Souvenirs of Downtown Day 3

Day three started with rain, clearing, rain, clearing, wind, windy-er, then sunshine.  It was a crazy weather day.  Most of the morning, I spent as much time moving my chair and all my painting stuff back and forth from the sidewalk to the porch of the PP Cobb building for shelter.  But it finally cleared and I was able to get one painting done by 3 pm. 

My friend, Judith and I went to Art Mundo and framed our pieces and turned them in by 3:30.  There was a good crowd last night and in total 30 pieces of art sold.  Rather disappointing, when there were 37 artists doing 1-2 paintings per day over three days.  There was some phenomenal art created this week!  The paintings will be at the Backus House through May 7th, so if you didn't make it there this week, there's still time to stop in and see and/or purchase the work.

I was so impressed by the number of people eating at the little general store in the PP Cobb building that I took my husband there today for lunch.  The food is wonderful!!!

Here's my pieces of potted plants, appropriately titled "Potted" and my friend Judith's piece - don't know what she ended up calling it.

Souvenirs of Downtown Day Two

Day two turned out pretty nice, especially since there was a 60% chance of rain predicted for this afternoon!  The sun actually came out.  Got a tiny bit of rain this morning, but we continued painting and it went away.  My friend Judith and I painted Colleen Becht's little Love Shack on N. 2nd St this morning - well a vignette of one of her bougainvillas.  Here's my 8 x 10 oil on canvas panel of it:

Here is my friend Judith Sharpe Levy's 12 x12 acrylic on canvas rendition of it:

This afternoon, Judith went to Art Mundo and finished this painting and the two she started yesterday and got hers framed.  I went a bit farther north on 2nd Street and painted a section of the O'Connell house:

Here's a reference photo of the house - I struggled with all the angles, but I sure love turquoise and pink, so this house called to me.  Just as I finished, I notice a little bird perched on top of the chimney and so I painted it in as a final touch.

I had no time to add the palms and other greenery - this little sucker took me 3 hours to do.  Then I did something I've never done before -- I sat on the sidewalk and framed both paintings -- awkward, but it's required as we have to turn our paintings in at 4:00 so they can be hung.  But the weather was perfect and it was peaceful sitting on the road behind my car facing this cute house and painting all afternoon.

Here are Judith's two that she did yesterday.  I LOVE her style and use of color - so free and painterly - oh to paint like this!!!  The first painting is of Cobb's Landing Restaurant and the second painting is of Palms Health and Wellness backyard. 

There was a wonderful artist's reception from 5-8 pm tonight at the Backus Hosue with music, drinks and great food.  If you didn't make it tonight, be sure to come out tomorrow night, same time.  It's a real treat, and tomorrow will bring lots more wonderful art.  A number of pieces sold tonight - my friend Lori McNamara's painting she did today sold.  Judith and I are looking to paint something close-up at the PP Cobb building - something with the colorful flower boxes included - some sort of vignette, not the whole building.  Signing off for now - pretty worn out - but in a good way.  ;-)

Future Paintings

Future Paintings

Until I am lucky enough to retire and paint full-time, I'm always on the lookout for great reference photos when I'm coming and going to show houses in my real estate business.

My husband and I always take the road along the Indian River on our way south from Fort Pierce to Port St. Lucie called, you guessed it, Indian River Drive.  There are no traffic lights, and you can make pretty good time.  But I'd take it anyway for the sheer beauty along the way!

I'm always torn between looking at our wonderful river and the gorgeous homes along "the drive."  I've passed this one home hundreds of times wishing I had my "good" camera to get this incredible bougainvilla and plumbago in bloom.  It seems they are always in bloom!  Last evening, I finally remembered my good camera and stopped along the small spit of land on the river side of the street to snap this photo on my way home.  I may go into my studio this evening and paint this scene!  It's really calling to me. ;-)

Here's a photo I took on Easy Street on the way to show a house to my customers.

It's another gorgeous magenta bougainvilla in bloom.

While sitting in my car waiting for my customers, I zoomed in on this pink hibiscus bush in front of the house.  It was the only "pretty" thing in the yard ;-).  I like the clapboard look to the house - it makes it look kind of cottage-y, even though it doesn't look that way overall - but it will be nice in a painting.

Another "lazy" shot from my car of the foliage at the house next door to the one I was showing.  Love the chartreuse bushes again the magenta bougainvilla and the cute turquoise house.  I will need to work on the composition and short of "pretty" it up in my painting of this little scene.