Spring Paintings

Well, it's finally April in Maine. It's still quite cool outside but the snow is almost gone and green shoots are appearing in the flower gardens. It's time to come out of hibernation!

It's mini painting time for me again. I just received my order of 24 frames!

The frames arrive with a distressed finish that I don't like. My husband takes them to his shop and sprays them white for me. These are my favorite mini frames.

These mini paintings are currently available in my Ebay Store. One sold within an hour of listing! Stormy Seas is on it's way to the UK.

Stormy Seas, 3x3F, oil, SOLD

On the Beach, 3x3F, oil SOLD

Pretty Blues, 3x3F, oil SOLD

Purple and Brass, 3x3F, oil SOLD

Red, White & Blue, 3x3F, oil SOLD

Time to get back to the studio. Thanks for visiting with me.

Stay safe and warm,

Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com

My Ebay Store

Inexpensive Plein Air Kit to Make

Even though it's snowing (again!) this evening, it's time to start thinking about plein air painting. Make this super simple mini pochade kit for 5x7 canvas panels. Very inexpensive. Very efficient.

This box is totally self-contained and small enough to carry anywhere.

My $1.95 pencil box measuring 5x8x2½

My mini pochade box - all set to go.

This box is just the right size for two 5x7 panels. I tape wax paper on the bottom for easy clean-up.

I used a limited number of colors and adjust the consistency of the paint with medium when I add it to the box. (A very small container, maybe something lip balm might come in, can be used as a medium holder if you wish.

Two small packets of handi wipes are taped to the inside lid. A small plastic sandwich bag with two or three paper napkins goes in my pocket.

I was asked how I clean my brushes without turps. I don't carry turps in this kit. I use separate brushes for the darks and the lights, wiping them well between mixtures.

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I brace the canvas with my thumb while painting, using the lid as my easel.

The box is deep enough to securely hold two wet 5x7 panels placed back to back and on an angle. The used paint brushes, wrapped in a bit of tissue, go back in the box.

A perfect fit.

It closes up, nice and neat.

These inexpensive plastic boxes come in many sizes so you can easily make up a kit to suit the size canvas you prefer.

It's fun to just grab the box and go without having to carry all our usual plein air gear. Great for painting in your car.

Thanks for visiting. Happy painting.

Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com

Spring is coming!

 Well, here we are in mid March again. I hope you all had a pleasant winter. We did!

It's been a busy winter with lots of painting and plenty of lazy days, too. It's time to get motivated now that the sun is shining and the days are getting warmer.

Splash, 5x7 oil, nfs

Sometimes I just have to keep a painting for myself.

Thanks for visiting with me.

Happy painting!

Celene

All those extra tubes of paint...

Ok, so you want to simplify your palette of colors to the double primary palette. But what about all those extra tubes of paint you bought?

Sorting - Get out all your tubes of paint and sort them into 7 piles. A pile for each primary color - red, yellow and blue. And a pile for each secondary color - orange, green and purple... And one pile for all the "odd" colors.

Now choose two versions (a warm and a cool, or a bright and a dull) of each of the three primary colors  - 2 reds, 2 yellows and 2 blues. This is your basic double primary palette. Six tubes of paint.

As you become familiar with this simplified palette, you can begin to expand your primary color range - example - substituting a purple or green for one of your blues, or an orange or purple for one of your reds, etc. See image above.

You can also add special colors for a special needs. But try to limit your palette to 6-8 colors, plus white.

You now have an interesting and controllable range of colors that you can adjust as needed.

(Remove that "odd" pile of colors and put them away for another use.)

After you have sorted through your tubes of paint, you might find that you have enough choices so that you won't have to buy any more paint - except maybe white - for a long time. Isn't that great!

Happy painting!        

On Facebook at -  Celene Farris, A Maine Artist

 My Ebay Store Link

My website link - www.CeleneFarris.com

Touring Mid Coast Maine - A Photo Journey

Belfast Harbor, Maine

I've been updating the website of our former Belfast art gallery  - The Working Art Gallery, which we owned and operated for 15 years in beautiful, downtown Belfast, Maine. I had created this year long photographic tour of our area as part of the website. 

I shot these pictures of Belfast and the surrounding areas - month by month for over a year. It was great fun!

As I reviewed this photo tour, I was again moved by the beauty of our area. I thought you might like to see our corner of Maine.

Come along and enjoy - Click Here for the tour.

Celene

Gone Home

A quick follow-up on my last post. This painting has now gone to live with the granddaughter of the old couple who lived and raised their family in that wonderful old house. The perfect ending....

 Celene

Remember Me?

 Remember Me? Welcome Home 11x14, oil

There was something about this old house....

Located on a country road between my home and Belfast, I would drive by this wonderful old house every day on my way to the gallery. This old house, full of old stories and memories, with its stately manner and bay windows, always made me think that it belonged on an island overlooking the sea instead of on the “flats” overlooking quiet fields and woods. Driving by in the evening, its welcoming light told me that I was almost home.

I stopped one night to snap a picture knowing that I had to paint it. The old house is gone now, replaced by a modern home and the road has lost some of its charm.  

This painting hangs in my living room, and its light says “Remember Me? Welcome Home”.  

Thanks for visiting,

 Celene

And I hope you will visit my Facebook page - Celene Farris, A Maine Artist

and My Ebay Store

and www.CeleneFarris.com