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!

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!

Farnhams Famous Clams - Small Acrylic Painting of Iconic Clam Shack

JT Farnhams

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

SOLD

Another iconic clam shack on the North Shore of Massachusetts. This one is in Essex - home to a lot of clams! I've driven by many times, however, this is one clam shack I haven't actually eaten at yet. Maybe next summer!

This piece was available at Pop Gallery in Gloucester, Massachusetts, but sold very quickly. I am guessing that there will be more Farnham's paintings coming up soon since it is a favorite place of many people. Let me know if you are interested in a piece of Cape Ann summer for your own!

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.

Hilltop - Small Acrylic Painting of Iconic Hilltop Sign Route 1

Hilltop

(Saugus, Massachusetts)

5 x 7 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

It always seems like it is time to do another Hilltop painting!

The Hilltop seems to be one of my most in-demand images. I suspect that is because it was such a well-loved place that was around for so long - and then fairly recently closed their doors for good. At every show I attend with one of my Hilltop pieces, I hear so many stories about the special family get-togethers that were held there....the special dinners, birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions, rehearsal dinners, etc.  - everyone seems to have a Hilltop memory. Not too many restaurants have such a long history of making memories for so many people!

This is also why I love this series of local signs and buildings that I have been working on. Not only are they fun to paint, but I really enjoy hearing the stories that people share, their memories connected to these places, the connections that people have to these places.

I do these pieces by commission as well- so let me know if there is a special place you would like me to memorialize in a painting.

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.....

Miniature - Small Acrylic Painting of Rt.1 Neon Sign

Miniature (Golf)

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

Another new favorite sign to play with! I am actually working on a much larger version of another part of this sign for an upcoming show. This sign is on Rt. 1 in Saugus, Massachusetts - new to the famous orange dinosaur. The property has sold, and originally the sign and orange dinosaur were supposed to come right down. Due to public outcry, the developers decided to give the mini golf course and orange dinosaur one last season. So quick - make it over to Rt 1 for a round of mini golf before the orange dinosaur becomes only part of North Shore's history......

Skips - Small Acrylic Painting of a Classic Neon Sign

Skips

6x6 inches

acrylic on cradled board

Finally a different part of the Skips neon sign! I love the part of the sign that says "The Best" - great words, shapes and colors. It has taken me a while to find another part of the sign that I wanted to paint. Some time I may have to do a larger version of the entire sign - it really is one of my favorites!

Working on a couple of these smaller pieces simultaneously with a few larger paintings that I hope will be ready to post soon. I think I start working on multiple projects at once when I am feeling a bit restless....

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!

Kowloon - Small Acrylic Painting Neon Sign Route 1 Saugus, Massachusetts

Kowloon

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

It's the Kowloon!
Another great neon sign on Route 1 in Saugus, Massachusetts. Gone are the days of neon sign after neon sign on Route 1. Only a few are left! And I am trying to capture as many as I can while they still stand.
It always amazes me how I can paint just one letter from this sign and people immediately recognize it as the Kowloon!

This painting is also available at the North Shore Makers Mart in Topsfield, Massachusetts.

Golf - Small Acrylic Painting Mini Golf Neon Sign Route 1 Saugus, Massachusetts

Golf

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

How about a little mini golf??
Can't believe it has taken me so long to get around to painting this great neon sign in Saugus, Massachusetts. Yes, this is on Route 1 - site of the famous orange dinosaur. I had to get this painting dome - this is the last season for the dinosaur. The  whole complex is due to be demolished this fall to make room for more developments.

Love this sign - I am already sketching out a larger painting with a similar composition. this small painting is available at the brand new North Shore Makers Mart in Topsfield, Massachusetts. Stop by their Grand Opening on April 30th and see all kids of fun things from local artists. And it is in the middle of a vintage shop and consignment boutique - so much fun shopping in one place!

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!

Fowles - Small Acrylic Painting of an Iconic Neon Sign

Fowles

5 x 7 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

Back in full sign making mode! Yep, some of the same old....but some new ones, too - and always new crops and colors - love playing around with these and getting ideas for bigger pieces.
I've got a bunch of orders to fill for these - and a new local venue opening in a few weeks. More info to come!

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

Beer & Wine

16 x 12 inches

acrylic on canvas

I've been frantically working on some larger pieces to enter into upcoming exhibitions all while trying to move into my new studio space. It has been a little crazy! Now this week will have to be dedicated to catching up on some smaller pieces for some new shops I will have work in this Spring.

But first, here is one of the larger pieces. Love the Sunnyside sign from Danvers, Massachusetts. The day I went to take photos of it, the shadows were so perfect, I knew I'd need to paint more than just the sign....

STAU - Acrylic Painting of a Neon Sign, Chinese Restaurant Sign Painting

STAU

20 x 10 inches

acrylic on canvas

I enjoyed going bigger again with a sign painting - and the larger than normal difference in the dimensions of this one really appealed to me - it was a good challenge to go so vertical! And - best of all - I am excited that "STAU" was accepted into the Newburyport Art Association's Winter Juried Show. This wonderful show will be at the Newburyport Art Association through March 5th. Be sure to check it out!

Work in progress shot (after sketching it out, I started out painting by blocking sections of all the colors to see how the colors and shapes would work together):

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!

Fowles - Small Acrylic Painting of Neon Sign Newburyport Landmark

Fowles

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

available at Pop Gallery

Always fun to go back to this iconic sign in Newburyport. Great shapes with the letters, and then really fun shadows from the neon tubes. I love how I can crop this sign down to only a couple of letters, and people still always recognize it.

Part of my series of small paintings of local signs available at Pop Gallery in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

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!