Three today

This is an acrylic painting on panel, 11" X 14" of a canal in Leuven (Louvain), Belgium. I lived there from 1969-1974. I'm not sure which year I took the photo, but probably around 1970. I had scanned in the photo from an old 35mm negative and thought it would make an interesting painting. I haven't been back to Belgium so I don't know how the city looks now.

This is also an acrylic painting on panel, but very small, 6" X 6". I enjoy painting small panels since they go much faster. These are poppies that could grow anywhere, but my photo was taken in Israel several years ago at a kibbutz that we were visiting on our tour.

And finally, just for fun, I played with my acrylic paints on 300 lb cold press watercolor paper, also 11" X 14". These were old pieces of paper that came in a sample pack. I still have one more to play with. Acrylic paint is a waterbased paint, so it can be handled like watercolor, diluted with water, or mixed with medium and used on canvases, like oil.  The painting is based on a photo taken several years ago (are you sensing a theme here? -- old photos are useful). 

This is Hopewell Rocks on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, Canada, a very interesting tourist site.

I am finished with my fall painting class and I think I learned a lot about handling acrylic paint. I won't be able to take another class until spring, but I'll keep on painting, drawing and taking photos. There will always be something to blog about.

Ruth and Mike's Barn

This is a small acrylic painting on 6" X 6" canvas. I enjoy working on the small canvases since they don't take as much time. I made a couple of small cards from it for our next craft show, on Saturday in Stratham, NH.  Looking forward to this show even though it is a lot of work. We have heard good reports from our friends who have done it in the past.

The painting was done from a photo I took at our friend's house when we were invited to share a meal in their sukkah last month. Their farm is in Hollis, NH which is on the border with Massachusetts. Ruth is also an artist and showed me her new studio. It is beautiful and I am a little bit jealous (but not too much). I prefer living in the city and having easy access to the library etc.

I have another view of the barn and may make another painting of it at some time. I am working on another small painting (also 6 X 6) of poppies, and a larger one (11 X 14) of a canal with buildings in Leuven, Belgium. I lived there from 1969-1974 and have some old photos. I found one that was interesting and decided to start on a painting of it. That will probably take a few weeks to finish.

Marsh in Hooksett

This is an acrylic painting I made from an old photo of a marsh in Hooksett, NH. It is on the snowmobile trail behind Dube's Pond. Acrylic on canvas board 12" X 16". I am going to make some cards with this image for the holidays.

I had done a charcoal drawing of this marsh several years ago. I like both versions.

Craft Fairs

After the October snowstorm of last weekend, we were happy to have sunshine and pleasant weather for the Brookside Church (Manchester) craft fair. We both did well with our sales and are looking forward to the next fair (in Stratham) in 2 weeks.

I hope to finish another winter scene I am working on soon and will post it when it is done. I was happy with my framing (you may notice some of the earlier work I posted is now framed), but some of the frames appear to be soft wood and damage easily. These are the frames I ordered through the internet. I will be more careful in the future, but I couldn't find the sizes and colors I needed locally. It is hard to know the quality of a frame from a picture in an online catalog.

Lion at Ein Hod

This is an acrylic painting on canvas (11" X 14") from a photo I took in Israel several years ago. The statue is by Ursula Malbin, who is now 91 (and has many beautiful statues throughout Israel and other places). I thought this would be a challenging painting to do and it was. I had a very hard time with the face. The statue does not have irises or pupils, but I felt the painting needed them. I used light modeling paste to give the lion's mane and some other places texture. When it dries, I will varnish it.

This statue is at Ein Hod in Israel, an artists colony. I hope to go back there again in 2012. There was a big fire last year, so I hope that the artists have had a chance to rebuild and create new art.

Mount Superior (Utah)

Small (6x6) acrylic painting on canvas (wrap) done from a photo I took while hiking a few years ago with my daughter and her boyfriend in Alta, Utah. It was June, but there was still some snow in spots on the mountains. This is a popular ski area.

Downtown art project (Manchester NH)

I had seen my photo on this building last week, but didn't get downtown in time to actually take a picture before it was taken down. I am in the middle of the group (older woman with white hair and glasses).  Luckily for me, the local newspaper (Union Leader) photographer had taken a picture and it was in the paper October 12th. I went to the library and took a picture of his picture. (Silly, isn't it? But I wanted to post it and send it to family.) This art project was a local part of the Insideout Art Project (that seems to be global one). I don't know much about it, but you can check the link and see if your city is involved.

More information about the city project at this link: http://www.manchesternh.gov/website/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=3OYuv5EDeqM%3d&tabid=3075
Anyway, this was an interesting project. A photographer (Ann Kelly, I believe) took lots of photos of people at the Peoplefest festival in the fall. Various artists and others helped her put up the photos all over the downtown area.

Last night Joe & I met with another group of artists and we are hoping to organize more fun downtown projects. Funding is always an issue, but we have a core group and lots of great ideas.

Edna Creek (in color)

Edna Creek (Idaho) again, this time in color. This is a different view from the last one, but it is the same creek. The painting is acrylic paint on a 12" X 16" canvas panel. I just have to varnish and frame it. It will be a holiday gift for my family in Idaho. I enjoyed working on this one. I used glazing medium on the water to make it shinier. Lots of good suggestions from my teacher too. I finished my 4 week composition class, but there is still more to learn.

Edna Creek, Idaho

This is a monochrome study done in acrylics using only Payne's Grey and white paint on a canvas panel. It is 11 X 14. I am also working on a color painting of a different view of this creek. The idea behind a monochrome (one color) study is to learn how the values (light/dark/medium) help you show 3 dimensions on a 2 dimensional surface.  The rain has finally stopped today and I'm going to varnish this one and frame it.

I won an "Artist of the Month" certificate on Monday for my small painting Red Rock Canyon panorama. That will get to hang in a public place this month (Bentley Commons). I'll be bringing it there later today.

in the tent on Rosh Hashanah

even the raindrops are holy

dripping down from the tent

plastic covering the ark

with the sacred torahs

the prayers are the same

from one year to the next

only my intention changes

next year the rabbi says
we will pray in a building
but I like to pray outdoors
the leaves are changing color
the grass is still green
the perennials are slowly withering
the cycle of the seasons
is comfortable for me

mothers with young children
come later to make sure
they hear the shofar blown
the whole service is too long
for the babies and little ones

finally the time comes
the rabbi tells us all
to come forward to see the shofar
the women on one side
men on the other
we all hear the sound
no matter where we stand
and we celebrate again
the birthday of the world

©Linda H. Feinberg
2011 (5772)

“Happy are the people that know the sound of the shofar.
O God, they walk in the light of Your spirit.”