Hot Air Meets Plein Air

I painted plein air in Auburn, Maine last Saturday during the 6am launch at the Lewistion/Auburn Annual Great Falls Balloon Festival.  Getting up an hour early in order to make it the 30 miles to Lewiston from Topsham had it's benifits, the biggest of which was seeing a beautiful sunrise.  It was a graphic reminder of why I need to get out earlier in the day to paint with this wonderful light.  Anyway below is the results of my efforts at the hot air balloon event.  This painting is available through my email.

 

This Sun Also Rises

8x8" Acrylic

$450

Oreo Cows...Art Show @ Aldermere

O.K. O.K.  I know they are officially called "Belted Galloways".  But every time (almost) that I mention Belted Galloways by name to people who don't know the official name, I get a blank stare back, until I describe the black cows with a wide white belt.  Then their faces light up and they say "Oh yeah! The Oreo cows"! Most people just refer to them as "Belties" your truly included. Much faster to say.  I had never seen one of these unusual looking cows until, my wife, Gloria, and I were on a back road in Rockport a number of years ago and drove past Aldermere Farm www.aldermere.org where they raise them. I later found out about the annual Art Show and Sale that is held at the farm featuring the Belties and farm as the theme.  Since Aldermere partnered with the Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) several years ago the theme of the show/sale has been expanded to also include artworks that depict Maine coast scenes, and the Erickson Fields Preserve. MCHT's website www.mcht.org states "Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) conserves and stewards Maine’s coastal lands and islands for their renowned scenic beauty, ecological value, outdoor recreational opportunities, and contribution to community well-being."

I have 9 acrylic paintings of both Belties and coastal scenes in  this year's annual fund raising Aldermere Farm Art Show and Sale which is this Saturday, August 9th from 9am to 4pm. Check their web site for more info on the great variety of art from whimsical to traditional landscapes and coastal scenes.  You are certain to find something you love.  Admission is free and you know what I say about "free"...if it's free, take it!

 

 

Aldermere Belties

Acrylic  8x6

 

 

The Shop at Aldermere

Acrylic  11x14

Holy Color Wheel Batman! It's already August at the Sebascodegan Art Gallery!

Well, on second thought, if you aren't a fan of  "The Dark Knight" aka Batman, that title may not mean much to you.  But, if you're still reading this I've succeeded in getting your attention.  My point is that we are already into August and therefore the season's second art exhibit at the artists' cooperative Sebascodegan Art Gallery on Route 24, 7.5 miles south  of Cook's Corner in Brunswick.  We are celebrating our 25th year and hope you'll stop by to find a piece of beautiful art to fill just that right spot on one of your home's walls. If you haven't visited the gallery before you'll be delighted to find dozens of paintings and 3 dimensional art by 20 juried artists who compose the gallery which is open 10 am to 5pm every day until the end of  August. Stop and enjoy.  Below are 3 of my own paintings in this show.

Little Dog and Beyond

Acrylic 9x12

$650

Heading Out Under the Cribstone Bridge

Acrylic 9x12

$650

 

 

The Cuise In

Acrylic 8x8

 $450

Sebascodegan Artists Gallery Open

As a member of the Sebascodegan Artists Gallery, a co-operative of 20 artists, I'm happy to say the gallery is now open for our 2 month 2014 season, July and August.  We are celebrating our 25th year and looking forward to many more to come.  The gallery is located 7.5 miles south of Cook's Corner in Brunswick, ME on Route 24 (also known as Harpswell Island Road).  Look for the signs and a little white (former) church on the hill on the right side (if you're coming from Cook's Corner) of the road.  We have a very eclectic collection of art for sale in a wide price range, so  I'm sure you'll find your time well spent if you stop by.  Many of our visitors are looking for a piece of art for their home or as a gift for a friend or loved one.  A number of local people are very pleased to stop by the gallery with friends/family visiting them from away and often find a nice keepsake.  I, personally have a number of paintings in this show and, for the first time, several assemblages.  Hope to see you when I'm "sitting" the gallery.

Group Show-"Creative Rhythms"

It's my pleasure to announce that I am participating in a group show at Yarmouth Frame & Gallery www.yarmouthframeandgallery.com titled "Creative Rhythms".  Besides myself, the artists in the show are John Bowdren, David Costello, Gayl McNally, Elizabeth Newman, and Harry Beskind.  The reception is Sat. June 7th 4-7pm.  Hope you can be there or be sure to stop by and see the show while it's up.  Thanks.

 

Abandoned House and New Traps

Acrylic 8"x8"

$450

 

 

Morning Sun on Old Glory

Acrylic 8"x8"

$450

 

 

 

Forsythia and Pine

Acrylic 8"x8"

$450

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Summer in Maine" Artwork at Artist Cottage

View From Mountain Road

Acrylic  8"x24"

$1,200

 

 

Belted Galloway and Calf

Acrylic 12"x12"

$900

 

 

These are the two paintings of mine that have been juried into the "Summer in Maine" exhibition at the Artist Cottage on Cousins Island.

 

 

 

Maine Open Juried Art Show

"Morning Sun on Old Glory"

8"x8" $450 (Framed)

Acrylic

I'm pleased to report that two* of my artworks have been juried into the 24th Annual Maine Open Juried Art Show (MOJAS) in Waterville, ME.  According to the Waterville Area Art Society web site www.waasmaine.org/, "The Waterville Area Art Society and Waterville Main Street (MOJAS) are proudly co-presenting the 2014 Maine Open Juried Art Show at the Waterville Public Library in Downtown Waterville. Now entering its 24th year, the Maine Open Juried Art Show attracts over 80 artists representing over 50 Maine communities and a variety of media, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, and other media."

I've entered this competition almost every year since 2005 and my work has received several awards including a second place (last year), a third place and several "Special Merit Awards" in the Acrylics division.

This show is diverse in both subject matter and styles and well worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood between now and April 26th.

* My second piece is titled "Border Violation" (in the "Other Media" category) but, unfortunately, I don't have a photo of it.

Back from the Sonoran Desert

From below normal temperatures to above normal highs and back to below normal temperatures!  That's how our first two weeks in February went for my wife, Gloria and me as we ventured out to the Southwest for some R&R in our old stomping grounds of Phoenix, AZ.  Having lived in Arizona for 12 years before moving to Maine in 2003, Gloria and I decided to take a break from this endless winter and defrost in the 70+ degrees of what is the Southwest winter.  I packed a bag full of plein air painting stuff in hopes of having some painting time and did manage to get some easel time in, although not as much as I'd planned.  An unfortunate lack of sleep due to an unshakable cough kept me from getting out as early and often as I would have liked. Below are the results of some of my time painting. 

These were all started plein air and completed in my studio upon our return. "White Tanks No.1" and "White Tanks No. 2" were both painted in the White Tank Mountain Regional Park which is located about 18 miles west of central Phoenix.  The titles are from the fact that these are the first and second painting I've ever done of the "White Tanks" as they are called for short.  If you're ever in the  Phoenix area I would highly recommend a day trip out there, especially if you enjoy hiking. There are also very nice paved roads if you'd rather just drive around the park.  Plenty of rest rooms and a very nice library/museum just outside of the entrance to the park.  "Telegraph Pass Sentinel" is a painting of an old "friend".  Telegraph Pass is part of South Mountain (background) in Phoenix and this saguaro cactus stands guard at the trail head that hikers can take up to the pass. When we lived in Phoenix we were about 2 miles from this spot and it was a favorite of mine to paint at.  We have a similar painting I did of this scene in 1999.  I found it interesting to see how much my old friend had grown in the 15 years since my first painting of him. The fourth paining "Trail to Camelback" was painted from a spot in Scottsdale, AZ about a half mile east of the Cholla Ridgeline that leads to Camelback Mountain, another popular destination for hikers. These are small works being 6"x8" and 6"x6" but from these and/or my many photos I took, I have plenty of inspiration to create some larger paintings.  Stay tuned.

 I have begun to include prices with the pieces I display on this blog in hopes of encouraging sales.  Please feel free to contact me through my email address if you are interested in owning one or more of my originals or have questions concerning them. Prices shown do not include shipping, sales tax (Maine residents only) or other applicable charges.

White Tanks No. 1

6"x6" NFS

Acrylic

 

White Tanks No. 2

6"x8" $275 (unframed)

Acrylic

 

Telegraph Pass Sentinel
6"x8" $275 (unframed)
Acrylic

Trail to Camelback
6"x8" $275 (unframed)
Acrylic

 

 

Where Is William?

O.K. so I took a little liberty with the title and it should read "Where Is William's (I prefer Bill) Art?".  I recently received an email asking where else, besides Yarmouth Frame Gallery in Yarmouth, ME http://www.yarmouthframeandgallery.com/,  I show my work.  So I thought it would be helpful to anyone else who has the same question to post everywhere my work is.  As of this writing my artwork is currently on display at the Lyceum Gallery in Lewiston, ME http://www.lyceumgallery.com/, the Joy of Art exhibit at the Topsham Library, Topsham, ME, at the Boothbay Region Art Foundation (BRAF)  http://www.boothbayartists.org/   sponsored exhibit at St. Andrews Hospital in Boothbay, ME and at a group show, "Winter Wonderland", sponsored by 5 Rivers Arts Alliance http://5raa.org/, Coastal Orthopedics, 14 Thomas Point Road, Cooks Corner, Brunswick, ME.  There are a number of events coming up in the next few months that I plan to submit to and I'll do my best to keeps readers of this blog updated.  Thanks for following this blog.

 

Winter Retreats

Coastal Orthopedics "Winter Wonderland"



 

 



UPDATE

It has been a while since my last post so here's an update on my art activities.

We had our last Brunswick 2nd Friday ArtWalk in October and the next 5 Rivers Art Alliance 5raa.org/ event I'll be participating in will be the December Arts Downtown and All Around (ADAA) Friday evening thru Sunday December 6,7 &8.  More about that in an upcoming post.

My wife, Gloria, and I took a nice trip to Bar Harbor, Maine back in October, for a belated 44th wedding anniversary celebration.  Unfortunately, due to the federal government shut down, Acadia was closed.  Fortunately Autumn wasn't closed, so we still got in some great leaf-peeping and I got to do one small plein air painting.  It's still a work-in-progress (WIP) but here it is.  We stopped on Rt.3/198 at Upper Hadlock Pond where I painted for a couple of hours. I don't know if that mountain (?) has a name.  Maybe someone knows this area and can tell me.

View from Upper Hadlock Pond (WIP)

 

 

44+ years of smiles and good times

 

Other "news" concerning my world of art is the current show at Lyceum Gallery http://www.lyceumgallery.com/Blog/ in Lewiston, Maine, titled Precious Things. This is a holiday show/sale with pieces not exceeding 5"x5" not including frame size.  If you're looking for a gift of original art to give to a loved one (or even yourself ) this is a great exhibit to check out and get some holiday shopping done.  I have three pieces ($195 each) there myself. A little something for everyone. See below. Please stop by the gallery and tell Tammie Bill sent you.

The Sun Canopy

5x5" Acrylic

White Cat and Antique Car

5x5" Acrylic

Abstraction in Red and Yellow

4x4" Acrylic

SOLD



  

 



 

Waldoboro Paint the Town Paint Out & Auction

One thing I forgot to list on my post about my art activities this month...the plein air paint out and wet paint auction known as Paint the Town 2013 in Waldoboro, ME this Saturday in which I will be a participating painter.  According to the Cafe des Artistes www.cafedesartistes.bangordailynews.com/  "A grand tent will house the public reception and preview starting at 5 p.m., with music by cellist, April Reed-Cox, and hors d’oeuvres and wine served by volunteers from the Waldoboro Public Library. At 6 p.m., Carol Achterhof, of Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, will open the bidding for the fresh art created just hours before by more than forty of the area’s finest artists". I can attest to the fact that this is a great opportunity to get some very fine art at, sometimes, ridiculously low prices.  I think you'll find it well worth the trip and the weather is forecast to be great.  Hope to see you there.  Take care.

 

 

 

 





Sebascodegan Artists Gallery - 2nd Exhibit 2013

I'm pleased to announce that the 2nd exhibit of the 2013 season for the Sebascodegan Artists Gallery is now hung.  Below are a couple (out of 12) of my paintings contributing to the exhibit.  This exhibit will be up until Sept.1.    Our gallery is in a former church that is on a small rise on the right approximately 7.5 miles south of Cook's Corner, Brunswick.

 

Coffee and Donuts

Acrylic

 

View from Boothbay Harbor

Acrylic

Welch Farm

Acrylic

 



My Art in August

Just a quick note to let everyone know that my original acrylic paintings can be seen this month at:

The Brunswick 2nd Friday ArtWalk

 August 9th at 98 Maine St., 2nd floor "ballroom" Popup Artists 5-8pm

 

 

"Country Shadows"

Acrylic

 

 

Sebascodegan Artists Gallery

Rt. 24,  Harpswell - Now thru Labor Day  10am-5pm Daily

 

"Forsythia and Pine"

Acrylic

 

 

 

Aldemere Farm Annual Art Show and Sale

Russell Road, Rockport   Aug.10 Sat.  9am-4pm

 

 

Plein Air LA

Lyceum Gallery

49 Lisbon St., Lewiston Aug. 9th Fri. (Opening Reception 5-7pm)

Thru August

 

Church and Mill

Acrylic

 

 

Kayaks for Rent

Acrylic

 

 



 





 



 





 

 





 

 



 

 





 

 



 

2nd Friday ArtWalk in Brunswick

Just a quick note to let my followers know I'm showing my art at the Brunswick ArtWalk every 2nd Friday now until and including October.  I'm showing at 98 Maine Street, in the second floor "ballroom" with the Pop Up artists from 5-8pm.  Stop by and say "hi".

"Yellow Jeep"

Acrylic

 

"Maine Morning"

Acrylic

 

 

Sebascodegan Artists Gallery Open for the Season!

Wow! It's hard to believe that July is here already.  With it comes the a new season of the Sebascodegan Artists Gallery located at 4 Old Orr's Road, off  Route 24 (also known as Harpswell Island Road) approximately 7.5 miles south of Cook's Corner in Brunswick. If you're heading south, look to the right for the old white church and signs on the hill.  Gallery hours are 10 am to 5pm 7 days a week.  You'll see works from 19 traditional and contemporary Maine artists.
This is the groups' 24th year and they, by choice, limit membership to 20 artists.  I was very please to be juried in last year, so this is my second season showing my work with them.  The current exhibit runs to July 28th and then we will change out the art for the 2nd seasonal exhibit which will end on September 2nd.  So, if you're on your way to Orr's or Bailey Island or Harpswell via Route 24, stop in and check it out.  I think you'll be glad you did.  And if I'm on duty, I'd be happy to talk to you.

 

 

"Front Yard Flowers"

Acrylic

 



Good News!

I am very pleased to report that I received an email from Lisa Fourré at Cape Elizabeth Land Trust telling me that I have been juried into the group of artists who will be painting at this year's Paint for Preservation one day paint out and auction.  This year's event will be held on Sunday, July 14. This will be my 3rd time participating in this event and, although somewhat of a challenge to do your best work in a short few hours, is a very rewarding day of painting. There is an admission fee to the late day auction, but the public is welcome to visit the many sites the artists will be painting at and watch the art being created. Stay tuned for more info as the day approaches.
 

My painting in progress at the 2011 Paint for Preservation

Maine Open Juried Art Show - MOJAS 2013

I'm very pleased to report that two of my paintings were juried into this year's Maine Open Juried Art Show (MOJAS) in Waterville, Maine and one of them "Coke, Ice and Pumpkin Pie" was awarded 2nd Place in the Acrylics category.  As the title states, this is an annual competition with this year being the 23rd. My participation goes back to 2005.  The Waterville Area Art Society (WAAS) www.waasmaine.org and Waterville Main Street www.watervillemainstreet.org are co-presenters of the event and do a great job putting it all together.  This year there were, according to the exhibition brochure, 87 artists registered from 51 towns, with a total of 162 paintings entered.  The judges chose 140 original paintings for exhibition and awarded 30 prizes totaling $3,300.  The show runs through April 19th at the Waterville Public Library in downtown Waterville. Please stop by and enjoy if you're in the neighborhood.

Coke, Ice and Pumpkin Pie

10x10 Acrylic

 

 











"Resilient Spring" Group Show

It is my pleasure and honor to be included in the present group exhibition at the wonderful  Yarmouth Frame and Gallery, 720 Route One, www.yarmouthframeandgallery.com/. "Resilient Spring" features artists Sukie Curtis, Elizabeth Newman, Chris Nielsen, Anne Macleod and myself from March through the end of May.  I think you'll see a very pleasing mix of  subjects, media and styles in this exhibit.  Below are several of my pieces in the show.   Hope you can stop by sometime and see the show and visit with Beth and Lee.

Forsythia Across the Road

12x12 Acrylic

 

Autumn Country Road

16"x20"  Acrylic

 

Yellow Vee Dub

6"x8"  Acrylic



My Painting Demo

This coming Saturday afternoon, Feb. 23 from 2-3:30, I will be giving a demonstration on  painting in acrylics, my primary medium.  It will be held at the Centre St Arts Gallery, LLC, 11 Centre Street, Bath, ME There is a $10 fee for participants.
207 442-0300 www.centrestartsgallery.blogspot.com/.

Front Yard Flowers

10x8" Acrylic

Group Show at Yarmouth Frame Shop and Gallery

Just wanted to get this out that the Yarmouth Frame Shop and Gallery (720 Route 1, Yarmouth, Me. 04096 207-846-7777) is having a reception (yep, it's still on, blizzard or not) this Saturday 4-7pm  for a group show in which I have several pieces of art, both paintings and sculptures.  "From the Heart" features 25 year round artists of the gallery and goes to Feb. 28.  In keeping with the theme and upcoming Valentine's Day, here are a couple of my sculptures I refer to as my Shrines of the Heart.

Painted Heart

Blue and Orange Hearts