Day # 29 - September 30/30 Challenge, Man and His Dog

A Man and His Dog, 5x7, oil SOLD

Memories of our trip to Stonington, Maine.


Thanks for visiting,
Celene

Day #27 - September 30/30 Challenge, Wind Song

Wind Song, 5x7, oil SOLD

After another busy day, we were sitting outside enjoying the late afternoon sun.  I heard the gentle sound of my wind chime and it seemed to be saying, "paint me".  So I did.

This painting has a new home in Maine.

Thanks for visiting.
Celene

Playing Hooky

September has been a very busy month at our house. We had the sale of our gallery building on the 3rd and the last of the accounting and legal work. Tony is hurrying to finish the outside chores before the colder weather arrives and I am harvesting and canning the last of the garden vegetables.  My painting time is limited and I haven't completed as many paintings as I hoped for the 30/30 challenge. But I'm not giving in yet. Today is zucchini relish day, tomorrow is pickled beets - then I should be done with canning.

Yesterday was so beautiful we decided to skip work and run away for the day.  We drove up the coast to one of my favorite places - Stonington and Deer Isle.  I took lots of pictures - great inspiration for paintings.  I'll share a bit of our day with you.

Deer Isle - Stonington Bridge 

Tony & Ginger

A future painting.

Picked up sandwiches in Stonington.  Parked here for lunch.

Leaving Stonington.

Cape Rosier still has dirt roads.

A cobalt blue day.

Inspiration.

Thanks for visiting.  Time to start the zucchini relish.

Celene

Day #19 - September 30/30 Challenge, Evening Light

Evening Light, 5x7, oil

Day #19.

This painting is available on my Ebay page.

Thanks for visiting.
Celene

Day #18 - September 30/30 Challenge, The Sentinel

The Sentinel, 5x7, oil SOLD

Day #18  I'm still exploring a more neutral color palette.


Thanks for visiting.
Celene

Day #16 - September 30/30 Challenge, Harbor Moon

Harbor Moon, 5x7, oil

Day #16.  Still experimenting with color.

This painting is available on my Ebay page.


Thanks for visiting,
Celene

Day #14 - September 30/30 Challenge, Low Tide

Low Tide, 5x7, oil SOLD

Day #14.  This painting has a new home in Maine.

Thanks for visiting.
Celene

Day #12 - September 30/30 Challenge. Misty Morning

Misty Morning, 5x7, oil SOLD

Still experimenting with color and gamut masks.  This was painted using a very limited palette of white, raw umber as my neutral, yellow ochre pale, ultramarine blue and alizarin crimson as my modified primaries.

Thanks for visiting.
Celene

Day #11 - September 30/30 Challenge, Morning on the River

Morning on the River, 5x7, oil SOLD

September 11th.  A day of reflection.

Thanks for visiting.

Celene

Day # 8 and #9 - September 30/30 Challenge, Snowbound

Snowbound Morning, 5x7, oil SOLD

I am still experimenting with color gamut masks. These different color harmonies are the result of shifting the position of the gamut mask on the color wheel. Working with a limited palette of modified primaries is interesting and sometimes complicated, but at the same time, it simplifies the painting process by limited the colors you can use. I will continue to work on this until I can simplify the concept in my mind.

As you can see, although it is the same reference photo there is a difference in the scene.  I don't like to paint the same scene twice.

Snowbound Evening, 5x7, oil SOLD

Thank you for visiting.

Celene

Day #6 - September 30/30 Challenge, Moon River

Moon River, 5x7, oil SOLD

Thanks for visiting.
Celene

Day #5 - September 30/30 Challenge, Maine Wildflowers

Maine Wildflowers, 5x7, oil

Day #5, still experimenting with color gamut masks.  I do like the color harmonies that result.  Will explain more as I learn more.  These little studies are painted within a limited time frame.  It will be interesting to see how this all works with a more involved studio painting.

This painting is available on my Ebay page.

Thanks for visiting.
Celene

Day # 4 - September 30/30 Challenge, Quiet Cove

Quiet Cove, 5x7, oil

Day #4.  Still working with gamut color masks.

This painting is available on my Ebay page.

Thanks for visiting.
Celene

Day #3 - September 30/30 Challenge, Evening Star

Evening Star, 5x7, oil SOLD

Day three, still working with my gamut color masks.


Thanks for visiting.
Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com
www.TheWorkingArtGallery.com 

The Working Art Gallery, a day of mixed emotions.

Today we had the closing on the sale of our building.  I would like to share the history of the gallery that has been such an important part of my life. 

In January 1999, three Maine artists, Louis Masciovecchio, Celene Farris and Dianne Horton, established The Working Art Gallery on Front Street at the Belfast waterfront. The name was chosen because the three artists maintained their studios at the gallery. Visitors were encouraged to watch and ask questions. Celene also offered art classes at the gallery. The three artists helped to establish The Belfast Art Association, working closely with the other galleries to create a vibrant art community in Belfast.

Mid September of 2003, the gallery moved to its own building at 65 Main Street in historic downtown Belfast. (The William Crosby Building, 1857). The gallery expanded to two floors and added a visiting artist’s gallery giving new, up and coming artists the opportunity to display their work in a gallery setting. A classroom on the second floor was now used for Celene's expanded oil painting classes. The gallery continued to grow, representing over 30 local artists.

In November 2006, Maine artist, Sheryl Tripp, became the gallery’s new manager and added The Aina Moja Shop, a project of Expanding Opportunities, a non-profit organization supporting native African artists in Kenya and other Kenyan charities.

When the local newspaper began its “Best of the Best” People’s Choice Awards Competition in 2007, the gallery was voted the top art gallery in Waldo County.  The gallery continued to receive recognition each subsequent year.

At the close of 2011, after thirteen busy years, Celene and Louis decided it was time to downsize the gallery and give themselves more free time to paint. They moved their gallery to the second floor and exhibited the works of Louis Masciovecchio, Sheryl Tripp and Celene Farris. 

On the first floor, noted Maine artist and antique collector, Jude Nickerson, opened her new signature gallery, Raven’s Nest Gallery, featuring an exciting mix of Maine art and Maine antiques. She offered to oversee the upstairs gallery as well.

In March of 2014, Louis and his wife, Mary, returned to Maine. The second and third floors of the gallery building became their new temporary home. The physical gallery closed and a new virtual gallery was created. The first floor remained the home of Raven's Nest Gallery.

On September 3, 2014, Celene and Louis met to sign the sale papers on their building. The great old building was about to begin its new life and the artists are free to paint and travel. Celene will continue to maintain the gallery's website.

It has been a remarkable journey and I would like to sincerely thank our patrons and participating artists for making this a wonderful and exciting experience. The success of our gallery would not have been possible without your support. It has been a great pleasure to be part of Belfast's vibrant art community.

We are extremely pleased to be voted one of the top art galleries in Waldo County by The Republican Journal's "Best of the Best" People's Choice Awards. It is an honor we will always treasure and we sincerely thank all those who made this possible. 

I hope you will visit us at www.TheWorkingArtGallery.com 

"Art washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life."   Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

Thank you for visiting on this day of mixed emotions.
Celene

Day #2 - September 30/30 Challenge, High Tide

High Tide, 5x7, oil SOLD

This is my second painting using a color gamut mask.  I am really enjoying this new (for me) concept.  I choose from a selection of triangular masks and apply the chosen mask to my color wheel.  The three points on the triangle indicate the chroma of each of my new, modified primary colors.  I mix all my colors from these modified primaries, eliminating all the other colors.  This is basically working with three primaries with a bit of a twist.  All the color mixtures within the margins of the triangle can be mixed with these three colors. All colors outside of the margins are eliminated.

I can alter the color scheme by shifting the triangular mask over the color wheel giving me many possibilities. I have stayed in the safer ranges, but will try to be a bit more daring as I continue.

If you want to read more about gamut masking, check James Gurney's Blog and his book, "Color and Light".  I find this to be very interesting.  More to come.....

This painting is sold.

Thanks for visiting.
Celene

Day # 1 - September 30/30 Challenge, New Moon Rising

New Moon Rising 5x7, oil SOLD

This is my first painting using color gamut masking.  I like the color harmony and will experiment with other combinations as this challenge continues.


Thanks for visiting.
Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com