Margaret's Paintings--An Artist's Musings

  Hi Everyone! Apologies for the long delay since my last blog. As I mentioned in an earlier post, sometimes life gets in the way of being an artist! The hectic holiday pace began with what was going to be a Thanksgiving cruise to the West Indies, and ended in the cruise being cancelled due to mechanical issues while at our first port stop! Norweigen Cruise Lines did their very best to insure everyone’s safety as well as providing transportation back to Miami. We have also received a full refund and a free cruise. All’s well that ends well! Still my sketchbook was packed and returned with blank pages! Now I find myself caught up in the holiday whirl, decorating the house, shopping for gifts, taking in the wonderful lights and decorations, and enjoying the holiday festivities with friends. My husband, John, and I made a great road trip yesterday to the charming town of Lakeland, Fl. to take in a wonderful exhibit at the Polk Art Museum. The exhibit featured paintings an...

Hi Everyone! It’s been a busy couple of weeks since my last post. Just completed this new oil painting, “Beach Vagabonds.” I was drawn to this group of unrelated figures, coming and going, all caught up in their own worlds. To my mind it represents the typical assortment of beach denizens walking side by side while completely oblivious to one another. I enjoy exploring this theme of “ships that pass in the night.” So many people, yet we get to interact with so few in the course of a lifetime. I have always gravitated toward other artists whose paintings deal with this concept. Edward Hopper comes to mind as a master of illustrating a certain “human disconnect” in his work. There’s a loneliness attached to his paintings even when more than one person is present. Detail     On my bookstand: A few weeks back, I received a lovely gift in the mail from my dear sister-in-law Mary, entitled, “Growing Up with the Impressionists” by Jane Robert...

This past Friday I had the pleasure to work with a delightful group who attended my "Capture the Moment" painting workshop. The class took place at the Beach Art Center (BAC) in Indian Rocks Beach, FL. The center is spacious, bright and cheerfully decorated with member's colorful & skillfully done artworks. It was my pleasure to share my painting techniques with this enthusiastic group, who plunged into the day's exercises with gusto. Because my work focuses on the figure, I selected an image I'd taken of one of my models for student's to use as a reference photo for their paintings. The day was divided into three sections, with artist's demos at each stage before moving ahead to the next step. Each class member had a finished painting by day's end. I was delighted with the results! Everyone did a great job and their paintings reflected their own style while incorporating the techniques we'd focused on. Kudos to this talented group! I t...

Sometimes life gets in the way of being an artist. This, however, is as it should be. After all an artist must draw from personal experiences. This past week was devoted entirely to my two beautiful granddaughters, ages two and four, who were visiting us. I’d truly forgotten how energetic toddlers can be! Any ideas I had entertained of studio time were quickly given a strong reality check! My creativity was instead unleashed on cutting construction paper pumpkins, coloring with crayons and decorating cards for “Mommy and Daddy” with saved bits of ribbon and stickers. The amazing thing about being around children is re-connecting with the child in yourself. What a delightful and meaningful week it was. 💓💓💓 Currently working on details for my upcoming workshop at the Beach Art Center in Indian Rocks Beach. This will be a day-long workshop and will focus on “Capturing the Moment in Paint!” There are so many images available to us that depict simple, everyday experiences like ...

My art calendar is rapidly filling up. The Florida "season" is upon us kicking off with an opening of a new "Realism" group exhibition at the Woodfield Fine Art Gallery on Sat., Oct. 13 as part of the Second Saturday Artwalk in downtown St. Petersburg. I will be showing my latest piece, "The Visitors," a 30" x 40" oil painting as well as two other works. Hope you can stop by for an evening of art & wine! Also coming up is a day-long workshop at the Indian Rocks Beach Art Center on Oct. 26th. Come join me for a day of "mixing it up" literally in paint! I will explore mixing a wide range of colors using a limited palette. I will also demonstrate the use of various brushes and bold strokes to achieve greater spontaneity in your work. Whether painting in the studio or "en plein air," this workshop will help sharpen your skills! Register Today!   https://campscui.active.com/orgs/GulfBeachArtCenter?orglink=camps...

Step #1 Step #2 Step #3 Step #4 For the past couple of weeks I’ve been working on a new oil painting entitled, “The Visitors.” This series of progressive photos shows my painting process. To finish this piece, I will add some textural elements to depict the rocky surface in the foreground and increase the contrast in the clouds. This painting is done on a 30 x 40 canvas and will be framed for hanging. I’m hoping to exhibit it in the upcoming “Contemporary Realism” show at the Woodfield Fine Art Gallery. The show opens on Saturday, October 13 from 5pm to 9pm. The gallery is located at 2253 Central Avenue in downtown St. Petersburg, Fl. Mark your calendars for the "Second Saturday Art Walk" for a great evening of art in the "Burg!"

Beautiful day to explore the Ringling Art Museum in Sarasota, FL. The architecture, grounds and Edward Burne-Jones statuary, including a sculpture of David by Michelangelo, are all worth the trip! The extensive collection of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque art is fantastic. It includes such notables as Peter Paul Reubens and Frans Hals. A highlight was a special exhibit featuring watercolors from the Ringling collection which will be on display through February 2019. Pieces by Edward Hopper, Childe Hassam and Charles Burchfield were on view. The Ringling collection of Modern and Contemporary Art did not disappoint. I was especially intrigued with three early works by Marcel Duchamp. My favorite among these was one of the artist's wife, Yvonne Duchamp painted in 1907.  David by Michelangelo Marcel Duchamp