Bill's Bar - Acrylic Painting of Iconic Boston Neon Sign

Bill's Bar

9 x 12  inches

acrylic on cradled panel

I noticed the sign for Bill's on Landsdowne while nearing Fenway Park for a Red Sox game. The sign combines neon and light bulbs - and the colors combined with the colors of the building made me certain I had to paint it! Maybe a larger version with a different crop will be in the works? I've never been "hip" enough to actually go inside, but it is known as quite the party spot!

Perhaps you've seen a musical group here? Or spent a festive New Years Eve? Or maybe just know someone named Bill - this painting would be a great addition to an art collection - especially for fans of old neon. Contact me if you are interested in more information!

Frozen Delite - Touch of Summer during the Winter!

Frozen Delite

10 x 8 inches

acrylic on canvas

For this painting we take a little trip to summer time - think carnival rides, roller coasters, amusement parks. And yes, giant fake ice cream cones! Besides the huge cone, I was drawn to the garish colors and the fun shapes in this ice cream stand. All the light bulbs sure proved to be a challenge, but I am glad I stuck with it.

Interesting in purchasing this piece of summer for yourself? See more information here.

Hilltop - Small Acrylic Painting of Iconic Hillltop Steak House Sign.

Hilltop

7 x 5 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

SOLD

Why so many Hilltop paintings? The Hilltop Steakhouse was such a popular restaurant - with such an iconic sign. The sign is fun to paint - and is recognizable instantly by anyone who had ever lived or visited the North Shore. Since the restaurant was just demolished recently, the place and its memories are still fresh in people's minds. I think people really want to remember this place - and there is unlikely to be anything quite like it again. Generations of local families celebrated their special occasions there - I love hearing people's stories when they see on of my Hilltop paintings at a show.

This painting has sold  - but if you are interested in a small Hilltop painting for your own home (or office) - please contact me for more information!

Marty's Donut Land - Acrylic Painting of Iconic Storefront in Ipswich, Massachusetts by Debbie Shirley

Marty's

7 x 5 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

SOLD

I have painted Marty's Donut Land before.....it has since been bought out and changed hands. There are a lot of Ipswich people who have fond memories of Marty's - of the fresh hot donuts, right out of the fryer, that you had to show up for very, very early (or late for the party crowd) and get before the sun rose. I have had a bunch of requests for more, so I am doing some more small paintings - slightly different crops and orientations - so that people can have a piece of Ipswich history for their own. Please contact me if you would like a Marty's painting to capture some of your own memories.

Clam Box Painting - Small Acrylic Painting of Iconic Clam Shack Ipswich, Massachusetts

Clam Box

(Ipswich, Massachusetts)

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

SOLD

The Iconic Clam Box in Ipswich, Massachusetts! An interesting building - shaped like a take-out box. Love the red and white accents - and of course, the fried clams. Stop by on a warm summer evening, and the line goes all the way around the building. A place not to be missed by visitors to the area.

It is a fun building to paint - I am always trying to find a slightly different angle or crop to it. This is a popular subject with my customers, so I do end up painting it a lot! If you are interested in a "Clam Box" painting of your own. please contact me!

Caffe Sicilia - Small Acrylic Painting of a Local Cafe Gloucester, Massachusetts

Caffe Sicilia

(Gloucester, Massachusetts)

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

available at Pop Gallery

This charming little cafe is across the street from one of the galleries that carries my work. Pop Gallery is an awesome boutique right on Main Street in downtown Gloucester. It has evolved from a mostly art pop-up shop into a charming and quirky shop with stuff you won't find elsewhere - really fun clothing and unique accessories including the work of some local artists. Anyways, I thought it would be fun to paint a few of the downtown businesses that locals would recognize for Pop to include on their pink wall and I have always loved the shape of this little corner building.

Prince Pizza Painting and a Winter Tropical Paint-In

Prince Restaurant

12 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled board

SOLD

This was a new sign for me - the "leaning tower of pizza" on Route 1 - Prince Restaurant. The painting was a commission piece for someone whose family was involved in the making of the original sign. I have since done a smaller version of the sign - contact me for availability if you are interested!

Today was the first Sunday of this year's "Paint-In" at Nunan Florist and Greenhouses in Georgetown, Mass. What fun to paint in a tropical environment in the middle of winter - especially after last night's snowstorm! Artists from the Greater Haverhill Arts Association will be painting there on Sundays throughout January - and we will hold an exhibition on the last Sunday of the month. I will be sure to post my finished pieces - maybe my first florals since last year's Paint-In!

Agawam Diner - Small Acrylic Painting of Classic Rowley Diner by Debbie Shirley

Agawam Diner

(Rowley, Massachusetts)

5 x 7 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

The Agawam Diner on Route 1 in Rowley, Massachusetts is quite the local institution. Whenever I have a painting of it at one of my shows, it seems like just about everyone comments on having eaten there. By the way, despite the name, I don't think this diner was ever in Agawam. I believe it was in Ipswich and Peabody before it was moved to Rowley in the 1960's.

This piece is currently available at Pop Gallery in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Interested in a similar piece? Contact me!

Beer & Wine - Acrylic Painting of Bowling Alley and Neon Sign

Beer & Wine

(Danvers, Massachusetts)

16 x 12 inches

SOLD

Love this sign from the Sunnyside Bowladrome in Danvers, Massachusetts. I am always surprised at how many locals don't know where this is! The colors are great - and the building has some interesting shapes. Every time I go by it, I see another angle that I want to paint!

This painting was one of my recent favorites - and I am happy to say that is SOLD at this year's Topsfield Fair.

Home Style - Small Urban Landscape Painting by Debbie Shirley

Home Style (One Way)

(Gloucester, Massachusetts)

8 x 8 inches

acrylic on canvas

What exactly would "Home Style" laundry be? Seems like a funny claim to fame! But anyways, I found myself fascinated by this building, sign and shadows each time I drove by, so I decided to paint it. A little different than my paintings that just highlight a part or a sign, but I am enjoying doing this kind of urban landscape - so there will be more!

Cameron's - Small Painting of Gloucester Restaurant Sign by Debbie Shirley

Cameron's

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel
SOLD

Once a downtown Gloucester, Massachusetts institution, Cameron's Restaurant has been closed for a number of years and is now slated for demolition to make way for an affordable housing project.

This painting SOLD at Pop Gallery in Gloucester. Interested in a similar piece? Contact me!

Tripoli Pizza - Small Acrylic Painting of Neon Sign from Salisbury Beach

Tripoli

5 x 7 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

I seem to be meeting a lot of people from Salisbury lately. And have been talking a lot about Salisbury Beach. Can't talk about Salisbury Beach without mentioning Tripoli Pizza! And while they have other locations, I am pretty sure that the Salisbury one is the only one with the great neon sign. One of my favorite signs - that I keep coming back to.....

Agawam Diner - Small Acrylic Painting of Retro Diner

Agawam Diner

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

Lots more sign paintings coming up! Some are places I have painted before, and some are new. gotta keep up with the shows and shops! This piece is at the brand new venue in Topsfield, Massachusetts - the North Shore Makers Mart.

And even cooler - it is in the local newspaper in the article about the Mart's opening!

Free HBO - Small Acrylic Painting of a Vintage Motel Sign by Debbie SHirley

Free HBO

(Saugus, Mass.)

5 x 7 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

Back to more of my sign paintings. I need more for local shops - and then with show/festival season getting underway, I will need some for my own inventory as well! I find signs fun to paint - sometimes I keep going back to some of my favorites, playing with composition and color and dimensions. After years in the printing industry and a resulting love for typography, it was inevitable that I would be drawn to signs - the lettering, the shapes, the graphic nature. Then tie in the nostalgic factor - and they are an irresistible subject for me!

State Street - Architecture Cityscape Acrylic Painting of Newburyport by Debbie Shirley

State Street

12 x 16 inches

acrylic on canvas

I finally finished up some small changes that I wanted to  make on this painting, painted the edges and varnished and framed it. It's an angled view down State Street in downtown Newburyport, Massachusets.

It will be on exhibit during the Spring Members Show at the Newburyport Art Association  from April 8 - April 30th with an opening reception on April 9, 7-9pm.

Agawam Diner - Small Acrylic Painting by Debbie Shirley

Agawam Diner

(Rowley, Massachusetts)

7 x 5 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

A favorite local diner to paint - this one is for Pop Gallery in Gloucester. Excited to be getting back to some of these small sign paintings again - they are in high demand right now! Time to go on a search for some new diner/sign material...

Fowles - Small Acrylic Painting of a Landmark Newburyport Neon Sign

Fowles

(Newburyport, Mass.)

7 x 5 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

available at Zenobia Gallery

Oh the craziness!

Been super busy - some commissioned work, some exhibition work, and then work on the Haverhill Art Market. And, oh yeah, work for all my local shops and galleries who all seemed to sell out over the holidays!

So, I had to temporarily put my Fun-a-Day project on hold. You will still see pieces from it as I try to finish it up - it has been too much fun to give it up entirely! And it is giving me ideas for some of the larger pieces I have coming up....

Anyhow, "Fowles" is one of the mini sign paintings that I do for local shops. the sign is a landmark in Newburyport - one of my favorites to paint. Yes, I paint some of these signs and buildings over again many times. I usually change cropping, proportions, sizes, use of color and shadow, etc. It helps give me ideas for bigger paintings, and it also makes these smaller pieces available to more people at reasonable prices. I am always on the lookout for new signs to paint, but people keep requesting some of the old ones, so I keep painting those, too. I do many of these as custom pieces as well - feel free to contact me if you are interested in more information!

George's - Small Acrylic Painting of Coffee House, Retro Sign

George's

7 x 5 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

available at Pop Gallery

Switching back and forth a bit with my posts since I still have a number of paintings left to catch up on.
This is part of the series of small paintings of local signs and buildings that are now available at Pop Gallery in Gloucester, Massachusetts. George's is a great little corner coffee shop in Gloucester. Soon after I took the picture for this painting, they replaced their sign. The new on ehas a lot less character - I am glad that I was able to capture the old one!

"The Best" - Happy New Year!

The Best

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

available at Pop Gallery

Happy New Year! Here's hoping that 2016 will be "The Best" for you!

Hard to believe that 2015 is over. I'm trying to think of 2016 as a clean slate - I've got lots of big things planned!

2015 was a pretty big year - I was hoping to have the chance to put together a retrospective post about all the things that happened (or a great video like my friend Linda Germain!), however 2016 is really starting off with a bang and I am not sure that I will get a chance to do it in detail.....

But in a nutshell -
-October of 2015 was the end of over 18 straight months of small venue solo exhibitions. I exhibited in libraries, banks, community centers, stores and the like for over 18 months, one show right after the next. I painted larger than I have for a long time. And I learned a lot about exhibiting, hanging, and promoting these little shows - so it was really a great experience for me. And hopefully good preparation for bigger things.
-I also won awards - 3 in juried shows at the Newburyport Art Association, 1 in a Greater Haverhill Arts Association show, and a ribbon in the Professional Art Division at the Topsfield Fair,
-I did 2 online interviews and a published magazine interview (with pictures!) - kind of a big deal for a total introvert like me!
-I helped (with 4 other local artists) start up a new monthly venue for artists on the northshore of Massachusetts - the Haverhill Art Market
-I did more exhibitions, shows and markets then I care to count right now  ;-)
-And I painted more than 150 paintings! Being that many of them were much larger than the 6x6 (and smaller) pieces I had been doing in the past, I am quite pleased with that number!

And many sincere thanks to YOU for following me and keeping up with the craziness! You all are truly "The Best" and I wish for a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year for everyone. Here's to a wonderful 2016!

Motel - Original Acrylic Painting of Retro Neon Sign

Motel

11 x 14 inches

acrylic on canvas

Another painting from Fern's on Route 1. Love playing with the different crops and angles.

This painting will be exhibited at Coolidge Hall during the Topsfield Fair October 2-12.