honors

Sheep at Bodega Bay, 8 x 8, oil

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Late last year I did a series of paintings from our trip to northern California to visit Peter's folks. One beautiful foggy northern California day we took our excursions to the coast and Bodega Bay. I took so many photos to hopefully use as reference photos later in my studio. I was able to produce several small paintings from those photos and from the memory of the backlit foggy atmosphere. I did the painting above of some sheep on a hillside. The painting sold and not two days later I had a request from another collector for a painting just like it. She had been watching the first one, debating on purchasing it, but hesitated too long it seems. So, I got to work on another. Here's the second one.

 Sheep at Bodega Bay II, 8 x 8, oil

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This one differs from the first in color saturation, contrast, and texture. The first is a much rougher rendition, and this one is a bit more polished and bolder. I like both for their own unique qualities, but the collector who commissioned the second never seemed certain of the painting. The intangible and indescribable quality of the first eluded her and she chose not to purchase this piece. Initially that was tough. It was not a big painting, so I wasn't too put out, and I knew I could sell it in my shop. It is a challenge to repaint a certain quality that someone can sense, but can't describe or put their finger on. Sometimes it's just a matter of the brushstrokes being just so or the composition being slightly off. In the end I listed it for sale on my website and in my shop. Then, just last week I included it in my submission of three paintings to the Bristol Art Museum's Library exhibit. I received word today that it won first place in the show and it already sold! That was wonderful news to hear, and I'm so grateful to the Bristol Art Museum Association for presenting the opportunity to show in this library exhibit. It's been a while since I had a painting in a show that won first place. It is incredibly encouraging and makes me want to get back to the easel right away!

It may be a couple days before that can happen, however. I've got a summer track and field meet to take the boys to this evening, a sick baby to love and cuddle, a husband with a couple late night meetings, library summer reading club tomorrow, play dates to referee, and three meals a day to prepare.... Basically life gets in the way of creating regularly, but I'm happy to get the time when I can. It's a good thing I'm a night owl.