Fall bike ride

No words needed!

Sun-dappled creek

Sun-dappled creek, 8" X 10", water mixable oils (Winsor & Newton Artisan) on panel.  This was an experiment on a different surface for me.  I had taken a photo of this scene when we were out bicycling around Tower Hill Pond in Auburn/Candia, New Hampshire. (I'm never sure what side of the town border this pond is on). The pond is part of the watershed for our city's (Manchester, NH) water supply and feeds down to Lake Massabesic.  We have walked it many times and this summer we tried it by bicycle.

I found the surface a bit different from working on canvas and it was interesting.  I had to let the layers of oils dry for many days in between.  The first layer of the "creek" part looked really strange and not at all like water when I painted it.  The painting is a bit more impressionistic than my usual, but I was just trying to create an impression of the sunlight coming through the leaves and onto the water.  I really admire the painters who say they are painting the "light", but I haven't figured out how to do that myself.

My art group, Friends of Art Manchester, completed a 30' x 3' mural at 720 Union Street in Manchester (on the side of a laundromat).  This was my first time working on this scale and on brick.  It was the first time for several of the other artists.  I'm not sure I would want to work on this surface again, but my other artist friends are painting murals again and enjoying it.  I painted the hawks from photos I took in the winter while out walking in my neighborhood. No leaves on that tree then.

Friends of Art Manchester, mural at 720 Union Street, Manchester, NH

Linda Feinberg and Red Tailed Hawks

Spring, finally!

Spring has finally come to New Hampshire and we are enjoying our new trail bikes. We went out on the Heads Pond trail (in Hooksett, NH) which we have walked many times. It goes much faster on a bike! Anyway, we biked as far as the "No trespassing" sign, turned around and came back a different way.  That was on the dirt road that is usually monitored by the Fish and Game Department.  It seemed a bit longer, but was an interesting ride.

I'm not sure what kind of snake this is, but is was swimming pretty fast and I was happy to get a picture. This was a flooded area of the grass, not the actual pond.  Here is a link to the NH website about snakes:  NH Snakes

We hadn't seen this beaver dam before.  This was a view from the dirt road.

We weren't sure what kind of butterflies these were, but there were a lot of them.

We walked back along Route 3 from the dirt road back to the trailhead parking lot. The photo does not do the actual view justice.  It flattens out the view of the pond and wetlands. The trailhead is across the street from Green's Marine on Route 3 in Hooksett, NH. An easy walking trail along the old railroad bed, with beautiful views of ponds.

 

Also, if you want to find more information about my e-books (poetry), just put my name into Google or other search engine. I have 3 books up on Kindle now, one on Nook. Do a search for "Linda H. Feinberg".  There are other Linda Feinbergs who are authors too, so they show up as well on your search.

On my easel today

Catalpa Blossoms on Webster Street

This was a fun exercise and is almost done. I bought an 8" X 10" piece of gessobord (which is a prepared board that has gesso on it already and is not canvas). I decided to work with my acrylic paints in a watercolor fashion.  First I did negative painting of the leaves in a light green (ultramarine blue plus yellow). When that dried, I painted the flowers. Then I darkened up the leaves and background. (I used sap green and yellow for that.) I am almost finished. I'm letting the paint dry, then I'll do a little more with contrasting values.

I looked in my tree book and this tree is listed as "Southern Catalpa".  I'm not sure what it's doing in New Hampshire, but it has lovely leaves and flowers.  I took a photo, then cropped it and focused in on the blossoms.

I have paintings up in two exhibits this month in Manchester and Bedford (NH). My paintings are part of a group exhibit at City Hall Gallery (first floor hallways at City Hall).  We have ten artists/photographers exhibiting from my group Friends of Art Manchester.  The artwork is in all different styles, both representational and abstract.

I also have some of my paintings on exhibit at the Bedford (NH) Library, lower level.  That is part of a group exhibit too, from Manchester Artists Association.

Spring is very slow getting here this year. I have been out on my bike twice now.  I'm really enjoying learning how to ride again and the mountain bike is more fun than the city bike since I like being in the woods.  I bought a used bike, then decided to turn it in for a new one. Waiting for better weather to try it out.  Photo below taken on the rail trail by Lake Massabesic (Auburn/Manchester, NH).  That was my first ride. I fell in the mud, did not get hurt, and was happy to be out on the trail.