Barb's Blog - Mixed Media

I've Moved

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:02:00 +0000

In order to pursue some degree of simplicity I have moved my blog to my web site. It is now located at BarbaraBusenbark.com/blog

Why, You Ask?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:49:00 +0000

It's great re-connecting with old friends, and being originally from New Jersey and telling folks I now live in New Hampshire, I often get the question why. All people seem to know of New Hampshire is that it's cold and it gets a lot of snow. And in truth we like to complain about that here too. It's what we talk about when we see friends and neighbors at the town ~~dump~~, oopse, recycling center, the post office and the grocery store. And we do nothing to dispel such perceptions, preferring to have people think we are rugged and capable of handling anything nature throws at us which in part is quite true, using the term "us" loosely. Although I must say, I think I have adapted to life here quite well, I pride myself on my wood stacking abilities and I've tended to farm animals, hacked ice off the eves of the house and even held elected office here (it too is part of the New Hampshire experience).

Aside from all of that though, there are days in Autumn when we say this is why we live here. Yesterday was such a day. Days like this, the air is crisp and fresh, the sun is warm and the sky being the most spectacular shade of blue is only the beginning. The trees absolutely glow with brilliant color. So instead of blathering on and on about how friendly people are here, which they are, and what a great place it is to raise children, which it is I'm just going to share some pictures of "Our Town" - which it also is, with you.

A farm on Windy Row in Peterborough

What I see when I setp out my front door and look up.

At the end of my road is the Contoocook River, always full of color in Autumn.

The Contoocook River down by the plaza

More of the Contoocook.

Walking the dog this morning, my road

By way of follow-up, this is my studio all ready for company. "Like I said out of chaos comes order"

Gearing Up and Winding Down

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 15:22:00 +0000

Late Autumn and during the winter months my studio is a cozy refuge but when I am in the throws of the summer show season it tends to get particularly disheveled. There are but a few paintings on my gallery wall and several unfinished paintings littered about. Much as I try to continue painting in between shows it seems there's more of the "other stuff" to do. That is, putting together marketing materials, making sure my web sites are up to date and working well, making arrangements for travel, record keeping, framing and having prints done and anything else that "pops up". Last on the list, or even not on the list at all is tidying up the studio. So as I dash back in there before a show and pull out a few things to get to what I was looking for, they remain out of place until now. Now the Open Studio Tour is coming up and making my studio a showplace for my paintings is now at the top of the list.

But as Friedrich Nietzsche said, ‎"Out of chaos comes order." So it's my annual cleanathon to get ready. Mustering up the energy now, after doing six shows is a little trying, but I love it when things are in order, that may be shocking to hear from me, but it's true. Well. I guess I should qualify that with my kind of order, which I'm sure differs from someone else's or even anyone else's. Poor Tigger, even he had trouble navigating the place to find his bed.

In being brave - or foolish enough in showing these pictures I am reminded of an incident in college when I was far behind in my writing assignment for a final paper. When I started whining to a friend about how much writing I had to do, he was shocked and said "you'll never get that done!" Which was just the impetus I needed to do a fine job, and hand it in on time.

So I'm off to stuff more mailboxes with Art Tour maps, having walked several miles in the last few days to deliver a pile of them on Friday and Saturday. I'm hoping for a big turnout with the weather looking beautiful and the foliage starting to glow with yellows and reds and oranges. But really, I'd rather be painting.

Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:27:00 +0000

Peonies

It seems a good time to reflect on changes as the summer fades into Autumn. It has been a year full of them, artistically and personally. For some, change is a scarey thing, but not for me, it excites me and makes me more curious about what could be.

Just about a year ago I began painting with a palette knife during a Lois Griffel workshop. I found it quite liberating. I had tried painting with larger brushes to get the same effect in attacking the large shapes in a painting, but it didn't work for me. A few times during the course of the year I tried to return to brushes and it was an almost painful experience, almost like having to move back in with your parents, yea you're safe, but that's not where you want to be. I was becoming convinced that palette knife was "my style".

A few months later, I was in Italy; Rome, Florence and Venice. With all the places I've traveled to, I have never been disappointed with any of the sights that are on the "must-see list". Italy was no exception and in fact even more of an experience than I could have imagined. Seeing art, history and grandeur everywhere we turned was both overwhelming and invigorating. Before we went, everyone I spoke with that had been there said I'd love it, even those that I didn't know very well. I thought, how would they know I'd love it? It seemed rather cliché. The truth is now I know, I can't imagine anyone not loving it. You don't have to know the person, you just have to have seen the places we saw. But how did that trip change my paintings? People, that's how. The buildings were wonderful, but buildings and street scenes without people, well that just doesn't capture a city as alive as Rome. Couple that with the thousands of paintings and statues we saw, almost exclusively of people I felt the need to bring people into my paintings.

With new perspective and excitement for painting I wanted to also create a more simple way to update my web pages. Knowing that then I could have more time to paint. I have new slide shows for my Watercolor and Oil painting sections. I will add more pictures in the future but it's a start. I posted a poll to see if people wanted to help me decide if this format works best for my paintings. Your input into the survey would be greatly appreciated before I add any more pictures to it. My New Paintings page is no longer Paintings of Italy, those now have their own section. That being said there are new paintings posted there. I finally am finishing up paintings of flowers that were started when they began to bloom. I expect a few more florals will be completed soon.

More changes happened at home, one son moved to Miami and a new job for my husband. The new job brings with it an expectation of relocating. That is still in the future and such a move would bring us closer to Boston and the seacoast. The idea excites me and has me making more plans for the future. It is now the unknown which awaits us, but that's what makes life interesting. For now, I will just keep painting, kind of like Little Nemo - "just keep swimming, just keep swimming".

Today I Painted

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:06:00 +0000

I do try to keep some measure of practicality to my painting career. I spend a fair amount of time on marketing, designing and printing brochures and mailings. I try to keep my web site up to date and I participate in as many local art events as I can. Sometimes though, even when you know you need to be attending to the business end of things you just need to paint.

The month of August is my busiest time. Last weekend I was in Mystic, Connecticut for their art festival, a two day show. This weekend I will be in Greeley Park, Nashua, N.H. Next Saturday, it will be Portland Maine and the following weekend, Keene, N.H. There will be a couple of weeks off before I head down to New Hope, PA. After that, the Open Studio Tour, Columbus Day weekend.

The summer started out with a show Memorial Day weekend at the Montauk, Long Island show in New York. Before leaving I took some pictures. In wandering around in search of possible subjects for future paintings I came across a garden/florist shop called Strawberry Fields. It was beautifully laid out. I took a whole bunch of pictures and I've been wanting to work on a painting ever since.

Today I painted, it felt great to finally get to this picture. There are some other things I didn't get to that maybe I should have - but today I painted. Tomorrow, I'll have to get ready for this weekend's show in Nashua. Once again I'll pack up my truck, in the evening I will head over to set up my tent. But today I painted.

Now, They're Mine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:52:00 +0000

A few months ago, I decided to take some of my older paintings out of circulation. At the time of their completion I was quite happy with them but not anymore. At first I felt like I was just tired if looking at them. Still I wasn't sure what to do with them. Some I could sand down, prime and reuse the surface for new paintings, but some I still liked. I found a place in the basement for them, still feeling like there was something else I should be doing with them.

Then today I revisited a few. I decided to hang them up in my house. Now though, instead of looking at them with a critical eye, they looked like old friends. The harshness of ousting them from the fold has passed. They are memories of having reached new strides and finding beautiful places. They are comfortable in my home and I'm happy to have them. They received many compliments which boosted my confidence so I could push forward. So, no matter what artistic merit they may lack, my walls are filling up with these gifts to myself.

There are two in particular I've chosen. The first is called "Autumn Hayfields". It's a scene from a back road that my son use to take to go to his girlfriend's house. He told me it was a pretty spot and that I should check it out to paint. I drove where he suggested, but I also told him not to drive back roads, in typical Mom fashion saying he could crash and no one would ever find him. Of course he didn't listen, but I needed to say it. When I arrived at the spot, it really didn't look like much. Still, I though, he has good taste, I figured I'd try again another day. It was a beautiful Autumn day when I went again. All of New England is picture perfect on such days probably. So was the spot Mike had told me about. Between the scene being at my son's suggestion and day being so glorious this painting is an old friend and welcome in my home.

The other is called "Bend in the River". This one is of a place not far from my house and a road I've traveled many times. It's special for a couple of reasons. I came upon the spot early in the morning, not being a morning person, seeing the sun's effect so low in the sky is usually only at sunset for me. But I had dropped my husband off very early as he was about to fly to China on business for three weeks. Being apart for that long and in winter time when anything can happen here, I thought I would just throw myself into my painting with a new vigor to help the time move more quickly. To that end I had brought my camera with me for the early morning drive. Seeing the light of the rising sun on the trees was beautiful. But also, that scene along the river is almost impossible to see anytime but winter. When the trees are full of foliage, the river disappears behind them. I hadn't realize there was that bit of wilderness just off the road. When my husband got home from his trip I couldn't wait to show him the new painting. He took one look at it and said "Wow". Another milestone had been reached - this one was a keeper, and so, now, they're mine.

The Perils of Plein Air

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:17:00 +0000

No matter what your line of work, there are phrases that are so commonly used that you forget that maybe other people are not as familiar. Painting "En Plein Air" just means painting outside. It has become increasingly popular of late but was also made very popular by earlier artists in the late 19th century. The French Impressionists were among those who favored painting en plein air. Before that paint was made in the studio before painting. While some of the early plein air painters did mix their own paint and packed it to bring with them it was really when paint was put in tubes that made the difference.

All that being the case, I have been working at my plein air painting almost from the beginning. I keep trying to refine my style and my gear. As with any painting I start hearing voices in my head when I work - the voices of every instruction I've ever learned, with many contradictions thrown in for good measure. Too much color, not enough "pure color", too much detail, not enough detail, so, short of screaming back I just keeping working at trying to make good pictures, everyone agrees that's the idea.

Now, lets add in the elements, yea, those elements, earth, wind and fire. There is the romantic ideal, painting the beauty of nature on a glorious day, and then there is the reality. Even on the best days, nature happens. Let's start with wind, there's the nice cooling breeze that keeps you comfortable and there's the wind that knocks you're painting to the ground, giving it that nice textured look with the dirt mixed into the paint. A real authenticity to your earth colors. Of course, with the proper set-up, you're painting will be secure, but the wind will still be a factor. Those lovely clouds you're trying to capture, well they are floating along in that breeze. Either paint quickly to get them as they are, or you kind of "wing" it.

Those floating clouds also tend to change the light even more quickly than the sun as works it's way around you. Again, you must decide, where is the sun coming from in your painting, because it's not going to be in the same place when you're finished. I was told to bring a compass, so you can anticipate where it will be. I have a compass tied to my backpack, but I've never used it. It looks good though. I'm not sure I could really use it properly anyhow. The fire element can also be the sun burn too. Sun screen is also in my backpack, along with my ipod, paper towels, paints, brushes, palette knives, mineral spirits, business cards, phone, garbage bags, foot warmers (for winter months), a sketchbook and bug spray. Bugs are a special favorite, between the bite and the landing in the wet paint on your canvas, I'm not sure which is more irritating.

Having a backpack leaves my hands free to carry my French box, which is not light. It goes from being a wooden box the size of a brief case, to unfold into an easel and palette on legs. Of course I also have my lunch box (no not the old school kind with Bugs Bunny or GI Joe on the side) but an insulated bag with a shoulder strap. My camera is also hanging around my neck. I do ok, lugging my gear around, it's good exercise. But once again there's a catch, what do you do with the wet painting when you're finished. The French box has a carrying mechanism when it's closed up, but it's not a very snug fit and brushing up against anything could be a disaster.

With each of my outings I learn a little more. There is one practice I have now abandoned though. That would be putting the finished painting on the hood of the car as I pack the rest of my gear back into the back of it. It always seemed like a good idea. Get the gear in there and then much more carefully put the painting in, in a way that it is protected. The only problem is the fatigue factor. Usually by the time I've hauled gear to a site, set up, painted a few hours and made my way back to the car, I'm tired, and forgetful. Like the time leaving the Arnold Arboretum this Spring. It was beautiful day, with the flowering trees and new grass. My routine however failed me as I headed up the on ramp to leave Boston and I watched my painting fly off the hood of my car. It wasn't a very good painting anyway, the tire treads didn't help either.

Here, There and Everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:27:00 +0000

"I am still learning," Michelangelo. So I feel like I'm in pretty good company as I continue studying my craft. Last night was my last class in perspective drawing. Tomorrow morning I'll head up to the White Mountains for a three day painting workshop with Stapleton Kearns. When I started painting again, I took about every class I could. Now, it has more to do with who is offering the class or workshop. Being able to learn from those who have mastered drawing and painting is a gift, especially those who enjoy teaching and sharing their knowledge.

So while the mountains await me, it was just a couple of weeks ago we traveled down to Montauk, Long Island, New York for an art show. Being a painter seems to instigate a bit of travel for different purposes. Even though I grew up in neighboring New Jersey I knew nothing of Long Island, especially the end of it where Montauk is. As with all art shows, we packed the truck with as much as we could and set off.

We had tickets for the ferry in New London, Connecticut at 3:00. This being a new destination we weren't quite sure how long each leg of the journey would take. Taking the ferry was a new experience as well. The last time had been many years ago, on a trip to Nova Scotia, but this was different. We had a schedule to meet, this was not vacation.

We arrived in New London early and were able to get on on earlier ferry. That was lucky because they were all sold out, it being Memorial Day weekend. We would have two more ferries to go before we reached our destination. The motel we were to stay in was very close to where the show would be so that was easy. Also, we could set up Friday night which always makes for a better process. Having to frantically set everything up a couple of hours before people arrive, and it being early in the morning, never is a good combination, for me anyhow.

So once we arrived at the center of Montauk and found our spot we started to unload the truck and set up the displays. The paintings would wait until tomorrow morning to be unpacked. There were many tents already set up and closed up in anticipation of tomorrow's show. As we saw license plates for others we realized people had come from all over for this show. My neighbor to the left was from Wyoming and on the right was from Chicago.

While our original plan was to have lunch in New London before boarding the ferry, we chose to get the earlier ferry and so had forgone eating. So getting set up took on a greater urgency. Of course Rick was more patient and thorough than I and went about his business as usual. We have a system in setting up, Rick barks orders and I obey. Yea, not the usual way things work, but he's the best roadie I've ever had. It's pretty much the same at break down time too.

So once done, we headed off to our motel and checked in. Then off for some food. The weather report for the weekend looked great. The next morning we got up early to go hang my paintings. This part of the setup is all me. So magically, our little 10' x 10" square turned into my showroom.

This was the first show with my paintings of Italy. I wasn't sure how they'd be received, both because of familiarity and since they are quite different from my usual landscapes. I was pleasantly surprised at how many compliments I received for them. I had really enjoyed painting them and I was glad others enjoyed them as well. For some, it was because they too had been to Italy and loved it, for others it is a place they dream of going as well. Dealing directly with people looking at my paintings is my favorite aspect of doing these shows. Seeing their faces as they look tells you more than any words can say. But, once the show was over. we packed everything and loaded it into the truck, now, it was our turn to enjoy the scenery. The weather was beautiful just as predicted and one more adventure was over.

Time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:35:00 +0000

Time, no matter what you do for a living, time seems to always jump into the conversation. For painters it's a question that comes up often. How long did it take you to paint that? It seems like a reasonable question and in all likelihood just a matter of curiosity. But it's not that simple. And artists tend to feel as though you're asking how much do you get paid per hour.

Tracking the amount of the time it takes to create a painting, starts well before the paint ever hits the canvas. Painting plein air (outside) or in the studio has to start with a subject. When I decided to start my series on the White Mountains I wanted to capture them in different seasons for the variety of color. I also wanted to include at least one painting of Mount Washington, more if possible. That's easier said than done because it is covered by clouds more often than not.

It's a three hour drive so I often checked the weather and the web cam's of the area before beginning the trip. Even with all my preparations, after multiple trips I still was unable to see the peak of Mt. Washington so I would paint or take pictures of other scenes. Finally, staying up there for a weekend, the clear blue sky showed off Mt. Washington's snowy peak in all it's glory. I completed several paintings that weekend and then I worked on a larger version of one in the studio. I also worked from photographs of previous trips to continue the series.

So how long did it take to paint the studio version? When did the clock start ticking?

No Fear

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 May 2010 02:43:00 +0000

It reminds me of the first day of school. I just know I'm going to do better than last year. I'll try really hard and I promise I won't talk too much in class. You just have to dive in there and go for it - no fear. That's what I'd always said to myself anyhow. But here I am about to start my 6th year of doing the circuit of summer art shows and I still feel like I'm going off to Kindergarten - well, maybe not kindergarten. Tomorrow, Rick and I will head to the Montauk Fine Art Show, Montauk, Long Island, N.Y. It's a juried show with artists from all around the country. I feel fortunate to be one of the artists chosen to participate, and also like that little girl on the first day of school, only it's good to talk to your customers, so I should do just fine.

I'm not sure though, that I can really count the first year as being part of a circuit of shows, since I only did one - Keene, N.H., Art in the Park. It was both exciting, terrifying and humorous in looking back. I didn't have any display panels, so Rick built me some. We had gone to a few shows to "scope things out" and see how it's done. I was checking out prices and Rick was taking notes on displays. "I've got a few ideas" he said, about how he could make me a setup. It so happened that it was the same year we were turning the barn into my studio. I guess that's how he came up with the idea. For a grill to hang my paintings on, Rick used the old fencing we still had from my pygmy goats and I draped sheer curtains over them to dress them up, and to hide the goat fur I couldn't get off. Much to my delight and surprise I sold several paintings. Watching people smile as they looked at my work was an amazing feeling.

The next year I did a couple more shows, and the year after that a few more. I won awards at the Beacon Hill Art Walk one year and at the Manchester Art in the Park another year. One year I looked for every show I could find within driving distance. That was good experience but more shows didn't necessarily mean more sales. There are shows where people come to look, ones where people come to buy, and ones that are not very well attended. Once I learned that lesson I started to look more carefully at which shows I wanted to participate in.

Each year I've tried to improve not only my painting but my setup. It's taken a while but now I'm very happy with my display - the goat hair is long gone but you've got to start somewhere. I want it to be attractive and welcoming. The finishing touch is always the table in front because on it is a table cloth my mother embroidered for me many years ago.

This will be my first year at the Montauk show. Being juried into a show in the New York area is like the first show, both exciting and terrifying. But firsts are suppose to be that way and so I'm anxiously looking forward to it - maybe someone could just give me another little push....

The rest of my schedule for the season can be found on my web site.

Leftovers, Not Finished Yet

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 May 2010 16:24:00 +0000

One of these days I'm going to have to change the title of my web page New Paintings of Italy back to plain old New Paintings. I'm just not quite there yet. I'm still working on paintings of Venice. Our visit there was far too brief. It started with our arrival at the train station in the late afternoon. It was rainy and windy and lugging our suitcases, however efficiently we thought we'd packed, up and over the Grand Canal on the Scalzi Bridge, made for a somewhat rough start. Things smoothed out rapidly though. Our hotel was right on the other side of the Grand Canal across from the train station. Once we entered Hotel Antiche Figure it was clear we were in good hands.

Because we had limited time we jumped right in when the concierge asked if we wanted a map and some suggestions of getting around and where to go. I didn't know much about Venice, I'd done more reading up on where and what to do in Rome and Florence. All I knew was Sam Marco was first on the list. The phone rang as the concierge was showing us the map, he answered the caller in French and then returned to us in English. The particularly interesting tidbit he told us about was a special the island of Murano (as in Murano glass) was running. Murano Chamber of Commerce would provide you with a free water taxi ride to their island and a free tour of the Murano Glass Factory. That sounded great, but San Marco would have to come first so we said sure, Friday we'd love that, and he arranged for the water taxi to come Friday morning.

Thursday morning we got 2 day passes for the water bus and hopped on for the ride down the Grand Canal to Piazza San Marco. It was quickly apparent what a magical place this was. Every kind of water vehicle passed us, mail, UPS, construction, delivery. It was amazing. As luck would have it, Mardi Gras was just starting so when we arrived at our destination there were people in costume wandering through the crowds. We were also approached by members of the Murano Chamber of Commerce telling us about the free taxi ride to Murano. I told them we'd be going tomorrow - "Oh no, the factory is closed Fridays" he said. Well given the choice between San Marco and the surrounding museums and a glass factory, it wasn't a hard decision.

We continue on to explore the area's sites. Between the mosaic art and elaborate architectural details of Saint Mark's, and the surrounding building and the costumes, it was truly a feast for the eyes. Of course once you throw in the history of this magnificent place and you quickly can become overwhelmed. We made it through the group of museums in the area and then went to enjoy the festivities. Before the parade there were several smaller theatrical performances. Then the parade of costumes. They were very elaborate and the participants enjoyed playing to the crowd as well. While our first day in Venice was overcast, the city had more than enough color to be completely delightful.

Walking back to our hotel was rather easy to find, that is because of the signs posted everywhere pointing to the train station, among other places. Absent those signs, for the life of me I can't imagine how you would be able to navigate the maze of twists and turns, over little bridges, through squares and down alleys. Once we got back to the hotel we then went to dinner to a restaurant that I had read about on TripAdvisor.com, Ostaria al Vecio Pozzo. The food was so fabulous I wished I hadn't eaten all day so I could finish every bite. We had chateaubriand along with pasta stuffed with seafood. If we ever get back to Venice, that's where we're going to eat, with no appetizers ahead of time.

Friday morning we were a little unsure about our water taxi ride to Murano after the men at Piazza San Marco had said the factory was closed on Fridays. To be sure we went to the front desk to ask about what we were told. With great charm and good humor the concierge laughed out loud and told us he lied, they're open, they just want you to visit when they want. We can go whenever we want and he'll arrange the water taxi. The woman concierge told they'll want us to buy things but we don't have to. Then she told us of Burano, where they make Venetian lace - by hand - "It's the prettiest of our islands" she said. She went on to say we should haggle over the price of lace if we wanted to buy something... that got the shopper in me ready to roll!

Deciding What to Paint

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:48:00 +0000

The last several weeks I've been printing out pictures of Italy like crazy, blowing some up to catch all details, while others just printing to decide if I really do want to paint them. Some things I just have to paint as soon as I see them, of course the pictures don't always capture what I see. That's when Photoshop jumps to the rescue. Then I can add the contrast, or light that my eye saw. Sometimes though, I have no idea what I thought was so exciting about a scene. Other times, my camera catches something I didn't. That happened more than once with the pictures I took in Rome, on the rainy day we spent walking from the Villa Borghese, to the Piazza Popolo, to the Trevi Fountain, and to the Piazza Navona (which by then it was dark and we were too tired to see and the Bernini fountain was covered for repairs anyway). I guess it's good we threw our coins in the Trevi so we have to go back.

Trying to capture everything you see with the camera is difficult. Setting up a nice picture isn't so hard, but capturing the place is, especially if you want to paint it later and recreate the atmosphere of the day. So the things I wanted to get were the buildings, not just the landmarks but the character of the whole architecture of the area, old and colorful and decorative. The sky, which had some great stormy clouds and some nice bits of light where the sun was trying to peek through was also an important part as well as the reflections in the puddles. Then there were the people. The umbrellas were one thing, what is it about paintings of city streets filled with umbrellas that is so appealing? But these umbrellas were of all different colors and patterns which made the dreariness of the day brighter. There were people who looked like they were on their way to a meeting, others shopping and then there were couples lending romance to the scene. So in spite of the weather, this was a lively place, full of activity of all sorts. And clearly, more than any snapshot can show.

The Piazza del Popolo, or "People's Square" was designed much the way St. Peter's Square was, as two semi-circles. The churches, Santa Maria in Montesanto (built 1662-75) and Santa Maria dei Miracoli( built 1675-79) stand on ether side of two of the three roads which converge at the square. That view, of the two identical churches while impressive and very beautiful, but it wasn't what I wanted to paint. It was when I saw the couple sharing a red umbrella in front of the church on the left that I saw a painting. Capturing that picture, without seeming like I was taking a picture of that couple (which I was) was tricky. So, ever so inconspicuously I got them, the church, and a bit of the sky. The bonus things my camera got were the couple coming along to my right, and all the other folks attending to their business.

For larger image go to http://barbarabusenbark.com/Pages/newpaintings.html.

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All Aboard - Off to Florence

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:45:00 +0000

Florence, what a wonderful place. The train ride in was uneventful, which was nice. We took the express train so it was just an hour and a half ride. The weather was gray but not too bad. When we arrived we said no to the taxi cabs and walked away from the train station and got out the map - which way now? Our hotel was right next to the Ponte Vecchio so it shouldn't be too hard to find. Still, the roads here, like Rome, zig zagged and only some had street signs. The next time we pulled out the map, a young woman asked if we needed help and gave us directions. A very nice welcome that was.

It was an amazing place, very medieval and very charming. It was full of people but not overcrowded. It was not too long a walk to the hotel, and the signs for the major sights were posed throughout the city so we had no trouble finding our way once we got the initial directions. We passed several outside markets - it was Saturday so I wasn't sure if that was just on weekends that they were there. Walking through the Ponte Vecchio the first time was fun. Teaming with people and the gold in the jewelry store windows shone so brightly in the lights that it had a magical quality.

It was about 3:00 when we checked in so we dropped off our suitcases, I changed my shoes, I had worn my new boots for the trip to Florence, and headed for the Pitti Palace, down the street. The Pitti Palaces was built to compete with the Medici's. The problem was the Pitti's went broke and the Medicic's wound up with it anyhow. The building itself is pretty ugly, but the artwork inside was amazing. And of course, once we entered, there they were - THE STAIRS! Once again a huge staircase awaited. Well, when the ceilings are 20 feet high, you get a lot of stairs.

How does anyone, or any family own such a collection of artwork, yes it was hundreds of years in the collecting, but still the question did come to mind. Our tour of Medici holdings didn't end there. There was the Medici Palace and the Uffizi, all filled with paintings and sculptures belonging to the Medici family at some point. The interesting part was the palace was part museum and part city offices. I loved that, though is was confusing when we exited one exhibit area and wound up at the door of the police station. The last Medici donated all of it to the city of Florence.

Beyond the Medici throw in the Acadieme Galleria where the original David is and the Bargello Museum where there are more Michelangelo and Donatello sculptures and you've got yourself an unbelievable place - all within walking distance of one another. Still, I liked seeing the fake David in the Piazza Della Signoria where it once lived, along with the other giant sculptures. Just imagine living in a place where such grandeur is parked in the city center, outside town hall.

It got to be rather comical keeping it straight, which were real and which were fakes since the Academia Gallery had roomful of of sculptures saying things like the original is in the Uffizi or the Bargello. Most of the times when we were in museums there were groups of school children, it being during the week and winter. At one point as a group passed us I turned to Rick and asked if he thought they knew how lucky they were "Not a chance", he answered. The fun part was watching how teachers and students responded to one another - there was no language barrier watching that.

Going to the Medici Chapel was especially exciting - I had brought a page I had ripped out of my sketchbook with me that I was aching to be able to use. A couple of months before we were to leave, I had taken a workshop to strengthen my drawing skills. The instructor made some mention of Michelangelo as we approached our break. I told him we were going to Italy, Florence in February. He told me he'd studied there for 3 months and it wasn't enough time. - but he also told me there was a room in the Medici Chapel where they had locked up Michelangelo during an invasion to keep him safe. During his stay there Michelangelo had drawn all over the walls and it was an amazing place. He wrote down in my sketchbook the Italian for this place. He told me to ask a guard if I could see it. After going through the chapel, which was undergoing major renovations, I took out my slip of paper and showed it to a guard. "no, no" she shook her head. She was a little startled, as in, how do you know about that? There was no way she'd let us in - wherever it was, and didn't seem to have the authority anyhow. But it was very clear, she knew about it. I would have loved to have seen it, but the look on her face was very telling all by itself. I was also glad to see the chapel for Lorenzo d' Medici, Michelangelo's first patron. Michelangelo never quite finished what he's started for Lorenzo, but I was glad to see the special relationship honored.

You can't speak of Florence and not talk about the Duomo and Santa Maria del Fiori. It was spectacular. Covered in white, green and red marble, with mosaics and with soaring heights, it is beautiful and glorious. Throw in when it was built and it defies imagination.

Jaw dropping art was one reason to love Florence, the people were another. Our first night we went to Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco for dinner, it was right down the street from our hotel and had received good reviews from TripAdvisor.com. It was a great choice and we continued to eat there two more nights. We had "our table" and the wait staff was wonderful with us. The first night I had wild boar stew, what a treat. For so many years I had been reading books based in the middle ages and always they were eating wild boar - and now I got to have some. I also had the pumpkin ravioli. The best was on night 2 when Rick and I shared a Florentine steak. It was the best steak we'd ever had - including in Wyoming! With that being so good I had sliced sirloin with arugala, shaved parmesean and diced tomatoes. They gave us lemincello as a complimentary cordial the last night along with a little gift, a little clay dish bearing the wild boar insignia.

The other treat was the stationary store near the duomo. We stopped in to see some of the famous paper made in Florence. The man was so nice, he gave us a demonstration of how they make marbled paper. He then dried the paper and gave it to me. It really was a great day.

The Vatican and more stairs ……

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:21:00 +0000

Walking was becoming our sole mode of transportation. On the way back to the hotel from the Trevi Fountain, we purchased tickets for the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica at the tobacco store – yes, that right, the tobacco store. That’s also where you buy tickets for the bus and subway. The shopkeeper also told us which bus to catch to get to the there so we were all set for the next day. The good part was that during our walk the view of the sun setting over the ancient sites was beautiful. At dinner I suggested we take a Taxi to the Vatican, it worked out well for going to the Borghese, and it was about the same distance. That was an easy sell.

Our tickets were for 10:30 and we arrived a little early so we roamed around St. Peter’s Plaza and watched some workers dismantling the Nativity scene and take the ornaments off the huge Christmas tree. It was quite and elaborate setup but if the Vatican can’t go all out who can. The time spent waiting was also another opportunity to people watch.There were people from all over, but the ones I like to watch are the Italians. Between their stylish clothes and their expressive way of speaking along with the hand gestures it was like watching a theatrical production every time a conversation broke out.

At the appointed time we went to the spot where our group was to meet and a guide walked us to the entrance to the museums. That was the extent of the guide’s job, which was fine. What followed was a stunning array of archeological finds, a few mummies and a lot of sculptures and religious artifacts. I patiently worked my way through the rooms, always keeping my eye on the signs for what was ahead. There was a long room filled with frescoes of maps of areas of Italy over time. That was very interesting. But no matter what I was still holding out for the big one. We continued on, there seemed to be no end to the displays.

Another sign reminding us the use of cameras is forbidden and this is a sacred place was like a drum roll for me. We were about to enter the Sistine Chapel. The chapel itself was different from what I’d imagined there was dark wood along the walls with built in benches all around the circumference of the room. The chapel was long and rather dark, with an arched ceiling. I looked up and felt an emotional jolt. The colors were beautiful and the figures were so powerfully rendered that they had a presence all their own. Sitting in the corner, one of the figures seemed to be ready to step out of the fresco. As I continued looking I could see what I had recently read about. When Michelangelo reached the halfway point there was an unveiling, with the scaffolding removed so Pope Julius II could see the progress. When Michelangelo saw it from the floor, he thought the figures were too small. After that he made his figures larger, which when you look you can see how much more imposing the figures re closer to the altar.The wall behind the altar was amazing. We sat on the benches and just stared in awe.

After seeing the Sistine Chapel we continued on to a few more rooms before we decided to exit. I had wanted to see Raphael’s work but somehow we couldn’t find it. Maybe that we didn’t have a map had something to do with that. So Rick picked up his backpack and we returned our audiphones and out we went into the fresh air, another partly cloudy day in the 50’s. It was good weather for walking once again. Our other set of tickets was for St. Peter’s Basilica at 3:00 so we had time to find some lunch.

Just as the guidebooks say we headed off the main street in search of a place to eat. We found a little spot a couple of blocks away that had a sign saying it was recommended by Rick Steves and Frommers. That sounded good and in we went guided by a young lady standing outside inviting passersby to come in to dine. We walked down a few stairs and sat down at the table. It was a great choice I had spinach and cheese ravioli with a very light cheese sauce. The pasta was so light and delicious I wish I could go back many times again. Several locals showed up as well and it was clear they were all well acquainted, another good sign. I also had a salad, there was no choice of dressing she just brought the oil and vinegar caddy to the table. That was good enough for me.

Sufficiently rejuvenated we headed back to the plaza. I tried a few sketches of the basilica which were not very successful but kept me occupied while we waited our next tour. It was good we rested, part two had us climbing to the top of the dome. It was worth it, but a little tiring to say the least with Rick once again repeating the refrain of Rome, more stairs. Then to the inside and yet more amazing sites. There were marble columns and the marble floors and mosaic work covered the inside of the dome. Everywhere you turned there was more to be in awe of. But there was yet one more site here that I was very anxious to see - the Pieta by Michelangelo. No one could made a piece of cold marble turn into real beings like him. It sat enclosed in glass and shining brilliantly. I felt very fortunate to be able to see this stunning piece of art.

Once again I was being overwhelmed by everything I was seeing. It was getting late and time to think about heading back. And once again we considered our transportation options. True to form we opted to go it on foot. The thinking was we could always get a cab if we ran out of steam. As we headed out we passed by a couple of the Swiss Guards. These guys must get their pictures taken more than super models. But who can resist the Michelangelo designed uniforms? A few quick pictures of them and we were on our way. The thinking was maybe we can make it to the Pantheon on the way back. Once again though we were part of a Roman sunset that made the scenes even more beautiful. Turning around now and again to see it was part of the journey back to the hotel. We knew this was going to be a long walk but walking was also part of experiencing the city itself. And of course there is that "when in Rome" business. The only hazard of walking is that bit about not getting run over by a car when crossing the street. At least the bridge we took to get back across the Tiber River was for foot traffic only, it also provided a nice view of Castel Saint'Angelo.
The walk was long, we did get to the Pantheon, and we did make it back to our hotel, how we did that, I'm not really sure.

Rome - Borghese, Trevi, Poupolo

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:42:00 +0000

Rome is a truly exciting place. It is also a place of style. Everywhere we went people were well dressed and all the women were wearing boots. All manner of boots, heals, buckles, moccasin-like, suede, you name it, but boots were all around us. The shops along the Via Nazionale were filled with boots as well. I wanted a pair in the worst way. Of course I could wear them all the time, not with all the walking we were doing before I got use to them, but still I had to have a pair. So on Friday, the day before we left Rome we went boot shopping with great success. Now I'm one with them!

Walking is what we've been doing since we got here. Each day we started with a Taxi ride to our first destination and then walked to the next and back to the hotel. The Borghese Gallery was the first stop and then we walked across the park to the Modern Art Museum. The Borghese was wonderful, we went on a guided tour with a young Italian man who was an art historian. He was also a big fan of Bernini, which made his tour all the better. He believed that Bernini and not Michaelangelo was the greatest sculptor, very interesting. The gallery was built by the Borghese family as a place to show their art collection, makes sense when you have a collection like that.

The next stop was the Museum of Modern Art. That was less than terrific. There were only Italian artists there, I was hoping for a Monet or Van Gogh, but no such luck. There were some very nice paintings but all in all not all that exciting. But this is where this became "stair day". The Borghese had a winding staircase to the second floor which went on forever, and with our guide being a spry young man practically ran up them. He did give us time to rest at the top though. The Modern Art Museum had a grand staircase as well. It seemed every corner we turned around there was another grand staircase.

Our walking tour of Rome then took us through the park in yet another direction. This time when we exited the park, we were at the Plaza dei Popoulo. By now it had begun to drizzle. Umbrellas sprouted up everywhere. While we each had a fold up umbrella, they were back at the hotel room since the weather report didn't call for rain. Street vendors were at the ready offering to sell an umbrella to anyone without one. So, in the hopes it was a passing shower we stopped in a cafe on the plaza and had some soup and cappacino. It hit the spot and the rain had eased up. That is until we started out to continue walking. It was then that it hit me, I had been wanting to do a painting of people walking in the rain with umbrellas. I started taking lots of pictures. What could be better than having my street scene of people with umbrellas than it being of Rome?

As we continued on we came to another church to visit. There were so many old churches with artwork throughout that it was hard to keep track of them all. It was also another way to get out of the rain. When we emerged from the church, there seemed to be a break in the clouds so off we went, walking a little farther, not exactly sure where we were going, but in the general direction of more sites. Then we saw another plaza and headed down a side road towards it. Yup, we were now at the Spanish Steps, and no we did not climb all the way up. We took pictures and continued on our way. We did consult a map now and again but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the roads here. They change name and bend and turn in ways that boggle the mind. Couple that with the fact that crossing the street can be a death defying act and we did feel like we were flying on a wing and a prayer. But once again we turned a corner and came upon another stunning sight - the Trevi fountain. We threw our coins into the fountain and continued on. This time our hotel was our destination. Trying to get to the Pantheon was a thought that had to wait for another day. The next day was going to be the Vatican however, so maybe we can get there after that.

Indeed the next day we took a cab to the Vatican in the morning. We had tickets for 10:30 to go to the museums - which meant, the Sistine Chapel. St. Peter's Plaza was busy with workers taking down the Christmas tree and nativity scene.

Ancient Rome

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:58:00 +0000

It's a wind down day getting ready for the next leg of our journey, the train to Florence. We took a walk to the train station before lunch to check it out and saw very long lines at the ticket counter. Now the decision if express train at about an hour and a half or the local at 4 hours. That looks rather brutal with stops ever 10-20 minutes. In all probability it will be the express.

And what happened to renting a car and driving to Florence from Rome. The ride to the hotel from the airport is what happened. It's hard to beat the insanity of these drivers. I think if I lived here, as in grew up here I'd be on a scooter like so many others, weaving in and out of the cars. Now, I'd go for a Smart Car - too cute! Now that the car rental idea is out, today we ready ourselves for tomorrow. Deciding also if we want to squeeze in one more Rome adventure before we leave. There were so many things to see and we got to just about everything we wanted to see but you can't see all of Rome in 5 days.

The first day here we wound up going on the tour bus to get our bearings. I feel asleep towards the end of the ride. That being up 24 hours isn't my cup of tea. We did wander around Santa Maria Maggiore but we were biding our time waiting for our hotel room.

Day 2 was when the real fun began, we hopped back on the tour bus, since our tickets were good for 24 hours to catch a ride to the Colosseum instead of just a drive by. It was huge and depending on which angle you approached it from made a big difference. Coming to it through the Arch of Constantine, it was clear you were in the ancient part of the city. The Colosseum was just to the right of the arch and to the left were ruins of temples and the Roman Forum. I confess in reading up on what sites to see everything spoke very highly of the ruins and I thought, well if we're in Rome we really should go there. Now, I must say it was definitely a highlight. Both seeing what was left of the ancient grandeur and knowing you are walking in the places where those folks were is amazing. In walking to the entrance to the forum ruins it was along a busy street. Here is where you could see how Rome was both an anciet place and a modern city. From this angle the Colosseum was along this main thoroughfare. That is an interesting sight.

There is something magical about those columns that remain, reaching up to the sky defying the ages. Probably our favorite was the Temple Antoninus, because of how much was still intact and how grand it looked. There was so much to see and so much to imagine of what once was it was overwhelming. I did manage to get a sketch in of the temple but I need more time than I have to put anything together to show. The forum area closes at 5:00 so we had to leave. Time to look at the map and see how to get back to our hotel. We figured we'd walk since the distance wasn't too far and there was more to be seen as we walked. As we walked away from the ancient part of Rome, the sun began to set. We had walked up a hill and then turned around to see the silhouette of the ruins in the setting sun.

A beautiful and striking scene to be sure but there was a close second shorty after that. As we made our way up the winding cobblestone road we heard a siren. It was a fire truck racing to its emergency. As it rounded the curve it was clearly tipping to one side. Not only are the regular Rome drivers nuts you can add the firemen into the mix as well. More evidence that renting a car wouldn't be in the cards for the trip to Florence.

On the Road - 1st Stop - Rome

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:26:00 +0000

It's almost noon on Sunday and here we are at the Manchester Airport awaiting our flight in the first leg of our journey. Our flight leaves at 2:22 so we're early but I'm good with that, we're through security and all set. There's a Quizno's down the corridor for when we get hungry and a place to set my the laptop up at the boarding gate. From here we go to Washington, D.C. and then on to Rome - that's right, ROME! After that it's on to Florence and then to Venice. We're hoping to rent a car to go from Rome to Florence, thats when I hope to be able to do some painting of the countryside of Tuscany. The long range weather says rain then so we'll have to be flexible. So, while we wait, I'm downloading podcast guides to Italy, now its from Rick Steves web site. Previously it was Italyguides.com.

A little over 24 hours have passed with very little sleep, it's 4:00 p.m. Rome time and we're finally checked into our hotel room. The trip itself was uneventful, except Rick and I both being pulled out of line for a pat down before boarding the plane to Rome. I called over to Rick "and you told me this trip was going to be romantic" which caused the TSA folks to laugh a little.

We arrived at 7:30 a.m. so we dropped off our suitcases off at the hotel and went out exploring while our room was being readied. The mix of ancient ruins in a thriving modern city is amazing. We made it to the santa Maria Maggiore Bassilica. It was beautiful, simply put. After a delicious pizza we decided to hop on a tour bus to get a sense of the city and get off our feet. It was chilly today as well. Hopefully we'll get a good night's sleep and have a full day of touring tomorrow. We'll check the weather and plan the rest of the week accordingly.

I'm not sure when I can find time to paint but I'll work hard at finding the time!

Another Year - The Cycle Begins

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:04:00 +0000

Tonight is the opening reception of the 62nd Annual Members Show at the Sharon Art Center, here in Peterborough. I put my painting "Fading Light" in the show. This is the 5th year I have participated. Because the Sharon Art Center is also a gallery they charge a 40% commission. I came to understand what that meant the year I sold a painting at this show at my usual low price, not taking into account the commission. Live and learn.

Attending these events is an interesting mix of emotions. It's always nice to have a reception even if your's is only one of many. Mostly its the participants that attend but there are those few who are actually potential buyers. In this particular show juried members and instructors also submit their work. I can't help myself, I do compare what I've submitted to everything else I see. I also look at what others charge for their work. It seems with each successive year I gain a little more confidence.

The first year I submitted "North Peterborough Dam". When I attended I was truly humbled by what I saw around me. Although I wouldn't say mine was the worst, it was sure in that general vicinity at least in my eyes. The more I compared myself with others the more I was determined to work harder. At that point I wasn't even sure what I needed to work on, just that I needed to improve.

The next year I was even more ambitious, submitting a larger painting. Bigger is better right? It turned out to be not such a good idea. With so many paintings and so many people you could stand back away from it and so it was less than a perfect pick. Another lesson learned. Still it showed a little more sophistication. It has always been a painting special to me because I painted it from a photo I had taken on my way home from dropping Rick off for his first business trip to China. That's the only way you would have gotten me up early enough in the morning to see the light skimming the treetops. I was glad I went for that extra drive around town that early morning. I couldn't wait to show it to Rick when he got home. But still comparing it the the other in the Member Show, once again, I felt I was not making the grade.

By year three, I had a painting that had received many compliments. It was one that I had painted plein air. I had asked permission to set up and paint on the property and they were fine with it. The man said however that if I come back the water level may be different since they control it for hydro-power. I explained to him that actually I can make the water any level I want, at which we both laughed. "I guess you can" he said. It is a definite advantage painting has over photography, Photoshop aside. I was ok with this painting at the Members Show, even with the comparing - notice I said ok.

Last year I went for a watercolor. I thought this was the right venue for this one. I painted it from a photograph I had taken while driving around Peterborough looking for things to paint. This is a place that is sometimes beautiful and other times it just a swamp. Those are the places I like best. The other bit that made this a good venue was it's title, "Spring Thaw". Putting Spring in the title of a painting filled with snow is something New Englanders can appreciate, its not about the snow, its the melting water and the hint of grass at the base of the tree, that's what we desperately look for when we're looking for an end to winter.

This year I submitted another painting of a local scene. I find people enjoy seeing scenes the recognize. I do too, it's also fun when other artists have painted the same scene. "Fading Light" is it's title, I decided to go out and paint a sunset as the daylight hours were getting shorter. It was a way to ward off the doom of the upcoming winter and celebrate the change of seasons. It is also one I did with a pallet knife, another evolution in my painting. This seems to have become the venue for that too for me. It's a rather bold painting, filled with the light of a setting sun that has those special colors or Autumn's evenings.

So, maybe I'll see you tonight, or if you're in the neighborhood, stop by the gallery at the Sharon Art Center and see what you think.

Happy New Year - New Beginnings with a Look Back

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 13:44:00 +0000

With every new year brings new beginnings. A fresh snowfall to start the year is a welcome guest this morning. I have started plans and writing lists for 2010. I suppose I would call it cautious optimisim that all will be accomplished. Among other things I am working on a new artist statement. This, the result of a workshop I attended last month (I am tempted to say last year). The point of the artist statement as best I can understand is to explain yourself as an artist, a rather broad and vague definition. In some respects it means different things to different people, but then so does art. Regardless, it is something often asked for when submitting your artwork for jurying. When I was first writing mine I read that the statement should be very personal, unlike a resume. With that in mind, I dove in and wrote my first artist statement. While it is time to write a new one, my previous artist statement is to become a dedication because I cannot dismiss it as something no longer relevant or important. So as the new year begins, I want to share this once more for those of you who never read it so that I can begin taking those next steps.....

It almost seems a foolish thing, signing my initials to my paintings the way I once did as a child. But there is a full circle of events that have brought me from my childhood painting to here. Here to this place where painting is called my work, though it is also my passion. How fortunate I am to live such a dream, but how I got here carries a sadness that is forever my inspiration.

She had become ill, she had forgotten the simplest of things, and we were loosing her. We searched for answers, and even though we got them, it couldn’t change what was. After the longest of days and the briefest of time, my mother left us. I traveled the six-hour drive from my home in New Hampshire to my parent’s home in New Jersey more and more frequently as her time faded from us. I went from the full time work of Creative Director to working part-time and finally to resigning. I needed to be with my mother as much as I could; that was what was important. But in that time of transition something else happened. In the sadness, I needed to escape during those times when I sat waiting for the next long drive, the next visit, the next sign that life was so fragile. It was then I returned to painting; in that place I returned to a time when life was simple. It was my mother who took me back to painting. It was my mother who had always been my most ardent supporter. Because of that, there was something right and true about following such a dream.

While I was painting this picture of these gardens, a mother and daughter walked by. I thought it would add much to the picture to include them but I felt taking their picture to paint them in accuately would be an intrusion so, once home I looked for a picture of my mother and I. The figures in this painting are from that picture taken at the Ohio State Fair - we'll leave the year out, that's on a strictly need to know basis.

It also seems like a lifetime ago that I was a working as a photographer, a graphic designer, and a web designer raising our two boys with my husband. Each day was a full schedule of events emanating from some corner, or another. I’d longingly look at the class offerings at the local art center, wondering why they couldn’t offer them at midnight when I had time to attend. It all seemed unlikely that I would ever return to art, even though in my heart I had never left. I often wonder if you need to actually paint, to be an artist. Is seeing the beauty and wanting to paint it close enough? What I didn’t realize was that I actually was in training. My design work strengthened my composition skills, my photography work kept me aware of the landscape around me, and mostly – without even realizing the strength of it, my boys taught me patience and they kept the dreamer alive in me. For how can you teach your children to dream for themselves, when you have given up on dreaming?
Now, all these beautiful landscapes of New England, which I have been driving by for so many years, have become my subjects. Places I remember and rediscover have joined the list of things to paint, or things I have painted, perhaps more than once. I enjoy painting plein air in the good weather, and even occasionally in the winter as well. There is too much to take in with only a camera for eyes. The richness of color, and even the feeling of the hot sun or cool breeze can make it into a painting, if you stand there long enough.

I sometimes experiment with different subjects. I had an instructor tell me that if I keep changing subject matter, it will take me much longer to learn. I had another instructor tell me you have to love your practice. I like the second one better. So you will see different subjects popping into my body of work now and again. That is who I am too. I don’t study with a particular instructor; I don’t stick with all the rules (though some I like) but I visit museums whenever I can. I paint, and I dream, and I sign my paintings as a child might, always mindful that I’m lucky to have married a man whose last name also began with a B. And I am always grateful to hear the words, "your mother would be so proud of you."

Autumn in the White Mountains

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:37:00 +0000

I was sure this weekend's trip to the White Mountains with the NH Plein Air Group would not be my chance to see the top of Mount Washington. The weather reports were varied, but rain, snow and clouds were predicted in all of them. My previous trips were on clear days and the top of Mt. Washington remained hidden so snow and rain didn't seem very promising for great view, but I was very much looking forward to the 3 days of painting with great people. Regardless of the weather, the Fall foliage is always magical.

Thursday afternoon I headed north with a truck full of paint supplies and gear for every possible spark of creative inspiration that could strike. Watercolor and oils, painting panels, canvases, and paper ranging in size from 4" x 6" to 16" x 20' and everything in between, more colors of paints than I could ever possibly use, gear for being able to hike some for a good painting spot and a larger setup for right out of the car work, were all with me, the one missing element was rattling around in my head - what style/method would I use? It seems like a silly question since I had felt as though my style was developing well enough. Then I took two plein air workshops in September.

The first workshop was with Lois Griffel, author of "Painting the Impressionist Landscape". I had bought her book several years ago and so I was very excited when I learned she would be doing a workshop here in New Hampshire. The most important lesson was getting your values right but also the use of "pure color" and "painting the light" were emphasized. Lois also sometimes paints with a palette knife, something I'd been wanting to get back into. It was a wonderful week of painting and experimenting. Besides getting even bolder with my colors I began working exclusively with my palette knives, no more brushes. Good thing too, the last year I kept buying different size knives but I was always afraid of using them. A workshop is always a good place to experiment so thats what I did and I enjoyed myself thoroughly. This painting was done at an inn with gorgeous gardens the last day of the workshop. As you can see my painting took a dramatic shift however. The question still lingers, is that the direction I want to go in?

The second workshop lasted three days, again it was a fabulous professional artist that was the instructor, Stapleton Kearns. He writes a daily blog with great information and also has a wonderful sense of humor. The Griffel workshop ended on a Friday and Stape's started on Saturday. I tried to go into Stape's workshop with a clear head but that was rather impossible. A local artist and farmer allowed us to paint on her family's farm. It is 300 acres of fields, stone walls, silos, cows and a wonderful view of Mount Monadnock. The setting and the weather couldn't have been more beautiful. Like many workshop this one started with a demonstration. While describing his approach he had some common elements to Lois, but also some very different ones when talking about color. His colors were much more subtle and muted. Stape's work was amazing, his humor and broad knowledge, generously shared, but I was on overload almost from the beginning, definitely by Sunday evening. Still I worked at painting as he taught, this painting of Mount Monadnock was done the last day of his workshop.

With a couple of weeks in between the workshops and this weekend's trip to the White Mountains, I had hoped for some more clarity, but it doesn't work that way. It's just a matter of practicing and experimenting. Whatever was lacking in my confidence the view of the Presidential Range in the White Mountains covered in snow with the bright yellows and oranges on the trees in the valleys below was staggering in its beauty - I was inspired to work very hard to capture what was all around me, and I had three days to focus entirely on painting.

So Friday morning bundled up against the chilly weather, we went to paint Mt Washington, because in spite of the cloud cover, the peak was clearly visible. We reached our destination along the Adroscoggin River with Washington in full view at the bend in the river. I opened up the back of my truck starring at all my gear, decision time was here. I decided I was going to paint with my palette knives. "Be bold in your approach" Robert Henri use to say to his students. That line always appealed to me so at least for this weekend I was going to be an impressionist with a pallet knife.

As we stood painting the clouds thinned and blue began to show through. After a couple of hours we pack up and moved to the next spot, across the street from the Mt Washington Autoroad at the Glen Ellis House. The view was unbelievably clear and vibrant. We had lunch and went back outside to paint. Having gained more confidence I took out my palette knives and went to work with joy and abandon. I continued to take lots of pictures so I could also work in my studio when I got home. There was just too much to paint in a couple of days. The blue skies above the white mountain peaks surrounded by the oranges of fall in the valley below was beyond stunning.

Saturday was another gorgeous day, it was almost warm in the sun. By noontime the sky was blue and there was more painting to be done. After a morning painting of some falls along the river I headed towards the Mount Washington Hotel to paint the peaks. That was a pretty hard scene to resist and several others soon joined me. In the evening we gathered around the fireplace at the inn we were all staying at and looked at one anothers work. It's so interesting to see the different versions that come out with several people painting the same scene.

Now that I'm home, I have a few things to get caught up on, then I'm back to wrestling with how I want to paint. I do need to go back to my brushes, its just a matter of time. I also want to work at accurate colors, not necessarily impressionist versions. Practice, always practice and always learning. And there's the drawing project I'm about to start....

Spring and the White Mountains

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:01:00 +0000

It was beginning to feel like one of those "have-to's" in the jurying process. The words "consistency of style" and "series" kept popping up in forms which I would fill out to have my work reviewed. But painting a series seemed beyond my limited attention span - just a little too disciplined for me. Still I kept it in the back of my mind waiting for something to grab me. So when the idea of painting the peaks of the White Mountains, focusing on the Presidential Range hit me, it fit the bill for me. There were many to choose from and traveling to the White Mountains was far enough away to make it a bit of an adventure.

The first trip this year was over Memorial Day weekend, (Written on the Wind - Blog entry)that's when I came up with the idea for this series. With the thought of doing such a series I wanted to be sure and get the names of the peaks right. Hikers seem to know these things by instinct, but then their perspective is different from mine. I purchased a couple of maps and a book to aid me in naming what I would paint and identifying the pictures I took. The first painting is "The Founding Fathers - Mounts Jefferson, Adams and Madison". This is the view from Mount Washington observatory looking north. In doing the research I learned some interesting tidbits. The smaller peak between Jefferson and Adams is Sam Adams. The other is that ther folks doing the naming made a little mistake which they discovered too late, since the names were already established. Mount Monroe is higher than Madison. That was the error, not having correct information about the height, they would have named the next highest peak Monroe should have been Madison.

It didn't take me long to stray from the original intent of painting the peaks named after presidents. "Nelson Craig" grabbed me when I was looking at my photographs, the drop off, the shadows of the clouds, the orange foliage that was just starting to grow and that bit of snow in the crevices where the warmth of Spring sun could not reach. The catch was finding the name of this peak. Studying the map of the Mt. Washington Auto Road and trying to figure out which pull-off I'd taken the picture from combined with hiking information from the books I'd purchased did the trick, it's just I didn't know a mountain could be called a craig.

Painting a series of the White Mountains would not be complete without "Tuck" - that is "Tuckerman's Ravine". Not only is it impressive to look out, it is legendary for skiers. Again, no ski lift, just the understanding if you can hike up with your ski gear, you should be good enough to ski it. This is the view from above at the top of the trail, after driving up the auto road I went down the trail a bit to get a good view, the carin marks the trail. I realized when we returned that the view of Tuckerman's from below was equally, if not more impressive. That being the case there will be more paintings of this wonderful example of natural sculpture.

The next trip was over July 4th weekend. The colors and foliage had changed considerably. While Mount Washington had a dense cloud covering the peak the rest of the sky was a beautiful blue with sweeps of clouds billowing up from the lesser peaks. That being the case this trip became a qwest for other peaks and more exploring of the area. The air was warm and fresh, no humidity. We took a short hike from Pinkham Notch Center down the trail to Lost Pond. Again the cloud cover hid the top of Tuckerman's but the reflection was beautiful and it seemed to me that painting that cloud cover would be a realistic view. After our hike we started the drive for home. I wanted to go back the way we'd come in case the cloud cover over Mount Washington wanted to recede and give me another chance to see the peak. No such luck, but we did find a pullout that was a field of wildflowers with the elusive peak in the background. I knew that would be a furture destination. The last stop before we left the White Mountains was a parking lot for a trail head just past Cannon Mountain. It was now late afternoon with the sun casting strong shadows across the mountainside of Franconia Ridge, dramatically highlighting Mount Lincoln. Lonesome Lake, wildflowers and a little trail made the perfect foreground. The day was a success and the series moves forward.

Written on the Wind

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 May 2009 21:04:00 +0000

Our Mt. Washington Adventure

Yes, I'd checked the weather ahead of time, and yes I know Mt. Washington has the worst weather so when it said windy with gusts of 50-70 mph, I was going to be prepared. I'd probably have to paint from inside the car, but the other bit of weather was clear skies. That was what was most important. Timing was also the other factor.

Every season has it's own pallet of colors. Sometimes, when the timing is right and the place has a character all its own, seasons and pallets merge. That's what I wanted from Mount Washington. The colors of Spring are soft and can be missed if you are looking too hard for the greens of Summer. The foliage of the mountains is low lying with a gentle burst of reds and oranges among the green and golden tones as though hinting at what will come in Autumn. The color of Winter, always starts with the white of snow. And what says summers coming better than blue skies and green valleys?

It was all there. From the base of the mountain road the rich greens said winter was truly over. The blue skies and fair weather clouds were beautiful, but this was Mount Washington and it wasn't yet June. It was breezy at the base as well. We started our assent after paying the fee and placing the CD into the car stereo to listen to the history of the auto-road, the warnings about car safety and the nasty ever changing weather. I was still hopeful about being able to paint once we got up to the top. But I'm a glass half-full kinda girl. The local weather reports had likewise reported the 50-70 mph gusts on the top, but also the temperatures in the 30's. It was in the 60's below and breezy. As I said I was prepared, gloves hat, and bringing more layers than I could ever put on at once. I had painted outside in the winter at the same temperatures, so I knew I could handle the temperature.

Along the way we pulled off where we could and I took pictures. Each time the views became more spectacular and the wind got a bit stronger. The trees were twisted and bent. Only the beginning buds of Spring were on the trees while the valley below was bathed in the green foliage that had already taken hold. The peaks of the Presidential Range and beyond went on forever, with the sky, clouds, and mountain tops, all becoming one.

The forth pull out was my favorite. By this time we were getting a very clear idea of what kind of weather was awaiting us on top. Also at this height there were no more trees. Anything that tried to reach skyward was scarred by a constant battle with the wind that left its limbs stunted and leaning leeward. We were in the alpine area with a wide variety of mosses and low growing plants. The colors were beautiful, rich and deep but often overshadowed by massive rocks and stunning vistas. But these were the colors I sought. By themselves, maybe they would be less appealing but place them in the foreground of peaks dotted with patches of snow and you have captured that window when the seasons merge. The rocky foreground was the icing on the cake from a compositional stand point.

By the next pullout it was clear that even painting inside the car was a long shot. The car was rocking under the force of the wind. I was careful not to get too close to the edge of a slope for fear of getting blown over. Getting in and out of the car to take pictures became a two step process. I needed to use two hands to hold the car door open enough to get in and out. Once out of the car Rick would hand me my camera. The same was repeated in reverse to get back in.

The final pullout before the top was a small parking area that was nearly full. Not all these folks were your average tourists however. I noticed a young man standing by his truck in ski gear, boots, pants, polls. Rick reminded me that hikers often use ski polls, yea dear, but not ski boots. As we looked around more closely we were witness to what we'd often heard about but always shuddered to think of the reality. Skiing the ravines. These are rugged folks here. There are no ski lifts, rope toes or ski patrols. The idea is, is you are fit enough to carry your gear to the ravine and walk back up, you're fit to ski it. A rather common sense approach that has worked quite well. There have been fatalities, but they are quite rare. This is truly skiing at your own risk. While it's not for me, and I do think they are out of their minds, I do admire them. The two pictures in this paragraph should help you get the gist of this experience. The first shows the vista, the first large patch of snow heading down the ravine is where the skiers are. The picture is taken from the parking area, so they have to walk to that point. The next picture I took with my telephoto lens. There's a group of skiers in the upper left corner and another one on his way down. While its not something I plan on painting, it definitely added to the adventure of the day.

A short drive to the top from here pretty much confirmed I would not be painting from there. The parking didn't give the best views and merely standing up outside the car was a challenge so I'd take as many pictures as I could and work in my studio. There is so much to paint now, I will be busy for quite some time. Tuckerman's ravine will be one of the first oil paintings. Capturing the light shining on the far end and the shapes of the clouds across the valleys will be the target, to say nothing of the sheer beauty of the place. Stay tuned!

Backwards and Forwards

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:45:00 +0000

Two steps forward and three steps back, well maybe. It seems the bad news has just kept coming ever since the ice storm, as though it were an omen of things to come. The effect weather, and mother nature in general has on us can be overwhelming or at least a continuing battle. That has been the case with this winter. Throw in a plummeting economy and we have a complete package. Begging for Spring seems the only certainty, outside of death and taxes and those have already hit.

With the economy taking this downward turn, buying paintings seems to be more of a reach than ever for a lot of people. So, taking a step backward I have returned to web and graphic design. The first step was getting my resume together. Having been away from design on a professional level it seems my software and even my hardware was lacking for current standards. With the updates in place I have done a complete re-design of my web site, adding a section on design. So even though I have gone back to design, I have also moved forward. I am confident I can produce the designs I imagine with the new tools.

Going backwards, what do you charge? Yes, it doesn't end with a switch from painting to freelance design. I still need to figure out what to charge people. It is a little more clear cut however, there is an agreement up front, the number of hours are important and the work begins after the need is presented.

Not to worry, I am anxious to paint as well. I have spent a great deal of time working on my design and technical skills, but time to paint is essential. In fact I even managed to get a few paintings completed before my turn to the technical. One of the paintings though, will not be for sale. The painting of Mike and Carl is mine. Yea, like that little kid "M I N E". It was from a photo I had taken of the two of them during one summer trip to their favorite swimming pond. It seems like it could be any two boys on a country summer day, but its Mike and Carl and its mine. So even though the painting is new, it's of a time and place gone by.

Along this little trip of back and forth, I signed up on Facebook as a marketing tool. There were some surprises when I started looking for "friends". I plugged in my high school and year of graduation and there they were, Sue and Debbie, Maura, Eileen and Judy. Touching base with each of them was a delightful step back. A bunch more folks were there too, some I hadn't spoken with since Freshman year of high school. A few steps back is sometimes a wonderful place. A firm footing that seems hard to get in such an icy winter.

Winter is almost gone, Spring is around the corner, the days are longer and maybe things are going to brighten all around.

State of Emergency

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:47:00 +0000

Thursday, Dec. 11 - It was a drizzly, icy day. Nothing horrible, just not a day to enjoy the great outdoors. I worked in my studio all day and headed up to the house to make dinner around 5:30. The ground was crunchy with the ice and it was beginning to rain harder. I turned on the TV to watch the evening news as I folded the last bit of laundry. That was when the first hint of trouble struck. The satellite dish wasn't working because of the ice. By 7:30 the power had gone out. It came back briefly but went out again at 11:00. Still, with New England weather, such things are not unexpected. The wood stove was going nicely and we went to bed anticipating that the power would be back on in the morning. That was 6 days ago and we are still waiting.

Day 1
The morning views were of downed trees and branches and a thorough coating of ice everywhere. It was too dangerous to go outside because of the regular crashing down of limbs and whole trees. I stood staring out the slider doors watching. First you would hear a crack and then the thud of whatever had succumbed to the weight of the ice, hitting the ground. Unfortunately my camera was in my studio.

Later in the afternoon when it seemed to have quieted down some, we went down to the studio so I could begin taking pictures. After looking at all the trees that had fallen in the yard we headed to the road to see what that was like. We had thought of going for a ride to get some things, seeing all the trees hanging off the wires and branches in the road we weren't so sure about that idea. We did venture out to find no one had power anywhere and the end of our road was blocked off. We turned around and headed down a dirt road to get to the highway. The devastation was everywhere.

Day 2
It was beginning to sink in that power would be out for a while so you start to make plans for the long haul. Since the wood stove was keeping us all set with heat, food was the next concern. The fridge was no longer very cold, but it was cold outside! I packed everything up, and threw out all those things that had mysteriously passed their expiration dates. The meat in the freezer went into a box, a plastic bag and a plastic bin and out into the yard. The rest went into a cooler that we brought up from the flooded basement. Yea, the sump pump that was suppose to prevent that was out along with everything else.

While I was dealing with the domestic front Rick went to Keene, where they had power and Home Depot. He looked for items like a generator, knowing that would be hard to find, and something to get the water out of the basement. No luck, a few items purchased but a big no go on clearing the water out. He did however get a case of wine.

Day 3
It was sunny and cold on Sunday, but the sun room helped heat the house as it was designed to do. The wood stove wouldn't have to do all the work today. It was cold enough to keep the ice clinging to the trees, despite the sunshine.

Another call to Home Depot proved fruitful. Come in and get a number, a shipment of 200 will be here in the afternoon. A friend in Keene went and got us number 34! Rick left around 12:30 to wait for the truck to deliver the generators to Home Depot. At 6, when the truck had not yet arrived, all 200 customers were sent home with the promise that it would be there tomorrow.

Day 4
It was unseasonably warm, up into the 50's. We set out early on the 30 minute drive to go get our generator. After getting it, we headed home after breakfast and a download at Panera Bread. Too many days without checking email is dangerous.

The first order of business was to get the water out of the basement. Rick hooked the sump pump up to the generator and the water started pouring out. The warm weather melted the ice on the trees and made the yard look a lot less threatening. Rick continued to work at getting the rest of the essentials hooked up to the generator. After a call to a friend at work, he received some further instructions on the best way to get power into the house. It was getting dark and there were still a few more step to complete the hook-up. The basement was free of water though. Finishing the generator was put off until morning.

Day 5
A couple more parts at the hardware store, which today had electricity, another 5 gallons of gas, and we would be all set. Indeed, it was up and running on Tuesday. Figuring out which circuits to put on and which to shut down was part of that process as well.

With so much progress made on the power front, it was time to look at the damage a little more closely. It was also time to turn the fallen spruce into a Christmas tree. Clearing the branches off the roof of the studio revealed a hole that a branch had punctured through the shingles.

By now the dinner menu was determined by what needed to cooked because it had begun to thaw. The garage had become my walk-in refrigerator, the problem being that nice warm Day 3. Absent that nothing would have thawed. This night it was chicken, I breaded and fried it and popped it in the oven. The stove was gas so that was always available. I breaded it to use the eggs. The other item that needed using were mushrooms, so I sauteed them in some lemon and a little Emmerills Orange Poppy marinade and had a lovely sauce for the chicken. The California blend vegetables were a nice touch too. A little Savingon Blanc and candlelight completed the meal.

That evening we even ran the dish washer, which had been waiting to run since the power had gone off.

Day 6
Rick resumed working from his home office. He had thought about going into his office in MA, but because snow was in the forecast, and because I was a little tentative about being alone in the dark with the generator as my only friend. Things actually approached normal today. I said approached. I got caught up on some cleaning and setup my laptop with my camera, since my other computer draws too much current.

With Internet access restored I've been checking Public Service of NH's web site for updates. They still don't have an estimated date for Peterborough to be completed. Most other places do. So we'll see what tomorrow brings. If there's no power still by this time tomorrow, it will be a week without power. I have had better weeks, but to be sure I've had worse!

Hunkerin' Down

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:39:00 +0000

With the summer shows and Autumn Open Studio Tour behind me, and the wood all stacked for winter, its now time to devote all my time to painting. I have a stack of pictures I've taken that I plan to work from, but current pictures are always the most exciting.

The Open Studio Tour was successful but rather slow. If nothing else it forces me to do a major cleaning. It also keeps me thinking about the pros and cons of having my own gallery. That is something I need to research, instead of just dream about. It always seems most attractive after a summer of schlepping all my things around to the numerous summer shows. Next year I am going to limit the shows to the larger venues.

This is the time of year it is time to slow down and hunker down to studio work. It feels good to have all the wood stacked in anticipation of winter. There are still leaves to rake, but most importantly its time to paint. I want to continue to work on shadows and light. Last fall and especially winter I focused on looking for strong shadows. That works well in winter against the white snow. But I now see shadows and light much more clearly, in all seasons. Of course there is the need for a healthy supply of sunlight, which is sometimes hard to do in November. Artificial light is always an option, although that means painting subjects other than landscapes. I recently completed a still life which brought my studies of shadows and light into another realm.

I sometimes look at the still life painting like playing scales on the piano. It was my least favorite thing to practice when I took piano lessons as a child. I am now beginning to appreciate the discipline involved. Not being a well disciplined creature, I do try, another one of those New Year's resolutions which I think about - try and be more disciplined - yea, anyhow! For myself I find going back and forth between different types of subjects improves my focus, even if it pushes mastery further away. If we aren't learning and going in new directions creating art becomes like any other job, not a passion and a joy.

As the year comes to a close, there is also the business end of things. I have my pile of receipts and a new copy of Quicken for Home and Business. Do you think I need another accountant, mine tends to do a lot of snoozing.