out if it would be a dark orange or a blue?  A fed ex truck came, the man knocked on my door, and delivered books I had ordered.  Amongst these books was a free book sent by the company.  One of the first chapters discussed how to paint shadows for a yellow object!

     Here is a close up of 'Sunlit Wave".



    I think this wave painting is pretty good.   I worked really hard on this wave.  I hope it is good.  The colors are nice!



"Sand Beach Breaker" 8x12 oil on copper 450$ Framed in light gold and shipped.  I was hard working today!  I was very inspired by the Sand Beach Hurricane Irene waves yesterday.  I need more practice working from wave photos to go out and plein aire waves on the spot. 



     Here is the breaker close up.  It is a lot of fun to paint seascapes. I love the colors of water.  I love all of the water movement.



     Here are my goofy dogs, Daisy and Duke.  Duke is in the foreground.  They were fun today!  Daisy looked over each of Robert's tomatoes outside before deciding on the most ripe one.  They cornered a baby chipmunk under the giant propane tank.  He escaped unharmed. 

     Have a great night!  Get out and paint! 

     A blog reader who is a Texas Painter wrote me a private note suggesting I place a white highlight near the seagull's eye.  I took a look at a book I have called, "Gulls, Ravens And a Vulture-The Ornithological paintings of James Wyeth" by Chris Cosman.  Jamie Wyett does an amazing job on birds.  He does put a highlight near the iris of the seagull's eye.  It creates a wet eye look.  Now I am happier with my seagull.  I hope you are too Texas!  Thanks by the way.



    Here is a photo of a 100 foot tree that fell on top of my car.  Robert was able to cut a few branches this morning and drive the car out.  You can see were my car was.  Daisy and Duke inspect.  Amazing my car is fine!



     Daisy and Duke inspect the roots of the fallen tree.  Daisy climbed down into the hole and laid into the mud puddle.  She is all dog!



    I drove to Acadia National Park to take wave photos!  I hiked all day.  Here are a few shots!  These waves were huge.















    I hope you liked this!  Have a great night!  Get out and paint! 

"Nesting" 5x7 oil on copper. 350$ Framed in an elegant light gold wood and shipped free!

     Today Hurricane Irene came to Maine.  I always get nervous about high wind condtions. The hurricane was only a tropical storm when it finally arrived here.  I painted all day in anticipation!  Here is my day's effort.  I worked about 7 hours on this small painting.  I worked from a computer monitor from a photo I took this June on Monhegan Island. 



      Here is a close up of the head of the seafull.  My goal was to capture the eye correctly.  I may still need to work more on the eye.  The eye is very small so it is difficult!  I don't paint impasto although it may look as if I do.  The copper panel is so smooth is shows every brushstroke.  If I was to glaze my hand over the dried work, you would just feel a smooth surface.  I don't want to build up too much paint on a copper panel.  I do think giving my dried paintings a coat of galkyd seals the work.  I have tried to sand off one of these galkyd copper paintings.  It took me a half an hour to break through the surface.  The galkyd dries like glass.  I also scratched a car key really hard over a painting that was scrapped.  No mark was made.  That galkyd is tough stuff!



     Here is my computer monitor with a photo on the screen.  I drew the image onto my copper panel after I sanded down the copper.  I usually wipe off most of the felt tip pen.  There is just a ghost of this image to work with.  I have used Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow Light, Cadmium Red Light, Cobalt Blue, and Ultramarine Blue for this painting.  This is a four color limited pallete.  Titanium White is not classified as a color.  I use a plastic palette with gray palette paper to mix paints on.  I do like this.  I can cover the palette and use the oil paints the next day.  I don't use a lamp.  I have natural light coming in from the sunroom. 



     Here are my two companions today, Daisy on the left, and Duke on the floor.  They come up to be petted throughout the day while I paint.  They once barked at me when they were younger if I painted more than an hour.  They are more patient now. 

    The tropical storm was at it's peak at 6:00pm.  The winds blew a large backyard tree down.  The tree landed on my car.  Robert and I saw the tree crash.  The tree is about six foot around.  The tree was over 100 foot tall.   So guess what the tree hit?  My car!  Yes, that is right, my car.  Robert and I investigated.  There seems to be branches all over completely covering the entire car.  But branches that would have dented the car broke off right before they hit my car.  So I have small branches with a lot of leaves completely covering my car without doing any damage that we can see. Basically it looks like the top of the tree is hovering above the car.   It is a miracle.  The airstreams look to be not hit.  My car will not be able to be used until the tree is cut into pieces.   We lost electric for a few hours.  We sat in the dark talking.  Now the electric is back on!  Yeah!  

      I hope you survived Hurricane Irene.  Now get out and paint! Looks like great weather ahead!

    Last night Daisy and Duke received an icecream cone for a painting sale at Smart Gallery!  They loved this of course!



     Here I am at Sears Island looking for mussels with Daisy.  She was a trying to help.  I wish I could have trained her when she was younger to retrieve mussels!  I am sure she and Duke would have been great at this. 



    Daisy was curious.  I didn't find even one mussel!



  Robert was taking these photos.  I was working really hard looking for mussels!  As you can tell, I had my haircut today!  I only have this done once a year!  So it was fun.



    I only found opened mussels. 



     I think Daisy and Duke enjoyed me also being in the water!



     I like this photo.  I don't have many photos with Daisy and Duke!



     We certainly did have fun today!  I don't paint everyday!  I did open my gallery for eight ladies to see my work.  I served them cappacino, hot tea, and decaf coffee.  We had  two different types of cakes and chocolate covered cheesecakes!  It was so much fun!     

     Tomorrow I will paint!  I hope everyone prepares for the hurricane that needs too!  Otherwise, please paint! 
   

  "Jessup Trail" 5x7 350$ Sold today at Smart Gallery in Northeast Harbor on Mount Desert Island.  I stopped in to say hello to Gail Cleveland.  She is a down to earth and fun lady to talk to. She really helped me today sell one of my paintings!  Thanks Gail!  A client came in to pick up some newly framed work.  She introduced us and asked me to bring down a couple of paintings to show him.  So I showed him a seagull and the Jessup Trail painting.  He is an major art collector. I do so love major art collectors!   He loved the Jessup Trail painting and added it to his collection.  What luck!  Daisy and Duke will celebrate tomorrow night with icecream.  I will take a few photos to show you how they celebrate a painting sale! 



    I drove around Acadia National Park.  The park was full of people everywhere.  There were almost too many people around to plein aire paint!  The winds were at least 30mph in some places.  I took photos and hiked today!  What a lovely day to do this.  Look at these photos.  I can see how Monet painted a lot of these scenes.









    Eagle lake



People enjoying Sand Beach.  The man had a kite!



    There was so much activity on Sand Beach.  I must paint here someday!  It would be fun!

 



    Here is my sweet Daisy last night.  She loves her bed.  Have a great night!  Thank you for the painting sale!  Yahooo!

     Now I must get out and paint!  I am inspired again.

"Cherry Tree at Asticou Gardens" 8x10 Oil on copper.  450$



"Magical Day at Cathedral Woods" 8x10 450$



"Bar Harbor" 6x6 oil on copper 350$ sold






"The White Lilies" 6x6 oil on copper 350$ 



"Koi" 6x6 oil on copper 350$



"Queen Anne's Lace and Raspberries" 6x6 oil on copper 350$ 



"The Goosebump House" 6x6 oil on copper 350$



"The Little White House" 6x6 oil on copper 350$ 






"Monhegan Sunset" 6x6 oil on copper 350$


"Monhegan Chicken Coop" 6x6 oil on copper 350$

     Here are ten newly framed paintings!  I have 8 ladies visiting my gallery, Lammers Gallery, on Friday afternoon.  How exciting!  I will make use of my new dining table which seats 10!  I shall serve them all hot tea and coffee with cakes and cookies!  They all live nearby at Sandy Point.  Several of these ladies are art collectors of mine.  It will be nice to visit with them at the same time!  How fun.  I have 8 antique hats I may offer them to wear if they feel like being silly! 

     I have decided to paint nearby my house this week using only my bicycle for transportation.  Tomorrow will be my first bicycle to my painting spot day!  How exciting.  I hope to find new places to paint close by.  I think this should be a great way to get exercise and paint!  I couldn't do this biking idea.  I was too afraid to cross US Route 1 with my bike.  I am a whimp.

    Bike to your painting spot if you are brave. Get out and paint!

"Along Acadia" 8x10 oil on copper.  450$ framed in light gold wood and shipped!  sold

     I thought I would show you a few of my available to purchase paintings.  All of my paintings are available for you to see at the top of this page.  Click on Paintings.  If you click on the painting image, it will enlarge.  You will also see a "buy it now" button.  You can pay with pay pal.  But if you would rather send me a check or payments, you can give me a call at (207) 479-9553.  I would love to hear from you.  Daisy and Duke are still enjoying an ice cream treat with each painting sales.  They had ice cream tonight for a celebration of a painting sold recently.  They get a little crazy when there is no ice cream.  They just don't understand why they can't have ice cream each night!

  "Bee on Hollyhock" 3x5 oil on copper.  300$   This painting is framed in light gold wood.  I really like this painting.  For such a tiny painting it has zing!Sold.



"Goosebump House" 6x6 oil on copper 350$ framed in light gold.  Lupines and daisys and buttercups growing around this beautiful white house on a beautiful Spring day!



"Going For A Walk" 6x6 oil on copper 350$ framed in light gold wood.  I love the spirit of this golden retriever.  She was beautiful.  Her name was Lily!



     "Mums and Pumpkins" 8x10 oil on copper 350$ framed in brown wood.  Shipped free.  Just in time for Autumn!  It is a tradition here for people to purchase mums and pumpkins for their porches. 

     I washed my oil painting brushes! I had to toss some of these brushes away.  They had very little hair.  I remember the first 6 months I started to plein air, I painted each day until I had no hair on my brush!  Literally I was painting with a soften tip of a metal ferule of the brush.  I had wondered why my paintings had become impasto.  My friend pointed to my brush and asked where did the hair go?  I guess this is a common problem amongst beginner painters. It is a good idea to break out new brushes.  It makes painting so much easier!  I also changed my gamsol.  It was like mud.  I should refresh my gamsol each week-not once a month.  

     I think I shall paint tomorrow!  I hope it is a sunny day!  You should get out and paint too.  

  "Pink" 4x4 250$ Framed in light gold wood and shipped free.  Love the feeling of this rose!   

  Here is my disastrous painting effort today!  I drove to Sand Beach to paint these beautiful birch trees.  I disliked my efforts today.  So I wiped off my copper panel. 



     This is the scene I was trying to paint.  What a nightmare.  A complete painting nightmare!  I am not even going to think about this stand of birch tonight.  It conquered me!



     It was a beautiful day at Sand Beach.  I should have put on my swimsuit and enjoyed myself.  Oh well.  Painting is difficult.  I don't end up with a painting everyday. 



    On a lighter note:  Here is Daisy and Duke admiring Robert's tomato garden this morning.  At first they were each just admiring the tomatoes.  Daisy decided to test one of the ripe red ones.  Duke is too well mannered to do this.  He just watched.



     We have plenty of tomatoes.  Robert doesn't mind if Daisy eats a few.  She had three. 



    Duke was cleaning up the tomato juice left behind Daisy's tomato feast!



Delicious!



     After three ripe tomatoes, Daisy moved on to Robert's new Plum tree.  There is only one Plum.  She thought about eating the Plum.  I am not sure what stopped her! 



     I do love to watch them in the morning before I go off for the day to paint.  They are funny.  I wonder how many other golden retrievers eat tomatoes and rumage through a garden in search of things to eat? 

      Here is a quote from "Hensche On Painting" by John W. Robichaux.  "Art can make life beautiful.  Believe me, it is worth the effort to achieve the highest level of seeing that you are capable of achieving." 

    Get out and paint.  You may want to pull out a few hand fulls of hair somedays, but for the most part, I think it is a good thing to do. 

                 
  
"Birch and Spruce Tree at Sand Beach" 6x12 oil on copper  Sold today!

     Today I drove to Mount Desert Island to paint at Sand Beach.  I admired the Birch Trees near Sand Beach.  You can see a little bit of the icy blue green ocean sparkling through these trees. I decided to not paint one of the birch trees infront of the Spruce.  My eye kept going back and forth between these two prominent birch trees.  Painters call this one for each eye.  It is a good idea to only paint one tree.  The Spruce tree was dark and made a nice backdrop for my lighter color Birch tree.   I sat down in a beach chair because I injured my foot on rocks a few weeks ago.  People could walk up and look over the fence at me painting.  I had a business cards and postcards for them to take.  Kids were at eye level with me.  They could really see my painting.  It was fun listening to their comments.  

     As my painting was finished I met a family who really loved this painting.  The man asked how much it was.  I told him the price.  He said he didn't have that much cash on him.  I told him I do take credit cards.  He asked me how he could transport a wet painting.  I suggested I put the wet oil painting inside of a pizza box with a piece of tape to hold the painting in place.  He loved this idea.  He owns a gallery and frame shop in New Jersey.  He was waiting for the perfect painting to take home.  He was glad he discovered this painting.  He was smiling!  His wife and kids all loved it too.  I handed over the pizza box with lid shut.  He put it in his car!  I waved goodbye! 

      In the Acadia National Park there is no commercial activity allowed.  So how can a painter take a sale?  Give the client the painting.  Take the payment information.  Then later outside of the park run the credit card.  When the payment is made the sale is complete.  Or a painter could mail the painting to the client after the payment information was exchanged.  They could also pay for the painting via this website.  I am allowed to hand out cards, postcards, and brochures to tourists.  I can give them paintings.  I could probably take a donation while I was painting.  I enjoy painting in this park.  The people are nice.

     I came home to find Daisy, my golden retriever, with yellow stains on her forehead.  My first thought was Daisy had gotten herself into some yellow paint.  I looked around and all I could see different inside of the house was a missing giant peach!  Ah ha!  Miss Daisy has put herself on a raw diet.  Robert claimed she also took a ripe tomato off the tomato plant outside.  Daisy had a giant peach and tomato for dinner!  Duke seems to prefer his normal diet.  He is too well mannered to swipe fruit. 

      I think I will paint at Sand Beach tomorrow.  It is the best place to paint!  The salt air and cool breeze can't be beat.

      Here is another quote from the book, "Hensche on Painting" by John W. Robiachaux.  "You must rely on your judgement as to the color you will introduce into each area.  You are an explorer, hoping to strike oil.  It is like being in a boat, trying to anchor yourself to something solid." 

     Get out and paint!  Be an explorer, hoping to strike oil!

  "Schoodic Spuce Tree" 6x12  350$  Oil on copper panel.  Framed in light gold wood and shipped for free!  sold.

     I decided to paint at Schoodic today in Acadia National Park.  I have never painted in this park before.  I found a nice quiet spot in the shade.  I admired a tall Spruce tree with a million dollar view!  Goldenrod grew in the foreground.  Fog rolled in.  It was a nice Summer afternoon. 

  Here is a close up of the top of the Spruce for you to see!



    I saw these two snowgeese swimming in Schoodic area.  What a beautiful scene!



     Here is a photo with the snowgeese in the water.  Now I can see there may have been many snowgeese there!  Love the fog.



    "Chickadees at Craigs Pond" 8x10 oil on copper 450$ Framed in light gold wood and shipped! 

      After I finished my tree painting, I brought out yesterday's painting.  I added a few more leaves.  There were a few branches that were driving me crazy.  I fixed the painting.  My chickadees stand out more now.  I wanted to paint more chickadees in my tree painting today.  I decided I had better not have birds in all of my tree paintings. 

    Duke is back to his healthy self today!  He was happy this morning.  He even jumped on my bed to greet me!  He played outside with Daisy.  He must not be hurting anymore.  So glad his aliment went away.  I am lucky Daisy and Duke are healthy. 

     I have been reading "Hensche On Painting" by John W. Robichaux.  There are a few passages that just boggle my mind!  Here is one:  "The colors on a gray day are brighter.  Most people think it is the opposite, that a sunny day should be painted with bright colors.  You may start with them, but you will never get the illusion of distance and aerial perspective if you hold them in the raw state. "    

      Pretty interesting book.   

     Get out and paint!

"Chickadees at Alamoosook Lake" 8x10 oil on copper 450$ framed in light gold wood and shipped free!

     I drove to Alamoosook Lake near my house to paint these birch trees.  I added a few chickadees to the painting on location.  I wished there had been some chickadees to paint.  Luckily I can do this from memory!  I draw lots of chickadees at home using photos.  Now I can paint in a chickadee any time I'd like!



     Robert was home early today so we decided to Kyak!  Here we are on Alamoosook Lake where I painted today.  It is a very large lake.    Here are a few scenes we saw today.



     We saw these little birds on a little rock island in the middle of the pond.  One bird had a fish as you can see.  All the other birds seemed to be chirping.  I think they were hoping he might let them have his fish?  I don't know what kind of little birds they are.



     Here are a few more of these birds.  They too were crying out for the fish the one bird had caught.



    There were a few homes or log cabins on this lake. 



    Loved the crystal clear water!



    We stopped at a little island. 



     Two loons came very close to our kyak.  This was great!  They have red eyes.  Robert says the loons can't walk on land.  Their leggs won't support their big bodies.  So they lay on shore or swim!



    Another loon shot!  They have their Summer plumage right now.  During the Winter they turn more gray and loose their spots.



     Cute little duck family sitting on a log!  This duck was so cute!



     Duke, my golden retriever is doing Ok.  He didn't come to see me this morning.  He just layed down on the floor outside of my room.  When I came home from painting, Daisy greeted me, but not Duke.  Hope he will be back to normal again soon.  It doesn't seem like he is in any kind of pain.  He is still taking steroids each day.  

     It is lovely outside.  Let's paint!

"Coco and Milley" 6x6 oil on copper panel.  Sold.  350$

     A month ago, one of my clients asked me to paint her house by the sea.  I drove to Stockton Springs.  I was struck by the million dollar view!  Amazing ocean lined with tall white birch trees.  Suprisinly she wanted me to paint the back of her home!   

     I drew out four or five sketches for her to look at.  She chose this composition.  Then I set up to paint for a few hours.   I painted some more yesterday looking at a few photos.  I wanted to add her two dogs, Coco and Milley to the foreground.  This was a difficult house to paint because it was three stories tall.  When I developed the photograph of this house the perspective was so strong.  It was impossiblet to get an attractive photo of the back of the home.  A person would have to get back 200 yards to get an angle to make the home look good. Somehow this would be impossible.   All of the vertical lines of the home slanted in so greatly it just looked odd. But a painter like I could use some artistic tricks to make a good painting!

     So I decided to paint it without all of the strong slanted lines.  I had to do sort of a folk art take on the home to make it look like a fun place to be! 



     These two dogs, Milley and Coco, are only an inch in size in the painting.  I literally painted them in 15 strokes of the brush!  I think they will be happy!  This is their Summer home.  They don't spend much time here so now the painting will remind them of their Summer vacation days. 

     Robert was home early today.  We took Duke and Daisy to a beautiful park at a Salmon fishery in Orland.  There are amazing trails along Alamoosook Lake.  Duke was doing fine swimming and hiking!  He acted completely healed! 

      I have decided I need to do a few paintings at this park.  There are beautiful white birches lining this lake.  Tomorrow is suppose to be a sunny day! I will go paint at this lake. 

     Have a great night.  Get out and paint!

    Here is a blueberry field in Orland, Maine.  There is Queen Anne's Lace in the foreground!



     A closer look at blueberry pickers!  There use an aluminum rake.





     I met this pig and family in Stockton Springs.  He lives in a very nice house by the sea.  His family says he is very smart.



     They were taking him for a walk.





     Duke is recooperating!  I stay at home so he can go outside every two hours.  He drinks a lot of water because of the steroids.  I am hoping he will be back to his normal self soon.  I don't think he will have to go back to the vet.  His eyes and ears are the same level and size.  So the facial paralysis has gone away.  He is avoiding horseplaying with Daisy! 

     The weather is great here!  Looks like I will be home for a few more days.  Enjoy this weather and get out and paint!

     Here is a photo of Duke before he became sick.  Today I woke up and opened my bedroom door.  I was so happy to see both dogs, Daisy and Duke waiting for me!  I let them in my room.  Duke and Daisy sat there and I petted them.  Normally Duke will jump onto my bed and sit with me.  Today he didn"t.  Infact I turned around after opening my shades to find Duke gone!  He was in the hall way laying down.  I looked at his face.  He had used all of his energy to visit with me this morning. 

     I stayed home today.  I took Duke outside for short walks without his using the stairs.  He ate his breakfast.  Then I was very quite while he slept all day.  My painter friend Lucia Deleiris came to visit.  While she was here, another plein aire painter from St. Augustine, Florida came to visit too, Charles Dickinson.  Somehow I didn't hear the door being knocked so I missed out on seeing Charles.  Here are both of their websites.  www.luciadeleiris.com and www.charlesdickinson.net   I am lucky to have these two great painters as friends. 

     Here are a few photos of Monhegan Island during my recent visit in July.



    The world famous Fishbeach!  The second fishhouse is called The Oar House.  I hope to rent this house this Summer for a month.  I am working on all of the logistics.  I have two other painters who will share the cost.  I hope this happens.  To be on Monhegan Island for a month during the Summer...a dream!



    Here is an island near Monhegan Island called Manana Island.  There is a cow living on this island, as you can see from the photo.  I was amazed to see the cow to close to the edge!  There are several goats living with the cow.   This cow is so cute.  He has beautiful white curly hair.



    Monhegan Island Hollyhocks.



    Here is the red house at Swim Beach.  Would be fun to rent the red house but at 2100$ a week, I just can't imagine this happening!  The Oar House is in a great location. 

     Duke is doing better today!  His eyes are the same size.  His ears are the same level.  So the facial paralysis seems to have been temporary.  I think he did injure his neck somehow.  I don't think his situation is life threatening.  I do hope he fully recovers. 

     I have been asked by Coco Vivo Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay, Maine to do a demo in the center of town.  If Duke is well enough I will head to Boothbay for the demo.  I will take photos of course!  Till tomorrow then.  I think you should get out and paint too!

     Duke was not acting right yesterday.  He kept hiding under the dining table.  He was hungry.  But when he went to eat his dinner, he hesitated.  He acted as if it was hard for him to open his mouth.  He did eat.  Then he ran off hiding under the table again.  I took him to the emergency vet hospital last night. 

     The vet gave Duke an examination.  He said a few of his lymph glands were swollen around his neck.  He did say they were not hard.  Duke didn't have a fever.  He gave him a pain pill for the night. 

     I made an appointment with the vet today at 4pm.  Duke did eat his breakfast.  He laid down outside under a chair.  I have never seen him do this.  Then inside he hid under the table again.  I decided to take him to the beach for an hour before his vet appointment.  He did fine at the beach.  He did his normal things there.  Looking for minnows.  He didn't want to come back to the car but he was tired walking back. 

     At the vet appointment, the vet noticed some facial paralysis.  Duke's right eye is smaller.  Duke's right ear is drooping some.  When the vet tried to open Duke's mouth, Duke yiped.  He then said he thought Duke had some head trama!  I couldn't think of any injury Duke had this last week.  He said Daisy and Duke may have headbutted each other.  He asked about the chewy toys Duke had.  He said sometimes a dog can hurt his jaw chewing.  He gave Duke a shot of cortizone.  The vet said Duke's gland were not swollen at all. 

     When I got home from the vet, Duke didn't want to walk up the stairs.  He hid under the stairway for an hour.  Robert came home to see Duke.  I saw a few spiders climbing on Duke so I put a leash on him.  I got him out from under the stairs.  He couldn't or wouldn't climb the stairs into our house.  He walked through the front door.  He entered the house.  He stood there.  He didn't recognize where he was. He looked confused.   I called to him to come over to the couch.  He recognized me and climbed onto the couch.  I sure hope Duke improves.  He didn't want any dinner.  I have never seen Duke act this way.  

     I think I will check on him through out the night.  Maybe I can get him to eat a few small bits of dog food.  

     Daisy is just a happy little dog.  She is very playful.  She is letting Duke have his space.  I hope Duke is back to normal tomorrow!  Have a great night.  Say a prayer for Duke.  He is such a great dog.  He is a good friend.

     

      Here is my painting, "Elephants" done at the age of 7.  As you can see I was a careful little artist!  I have been taking a break from painting plein aire today as it was raining!  Rainy days are great for recharging.  I am cooking up a pot of fresh greenbeans, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, with extra firm tofu!  Nothing like a lot of fresh vegetables to get a painter back outside working. 


Have a great night!  Get out and paint. 

      Here are a few photos from my recent trip to Monhegan Island.  It was a beautiful day!











     I painted today but wiped it off.  Tomorrow is always another day!  Get out and paint.  You will feel fanastic.

      Here I am at age 9 with my brother Jim at age 7.  This is the only photo I have of Pierre, my Siamese cat.    I also had a siamese cat, Fee Fee.  Unfortunately I don't have any photos of her.  Pierre and Fee Fee were beautiful and fun Siamese cats given to Jim and I as Christmas presents by our Uncle Bill.  I spent a lot of time with my two cats walking through forests, dressing them in doll clothes, and bike riding. 

     One hot Summer day, I saw Pierre looking out the window longing to be out there.  I decided to take Pierre for a bike ride.  I brought him outside and set him into my bike basket.  But he ran away.  So I captured him and put him into a brown paper grocrey bag.  I put this grocrey bag into the basket.  I had to keep one hand on the opening of the bag so Pierre wouldn't escape.  The first of our bike rides Pierre fought hard inside the bag but gradually he began to relax.  When I would return home, opened the paperbag, Pierre looked like he had been sleeping.  This took many bike rides.

      I decided Pierre would be relaxed enough to enjoy a bike ride without being trapped in the bag.  At first I just let his head stick out of the bag.  Then later after many days of training Pierre how to ride in the basket, I let him sit in the paperbag with complete freedom. 

      Pierre and I would go off for long bike rides.  He grew confident and loved bike riding.  I took him everywhere.  Neighbors watering their lawns would smile as we rode by.  By now Pierre was very confident bike passenger.  He put his front feet on the handlebars.  He stuck his head up high.  Wind blew through his hair.  He let his tail flap in the breese high.  I remember sometimes his tail would hit me in the face.  I remember Pierre absolutely loving the bike rides. I would take Fee Fee for bike rides too by herself.  There was not enough room for two cats in my basket. 

    One day while we were out riding the bike.  Pierre was doing his thing.  He had his front feet spread out!  His back legs still in the paperbag.  His ears fluttering a little in the wind.  His tail acting like a rudder for balance.  We were flying down a hill.  Then we were climbing a hill.  We had slowed down a little.  A squirrell crossed the road right infront of us.  This was too exciting for Pierre.  He jumped out and ran after the squirrell. 

     He chased the squirrell up the tree.  I called out to Pierre to come down.  I called and called him till the lady who owned the house came out.  She tried to call Pierre too.  Finally I asked her to keep an eye out for Pierre.  I told her I needed to go get my other cat.  I explained Pierre didn't know how to climb down a tree.  Fee Fee, my other Siamese cat needed to show him.  Each time Pierre was stuck in the tree, in the end, it was always Fee Fee guiding Pierre out of the tree.  The lady sort of smiled.  I think she tried hard not to laugh at me.  After all, I was just a little girl giving her cat a bike ride. 

     I jumped on my bike and went home.  I grabbed Fee Fee, put her in the paper bag, rode her on the bike to where Pierre was stuck in the tree.  I probably remember this whole story so well because I remember being a little stressed out. I loved those cats and didn't want to loose them! 

     I arrived at the house.  The lady was faithfully keeping an eye on Pierre.  Pierre by now was very unhappy stuck in the tree.  The squirrell long ago had run off.  He couldn't get down. He was meowing very loudly.  Siamese have very loud meows.   I let Fee Fee out of the bag.  She ran up in the tree with Pierre.  The lady and I were standing under the tree watching them.  She said, "Now I have two cats in my tree.".  She was still smiling so it was fine.  I asked the lady if she had any crackers.  The lady produced a box.  I shook it a few times.  A few other neighbors and kids gathered around.  They all knew the story.  We were all yelling for Fee Fee and Pierre to come down.  Finally two hours later as it was getting dark, both came down.  Fee Fee came down first, then quickly after Pierre came down too.  I put them in the paper bag and drove them home.  The lady waved goodbye!  I never ever gave Fee Fee or Pierre a ride on my bike again.  



     Today is my brother Jim's birthday.  Happy Birthday Jim! 

"The White Lily" 6x6 oil on copper 350$ framed in light gold wood and shipped free!



     I drove to Northeast Harbor on Mount Desert Island.  I stopped at every antique store looking for a white wicker rocking chair without any luck.  It sure would be nice to find one to paint!  I guess my bug ridden wicker rocker is going to have to do. 

      I loved these white lilies I saw yesterday at Thuya Gardens.  I asked permission from the head gardener to paint in her garden.  She asked me to stand in an obscure place as to not get in the public's view of the flowers.  I set up ten foot away from the white lilies.  I knew I needed to get closer to these lilies inorder to do a good job.  I asked another gardener if I could scoot up closer to the lilies.  She gave me permission.  But after I was set up infront of the white lilies, the head gardener said she liked me where I was before.  So I moved ten foot back.  

      People walking through the gardens asked me for my business card.  I let them know they could see my work at Smart Gallery in Northeast Harbor.  I told them they would have to climb a few flights of stairs to see my work.  Only the most physically fit can view my work there.  They thought this was very funny.  They promised they would walk up those stairs!  

     As you can tell from the close up of the white lily, I painted very light pinks, yellows, blues, and purples in the white lily.  Painting snow this Winter helped me understand how to paint the irridence of the white lily shimmering in the sunlight.

     Have a great night!  Get out and paint. 

      I went to Thuya Garden today in Northeast Harbor.  The lilies here are just gorgeous!













     I hope you enjoyed these beautiful flowers!  Have a great night.  Get out and paint!

     Here is Daisy enjoying a lake in Orland, Maine. 




     Duke can entertain himself at the lake.  He is looking for fish.  He never catches any.  But he enjoying looking at them.



     This lake is just beautiful.  There are many white birches lining the lake.  Here is Robert watching Daisy and Duke.

     Have a great night!  Get out and paint!  It is beautiful out there!

"Bee on a Hollyhock" 3x5 oil on copper 300$  Framed in gold wood.  Shipped free!

     Today I worked most of the day on this painting.  I used a computer monitor to rearrange the composition.  Nice little painting.



"Orange lilies on Somes Sound" 8x10 oil on copper.  450$ Framed in brown wood, shipped free!

     I also finished this painting.  Now I am happy!



     Here is Robert watching a recording of Tour de France.  Daisy is so happy Robert is home.  Here she has both her new toys infront of her.  She brought them to Robert to see. 



     Daisy has one of the new toys and is playing with Duke with the toy.  Robert seems happy with the bike race.



     This is the scene I normally see after dinner.  Daisy and Duke on both sides of Robert!

     Have a great night.  Get out and paint!