WORKING IN THE ABSTRACT

By Ann Saunderson

I started working with cold wax maybe a year ago.

I’ve been working toward abstraction for quite a while and actually it’s been pretty frustrating the abstraction, but the cold wax really pushed me over the top.

Just what I needed!



I think I am just a sucker for new materials. 



I like the experimentation, the not knowing what’s going to happen.

I could have taken a workshop and learned all the tricks, but I really needed to do it by myself.

Every discovery is my own and sticks in my brain.

The bad part, clean up and TITLES. Titles for abstract work always seems so random, cheesy, and lame, but without titles I can’t identify them.

 Pathetic reason, really.

PAINTING POSSIBILITIES

By Susan Levenson

I love to paint with watercolors. Their free spirit keeps me happy and passionate. Not knowing what the fluidity of the paint is going to bring is what surprises me, and then my head fills with infinite possibilities, that I would never have been able to create in any other way.

As we age our minds sometimes form a creative block. We get "stage fright" when confronted with a blank sheet of paper. I used to put away my painting things when this happened, and try again later. 

However, now I have created a game where I save discarded and inferior work, ordinarily headed to the trash, to play with. Sometimes the results are dreadful, but frequently the losers turn into winners.

Here are examples of some winners.

This painting was a bad start. I kept playing with brush strokes making them connect with the sky to become pilings. Over time I added the small boat, raft, more pilings and a yellow wash over the water. Finally, I added a squiggle here and there. It became one of my most successful transformations, even though it took close to a year to complete. 

A prominent gallery owner once told me that house paintings were of no interest to patrons unless the people lived in them. To this boring painting, of a popular restaurant and inn, I added the foot traffic to create some passion.  

Originally this 12" x 12" painting was a small section in the corner of a 15" x 22" throwaway. I liked this part of the original painting. I cut out this piece into this square format and created a painting that works. 

Several sheets of experimental texture exercises on YUPO paper had been hanging around my studio for years. YUPO is erasable so I began experimenting using these textures as a backdrop for something else. This Gull chick, from a photo I took on Appledore Island, hit the spot. 

The possibilities of watercolor are infinite. I had to decide whether or not I should make 2 or 3 paintings from this one by cutting it into 3 pieces. Originally I had cut it into 2, but now I realize it should have been 3.

I know use this photo as inspiration, and model of my work, depicting the architecture of the coast of Maine.

BRANCHING OUT

By MARILYN EIMON

NUBBLE

This year I have done some branching out. Creating a website, www.marilyneimon.com, as well as having note cards and gift cards of my paintings printed.
 To my surprise they are doing very well. 

It was a daunting experience to get up the courage to contact shops to carry my artwork in the first place.

ICE CREAM TREAT

What a pleasant surprise to see the enthusiastic reception they have received in the various shops.

LOADED 2 BEACH

Now others are recommending places to contact, and I have been amazed that most of them have decided to carry them.

OGUNQUIT BEACH DAY

When I made the brazen decision to contact the Ogunquit Museum of American Art to see if they would be willing to carry my book in their gift shop. It was very exciting to learn that they decided to take it on!

MABEL 50 SHADES GREY

Now they also have my notecards, which I am pleased to say, are selling quite well.

SEASIDE CONDOS

I am humbled by the fact that the cards are in seven other shops in Ogunquit, ME, as well as Tulips American Handcraft in Portsmouth, NH and Maine Craft, Portland, ME.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

Thank you Dustan Knight and the Merrimack River Painters for your support.

OGUNQUIT SUMMERTIME TRAFFIC

What A Summer...

By CLAUDETTE GAMMON

For the past two years, I have been writing about our Cottage on Lake Winnipesaukee and our decision to sell. Here I am writing about it again, and adding to the story.

What I perhaps didn’t explain is that we own two pieces here on treasured Treasure Island. One being the cottage, and the one next door. Doesn’t have any buildings on it.


Because we didn’t have very much luck with showings last year, we decided to start advertising early this time, before the ice was out, and consider if we were going to list with a real estate agent again or continue to try and sell it ourselves.


We decided to try to sell it ourselves.

Then the decision was to put both up for sale, if anything sold, we would consider what to do with what was left at that time.


That being said, my mission this past winter was to paint our view from our deck, including the beautiful cloud formations that came and went with the weather or lack thereof.

It was going to be in acrylic and I wanted to paint four of them, which I did.

But I only have pictures of two of them. My bad!

Selling on our own was a real challenge of course, you name it we posted our properties, Zillow, Craig’s List, and I even created a blog about them.


Six months and carrying a stress level I cannot describe, we sold the lot next door. Would it have been less stressful had we listed it? I doubt it, it seemed to me last year, waiting for the phone to ring was just as stressful.


Now, we have taken the cottage off the market for a couple more years, save paying more in capital gains, and can afford to stay and enjoy for a little while longer. We have many friends here now, and that will be difficult enough to give up when the time does come.

We have really gotten to know our “new neighbors”, and enjoy their company, that is just a great perk to being so close.


Now when we do decide to sell the cottage, who is going to be the neighbor next door is out of the picture.


The trouble is when I am stressed I don’t paint. You would think that that would help take your mind off of whatever is causing the stress.

Just A Bit Curious

I did try some painting, our winter home is near a farm where he raises cows, so I tried painting his cows. Not sure how they came out, still need work but was fun anyway for a couple of days.

Mornin' Honey

I also tried painting the early morning fog on the mountains (our view again) on a particularly clear and beautiful morning. I am posting it hear anyway, but know it needs more work.

I can’t believe it is already September. The time spent here has always been precious to us, we have been very fortunate to have been able to have the life here that we have had.

New Castle Fog

It was always about our retirement, before children. We knew there would be a time that we would have to say goodbye to all of this.

It will be great to be back again next year, without the financial worry that goes along with second homes.

My painting life

By BETSY JANEWAY

I like to watch birds and study plants.

I kayak to see Arethusa orchids in a nearby bog.

"My Blackwater River"

I sketch and paint outdoors, on the banks of the Blackwater River in Webster, NH, and on an island in Maine.

"Sailing Sophie J"

"Arriving"

"Island Laundry"

"Island Maple"

I love to paint farm animals, like my neighbor’s goats.

"Brandon's Goats"

Watercolor has always been my one and favorite medium. I love its uncertainty and its portability.


And I love my fellow Merrimack River Painters.

CREATIVE SPACES

By KATHY TANGNEY 

My gardens have taken center stage in my little world.

I have added sculptures using found objects.

My former bathroom pedestal sink is now a planter. The backdrop, a mosaic using a leftover piece of cement board and some glass beads.

A rock sculpture using slate for the base, aluminum rods and three favorite rocks.

They sway gently in the breeze.

The pickets were white, but the added polka dots make me smile.

After all, happiness is my purpose in creating.

Happy summer!

HOW SOME MEMBER

ARTISTS 

DISPLAY THEIR WORK,

IN THEIR OWN HOMES

ANN S. LYNCH

 

ANN

SAUNDERSON 

JANICE WITTMER

DUSTAN KNIGHT

KATHY TANGNEY

 MARY RUEDIG

CLAUDETTE  GAMMON

MARILYN EIMON