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Cape Painting

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My framing blogs will continue when I’m back in the studio next week. In the mean time, I am enjoying adventures on the Cape. Again I opted to not bring oils as the place I am staying is not conducive to oil painting, so I bought watercolors and my acrylics, although I have not used the acrylics yet. I have a small messenger type bag, that I can put in a few palettes of my Kramer watercolors, several water brushes, a few paper towels, a 6x6 watercolor pad, and a watercolor postcards. This time I bought watercolor greeting cards to paint on too. I can wear this light bag across my body, and hike for miles, plopping myself down on a bench, rock, or table, and paint the scene at hand in an instant. I got to experience the tail end of hurricane Dorian too, the roiling ocean and wind captured on camera and paper, etched in my dna now. I will be bringing home new ideas, new small pieces, hundreds of photographs, ready to settle in for a fall of painting and design work for m
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Framing: Sources for Frames

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When I was primarily showing fine art collages, and framing antique prints, I collected a wide variety of frames for my work- rarely were two frames were ever the same. But over the years, I have whittled down that collection, as I find myself  using either white (for abstract work) or black floater frames for my paintings. It is more professional to have a "even" look in framing one's work, especially if you are showing several works, or having a solo show. On occasion you can find frames in places like Ikea, or the Christmas Tree Shop, or other such venues. If I find good ones, I will buy them up and keep them for future work. But most of the times I either buy them at Michael's , or American Frame .  On occasion if I am flush, or need a specialty frame, or it needs special care, I will gladly go to the local art supply or framing store. But I usually don't have the money to do that...so I order and frame myself. Michael's has their sales and 40%
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Things Art School Doesn't Tell You: Framing!

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You are a passionate artist and all you want to do is make art. As you start your career you quickly  learn that your time is not all about making art- you have to put 30%  of your art time into online promotion, web work, applications for shows and then some. I think the percentage is much higher when you weigh in all the aspects of the business of art that I have not even mentioned here! Ordering art supplies is the fun part of the business, but the rest of it- not always so much. You sigh as you write another artists statement and bio. Then the big day comes- you have a show! All the hours of creating the body of work, the self promotion, applications, walking the streets,  has paid off. You are ecstatic. When the warm glow wears off, you realize that the 24 (or so) pieces of art need to be framed and your precious messy pastel drawings need special mats, frames, spacers, backing boards, glass and hard wear.   You head to the nearest frame shop to get a quote on a
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Cape Junk

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One of my favorite things to do on Cape Cod is to go to estate sales and to the local swap shop. This trip netted me fabulous finds for paint as well as other things for my home and eBay side business. The first photo is my 5.50 purchase from an artist’s estate in a well maintained sprawling home overlooking the back of a farmers fields. I could live there. Many people showed up but few were interested in the oils which I found odd. The second photo are paints that were dropped off at the swap shop. My friend saw them come in and snagged them for me. I really like the concept of a swap shop- every city and town should have one as it helps keep things out of the landfill. I picked up $200.00+ of paint for 5.50 and was so grateful. Art supplies cost a lot of money, so finding good paint at a bargain price is always fabulous. Stay tuned.........because as one writer said in a review: “I’m unstoppable!”
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Day 7

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Yesterday was our last day of vacation. We had 8 full days bookended by travel days. I made art 7 out of 8 days and spent a few days going to estate sales, netting me great deals in art and home goods. Many are unique vintage and antique items that I will sell on eBay- mid century modern and Victoriana.  That’s how I help keep my studio running. Plus- it’s fun to see when I can turn a few bucks into a bit of a profit. If I were to structure a perfect life- it would be like this vacation- a combo of adventure, work, play, and friends. I am grateful for the reset.  Rock Harbor, Orleans. Watercolor 
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Day 6

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Funny little watercolor in my memory sketchbook. We went to Nauset Beach- one of the “sharkier” beaches. Few people there, even fewer in the water. We went in but soon after we splashed around near the shore, several seals swam 20’ from shore. Hmmm... no more swim. I caught this funny little scene - replantings of sea grass on the dunes.
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Day 5

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Countless technological issues need to be worked out to blog smoothly when I’m on the road.  First the wireless keyboard ceased to work. Then my iPad won’t get onto the internet.  I’m typing on my phone which I hate to do and blogger is not really set up for phone blogging. But here I am - with a guarantee that it will be short. This is a piece for my portal series. The Marconi Beach Portal. This concept has been quite interesting as I now see portals in everything. The ocean is a portal- a place where you enter a very different world...... Watercolor - in my Moleskine watercolor journal.
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