Still Life Painting of Ornaments by Debbie Shirley

Ornamental

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

This was another painting for the fixed price sale at Newburyport Art Association last month. I love painting the reflections on the ornaments - and the round shapes make it especially challenging. I find it forces me to really look closely at what I am trying to paint - and paint what I actually see, without my brain trying to interpret it. I just look at is as a series of shapes, not specific objects. Yet when I step back and take a look when I am done, it always amazes me how the shapes come together to make the subject come to life.

Original Acrylic Potato Head Still Life Painting by Debbie Shirley

Gone Shopping

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

Having fun with Mrs. Potato Head....I always enjoy painting classic toys and Mr/Mrs Potato Head is definitely a favorite! This was for a fixed price sale that was held around the holidays at the Newburyport Art Association. I painted it with acrylic on watercolor paper - leaving the white of the paper around the image. I then spot varnished only the painted area - the varnish really  makes the image pop!

Kowloon - Small Acrylic Painting of Neon Sign Roadtrip

Kowloon

5 x 7 inches

acrylic on cradled board

Another crop of the iconic Kowloon sign. One of the few neon signs still left on Route 1! This painting will be available through my studio for the next week or so - and then it will be heading to a local shop.

Trio - Small Still Life Painting of Tomatoes for #twitterartexhibit

Trio

4 x 6 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

This is my entry for this year's #TwitterArtExhibit. For the exhibit, artists all over the world donate a piece of original postcard size art. An exhibit is held and all pieces are available for sale at a flat, affordable price and all proceeds go to a particular charity or non profit. This year the exhibit is being held at the Trygve Lie Gallery in New York City and the charity is Foster Pride’s “Handmade” Program, in which young women in foster care learn to create and market a unique line of goods. It is very cool to follow all the pieces coming in (see their twitter feed here) - over 1200 artists all over the world participating! If you happen to be in New York City, the opening is on March 31 from 6:30-8:30. For the rest of us, much of the opening will be broadcasted on Periscope.

Dots - Small Acrylic Still Life of Candy

Dots

4 x 6 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

I like doing these little paintings on watercolor paper, where I leave the white of the paper for a background. When finished, I then varnish only the painted areas, and the color really "pops". it is a lot of fun to experiment with different surfaces!

This painting has SOLD at the Newburyport Art Association.

Surrender - Small Acrylic Painting of Mr. Potatohead

Surrender

4 x 5 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

I still can't get enough of Mr. Potatohead! I like playing with the edges of the panels, and the negative space - makes the image more dynamic.
This fun little piece is available at the Newburyport Art Association's Gift Shop.

Room - Small Acrylic Painting of a Vintage Motel Sign

Room

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

available here

Playing with different parts of signs - these little panels give me an opportunity to play with colors and compositions - and they give me some smaller pieces to make available at lower prices. I have a few favorite signs that I seem to paint a lot! Sometimes the colors and graphics just come together for me, and I enjoy trying different crops and layouts, trying to find what is really attracting me to the sign.

I hope you like these little pieces. Judging by how quickly they are being snapped up by my collectors, there seems to be a market for these little guys. And with the holidays coming up - remember original art makes a great gift, too!!

Summer View - Small Landscape Painting by Debbie Shirley

Summer View

4 x 6 inches

acrylic on linen panel

Every now and then I get an urge to do a more "traditional" landscape. This is a scene from northern Maine. This painting will be available in the Art Room at Coolidge Hall at the Topsfield Fair, October 2-12.

Cycles - Small Acrylic Painting of Building in Haverhill

Cycles

(Haverhill, MA)

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on cradled wood panel

Trying out a small panel. Love the angles of this building and the shadows. Another one I'd love to try in gouache and kept as simple shapes.

Mischief - Acrylic Painting of a Classic Toy (Again!)

Mischief

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

Lots of requests for "MORE POTATOHEAD"! I sometimes visit a subject more than once. Usually I change the crop, the colors, the point of view, or the size and or orientation. This is actually very close to the same crop as I just painted for the ACEO a few days prior. I wanted to try it larger - and I also like to see how just the littlest changes can really affect the "expression" on the Potatohead. Certainly fun to play with!

This piece will be available at the Art Room at the Topsfield Fair later this month.

Skips - Small Acrylic Painting of Neon Sign

Wish You Were Here Project

"Skip's"

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

Just a small part of a wonderful sign at Skip's Hamburgers in Merrimac, Massachusetts. I've tried a few different crops of the sign, trying to decide on some ideas for another larger piece.

Clam Box - Small Acrylic Painting by Debbie Shirley

"Wish You Were Here" Project

Clam  Box

Ipswich, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches, acrylic on watercolor paper

SOLD

Mmmmm.....clams.........

Plaza Motel - Acrylic Painting of Neon Sign

"Wish You Were Here"

Plaza Motel

Peabody, Massachusetts

6 x 4", acrylic on watercolor paper

I wanted to do a re-do on this sign with out the neon being pink! Considering a larger version of part of this sign.....

Commissioned House Portrait - Small Custom Acrylic Painting by Debbie Shirley

commission

4 x 6 inches

acrylic on canvas

SOLD

This was a little house portrait commission. Are you interested in having one done for your own? Contact me for more information!
p.s. They also make a great gift for that hard to buy for person.....(think birthdays, anniversaries, house warming, weddings, etc.....)

Joes - Small Postcard Painting at Salisbury Beach by Debbie Shirley

"Wish You Were Here"

Joes

Salisbury Beach, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

The clown was too much fun to resist.....and the building has such a dated quality with the primary colored panels. I assume they are covering windows? I may have to do a little research to see if I can find old pictures of the building to see if it always looked that way. I was just down at Salisbury Beach last week for a show and took more pictures, so hopefully more paintings from there soon!

The Fun-A-Day Boston exhibit where these paintings were shown is now over. I should have them back int he studio soon and they will be available for sale.

Tripoli - Small Acrylic Painting of Neon Sign Salisbury Beach

"Wish You Were Here"

Tripoli

Salisbury Beach, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

Love the letters on this colorful sign at Salisbury Beach. Once again, I feel like there must be a better crop, so I am sure I will be playing with this sign again.

These pieces from my Fun-A-Day project will be on exhibit for one more week at the Aviary Gallery in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.

Skips - Small Acrylic Painting of Vintage Neon Sign

"Wish You Were Here"

Skip's

Merrimac, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

Another painting of the Skip Hamburgers sign in Merrimac, Massachusetts. I love the arrow on the sign,  but decided to try a crop of more of the left edge. Still not exactly working the way that I want it to, so I am sure I will be painting the sign again sometime.

This piece is now hanging along with 18 other little paintings of mine as well as the very clever projects from other members of Fun-a-Day Boston. More information about the exhibition here.

Ferns - Small Acrylic Painting of Motel Sign by Debbie Shirley

"Wish You Were Here"

Ferns

Saugus, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

I believe this is the 20th piece that I did for the Fun-A-Day Project. The Boston area show is coming up in the next few weeks and I will have a number of these pieces in the exhibit. Some have them have already sold, but the rest will be available through the Aviary Gallery in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts for the duration of the show.

Kowloon - Small Acrylic Painting of Neon Sign in Saugus, Massachusetts

"Wish You Were Here"

Kowloon

Saugus, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

Got to love the kitschy architecture in Route 1 in Saugus! A lot of the older buildings and signs are disappearing quickly - and the spaces are being taken over by big box stores. The Kowloon still stands - still busy, and definitely a throwback to an earlier time. I'm thinking I need to paint the actual building as well....

Hilltop Steak House - Small Acrylic Painting Vintage Neon Sign

"Wish You Were Here"

Hilltop Steak House

Saugus, Massachusetts

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper\

Yes, I am kinda obsessed with this sign.....