The Last Page

Some two years ago now I complained to my son Coert that I couldn't find a mention of my work on internet. He suggested I start a web-log and make myself known. Coert got me started and I enjoyed regularly posting my activities for friends and family abroad, picking up a client along the way and, of course, "seeing my picture on the cover".
As time passes I look at all the posts and see I am having much fun doing pretty much the same.... but different. I feel, anyway, that it's not exciting enough to keep posting it here so I'm going to call this "The Last Page" for now.
For those who feel the urge.... you can keep up with me and my work via Facebook.

I Pose for the Painting Group

Last week, for some reason, there was no model available for our painting group in Princeton.
I volunteerd.... Below you can see the results:

Back to Work

The procedure was done, and I am fine. I will have to lose some weight and lower the cholesterol level. Before I continue posting on the Joy of Art, I want to thank everyone of you for being so supportive. I am overwhelmed by the flowers, cards, telephone messages, and visits. It takes something like this to realize how many friends one has.THANK YOU ALL.

Before my achy breaky heart took over the program my painting group at the Princeton Arts Society was preparing for an exhibit at the Jacob Edwards Library in Southbridge Ma. the exhibit, entitled "Getting a Likeness" will hang the whole month of April.

Princeton portrait group having an exhibit

Our Portrait group exhibit in Southbridge Jacob Edwards library will open April 3. The portraits will hang there for the whole month. We are very exited about this because it is not often that we are invited to show our portraits, painted in Princeton. I entered Coert's last portrait, worked a bit more on it, and feel it is starting to look like him.I will not be going to the opening on April 3 , Because I will be traveling to a tropical country !!!! Suriname!!!!. Nobody seems to know where it is, that is why I am adding a map. Once there, I will be visiting my cousin Riet. We used to be pals, our mothers were sisters. We have not seen each other since I was twelve, and she was sixteen. It was a little over a year ago that we found each other back, via the internet. SOOO exiting!!!! To get to Suriname from here I have to change planes in New York, than in Port of Spain Trinidad, than to Paramaribo. I will arrive the same day at 11.45 pm. Riet promised to pick me up. Hope we recognize each other. I will not be "Blogging " till I come back, by April 16th . maybe some photo's.

Grotere kaart weergeven

Coert 's visit

During Coert's visit he posed for the Portrait group in Princeton, and here are the paintings made that day.

In the eyes of the beholder

As you all know I go to Princeton every Tuesday. I go to Princeton to paint a portrait together with the Princeton Portrait group. One of us has to bring a model. That is not easy. Usually you have two or three turns a year. We paint from 9 to12, after twenty minutes we take a break and after some breaks we have coffee and cookies. The person who brought the model also has to provide for the coffee-break snacks. Sometimes they are very fancy home made pastries fruit, cheese, etc. and sometimes they are just doughnut holes. I have gained 10 pounds during my six year membership. Some weeks ago I took pictures of many of the portraits and the artist who painted it. Also of the model. As you can see, we all have a different view of the model.... The works are the view (eye) of the beholder.
First, of course, is my own picture:
Next is Milton, scroll down for more.

Here are Dave and Elly.
























Sharon Bahosh and Merry's work... Sharon will be having an solo-exhibit at the Rockport Art Association this March. Be sure to have a look at her wonderful work!





























Last but not least the famous Sid Soloman. See the side-bar right for a link to his site.

Tuesday's Portrait

Last tuesday we had a wonderful model in Princeton, her name is Lauren. She works in the same WPI medical office as Regina and Donna, (see november). Next time we have a model I will make pictures of the other paintings as well and not only my own. She liked Jean Murphy's painting best and bought it.

Painting together with PAS

Still haven't got the date on my camera under control.... But anyway. This week was the first time that the painting group came together since the holidays, we had a lot to tell eachother.
Sid Solomon (seated above center with "white"coat) is having an exhibit of is locally painted landscapes, portraits and still-lifes at the Worcester Jewish Community Center. The opening will be Sunday, January 13, from 2-4pm.
We painted Lynn Wrona's granddaughter, Sarah, today. She was a great model. I also signed Coert up to pose for us on February 26th. I'm counting on him to plan his trip home around posing and cutting firewood..

The "Small Painting" exhibit

The "small painting" exhibit yesterday was a success, many people came and a few paintings sold. The exhibit will go on for over the weekend. My contribution to the organization was making the punch. Let me tell you, if you have never made one, it gets a life of its own. Hosea suggested a "green" punch with red cherries for the holiday season. His recepie:
4 cups of sugar diluted in 2 quarts of warm water
in that dissolve 4 packs of lemon lime coolade
add 2 large cans of pineapple juice
2 liters of ginger ale
and finally
add an ice ring with the cherries.
Seemed very festive. After I bought all the ingredients everyone said blah!!!! Green punch? No no!!!!
I went on the internet, and found lots of ways to make punch. What I learned was do not add orange juice and cranberry juice, that makes a brown punch. do not make your ice ring of pineapple juice with cherries, that makes a puce colored ring, and breaks easy. Do not buy bottled juices, but frozen concentrates.
It all worked out fine, nobody complained anyway.
Here are some foto's:
The first is of two paintings by Charles Grey, I just love the way he paints.

This one is by Lynn Wrona, this painting understandably sold rightaway:














Here is a beautiful painting by Barry van Dusen:

Finally me with one of my small lighthouse paintings:

"Small Painting" exhibit in Princeton

Below a picture of my hairdresser, Hosea of Hosea's Hair Design in Worcester. I went there yesterday because today (Friday) is the opening of the "small painting" exhibit in Princeton. All of the paintings we be for sale. I am in charge of the punch and I am not even allowed to spike it! I also I have to bring along tablecloth, centerpiece, cups, napkins, plates the whole deal. Hope my paintings sell, because I spend a lot of $$$ on all of this stuff. Not to mention what Hosea needed to get my hair presentable.

Tuesday's in Princeton

As you know I go to Princeton every Tuesday to paint with a group of artists. We take turns bringing a model every week and that is not as easy as it sounds. We paint during working hours and the model has to be able to climb stairs as our "studio" is on the second floor of the old Princeton Center Building. I was thinking to post the painting I make on Tuesday from now on. Here are two to start with, these ladies work at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Donna Damien is a medical office administrator.

And Regina Roberto is a nurse practitioner.

Two Portraits and a Party:

Here a picture of Diana Day next to the painting she is giving to her husband Ken for their anniversary. She posed for the painting in Princeton at the paint-group. Diana bought the vintage dress especially for the sitting. Since she now has the dress we, her friends in the neighborhood, decided we are all going to get a vintage dress and have a vintage Chrismas party.
The second painting is Sam Lipson, a long time friend. We both took our lifeguard course together way back in 1975. Sam is going to give his painting as a Christmas gift.
We had a nice cocktail party yesterday.... It turned into more of a suprise dinner party. I had baked a leg of lamb, mashed potatoes, gravy and peas. Linda Rochford made two pies, apple and cherry. It was a surprise for everyone that came. There were ten of us. Kind of a good thing that some of the regulars didn't show because we barely fit around the tables (I had a little table pushed up against the big dining room table). We all had a good time. While the women washed the dishes they all tried my quince liqueur. It should be ripe by Thanksgiving but it's pretty much gone now.

After thought...

Both of the painings I had submitted for the Princeton Art Society's Farm/Art Day sold at auction for the asking price..... They were both bought by the owner of the farm.

Farm/Art Day unvisited and the People of Tatnuck

I decided not go to farm/art day today, because it rained all morning. In the afternoon I did not want to go anymore. My friend Jean did'nt go either, that made me feel a little better. Today there was a big article in the paper about it and that made me feel a little bad again but I'm over it. I did bring the two paintings, nicely framed, so what more do they want. Today is the big day. My exhibit, the People of Tatnuck (renamed by others "Characters of Tatnuck") will be opening this evening . Tomorrow or Wednesday I'll post pics, links and the whole article. Make sure to check back often, maybe even bookmark! You can look at previous posts by clicking on the titles in the frame on the right.

Worcesterware revisited

On September 6th "anonymous" asked in one of the comments to see some of my ceramic work. I've been so busy organizing my People of Tatnuck exhibition that I haven't been able to get to it until now... Below are a few pictures of Worcesterware. The first is where most of the finished work is stored in our barn..... please excuse the dust.

The second is of the plate I made for our own 3oth wedding anniversary in 1994. This one is hanging above a door frame in our kitchen.

Back to the barn, I dusted with my sleeve the platter with Worcester's City Hall.

The last is of a reading lamp in our "hearthroom". The shade is set for better reading.

I hope this satifies the curiosity of those interested. Just going back into the barn, looking at these works and actually thinking about my period of Worcesterware brought back fond memories.

Painting commissioned from photo

This painting of a birthday party reprsents three generations. The mother of this little girl is the one who asked me to paint this from a 3x5 inch foto. The great-grand mother (right), and the grandmother(left), died recently. The mother of this little girl wanted to have this moment saved in an oilpainting.

Farm/Art Day

This is Brad Hubbard's farmhouse on 162 Houghton Road in Princeton. I did this painting (the first of probably three or four) for the Farm/Art Day in September. Brad's farm used to be a Dairy farm but is not a working farm anymore. It is however a magnificent relic of New Englands past.
Take a look at the Princeton Arts Society's website for all the details.