The Lost Tape

My son Coert was visiting these past days. He spent some time sorting out our VHS tapes and converting them to digital. Previewing most of the tapes Coert came across an interview I did for a (long lost) local television station. In this interview I explain the motivation behind my series of four WorcesterWare urns.... The phases in a woman's life. I have posted WorcesterWare before, but because of the many reactions I thought you might like to see this clip. Beware, the VHS was aged and damaged so the quality is poor. I, however, still look pretty good. Make sure to click on the lower (and smaller) "play" icon... otherwise you'll see all kinds of other stuff over at YouTube.

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.

An Ode to My Teacher

During the late seventies I took some painting classes at the Worcester Art Museum.
My teacher was the famous Robert Douglas Hunter. I have a small collection of his paintings and some prints in my studio. This man inspired me to look at composition, color and shade. " Mr." Hunter was teaching still lifes and is most well known for his long-table compositions. During these sessions with Mr. Hunter I met a number of people that some thirty years later are still good friends. Below is a painting I borrowed from public domain and further down this page is one from my own collection. See more of Mr. Hunter's work here.

Grand daughter on YouTube

I discoverd today that my son Coert has a "channel" on You Tube.... Here is a clip he posted of daughter Dana...

Ice Rings on North Bend Farm

Here are some photos of my "ice rings". They decorate our yard during the winter frost. I had a late start this year because it was not cold enough but now I have about 100 rings hanging. If it stays cold enough I will make "ice hearts" for Valentine's day. I make the rings in coffee ring containers I buy at yardsales. They freeze overnight and then I hang them the next day. The ice rings brighten up the yard, especially when the sun hits them.

Then and Now

In the winter the rockpiles are more visable than in the summer. I enjoy the shadows and shapes the snow makes, they are ever changing. The window in the middle is where the computer is and so I am looking at the rocks every morning checking my e-mail. Not quite visable, on the right is a tall collection of rocks. My son Coert brought those from the Swift River and stacked them on one of his trips here. River rocks are much smoother than our "country rocks". I love stacking rocks and there are many of these "cairns"all around the neighborhood. I'll try and find the egg tempera paintings I made of them.

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.

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..

Logging and Coyotes

The loggers are all done now, the big machines are gone. Below is a photo of them loading the forwarder... Peter is supervising; he is standing well out of the way just to the left of the big maple tree.The logger left us some firewood. It needs to be cut, split and stacked. This will be a project for Coert when he comes next month.
During their time here, the loggers have seen six coyotes at once and seven deer, does with yearlings This morning there were two coyotes in the front yard. I took the pictures out of the window as not to scare them before I had proof of them. They are about as large as my standard poodle, with faces like a cat. When you see them you know for sure that they are NOT dogs.... See for yourself in the photos.