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.

Day 26 - Tiny Landscape Painting

Maine Meadow

3 x 3 inches

acrylic on archival canvas panel

A little tiny landscape!
 I painted this on a tiny handmade acid-free canvas panel that I bought from 417canvassupply on Etsy and framed it with one of the wonderful handmade frames from RusticandRefined (also on Etsy). I sold a bunch of these little gems at the Apple Festival last weekend, so now I am making up a few for the Newburyport Art Association's gift shop. I was happy to see that a couple of my paintings in the gift shop had sold, so I dropped off some new work today.

Sebois River - Small Landscape Paitning

Sebois River

6 x 4 inches

acrylic on canvas panel

Day 8!
I'm still here....and hoping to get a tiny bit ahead in the upcoming days.....the River Ruckus is over (and it was a lot of fun!!!) and I am dropping of work for a show tomorrow, and another drop off at the end of the week. Schedule is pretty crazy......

This painting is the Sebois River in Maine from the snowmobile bridge crossing the river. It is available here.

Day 4 - Falling Down - Landscape Painting

Falling Down

8 x 8 inches

acrylic on canvas

It's Day 4 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!

Today's entry is a piece I have been working on for MixtMedia's next exhibition. The theme is "The Four Elements" and I have chosen Water as my inspiration for two pieces. I was in Maine when I heard about the theme for the show, and the next day I was sitting at Shin Falls as my kids were playing in the water and I was racking my brain for inspiration. I looked up at the falls, and thought "Hmmm...it doesn't get more elemental than that!"

The show opens on September 20, 2013, with a reception from 6-8pm. Hope you can check it out!

Endless Fields - ACEO Landscape Painting Small Acrylic Original SOLD

#15 in the 30 Day Painting Challenge - 

Endless Fields

3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches (ACEO size)

acrylic on watercolor paper
SOLD

Yep - two posts in one day! But now I am caught up  ;-)
AND halfway through the challenge - woohoo!

I needed another break from the snowy New England weather, so this time - instead of the beach like earlier this week - I am rambling down the roads of northern Maine. Miles and miles of old farms and fields that seem to go on forever. I love those fields! The colors, the rolling hills, I just always picture my spirit flying above them as I look out the car window as we drive....

Further Afield - Small Acrylic Landscape Painting SOLD

Further Afield

5x7 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper
SOLD

I've been itching to get back to a little landscape painting! I have recently realized that I only got out to paint en plein air a couple of times during the entire summer. And I thought I'd be getting out there so much more this year! Oh well. There is always next year, right?

This painting is part of the group of work that I have taken to the Newburyport Art Association for their Holiday Show. From now until December 24th, the gallery is full of all kinds of wonderful art (and some other gift ideas) - everything under $350. A great opportunity to pick up some amazing art at great prices - and support local artists as well.

Blueberry Branch - ACEO Still Life Painting

Blueberry Branch

3.5 x 2.5 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

One last one to add to the bunch for West Village Provisions. The blueberries have me thinking about Maine - and looking forward to our trip there later this summer....

Tomorrow will probably be spent doing some framing and prep work for the Creative Haverhill pop-up shop on Saturday. Once again, it will be at the Wingate Street Block Party in downtown Haverhill - Saturday, June 2nd, 12-4pm. I plan to have a bunch of my smaller paintings on display at what looks like a fun event!

By the Tracks - One More Miniature

By the Tracks

2 x 2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper
available matted and framed in my Etsy shop

I was determined to give miniature landscapes another try, so here is a tiny one of a track crossing in Stacyville, Maine. I'm not quite sure how I feel about the two landscapes. I think I will frame everything, and give it a few days before deciding!

The Topsfield Fair opens next weekend. I didn't get THE CALL to come pick my work up, so I assume that everything got juried in. I won't know for sure until after the opening on Friday. I am both nervous and excited to see how the exhibit looks. It is a HUGE fair and runs for 10 days, so it gets a ton of traffic. I also have 18 pieces for sale in their Art Room - it will be interesting to see if anyone actually buys art at this kind of exhibit. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Across the Field - Landscape Painting by Debbie Shirley SOLD

Across the Fields

4x6 inches

acrylic on canvas
SOLD

Another Maine field landscape. I love the way the goldenrod lines the roads this time of year, with other wildflowers adding little pops of color.

I could not resist buying a little bunch of sunflowers yesterday.....I am starting to see them blossoming out in the fields around here - time to go on a picture taking expedition I think! Anyways, as I am sitting here looking at this bunch of sunflowers, I am realizing the next landscape painting will be on hold for a little while....these flowers are calling me.....

Summer Field - SOLD

Summer Field

4x6 inches

acrylic on linen panel
SOLD

Oh, the landscapes of Maine are still so vivid in my head...so many things I want to paint, so little time......

By The Shore - Plein Air Sketch

By the Shore

6x4 inches

acrylic on canvas panel

I worked on this one while sitting in a "tin tub" tied to the dock near my inlaws' camp on Shin Pond in northern Maine. I wanted to capture the light on the water - it was a cloudy day and the light changed so quickly that I had a really hard time of it. I think I also needed to change my position a little - I think this painting needs some sky  ;-) Once again - I'm not pleased with the outcome, but it was a good learning experience.

Mountain Meadow - Plein Air Sketch

Mountain Meadow

6x4 inches

acrylic on linen panel

We did a lot of hiking in Maine as usual this year, despite the rainy weather. My kids are all now big enough that they tend to leave me in the dust on mountain trips. One day, we got a break from the rain for a few hours, and while the kids and their cousins climbed a small mountain, I stayed down in the meadow to paint.

I didn't get a whole lot of painting time during our two weeks in Maine. I usually try to allow a few days to stick around camp alone to do some painting, but it just didn't happen this year with all the hiking and side trips planned. I think in future years I will end up doing more of this hiking in part way with the group like I did the day I did this painting, but then staying on one location to paint and joining back up with them on the way back. While I haven't been thrilled with the plein air work I did on this trip, it has been a great learning experience and I hope it will lead to improvement in future paintings.