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.

Welcome to My Internet Exhibit......

Welcome to the opening.
As this is a virtual exhibit I invite you to pour a glass of wine for yourself, sit back, and scroll through the paintings below.
Looking down through the next 5 posts on my blog you will encounter an oversight of some 30 paintings I made on Cape Cod.
The subjects range from inland landscape to dunes and surf all over the Cape but concentrated around Sesuit Harbor in East Dennis Ma.
Enjoy.

Getting Winter to Flower in New England

Now that the holidays are over winter has started to get serious. This is the time of year that I start longing for flowers..... however much I enjoy the light, color and shades of winter.
I started my Amaryllis late so that is not yet blooming. The Paperwhites are budding; but the most important, the Hyacinth is blooming.
I miss the smells from outside in the winter. The earth, the sheep, fresh mown grass and the flowers blooming.
It is around this time of the year, that I dig up my paintings of flowers and hang them up all around me. The first one, of the Nasturtiums, was painted last autumn.
The Sunflowers are from last summer.
The Gladioli are from my garden some years ago. The vase they are in is my own Worcesterware.

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..

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.

Big Trees: cutting them down and painting them

Logging started in our woodlot and there is no way we can stop it now. If they had only started way in back, but they began in my enchanted forest.... It will take a while before we go there again.
The leaves are changing and I will start to paint tall trees again. Below are a couple of paintings that were sold to a neighbor some time ago.

After Glow: Moving on....

I mentioned yesterday to my son Coert how this project has taken more out of me than I had expected. The build-up went fine but the organization of the exhibit and especially the opening, that wonderful opening, took it's toll. Added to all this excitement was the (short) visit of Peter's brother Anne and his wife Feli from Brussels. I needed a few days just to recuperate!
My friend Paul Gunnerson sent some photos he had taken of the exhibit. Lets use them to close this project down. It has been a wonderful experience for me and up to now I haven't heard of anyone who did not want their portrait.... As a matter of fact most of them have been framed by Cliff before leaving the store.

After Glow: the embers

Mixed feelings today. On the one hand still elated that my work was so well recieved and the opening was a success. On the other a touch of the "empty nest" because I had gotten used to looking at thirty-some portraits strewn about my studio these past months. The question arises: what's the next project? I'll need a couple of days to think about that.
Last night I had a nice long talk on the phone with my favorite daughter in law, Dorri. We talked about pretty much everything..... coming of couse to the grandchildren Dana and Christiaan. Dorri told me that their school had posted photos of the children. Look here for Dana, hit your back button and click here for Christiaan.

After Glow.... the first one.

Yes, the first one because I'm going to milk it. Here are two pictures:
the first one we'll call "the big Hug". Yes, that's me.


the second is "the wall of faces".

The official photographer, Cornalijn, has posted about 100 pics in her Kodak Gallery... Try to get at it by clicking here. If this link isn't hot please let me know via the comments..... I have an account at Kodak Gallery that automatically logs me in so I'll need this feedback to keep the ball rolling.

People of Tatnuck, finally the Show!

I'm very very happy, all rosey.... "I couldn't sleep at all last night". The opening was a big success. Everybody came to see. Old friends, neighbors of course but also the mayor of Worcester, Ms. Konstantina Lukes. In the guestbook she wrote: "wonderful, portraits of friends and neighbors, Worcester's best assets". Another, I couldn't decifer his name, wrote: "art that makes so many people happy truly shows the joy of art".

The Worcester Telegram ran an item in the local news with a picture larger than I would have expected. Try and see it here.

Thanks to all the people that helped plan, cater, serve and photograph this evening was such a success.

Here's a picture of the crowd that filled the store "Framed in Tatnuck".
On the left you'll see my daughter, Cornalijn, working the skycam. In the middle you can just see my grandson Daniel... it was all a bit crowded for him. On the right, in the dark blue shirt, one of the two responsible for serving refreshments. Kenny Day.... with his hands empty!
The second of many to follow is of Mr. Gunnerson, president of the Tatnuck Association, sitting right in the middle of Tatnuck Square.
You can click on the pictures for a larger view.
There will be more in the days to come..... We'll call it the After Glow.

the Sales Pitch

It has often been suggested that I should do more to promote the sale of my work. The truth of the matter is that most of what I want to sell has been sold, although there are still a number of unique urns in my barn and paintings in my studio. My primary motivation, as stated in my profile, is "art for the art of it". But hey, you want me to paint something for you? Let me know. I work on commission and a 3 x 5 inch, or 9 x 15 cm photo is all I need if the subject for whatever reason can't sit in my studio. An old photo, a new one or one of your house, whatever. If you see something you like on these pages, again, let me know we can talk.

People of Tatnuck Sneak Preview 2

The clock is running, excitement is mounting and the preperations for the opening are well underway. We expect at least 100 people for the opening of the weeklong exhibit. To tell you the truth I am getting a little nervous. Maybe I should have my hair done. For more details about the show you can see the first "sneak preview" or see the page at Framed in Tatnuck.
Anyway, the painting above is of Bobby Anderson, owner of the Tatnuck Fish Market. He always brings me bluefish when it is in season. The painting below is of Mr. Smeagle in front of one if his brightly colored trucks. He's the man we call whenever we clean out our barn.

Oil painting 9/11 that we never forget

September 11, 2001. I painted this with CNN on in the background. A city in flames, the twin towers pierced by flaming spears and six American flags mourning over a sea of lost and fallen fireman's helmets. This painting hangs in my home.

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By the Way

This is a photo of my granddaughter, Dana Elisabeth, carrying my paintbox through the landscape which I had just painted. The "Ermelo Heath", closeby to where my son Coert and family live in the Netherlands. Although it's already two years old it is one of my favorites.... click in the image for the big picture.

Pines and foliage.... the preview

The nights are getting colder and we've been waiting for rain..... it's time. These paintings I did last year of white pines, oaks and maples hanging in my daughter's house remind me of the colors to come.

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.

People of Tatnuck Sneak Preview

I am so much looking forward to my exhibit in Tatnuck this coming September 17th. People have been wanting to see their portraits or others that will be shown. Just to give in a little bit I've decided to show the portrait of my friend, Judy Tonelli-Brown. She is a graphic artist and does portraits as well. Have a look at Judy's site.

People of Tatnuck exhibit

More than 30 of my portraits will be featured in a one-woman art exhibit entitled People of Tatnuck.

As a Tatnuck artist, I have undertaken to capture many of the colorful people who help make this Worcester neighborhood so closely knit.

My artistic motivation is neither recognition nor profit, but rather to present a colorful record of the people and merchants that make the neighborhood such a pleasant place to live and shop. I have been working in this project since March of 2007.

This exhibit is meant as a contribution to the spirit that makes the neighborhood the place it is today, with its variety of shops, services and the personalities that own or operate them.

With the closing of the exhibit I will joyfully donate the portraits to the subjects.

For more details about this exhibit see: http://www.framedintatnuck.com/PortraitShow.htm

first post: the background

Biography: I was born Elisabeth Johanna Herweijer on February 24, 1942 in Hilversum, the Netherlands. As a child my artistic development was encouraged by private art lessons in drawing and painting. After middle school I studied fashion design in Amsterdam and worked in a animation studio in Hilversum for Polygon.

In 1963 I traveled to the United States (Worcester, Massachusetts) to work as an au pair. During this time I met Pieter Paul Donker, a dutch journalist working for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. We were married on May 16, 1964 and have two children Coert Henri (1965) and Cornalijn (1966).

We currently reside on our farm outside of Worcester, where I do my best to work daily in my studio.

Artwork: My experience up to 1978 was focused on stained glass; learning techniques and later teaching. I did my oil painting primarily during vacations on Cape Cod. In June of 1978 we were lucky enough to buy the North Bend Farm, in the Tatnuck area of Worcester. It was here that I became interested in wool fiber. With much hard work we rejuvenated the run down farm and started sheep and Angora goat farming. Between spinning, weaving and knitting I also gave educational tours for local schoolchildren and daycare groups. During these years the oil painting was again in the background.

In 1988 I started painting on ceramic tiles and mugs. These quickly became too small for my designs so I moved on to plates and bowls..... and bought a kiln. After extensive research in Europe I registered a trademark, Worcesterware and started producing complete services and commemorative plates. My work has been presented to former First Ladies Barbara Bush and Hillary Clinton. In the meantime I also did ceramic repairs and restorations.

As Worcesterware became more business oriented I, as an artist, began to lose interest. I slowed down and eventually stopped the commercial operation and once again started oil painting.

On my 60^th birthday in 2002 I decided to retire. Since then I have devoted my time to painting, mostly in my studio or garden. I also enjoy painting with the Princeton Art Society and periodically volunteer time as an art teacher at a local rest home. Occasionally I accept commissions for portraits or other works.