Instead of April

This painting was posted a short time ago on the blogg called April Bouquet..not quite finished. Here it is all done. I changed the rose bud blossoms to a soft green which is closer to the actual hue..this also breaks up all of the oranges that were in the previous image. I added a lone purple blossom on the left for the same reason and to give it balance compositionally.

I have three new paintings for the UMVA show which is coming up in less than a month..Now to choose frames that will tie them all together..an interesting process in itself.

The Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor has asked me to participate again in their annual fall auction called, "Save Me a Seat". Last year the beautiful bench my son and I collaberated on got the top price in the auction. This year the subject is tables...Time to start thinking about the theme for that...I really enjoy this kind of challenge....and deadlines are a good thing for artists...

Maine Discovery Museum "Save Me A Seat " Auction Bench

Well..it's been a while since the last blog but the bench for the MDM auction is finally DONE!
As promised ...here it is.
I chose a theme that appeals to a lot of people, Man's Best Friend, the family dog. We love our dog Koda, the Golden Retriever central in the portrait on the bench back. By her side is Baxter, our youngest son's treasured Jack Russell, and Mocha the Chocolate Lab, who passed away several years ago and belonged to a friend.
Under the seat lid is a little surprise...Addie the Welsh Corgi, who is a trusted and much loved companion to my very best friend and her husband.
I've used the art of Trompe l'eoil(fool the eye) to paint objects in three D on the seat lid and the frame around the portrait..the ball, dog biscuits and leash are all Koda's things. I added the pillow covered with paw prints to finish up the grouping with a touch of whimsy.
The bench is 65" high, 32"wide and 23" deep. Storage under the seat is suitable for hats, mittens, boots, or any canine paraphernalia..dog food if you wish!
The Trompe l'eoil is acrylic for durability and the over all finish is Behr latex enamel..two coats over primer for easy clean with soap and water.
Here is the link to the Auction....bids will close in November.. www.mainediscoverymuseum.org
I hope the winning bidder will enjoy this bench as much as I enjoyed doing it..
It's been a very busy month with deadlines all coming at once. My next blog will feature a new commission and the Skyline Farm and Carriage Museum show, "Fertile Ground", opens Sept. 12 so I must get to framing new paintings for that. More on that show in another blog...