New Look

I am trying out some new looks to my blog.  I would really appreciate comments on what you think.  This is a more interactive template for the blog, what do you think?  Leave your comments so I know how you feel about various ways of viewing a blog.  Thank you!

Summer Commission

Oil, 16"x20" on panel commission

Here is the final summer commission.  This was a fun commission that involved a lot of different components that had to work together.  I am pleased with the result, and the painting is at the framer's right now.  I'm looking forward to seeing it hanging at its new home.

Sailing Away on Something Different

Oil paintings on 8"x8" Gallery-Wrap Canvases

Commission

Here is another commission that came my way from a Sunfish sailboat enthusist from Texas.  These small, 8"x8" canvases were fun to paint.  They have 2 inch gallery-wrap sides, so they are hefty little guys.  The woman wanting the commission really wanted the sunset and reflections to say color!  I can't wait to see a photo of them hanging on her navy blue walls in Texas!  It will be interesting to see how she decides to arrnage them.  Sail-on!

Commissions - Something Different

Oil commission from black and white wedding photograph

Logo design

I have been working on several different commissions this summer.  Some of them have been very different from what I am normally working on.  I am posting two of them here, more to come.  The top painting is done in oils, and was done as an anniversary gift.  I painted it from a 1950's black and white wedding photograph.  Very different, in that it is more representational than much of my work, and of course centers around the figures.  Fun to do!  The second one here, is a logo design that I created for a natural horsemanship equestrian center in Sweden.  I met the wonderful owners at a Parelli course one of our daughters was taking a couple years ago, in Florida.  The bottom one is the final design they chose.   Check out the lovely Swedish scenes, and what Lina and her mother, Åsa, are up to, Dalpraktken Sweden

Clementine, Harrisonburg, VA

"Riley's River" in Clementine restaurant in Harrisonburg, VA

Photo via "i love my burg" blog

Today I received an email showing me that one of my oil paintings, "Riley's River", that is hanging in downtown Harrisonburg, VA at the Clementine restaurant, was showcased in a blog called 

"i love my burg".  Although the photo was taken in black and white, it was fun to see someone else enjoying the painting on their blog.  I have had many comments on this painting, and it is still waiting to find a new home with someone.  Head on down to a great eatery in the 'burg and check out my paintings, as well as other artists' work.  They also have great live music at different times.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Ron Boehmer, who won second place in the Quick Draw at the Mountain Maryland Plein Air event.  Ron has been instructor extroidinair, who I've taken many, many classes from over the years.  Way to go, Ron!  There is an article in Plein Air Today, an  e-newsletter which comes out from
Plein Air Magazine, see the article in Outdoor Painter, an online newsletter.

Painting in Wildwood Park

 Grey Day Sicamores

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

 Wildwood Park Dam

8:x10" oil on canvas panel

 painting the dam

set up on the penisula, looking towards the dam

Back in the winter I "organized" a group of people who wanted to paint en plein air occaisionally.  Organize is used in its loosest of meanings.  We have really only met about three times since last February.  The way it works is, I send out an email to a list of interested painters, and whoever can come, shows up.  We go to a different place each time, and are hoping to do a late evening paint out in July.  Today there were two of us who showed up at Wildwood Park in Bridgewater, VA.  It was calling for rain, so the weather was a little iffy.  I got there around 9:00 and set up near the dam, then moved on over to the pennisula that sticks out into the North River, looking back towards the dam.  I found some nice trees leaning out over the river, and had a go at them.  I took the photos of the paintings right there, and the light was getting darker and darker, so I can see they don't show up very well.  I have been very intent lately at "painting light", as opposed to painting things and shapes.  It is giving me a different way of thinking about the objects I paint.  

Just Gave Myself an Idea!

Tiny Blue

oil on panel, en plein air

5" x 5"

I have just given myself an idea!  While sitting out on our deck this morning, drinking my morning tea, I was perusing my emails, and looking at all the great posts by the artists I follow.   One of my favorite artists, Karin Jurick and painted a great little studio painting of a green house.  I commented on her painting, on her blog, and just as I hit the send button, I thought what a cool group of paintings it would be to have the subject of tiny houses!  I mentioned to her that my husband had given me a book about the tiny, crooked houses in Savannah, GA one time.  My father's family lived in Savannah, and we have been there many times, so their crooked houses really interested me.  So now I have had an "ah-ha!" momentand idea!  So, thank you Karin, for your part in spurring on my muse for the an idea, even before I was done with my tea!  The painting above was done on Topsail Island, NC, en plein air.  It is the epitome of small houses, with an even tinier house in behind it, both painted this really amazing blue.  The search is one!

Another Painting Just Started Today

Just begun, in the "blocking-in" stage

Here is a painting I just started, this morning. It is in the VERY BEGINNING, blocking-in stage, not a pretty stage at all. It is the time when things are being "mapped out" on the canvas, when I figure out where things go, and get a sense of the over-all feel.  This will be one of the paintings in the group of paintings for the equine show in September in Orange, VA.   The trick with this one will be to keep it from being too "tweedly" as the English say. I don't want it to become "too cute", so the trick is to paint the light, not the subject, if you get my drift!  Part of the interest is the little girl, in her pink boots and pink jacket with her beloved pony.  BUT ... the problem can arise where it just is all sugar and spice, and not meat.  I want the meat, and I'm not even a big meat-eater!  By taking these photos early on, and posting them, scary in itself, it does help me see them differently.  I see things in this one that will most certainly be changing!  

On The Easel

Currently "on my easel", in various stages of being worked on

Three paintings that are on my easel at the moment.  Well, maybe not all at once, but they are the three I am working on currently.  All are at about the same place in their life of being worked on.  I have to put them aside for a while to let them "soak/brew/simmer/be considered".  There are things I like about each, at this stage, and there are things I don't like about each.  I am my worst critic, so generally there are more things I don't like than like, but I'm working on that!  One of the things I am working on, and it may not be apparent in these, yet, but I am working on my use of greys.  Hard to see on a computer screen, but I'm working on it.  Just to let you know, these will be part of a one woman show of my equine work at The Arts Center of Orange, September 10 - 14, 2012, to coincide with a workshop I will be teaching for the American Academy of Equine Art.  If you're interested, check out their website, I would love to see you there!   I would love your commments!

Demo Day in Potomac

Art Gallery of Potomac

Saturday, April 27 we had a demo day and talk in the Art Gallery of Potomac.  At the end, I took my paintings down so I could drive the two and a half hours home, to be ready for the Bluebird Ride the next day, April 28.  It was a really nice day to reconnect with my new Potomac artist friends, as well as selling two more paintings to a really interesting former nurse/torch-singer now living in CT.  I was told that another painting sold on Friday, which was really encouraging.

Today, Sunday, April 28, I will be setting up as many equine paintings as I have at home, which isn't many, for the Bluebird Ride.  This was organized by a neighbor.  The idea is to raise money for more bluebird houses to go up, and for James Madison University professor, Ziegenfus to bring JMU students around to see them and other birds in our area.  The ride starts out at nearby Mill Creek Farm, the 20+ riders (on horses), ride to our farm, where I will be talking and showing them some of my equine artwork.  Then the ride off to another neighbor's farm, where he will talk about local history, and then to one last farm where they will be eating.  A total of six miles for the walking tour of our "neighborhood".  I am very much hoping the rain-soaked grass drys a little, and the clouds part for a lovely day.  Photos to come!

Working on the Next Show

Blocked in Paintings 

A rainy day here in the Shenandoah Valley.  Rain and more rain.  A soft day as they say in Ireland.  So, I put it to good use blocking in several paintings I want to work on for an upcoming show in September at The Arts Center of Orange.  The show will be an all equine art show, going on while I teach a week long workshop for The American Academy of Equine Art.  Although I have not been able to paint for a while, due to rotator cuff problems, I decided that I had to do something in order not to fall behind.  So, I kept everything VERY LOOSE, and quickly scrubbed in five, yep, five, paintings!  Four were 16"x20", one a square 12"x12" canvas.  The one on my easel, a 16"x20", is a bit less loose, since I had blocked that one in a couple weeks ago, before I had to give my arm a rest.  I have an appointment with an orthopedist to look at my ailing shoulder, and I am going to brace it until then to be able to paint a bit with it.  Yep, my studio is a mess, but let's just consider it a controled catastrophe!

Fantastic Art Opening!

Ballycurrin Lighthouse (1752)

oil on canvas

I had a wonderful art opening yesterday at The Art Gallery of Potomac.  It was a beautiful spring day, which started out with a paint out down by the C & O canal and Potomac River, near the Angler's entrance to both.  Such fun reconnecting with places from my youth.  Although I couldn't paint due to shoulder problems, I did sketch a little, and enjoyed the scenery and people.  The reception was wonderful!  Many family and friends from so many different places and times in my life came to the opening, which made it just fantastic!  I only wish I had thought to take pictures.  Another super part of the reception was that I sold three paintings!  Two before the opening even started!  I had to call my husband and tell him to pull paintings off the walls at home to bring in to take the place of the sales.  So the my side of the show is not totally Irish anymore, but I think it still looks pretty good.  So, THANK YOU, to everyone who came!  Now, I hope I can get my shoulder to heal so I can get back to painting.  I have a show in September in Orange, VA of equine work, which corresponds to a workshop I will be teaching on equine painting for the American Academy of Equine Art, at The Arts Center in Orange.  So, I need my right arm back!

Irish Paintings

By The Ferry

Oil on Canvas

By The Ferry is one of the paintings I have in the show at the Art Gallery of Potomac, Potomac, Maryland.  This painting was done from memory and photos taken on Inis Oirr, the smallest of the Aran Islands, in western Ireland.  As you get off the ferry, you can either walk around the island, rent a bike, or take a pony trap.  Inis Oirr feels like it has been lost in time.  Filled with stone walls, only about 252 residents, and history from the 5,000 years of being inhabited, Inis Oirr is a wonderful place to visit.  I had wanted to stay on the island, but wasn't able to, maybe next time!

Irish Art Show in Potomac Maryland

 Art work going up, things being move around

 My corner of the gallery

Art Gallery of Potomac, formally The Surrey

Monday, I spent most of the day driving to, then hanging artwork in the Art Gallery of Potomac, in the village of Potomac, Maryland.  I grew up about 5 miles away, so this is a specail show in many ways.  The building that the gallery uses was formally a shop called The Surrey.  It had been there since the early 1950's as an equestrian tack shop, and gift shop.  It has special memories for me.

There are two of us sharing the limelight for this show, myself with paintings about Ireland, and 

Dot Procter, with primarily her paintings about her trip to Italy.  Along with our paintings are paintings in the gallery belonging to 10 talented, local artists.

If you are in the area, the show will go on April 2 - April 28.  The opening reception is April 14, 

4:00 - 7:00 pm.  That same day, in the morning there will be a paint out open to anyone interested.  We will be painting along the canal, near The Old Angler's Inn.  There will be an awards time back at the gallery, where we will all take out lunches, and take a look at everyone's work.  Children are very welcome!  Also, on April 28, there will be demos put on in the gallery, both by myself, and Dot Procter.  Hope to see you there!

"Near The Blue Wagon"

Oil on Canvas - plein air

I wanted everyone to know about a show, "Through Our Eyes" going up in April, of my work, and another talented artist, Dot Procter.  The show will highlight primarily paintings from my trip to Ireland in the summer of 2011, and a trip that Dot took to Italy.  Both our work are primarily oil paintings, many large, and many with a slightly different view point of looking at the landscape in both Ireland and Italy.  If you will be in the area for the reception, or any other time, or if you are going to catch the remains of the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, come on out to Potomac, and see the show!  There will also be several "special events" going on, so check those out as well!

"Through Our Eyes"

An art show by Elaine Hurst and Dot Procter

Art Gallery of Potomac

Potomac, MD

April 4 - April 29

The Art Gallery of Potomac

10107 River Road

Potomac, MD 20854

240-447-9417

Gallery Hours

Wed - Sun 12 - 4pm

www.PotomacArtists.org

Opening Reception

“Through Our Eyes”

Elaine Hurst – www.elainehurst.com Dot Procter - www.dotprocter.com

April 14 4 – 7pm

Special Events

April 14, 5-7pm Artists's Reception April 14 (rain date April 15) Paint Out 9-12, (Anglers Boat Landing – www.dotprocter.com details) April 28, 1-4pm Artists' Demonstrations

Bend Like a River

"River's Bend"

Dyptych Oil on Canvases

24" x 30" each

I have been lax in posting anything for a while.  But I'm back!  Here is a painting I have been wanting to do for a long time.  Hopefully, the first of three more which will show all four seasons.  A dyptych painting (two canvases), of the bend in the Shenandoah River, looking from a New Market Battlefield overlook.  I am thinking this is my schizophrenic painting, since for a long time, one looked quite representational, and the other, more abstract.  This is not quite done, but I am liking leaving some of the "boxed" trees as boxes, and other things more representational.  I also swore while doing this one that the next painting would be smaller, and simpler...... I am now publicly eating my words!  I am working on a 4 ft x 5 ft painting of one of the Aran Islands in Ireland.  If anyone knows that area.... LOTS and LOTS of rock walls, that go on, and on, and on..... !  More on that to come