cooper island dreamin'

Here's a recent painting...I did manage a bit of studio time this hectic season. This was a gift for my hubby. The painting is a scene from Cooper Island Beach Club in the British Virgin Islands. As lovely and unspoiled a place as can be. We were married there ten years ago, right down on the beach in this scene.

"cooper island"

oil on canvas ~ 18 x 24 inches

'tis the season

I've taken a small break from studio work this holiday season but I've still been very busy creating. I just thought I'd share a few photos from the holiday season. I'm off this week with my two little charges, we'll be busy crafting, baking and playing. I'll be back at work in January. Best wishes to you and yours for a very happy new year!

cheers,
Kristina

my daughter's creation, a collage incorporating a poem she wrote

poppy flower on knitted hat

splendid fairy wren created by my brother Paul

handmade ornament treasures

a wee snowy village

violets for my girl

memories from Christmases past

Minna

a painted desk for my budding young writer

bedecked with assorted warblers (the writer is also a bird lover)


more birds, glittery for the season

plein air France ~ Tour Eiffel 2

"la Tour Eiffel II"
gouache on paper ~ 9x12 inches

plein air France ~ Paris scene 2

"Paris scene II"
gouache on paper ~ 9x12 inches

plein air France ~ cathedral interior 5

"cathedral interior V"

gouache on paper ~ 9x12 inches

plein air France ~ Chartres

"Chartres"
gouache on paper ~ 9x12 inches

plein air France ~ cathedral interior 3

"cathedral interior III"

gouache on paper ~ 9x12 inches

plein air France ~ cathedral interior 4

"cathedral interior IV"

gouache on paper 9x12 inches

plein air France ~ cathedral interior 2

"cathedral interior II"

gouache on paper 9x12 inches

As mentioned in a previous post, I've unearthed some work I did while studying in France. I'll post the rest of them over the next week or so. I'm actually out of town this week celebrating my 10th anniversary with hubby. I'll be back after the 11th and will probably be painting lots of white sands and turquoise water scenes.

postcards from Buffalo ~ downtown

"downtown Buffalo"
oil on canvas ~ 8x8 inches

sold

postcards from Buffalo ~ trees at Knox

"trees at Knox farm"
oil on canvas ~ 8x8 inches

sold

postcards from Buffalo ~ Knox Farm in winter

"Knox Farm in winter"
oil on canvas ~ 8x8 inches

available

postcards from Buffalo ~ botanical gardens

"Buffalo Botanical Gardens"
oil on canvas ~ 8x8 inches

postcards from Buffalo ~ city hall

"Buffalo city hall"
oil on canvas ~ 8x8 inches

postcards from Buffalo ~ Shea's

I painted a little series of Buffalo landmarks for the Neighborhood Collective. I took my inspiration from vintage postcards, I love the kitschy look of the 1950's technicolor ones.

"Shea's"

oil on canvas ~ 8x8 inches

sold

mobiles

Origami mobiles, made with driftwood, vintage beads, seashells and various found objects. I started making mobiles this summer as a project with my daughter. She is an origami folding queen and together we made several of these for our Art Under the Birches art show. They were a huge hit, so I made some more for the holidays.

monadnock autumn

"monadnock autumn"

oil on canvas ~ 8 x 10 inches

new show and new work

I set up today for the Neighborhood Collective show in Buffalo. It is a nice, well-lit space...come check us out if you're in the area!

Here's a recent painting I did as a commission. The person wanted me to paint a scene depicting Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire, which is very near to where I grew up and I have climbed it several times. go figure! I liked the subject matter so much, I actually painted two. Here's the first:

"Monadnock"
oil on canvas ~ 8 x 12 inches

I made some origami mobiles for this show, you can

just see them in this photo (and my hubby). I'll

post some more photos of the mobiles.

30 artists 30 days in Buffalo

I was invited to participate in an upcoming holiday art show in Buffalo. I've been busy making some new work, I'll post pictures soon. If you're in the Buffalo area stop by and check it out, there will be some fantastic work there by a lot of talented artists.

Neighborhood Collective Artisan Bazaar
Novemeber 20th - December 24th, 2008
Tuesday- Sunday noon - 5pm, Fridays noon-8pm
810 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo

bounty ~ daily painting

I found a whole robin's egg in my back yard. Just laying in the grass, no nest nearby. It really is one of nature's most perfect things, the most beautiful color and shape, a treasure in the palm of my hand. I set up this still life on my porch and added the egg to a nest I had collected a couple of years ago. It sat there for a few days until one night some critter coveted my egg and stole it away (along with the nest!).

"bounty"

oil on canvas ~ 10 x 20 inches

across the pond

redFish gallery's (where I have my studio) new show is opening this week. It is called "across the pond: paintings inspired by travels Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy". It has inspired me to unearth some paintings of mine. Many moons ago, I spent a summer in France with Parsons School of Design. We studied painting and drawing...half the time in a wee town in the Dordogne region in southern France and the the other half in Paris. We painted on location every day, in tiny, ancient villages, country scenes, old castles, the Louvre, Notre Dame, Monet's gardens at Giverny... in other words a once in a lifetime experience. Anyway, the work I did there has been languishing in a portfolio for years, so I decided it was high time they saw the light of day. I've been matting and framing about 20 pieces that I will put on display in my studio. Here are a few:

"Paris scene"

gouache on paper ~ 9 x 12 inches

"cathedral interior"
gouache on paper ~ 9 x 12 inches

"La Tour Eiffel"
gouache on paper ~ 9 x 12 inches

black cat stare ~ daily painting

And here is my other venture into pet portraiture. This is Bear...I made him a little to intense I think. He really was a sweet natured cat. I'm thinking of trying another one of him with warm tones instead of the cool tones I used in this painting, maybe that'll lighten up the mood!

"black cat stare"
oil on canvas ~ 12 x 12 inches

daily painting ~ pets!

"sophie"

oil on canvas ~ 12 x 12 inches

I am a big animal lover. I grew up with lots of cats and dogs in the house and can't imagine a life without them. My hubby is a cat lover...so our house is a feline haven. This past Christmas we lost one, our beloved Bear...who was just the sweetest tempered cat. We had him for 14 wonderful years, here's a picture of him with my daughter when she was a baby.

Bear & Sage

After losing Bear, we adopted Milo from a local shelter. And, oh my gosh, he is just a sweetheart...one of those rare cats that will let you hold him on his back like a baby doll, and just drape himself in your lap, and gets along with all the other cats. He even turned around Minna, my cranky 11 year old siamese. So, I wanted to do something for this shelter and it turns out they're having an artshow fundraiser. Thing is, the work has to be of pets which is not my thing (so far)...but I've given it a go. This is Sophie, my Mum's soulful eyed cocker spaniel. I have another of Bear that I'll post tomorrow.

the boys: Milo & Punkin (Milo is the gray one)

ode to summer

On this last fine weekend of summer, my hubby and I, along with our 2 little charges had a mini celebration in our backyard. A campfire and a simple dinner of pasta with the last of the garden's tomatoes and basil, we sat outside and reminisced about the best of the summer and what we were looking forward to this autumn.

Some highlights: the treehouse my hubby built, the neighborhood ice cream truck finally finding our street (hurray!), many exursions to lakes and creeks in the area, picking berries, canning peaches for the first time, campfires and camp-outs in the backyard, swimming, and or course our trip to Maine. Looking ahead to apple picking, fall raspberries, one last trip to the beach, more campfires, pumpkin chocolate-chip muffins, and the crisp azure blue days of autumn. In the meantime, here is a medley of summer's beauty. I'll be back in my studio this week, painting away. Coming next: some new work...a small departure for a good cause.

Dufy's flowers~ daily painting

Raoul Dufy is an artist I've long admired. He has a wonderful palette and loose, gestural brushwork. I wasn't thinking of his work when I did this, but it really reminds me of his colors. So this one's for Dufy I guess.

"Dufy's flowers"
20 x 20 inches ~ oil on canvas
avaialable

purchase

moved back in

Now that I've wrapped up the summer show season, I've moved everything back into my studio at redFish. It feels great to be settled again and I'm ready to work! Both of my little charges are in school this year (1/2 day for one of them), so it is easier to have a regular schedule. I'm not quite ready to crank out daily paintings yet but I'm getting there.

I'll be in my studio every Tuesday and Thursday until 6pm and other days by chance. Stop by and visit if you find yourself in lovely East Aurora! Here are a few pics after I moved my work back in.

a still life set up I've been working on ~ I'll post the painting tomorrow

Sunday Drive ~ daily painting

Here's the last roadster painting I did in my series of Maine scenes and old cars. The background is a spot on Route 17 called the Height of the Land. An aptly named place, well worth going out of your way to check out. It being probably the most picturesque scene in all of New England. I sold this piece this summer and unfortunately this is the best photo I have of it.

"sunday drive"
oil on canvas ~ 9 x 12 inches

sold