Arethusa Falls

I am still working on this piece.  If you click on it, you will get the enlarged picture and it will be easier to see it.  I added a few people to give a sense of scale.  Arethusa Falls is the highest waterfall in New Hampshire.  It is a good hike from Route 302 in Crawford Notch. I'm setting this aside for a little while to think about. It's hard for me to decide when a piece is actually finished. This is the companion piece to my Frankenstein Cliffs one as we did this hike on one day (which I do not recommend) in the fall of 2013. This is a 16" X 20" acrylic painting on stretched canvas.

As a break from the complicated painting above, I did something a bit easier.  I felt like playing with cumulus clouds and found a photo I had taken of the mountains along the Kancamagus Highway. This one is 11" X 14" and I had a prepared canvas board from an earlier class.  It was a dark and overcast day.  Our first hike (to Greeley Ponds) did not work out for us as there was too much water to cross (and I do not enjoy water crossings as I have fallen several times).  Then we went to Sabbaday Falls which is very enjoyable and an easy hike. We stopped at several overlooks and I took lots of photos.  I painted this scene from one of my photos.  I think it would also work well for an inspirational saying on one of my cards.

I have only set a few goals for the new year as I think they will take me a long time to achieve.  I'm thinking about learning how to convert my poetry books to e-readers.  I also have many poems that were not in those books (which are out of print now). Of course I plan on continuing with my painting. I'm hoping to learn how to do plein air painting (on site outdoor painting) in the spring or summer.

Happy new year to all. May 2014 be filled with blessings and good health for everyone.

To purchase a card or print of the falls painting: Arethusa Falls or one of the cliffs:
Frankenstein Cliffs

Cottonwoods at Arches

Finally finished this painting. It is acrylic on stretched canvas, 16" X 20".  I loved hiking at Arches National Park, seeing the massive rock formations and spending time with my daughter in Utah. This was really the first time I paid attention to the cottonwood trees and the aspens.  Their fall colors are different from the fall colors I see in New Hampshire. I took lots of photos and had a hard time choosing which ones to paint. I may do some more in the future.  Meanwhile, I have started on a painting of Arethusa Falls in Crawford Notch, New Hampshire.  Maybe I'll have that done to post in a few weeks.

Just for play, I wanted to work with some bright colors.  I remembered how pretty the butterflies were in Costa Rica last year on my trip.  I decided to paint some in a less detailed way.  Usually I paint from my photos, but this one was just from my imagination. This is acrylic on canvas board, 8" X 10".

I am glad that the craft fairs are over for the season.  I sold a couple of originals, several prints and lots of cards.  It is hard work setting up, being there for many hours, then breaking everything down.  I didn't do as many this year as last year.  I do enjoy talking to everybody who stops by my table. There are lots of interesting people in New Hampshire.

We have about 10" or so of snow on the ground now from two storms. The winter sunsets are beautiful and so are the sunrises. I'm not so enthusiastic about the snow shoveling as I get older, but it is good exercise and I'm grateful that I can still do this.

To purchase a card or print of this image: Cottonwoods at Arches National Park

Haiku - Dorr's Pond

an overcast day

birds chirping, ducks quacking

walking at Dorr's Pond

I had a successful day at a craft fair on Friday. I sold my painting of the snowy egret.