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.

Small Still Life Floral Painting SOLD

Commission

6 x 8 inches

acrylic on canvas

SOLD

Just finished a special commission for a customer who sent me a photo she had taken. It is always interesting to see what my clients will challenge me with next! (Photo is hidden until recipient receives her surprise!)

Have an idea that you would like to see come to life on canvas? Contact me! I am now booking commission slots for fall.

Commissioned House Portrait - Custom Acrylic Painting by Debbie Shirley

Commission

12 x 16 inches

acrylic on 1-1/2" canvas

SOLD

Eek! It has been more than a week since I have posted!
I have been painting a lot - working on a few different projects at once - and haven't had much time for posting. However, I did finish the painting above and wanted to post about it.

This painting was a commission for a family who wanted a special gift for their mother's birthday. This house was the home she grew up in, and all the family members have wonderful memories about it, a few of which they shared with me during the process of creating the painting. These type of stories help make the work - and the entire experience - really special. I love having that kind of connection with my clients and I hope they feel that connection in the final work. The family was pleased with the outcome and are excited about having the painting framed.

Are you interested in having a custom piece created just for you? Please contact me!

Pick a Peck - Small Still Life Painting, Original Art

Pick a Peck

6x6 inches

acrylic on 3/4" canvas

SOLD

Another commissioned piece.
I really like painting these close-ups of piles of things. Fruits and vegetables are always fun, but it could be interesting to try out piles of other kinds of objects, too. I may do another one of these peppers, only larger. So many things to paint, so little time......

Pepper Sauce - 6x6 Still Life Painting, Kitchen Art, Small Acrylic Painting

Pepper Sauce

6 x 6 inches

acrylic on canvas

This is a commission from a friend who liked the 3 x 3 painting I did of the Tabasco bottle as part of my Fun-A-Day project. It was interesting to paint 6 x 6 after so many 3 x 3's!

Please contact me if you are interested in your own custom painting inspired by on of my Fun-A-Day pieces....

Shawsheen Luncheonette - Comissioned Acrylic Landscape Painting

Helloooo!! Anybody still out there?!

I am finishing out 2013 - and gearing up for the New Year.
Once again - sorry for the lack of posts.... lots of ornaments and many commissions made for some not very exciting posting, so I decided to just hold off on it.

But now I am back.

One last commission for 2013:

Shawsheen Luncheonette

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled board

SOLD

Look familiar? I did a very similar one earlier this year for the owner of the diner. She liked it so  much, that she wanted to give it as a special holiday gift to the former owner of the restaurant, and then she commissioned another one for her self! Do you have a local business for which you would like a little custom piece done? Contact me! I will be open for new commissions in the new year.

I am painting away on a few pieces for the first Newburyport Art Association show of the new year - plus I am taking part in a fun little project I will share in my next post. Stay tuned!

Finishing Up....

Finishing up this commission.....it's 12 x 16 inches, acrylic on 1-1/2" gallery wrapped canvas.

And a reminder - original art makes a great gift! If you are interested in commissioning a painting for yourself or someone you love, please get your requests in soon! I only have a few holiday slots left.

Second Skin - Small Still Life Painting Food Art SOLD

Second Skin

4 x 4 inches

acrylic on 3/4" canvas
SOLD

The local apples have been really wonderful this year. It will make me very sad when I have to go back to supermarket apples. While we never actually made it out to pick apples this fall, I have been buying plenty from the local farm and farmers' markets. I think the honeycrisps have been the favorite around here this year, though the macouns and cortlands have been really good, too.

This fruit-y painting will be available at West Village Provisions later this week!

Day 30 - Off the Vine ACEO Pumpkin Painting SOLD

Off the Vine

3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

SOLD

Day 30! I actually did it - 30 Paintings in 30 Days! Yes, some of the paintings were pretty small, but I am happy that I was able to keep up. Thanks for the great challenge, Leslie Saeta!

Now to get some sleep.......

Day 23 - Signs of Summer Small ACEO Painting SOLD

Signs of Summer

3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

SOLD

Another Benson's painting....everyone is trying to get in one last bit of summer before the fall takes over. Benson's has moved into their fall flavors - baked apple, pumpkin, etc. They use local fruit to make their "native fruit" flavors, and they are spectacular  ;-)

I have some exciting things coming up - hope to share more information soon!

Thanks for stopping by  ;-)

Day 2 - Benson's Commission

Benson's

5 x 7  inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

SOLD

Day 2 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge:

Benson's Ice Cream in West Boxford is quickly becoming one of my most popular subjects! This painting was created as a commission for someone who is planning on giving it as a gift to a family member. I actually took my kids to Benson's yesterday......fresh homemade red raspberry ice cream made with local berries.......yum!

Are you interested an original custom piece of your own? (They make great holiday gifts!  ;-) Email me and we can talk about it!

Sunny Day - Small Sunflower Painting SOLD

Sunny Day

4 x 3 inches

acrylic on 3/4" canvas
SOLD

Finally back in town! I hope everyone had a great Fourth.
I had a wonderful week with family.

Now it is back to the grind - and so much to catch up on! Just this little one for tonight, I didn't want to let another day pass without posting, but I hope to get all caught up soon.....

Sunny Day will be available at West Village Provisions in West Boxford at the end of this week.

Bella - Acrylic Painting Commissioned Dog Portrait

Bella

10 x 8 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

Just a quick peek at a recent commission! It's always fun to take on new challenges......

Old Agawam - Landscape Cityscape Painting, Old Building in Massachusetts SOLD

Old Agawam

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled board

SOLD

I have painted this old building before.....but I had a client who wanted a similar painting  slightly larger and on a cradled panel. The sign is from the old Agawam Hardware in Ipswich, Massachusetts. They actually totally remodeled the building weeks after I visited it and the sign is now gone.

It was fun to revisit this subject for this custom order...please feel free to contact me if you are interested in a custom painting of your own!  ;-)

Waiting for Summer - ACEO Landscape Painting Small Format Art SOLD

Waiting for Summer

2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper
SOLD

This is one of the little landscapes I am painting as a special order for a friend who moved away from Boxford. This pretty beach is on Stiles Pond in Boxford, Massachusetts - a favorite place for locals to hang out in the summer. It is a beautiful spring-fed pond, much of it surrounded by woods, and a lovely place to while away a lazy summer day.....

Parson Capen House - Small ACEO Painting of Historic House SOLD

Parson Capen House

Topsfield, Massachusetts, 2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

SOLD

The Parson Capen House is a historical house built in 1683 in Topsfield, Massachusetts as the parsonage for the Congregational Church. Currently owned and maintained by the Topsfield Historical Society, it is thought to be one of the best preserved example of early American architecture.

This painting sold Saturday at the Strawberry Festival in Topsfield.

Meeting House - ACEO Original Acrylic Painting of New England Church, Cityscape Landscape SOLD

Meeting House

3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

SOLD

This little painting is of the church (Congregational, I believe) that stands on the town common in Topsfield, Massachusetts. It sold Saturday at the Strawberry Festival.

Besides the fact that I enjoy doing these little local scenes because I enjoy the old buildings and the architecture, I also really enjoy people's reactions to them. I get to hear so many personal stories of these places when I am at shows, or even when I stop by one of the local places where I have work on display. This weekend I got to hear quite a bit of town history, and also people's personal history about these places - it was really interesting - and a lot of fun!

I have one more of these paintings that I finished for the show on Saturday - and then I hope to start posting some of the commissions I am currently working on......

Summer Siesta - Small Landscape Painting ACEO of Stiles Pond SOLD

Summer Siesta (Stiles Pond)

3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper

SOLD

Another favorite Boxford, Massachusetts location..... Stiles Pond! Come summer, you will find most your neighbors (and ALL the kids) hanging out at "the pond". Surrounded by woodlands, it is a beautiful, spring-fed body of water with a small beach, canoes & kayaks, lots of frogs and fish - and a place to buy Italian ice. What more could the kids want on a hot summer day?!

This piece sold during the anniversary celebration at West Village Provisions. I have had a request for more Stiles pieces, so they will be coming in the weeks ahead.....

Benson's - Small Acrylic Painting of Sign ACEO SOLD

Benson's

3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper
SOLD

Another ACEO painting making its debut tomorrow at West Village Provisions. Stop by between 9-11 to see me, or come by any time during the day to help celebrate the current owners 2nd anniversary at the shop. It should be a fun day.....

(And, yes, I am slightly obsessed with Benson's. Or is it just that my kids keep wanting to go there to help me do "research"?!)

Summer Treat (Benson's) - Small Landscape Painting, Building Cityscape ACEO SOLD

Summer Treat (Benson's)

3-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches

acrylic on watercolor paper
SOLD

Sneaking in a few little ACEO paintings of some local (Boxford, Massachusetts) scenes between my beach paintings. On Friday, one of my favorite local places (and one of the places I regularly show my work) will be celebrating its second anniversary under new ownership. Stop by West Village Provisions in West Boxford, Massachusetts and help them celebrate! I will be there from 9 to 11 with a few new paintings of local scenes - I may even bring  my paints and work outside on the deck if the weather is nice.....