Mince

Today I minced beef ...

... and minced and minced.

Because today we made a holiday classic, minced meat. I've never had this before and I have to say that while I was skeptical, it's really quite tasty. My wife will be making pie and something cookie-like with to accompany the Christmas day dinner.

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Check out this week's "On Fire for Handmade" featured artisan:

Bake Cookies

Yesterday I had the day off so, among other things, I made a batch of molasses raisin bars and chocolate chip cookies. Both recipes came from my favorite cookbook, The Joy of Cooking and short of a little tasting they hit the freezer for holiday sharing in the weeks ahead.

They came out good and I was feeling pretty satisfied ... even in my wife's apron.

Rhythm for Painting

Remember that still life I mentioned last week? This is it. I added a few more touches and now I'm working on another. Having been away from painting for a while, it sure feels good to be restoring a rhythm for painting again.

You can see more of my artwork at ArtFire and if you're shopping on "Cyber Monday," November 29 (or 28 0r 30), I'm offering free shipping that day with coupon code "cybermonday." In any event, I hope you'll stop by to visit and browse my ArtFire Studio for no other reason that to enjoy a little artwork.

Share Beauty in Art

I'm a member of the ArtFire "A Passion for Painting Guild," a diverse gathering of talented folks who love art and do, in fact, share a passion for painting. Today I curated an ArtFire Collection of fine art, all created by my passionate Guild members. Here it is:


If you like what you see here, join us on Facebook.

Find Unfishinished Paintings

I found this old still life in my studio ... judging by the jonquils, it must have been springtime when I started it. I never finished it, so it's now an eternal "work in progress." I look at it now and feel pleased with the start that I had made, and realize that such unfinished finds can be inspiring.

Inspiring because I've started a new still life. I've been working on it a little in the early mornings before heading off to work, and often again in the afternoon when I return home. It feels good to have a painting in progress ... whether I ever finish it or not. After all, it's all about the journey and not the destination, right?

Honor the First Flurry

This morning I woke up to the first snow of the season. It was a real flurry, with the winds blowing the flakes here and there and everywhere. Even though it turned into sleet and freezing rain as the morning progressed, it seemed only fitting to honor this "first" day with an image of first-snows-past, a little ACEO reproduction of "Parker Hill Farm."

Get out and Paint

I made myself a new paint box and rigged an easel - so that both will accommodate sitting. You see, I've always stood at my French easel to paint, but I'm not as young as I used to be and sitting is a welcome option.






The weather is chilling, but I'll get out there in the open air to paint a bit more, I think, with this new set of sitting tools.

Fire Bush ACEO

The original painting, "Fire Bush," was painted plein air, oil on Masonite, on location under the crab apple tree in my own backyard. I recall the day ... one of those perfectly beautiful New England autumn days, the kind that feel as much like spring as they do fall.

This little piece of art is available as an ACEO, archival quality print at my ArtFire studio.

Two Winter Maple ATCs

"Sleeping Maple" and "The Dappled Maple" are a couple more of my original oil paintings that have been reproduced in miniature, as Artist Trading Cards.

Artist Trading Cards, also referred to as ACEOs and ATCs, are one example of affordable fine art and wonderful handmade gifts to give and receive.

I invite you to visit my studio to see more of my art work!

Artist Trading Cards

Today I introduce two new miniature reproductions of my landscape paintings, "Winter Farm" and "Crow Maple" in Artist Trading Card size.

If you're unfamiliar with Artist Trading Cards, here's a little information for you:

"Artist Trading Cards" (ATC), also known as "Art Cards Editions and Originals" (ACEO) are miniature works of art the size of standard trading or playing cards (2.5 x 3.5 inches).

ACEOs and ATCs are little works of art that many folks collect and trade, just like "Baseball Cards." Not only are they collected and traded, they are often framed to create a charming wall display of miniature art as well as given as an easy-to-mail, artful gift. And they're just a fun and affordable way to collect original artwork and limited edition prints!

I'll have more of my current works listed soon in my ArtFire Studio. Enjoy!

The Dappled Maple

The original painting of "The Dappled Maple" was created plein air, in two sittings, in oil on panel, at a land trust in Winchester Center, Connecticut. On a mild afternoon in early spring I hiked through the melting snow, lugging my easel, to this lovely spot where the sun poked through and danced on the landscape.

At one time this land was a dairy farm but has since been turned over to a land trust, where locals can wander to recall and imagine some of the history of our shared community. I imagine there is someplace like this near you too.

Giclee prints of "The Dappled Maple" are available for sale at my ArtFire Studio.

On the Lake

I return today to this ol' blog to share with you "On the Lake." This alla prima painting was created in oils on masonite, on location at Park Pond in Winchester, CT. Painting from life in one sitting is a special discipline. It challenges and sharpens the technical abilities, while at the same time allowing mood and spirit to come through ... to be captured, even if only in a small way. That's my experience anyway.

Fine art prints of "On the Lake" are available for sale at my ArtFire studio.

Finish Things

It was back in April when I replaced the top to our deck table. I finally got around to finishing it with a touch of oil based iron oxide red.

Now we're ready for the coming of summer. Just add umbrella and cocktails.

Get Sick & Get Better

At first I thought it was allergies. Turns out it was a cold. I got scolded and cared for. I'm on the mend now and haven't been doing much this past week other than working and resting on my days off. This morning was the first day in a few that I've played guitar and that helps me feel better too. With the weather improving, days lengthening and spring sprouting, I'm hoping to get out to do a little painting (and fly an airplane), so I hope I feel better real soon. lawn needs mowing too.

I still have a few more prints to add to my new ArtFire studio, but here's one I listed the other day that I'd like to share with you. "Crow Maple" is a red maple (sometimes called swamp maple) that grows in our backyard. We put our meat scraps out on the stone wall for the crows and they often perch in this tree, cautiously waiting their turn at the pickings. My wife has another name for this tree, but that's for her to share with you.


"Crow Maple"

Winter Farm

This painting, "Winter Farm," was created while standing outdoors in Vermont's chilling midwinter bite. I recall the experience as being one of my coldest. Nonetheless, it was a nice day, shared with a painterly friend. We had attended an opening reception at an art gallery in Manchester, Vermont before heading out into the beauty of the state's landscape and doing some painting before heading back home to Connecticut.

One thing's for sure: This kind of weather forces one to employ the techniques of alla prima painting, with skill (real or perceived) and quickness. And it makes a spring day like today all that much warmer.

Sleeping Maple

Today was the day I put my artwork back out there again. I opened my ArtFire Studio and I am glad. It feels good to share my work again and this will likely motivate me to get out into nature and paint some more - as if the warmth and beauty of springtime in New England weren't enough.

I've shown in art galleries in and around Connecticut for over 30 years now and it really is nice to be able to share my work directly with you. Venues like ArtFire are so cool in that they bridge the gap between artist and collector. This reminds me that these really are amazing times we live in, don't you agree?

So here is my first listing, "Sleeping Maple," a fine art giclee print of an plein air painting I did a couple years ago. Painting outdoors in the dead of winter doesn't appeal to me quite as much now as it did when I was younger, but the challenge is still more than worthy of nature's extreme beauty in that cold, cold season. I have a couple more winter landscapes that I'll be sharing with you in the coming days ... while I look forward to painting in the warming days of spring.

Yardwork

The photo pretty much sums it up.

Curtis Observational Glider

I have to put on flight control surfaces and balance it. Then it will be ready for a test flight. Just in time for spring.

Diverge

My usual preference is to paint with oil. Today I painted with acrylics.


My usual preference is to paint from life. Today I painted from photographs.

It was fun.

a little painting

This is the first painting I've made in a long while. It was fun to do a little painting again.