New Juried Show at Maple & Main

You're invited to enter the first juried art show at Maple and Main Gallery in Chester from Jan. 28 through March 13. Bob Noreika is the juror, there are awards and a professional, beautiful setting for your art. Please click on "Juried Show" on mapleandmaingallery.com for details and the prospectus. 

Medad Tavern Wednesday Nov 25

Eight painters showed up around 10AM at Medad Tavern to paint.  The day turned out to be cloudy so it was chillier than expected.  Ed, Diana, Roseanne, Betsey, Denise, Jay, Beverly, and I enjoyed the secluded atmosphere that Medad offers.   Five of us left around 12:30 to convene for lunch at Cilantro's, one of our favorite Guilford eating spots in cold weather. Our lunch time is always filled with laughter and much talk about painting and art.

Remember if you want to be part of our winter painting group, email me your address so you can receive the latest updates on paint outs.  sbrown01 (at) snet (dot) net

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sally

Dudley Farm Painting Day

Cloudy most of the day with 8 painters (Jay, Cheryl, Roseanne, Diana, Betsey, Ed, Isabel, me) but overall pleasant conditions with so much to paint.  Dudley Farm is always a rewarding venue.  We'll be going there again soon.  This will be a beautiful venue for one of those special snow days with brilliant sun.

(If you get this post in your email, simply click on any photo and the blog will open in your browser with the photos enlarged.  Then you can click on any photo and you can simply scroll through them.)
Sally

                           

  The sheep and oxen welcomed us with open arms, or well, eyes. 

Everyone arrived bundled up as it proved to be cooler than predicted with the heavy overcast sky.  The sun peeked out every now and then close to noon teasing us with its warmth.  Five of us headed to lunch at Cilantro's at 1, leaving Ed and Isabel still painting.  

Jay's new style.  

No, it's really his palette.  Below is his actual painting. 

Ed did this on a 5 x7. 

Diana bought red tinted glasses to help in determining values in her painting below. 

She said they really helped.  Anyone want to try them? 

Painting Demo Zufar Bikbov Nov 18

Jay Babina sent this to me.  Zufar Bikbov is an incredible painter.  He is Russian trained and his most revered artist is Isaac Levitan.  His demo sounds wonderful, but 7 PM in Southington! I know, that's just me. —Sally

On Wednesday, November 18, at 7:00 p.m. Southington Arts and Crafts Association will sponsor a painting demonstration by artist, Zufar Bikbov. (Zufar judged this year's SACA Juried Art Exhibit at Gallery 53.)

The main focus of the Zufar's work is “plein-air painting with moderate landscape abstraction.” 

Zufar graduated Cum Laude from Zelenodolsk Art School in his homeland of Russia. He continued self-education with leading artists from the Saint Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts. He is also a graduate of Kazan State Medical University.  

The demonstration will follow a brief member’s meeting at 6:30 p.m.  The Orchards is located at 34 Hobart St. in Southington.  

Postscript to Stony Creek Intrepid Painters

Ed Magnotti did not blow away after all on Thursday.  He was much farther down Thimble island Road and lost track of time, absorbed completely in his painting.  He sent me a photo of his painting.  
Sally

P.S. Remember to send me your email address if you are interested in continuing to paint outdoors the next few months and maybe a couple of sunny post-snow days.  sbrown01 (at) snet (dot) net
As weather conditions change so frequently, it's hard to plan ahead to accommodate the lag time in the blog delivery to your emails.  And getting out on another day when Thursdays are a complete wash out seemed to work out well this past week.

Stony Creek Painting in Gale Force Winds Nov 13

Back by popular demand—our weekly wrap ups!

Seven CTSA intrepid painters (Diana, Cheryl, Betsey, Jay Bright, Ed, Jane, and I) showed up to paint Friday morning at Stony Creek in what turned out to be gale force winds.

Jay Bright found a perfect spot among the phragmites which provided him a good windbreak and a great view of the tidal marsh with an old barn that was renovated into a home in the background.  Diana and Cheryl set up their easels over the tidal inlet to catch the breaking waves on the rocks in full exposure to the WSW winds.  You could feel the salt spray in the air.  Betsey and I painted in what should have been the lee of the SC fife and drum corp building but wound up in a wind tunnel so that leaves and dirt covered our palettes, paintings, and got into everything.  I now have lots of sandy texture in my oil painting and a gritty feeling in my mouth.

There were falling easels and jugs of water.  Cheryl experienced the initiation rites of a plein air oil painter when her palette flew back against her body, covering her windbreaker with an assortment of colors.  Take a look at this year's Plein Air Salon Finalist, oil painter Jim McVicker's jacket.  He must have had a few incidents before he switched to the Strada easel!

We never located Ed again after the morning greeting.  Hopefully he drove back to NH and wasn't blown away.

Diana and Jay left before noon. Cheryl, Betsey, Jane, and I found refuge at Stony Creek Pizza for lunch, finally shielded from the wind.  Could it be possible that the cold would be more tolerable than the wind?  I guess we'll see in a few months.  ;-)

Sally

Probable rain out Thursday, Nov 12

The forecast shows rain on Thursday.  I will continue to schedule paint outs over the next two months.  But I need email addresses from those of you who want to paint as it gets cooler so I can contact you rather spur of the moment for changing weather conditions. and possibly other time

For instance, Friday is now forecast to be sunny, 57 degrees, and breezy (22 mph gusts).  I might be able to find us a venue that could be suitable for those conditions, although 22 mph gusts are substantial winds.   Please let me know if you would be interested.  Email me at sbrown01 (at) snet (dot) net

Thanks,
Sally

Call to Paint Thurs. Nov 12, Bruce & Johnson Marina, Branford

The extended forecast is for possible drizzle next Thursday but temps in the low 60s.   We need a place to be out of the drizzle (if that occurs) so I'm calling for a paint out at Bruce & Johnson Marina in Branford.  It has that large gazebo which will provide good rain cover with plenty of views to paint.  We can start a little later, 10-1. Bring your lunch if you want to stay afterwards as the restaurant at the marina is closed for the season.

Seven artists painted at Stony Creek this past Thursday.  Three settled in at the gazebo area and four spent their morning at the inlet farther down on Thimble Island Road surrounded by marshland, tidal outflow, and distant islands.  The low clouds created atmosphere without dulling the bright golden hues of the spartina.

Because posting paint outs to this blog on the internet takes a full 24 hours or more to get sent to your email, I think it might be easier if I emailed the group of stalwart artists directly through these next few months so that if conditions change at the last minute, you will be in the know.

For those of you who plan on painting through the late fall and winter, would you send me your email address?  sbrown01 (at) snet (dot) net

(I wrote my email address like that as this is a public website and susceptible to viral trawlers searching for email address formats.)

Thanks.
Sally


BREWER BRUCE & JOHNSON MARINA, 145 South Montowese Street, Branford

Heading south on I-95, take Exit 55. Turn RIGHT on Rte 1 (East Main), and move to left lane. After 0.3 mi., turn LEFT (south) on Windmill Hill Road. After 0.5 mi., turn RIGHT (southwest) on Damascus Road. After 0.9 mi., Damascus merges with Pine Orchard Road. Stay straight, heading west for about another 0.4 mile.  Turn LEFT (south) on South Montowese Street.
After about 0.7 mile, you will see the marina sign on your right. Follow the driveway all the way through to the dock area to the large gazebo on top of the hillock.  

Winter Studio Painting Opportunity

Some of our painting buddies have mentioned an interest in having another Winter Studio at the Guilford Community Center in 2016.  A group of us did this last year and it was very successful.  We are planning on doing it again this winter.  We would love to have you join us.  The more the merrier.

We paint on Tuesdays from 9:30 to 12:30 in the Quonnipaug room upstairs at the Community Center.  There are sinks in the room, big windows to let in the light and it is a warm environment.   There is also an elevator available to the second floor.

The cost is $105.00 for 10 weeks to pay for the use of the facility.  Our session would start mid January and run through the end of March.  I will let you know the exact dates as soon at the Community Center has it's winter schedule firmed up.  

If interested please make a check out to me for $105.00 and mail to me at:

Patty McGuire

241 Barnshed Lane

Guilford, CT  06437

As I have already paid for the room I would appreciate payment now as I would like to to get all the financials put to  bed.

Thanks everyone.  

Patty McGuire

Opening Reception for Ed Magnotti this Thursday, Nov 5

Ed has been painting out with the MAS group on Wednesdays and CTSA on Thursdays all summer.  He is showing a collection of his plein air paintings at Hagaman Memorial Library for the month of November.  All are welcome to his opening reception this coming Thursday from 5-8 PM.

The Hagaman Memorial Library is located at 227 Main St, East Haven.  Coming from all points east on I-95, take exit 52 for CT-100, North High St.  Turn Left at the end of the exit. Turn Left onto Main St and the library will be approximately 400 feet on the left.

Hope to see you all there.

Sally