New Paintings for 2014

Over the past month since my last art show, I have been reading and studying videos from some great water color artists.  If you want to see a great watercolor artist, buy the book by Mary Whyte called "Down Bohicket Road"http://marywhyte.com/store.php and you will find it very interesting reading and see some great watercolors.

I have been painting to get ready for the Malvern Retreat House art show in laterJanuary.  As I work on 20 new paintings -  4 large and 15 small - I am trying to incorporate some of these ideas into my paintings.  Add some more color, add more value and darks and lights and try to make the focus of the paintings stand out more.

I am working on a painting of Victorian Cape May - you can see the beginning here .......well you have to come to the show to see the final painting but I do post the painting as I work on it on Facebook from time to time.   Have a great time over the Christmas Holidays.  

Bryn Mawr Medical Building

Just took my painting of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse over to hang at this medical center next to Bryn Mawr Hospital for the Delaware Valley Art League show.  I took these photos while we were on vacation in Maine with our daughter and after visiting the Olson House painted and sketched over 1,000 time by Andre Wyeth.  We continued along the coast line and went to this lighthouse.

Here are two views of the lighthouse that sits above these rocks and allows you to catch the spray as the waves hit the rocks.  

This is the view I selected and it was juried into the Bryn Mawr Show that runs form now until March.

Just a great place to visit when you are in Maine.

Penncrest High School Christmas Show

On November 23rd I will be here for about the 10th year.  Since I recently completed the Brandywine Plein Air event painting out side in Chester County, I will have some of those paints with me from an 8 x 10 to a mid size watercolors.  This is the Birmingham Meeting House with the school behind it.

This year I will have more originals in my bin and have a good selection of framed smaller reproductions that make great Christmas presents.  I will also have my special rack of originals and reproductions at reduced prices at 50% off and for anyone who purchases $25 worth of paintings, yo will be able to get a free reproduction.

Also my daughter Kim will be with me selling her South Hill design jewelry that make great gifts.  You can see more on her facebook page   https://www.facebook.com/charmedkimrowe?fref=browse_search

Stop by and say Hi and I will share some stories about the Brandywine Plein Air event.  

BRANDYWINE PLEIN AIR

This past week I spent 4 days outside in the Brandywine Valley painting watercolors in what we often call "Wyeth country".  We visited a number of sights including the Birmingham Meeting House, Christ ChurchWilmington, Granogue, Long Point Farm, Hagley Mills and Winterthur.   On the first day I headed down to Christ Church and spent the whole morning painting the church from the front view.  We were able to get great lunches from Jansenn's Market, so I picked up my lunch and drove over to the sun lit Birmingham Meeting house making it a great day to paint.  Here I completed a mid size watercolor of the meeting house and small painting of the pump.  As the sun started to go down,  my car headed home with three watercolors in the back seat ready to frame.

Tuesday I had no idea what to expect.  I had never been to this private estate so was not sure what to would be waiting for me to paint so I was a little anxious. By the time I pulled up there were already 25 artists painting away.  Well I loved the setting.  There were numerous building and scenes to paint including a great barn and storage area.  I completed two paintings of this barn - one mid size and the other smaller.  This is one view.

Tuesday evening as the car headed home there were two more watercolors that needed to be framed to drop off the next morning.  

Wednesday was gray and slightly colder so more of a challenge for us painters.  That morning, we painted at Long Point Farm along the Brandywine river but you can see my great spot on a hill looking down on the barn.  

I completed one painting there and then left to go to the Hagley Mill in Wilmington.  Here the Gibbons house caught my eye that was located on Workers Hill.  Hagley Mills was the first Dupont mill where  the company was started. That evening three more paintings were framed bringing the total to 7 paintings completed.  I was dead tired that evening and just feel into bed.   

Thursday was colder, windier and definitely took more effort to paint. I sat out on the middle of a hill looking at the East Barns with an old house and barn.  Great view and good perspective, but it really started to get too cold.  Jumping of the shuttle, i was taken back to my car where I left to go home and frame this painting to return it by 6:00 pm that evening.   Wow!!!

The show was Friday through Sunday with over 900 paintings from all the artists and photographers. With all those paintings I sold my watercolor of Christ Church.

This was a great deal of work and yet a growing experience that helped me be able to focus and pick out a possible painting quicker.  It also helped me to learn how to paint more rapidly. It also helped improve my painting skills.  Some of these paintings will be in future shows for you to see the sights I painted.

Summer Garden Series Painting sold at Wayne Art Center

This summer my daughter and I went out to a home on Garret Mill Road to paint.  While she spent the time taking photos of the old barn, surrounding area and animals.  I picked a shady spot and drew the barn and then painted it.  Dawn came over after she was finishing taking photos and did some sketching and did a great job.......now if I can get her to paint more.

We spent the morning there and just enjoyed the chickens and Guinea hens walking around us as we painted listening the sheep in the barn.  Here is the painting I completed.  Here is a photo of the barn.  Below it is the only photo I have of the partially completed painting as I took it to the Wayne Art Center for a show in late September.  This was a show of all the paintings different artist completed this summer.   And IT WAS SOLD!!!!!!!!

I am thankful for the ability to paint and sell what I paint.

I was excited because when I first started to paint "PLEIN AIR" it took me all day to complete a painting.  I would first start by doing a sketch and complete a watercolor study that usually took me all morning trying to get the right colors and proportions.  Then I would complete a painting in the afternoon.  Now I am doing he sketch right on the watercolor paper and instead of a study, I start the finished painting.  This is more practical and I can finish a painting in a shorter period of time watching the weather and sky and shadows.   

I have the following coming up shortly.  The OCEAN CITY BLOCK PARTY is October 12th with originals and prints......on the block where the Tabernacle is located on the Tabernacle side!!

October 20th to 27th will be the BRANDYWINE PLEIN AIR that I am in for the first year with a show the end of the week at the Winterthur Visitors Center.   I am looking forward to this.

In November I will be back at the PennCrest High School Christmas sale and that usually means clearly out specials for the winter.

This winter in February and March, I have two big shows that  I have been painting for over the past several months.  I have some new originals including a lighthouse and some barns from our trip to New England.

Any questions send me an email or check out my FACEBOOK PAGE............Bruce

WORKING ON SHOWS FOR THIS FALL

After a busy summer, I have been painting and preparing for a number of shows this fall and winter.  Our trip to New England has inspired me to paint some fresh new watercolors and bigger paintings.

I had the opportunity to paint out doors - Plein Air - at Winterthur.  This location is at the East Barns and was a misty day to begin with.  Jim Evans, a friend and I walked around until the weather turned better and we sat overlooking this pond with the home and barn in the back ground.  It was an enjoyable experience as it warmed up.

My first show will be in Ocean City....the big Fall Clock Party that runs from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and will be in the block of the Tabernacle.  We look forward to seeing you and showing you my new originals in addition to many framed prints of different sizes and prices.

I have been also painting outdoors and will be in the BRANDYWINE PLEIN AIR  in Chester County in late October. Profits will benefit the Children's Museum.
          The mission of CBH is to help children with special needs to reach their highest potential as functioning members of their families and communities.  CBH focuses upon the strengths of the 7- to 18-year-old youth with special needs and their families.

 If the weather is good it will be an interesting opportunity to capture the area around the Brandywine River.  I am not sure of the exact sites to be painted but feel it will include some mansions, historic sites and museums.  Then there will be a Gala art exhibition and sale on October 25th, opening at 6:30 p.m. at The Visitor’s Center of Winterthur Museum, Gardens and Library for artists, patrons, and guests.  It will last all weekend

As I get more details I will let you know so you can come out and observe where we are painting.

Summer Activity

This has been a busy summer with traveling to find new places to paint, spending time with my family, taking time to paint outdoors by myself and with our daughter Dawn and visiting several watercolor shows and locations.  We took a vacation with our youngest daughter and spent time in New England and managed to take 800 photos between both of us as we saw lighthouses, the Olson House that Andrew Wyeth painted "Cristina's World" and took a tour of their home, saw a show of Winslow Homer's work and took two whale watch cruises but alas...no whales.  Then Dawn came with me painting out doors - Dawn sketched and I painted among the chickens and roosters crowing.

                                                Motif # 1 in Rockport, MA

Olson House in Cushing , ME

Pemaquid Piont Lighthouse, ME

I am excited with my out door painting called Plein Air as I have learned to paint quicker and still retain the focal point of the painting.  Contrasting two of my plein air paintings will give you an idea.  My first two plein air paintings took time to complete  a study and then a final painting taking all day from 9:00 to 3:00.  This summer I took less time to sketch and finished a watercolor both in about 3 hours.  So painting quicker means less detail but by placing more detail in the focus area and using brighter colors, the paintings still are vibrant and exciting.

Since then I have been painting and getting ready for my out door shows and for a number of jury shows I will try to get in this fall.  By the way you can follow me on Facebook for more up to date information  

West Chester Paint The Town

Several weeks ago , I participated in the West Chester Paint the Town although I did not get as many paintings as last year when I completed 7.  This year due to some other conflicts and the weather, I only completed two.  One small 8 x 10 of a home with a fountain and then my larger painting of three historic homes across form Marshall Park.

Historic Homes of West Chester

Home on Church Street

These three homes all appealed to my desire to paint historic homes.  It is hard to paint different bricks on three different homes.  I also painted these homes in an afternoon as these were part of the plein air contest.  It was great sitting under the trees in the park painting while birds sang overhead and people with their dogs walked by.  Hope you enjoy this painting.

This summer, we will be off to New England to find some new exciting places, buildings and scenes to paint.  

New watercolors painted of St David's Episcopal Church Radnor, PA

I was accepted into a Juried Art Show at St. David's Art Festival that will be

Presented by Delaware Valley Art League

Opening Reception April 26th 6-9:00 p.m.

Show April 26-May 5

Exhibit Times:

Sats - 10am-4pm
| Suns - 12pm-4pm | Mon-Fri 10am-4pm

I went to the church's historic chapel and collected photos to use to paint some original watercolors for this show and finished three.  This church has a special place in my heart as two of my grandparents are buried here and my Aunt Miriam and Uncle Marshall Monsell worshiped here and are also buried here.  I have been to this chapel for a few memorial services.  So when I was accepted into the show, I wanted to do a few special watercolors.  

Here is one of the two gates you can use to enter the Historic Chapel area of St David's.  There are two others you will find at the show..............I will be at the Opening on Friday evening so stop by and greet me and Sunday Afternoon from noon to 2:30 pm

Winterthur Plein Air

On April 17th, a friend of mine Jim Evans and I went to Winterthur to sketch and paint plein air, which means being out side "in the air"-- painting in front of your subject.  Winterthur is the estate of Henry DuPont that is now a museum with 175 rooms and each one has furniture and everything you could imagine.  Well, instead of painting inside, we rode the tram throughout the grounds to select a place to paint.  We visited the dairy barns, the beef barns, the magnolia and flower gardens.   We selected the barn area.  Back in the 1800's, when they bought 15 farms in this area to form this property, they kept the houses and barns preserving the feel for the farm country.  

So in spite of the cloudy cool weather,  we spent the morning riding the tram to the barn area and sketched a barn property and took numerous photos to paint future paintings.  Then we went back in to warm up with hot coffee and tea , took a tour of some of the rooms in the house, ate lunch and then hopped on the tram to do more painting and sketching.  I finished a watercolor and Jim worked on a colored pencil study.   The sun finally broke through and it warmed up so we ended the day on a high note.  For more information on Winterthur go here--http://www.winterthur.org/

JUST ACCEPTED INTO ST DAVID'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH ART FESTIVAL

I took three watercolors to the DVAL jury for a new show at St David's Episcopal Church.  This will take place April 25th to May 5th.   ALL THREE WERE ACCEPTED INTO THE SHOW That is exciting.  So I can take my portfolio with 15 originals for the show as well.  Here are two of the paintings that were accepted.

Chadd's Ford Elementary School Art Show

March 15th and 16th I will display two racks of my art with several originals and a number of limited edition and gliclee reproductions.  I will be there on Friday evening when they have lots a great food and later on Saturday afternoon.  This is a good show where you can meet the artists and talk directly to them.  
I have donated a framed "Gate of Thanksgiving" reproduction so you can try to buy a chance and support the school.  I will also have my newest original watercolor "Historic homes of Chadds Ford" for you to take home as well as some other brand new originals. I will have all sizes of framed originals  from 5 x 7 to 18 x 32 originals and then framed reproductions from 5 x 7 to 16 x 20.
So come out , look and buy a new painting for your house........it will brighten up your spring and supports the school. 

Watercolor - How I started to paint Historic Homes of Chadds Ford

I thought with my newest show beginning January 30th at the Malvern Retreat Center, I would show you how I began the process of creating this painting. 
First I thought of the many homes in Chester County that are historic that would make a great painting.  I have a number of watercolors of some of these homes, so I decided to create a new panoramic painting with four historic buildings.  

So I gathered my photos first of these buildings..... I have taken these over the past 30 years so there are some differences.  The John Chadd House, Washington and Lafayette's headquarters and the Barns Brinton home.  

Then I spent time sketching each home and finally cut out the homes to make sure they were properly sized, checking out the size of the windows and doors.  Here are the cutouts.

Then after selecting my watercolor paper, I spent hours drawing the homes, painting the background and finally painting each individual building.   So to see the finished painting that is over 30 " long, come to Malvern Retreat Center.    

Malvern Retreat House ART SHOW

MALVERN RETREAT HOUSE ART SHOW

This show with over 100 artists takes place from January 30th to February 3rd from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm, except it closes at 4:00 pm on Sunday, February 3rd.  There is a complimentary wine and cheese party on Feb. 1st.

I have been working on a number of new paintings for this upcoming show. My newest watercolor contains four historic buildings of Chadd's Ford in one scene that I have worked on for awhile.   There will be 4 of my large original watercolors and 10 small original watercolors all framed.  In addition, I will have a portfolio of 15 pieces from limited edition prints, giclees and original watercolors.  

 This show is organized by the same committee that ran the Immaculata Art Show so 35% of the sales are a donation for the Malvern Retreat House.   Go to this link for my bio for this show. http://www.flickr.com/photos/malvernretreathouse/8318508542/in/set-72157631590266698.

The show is located at Malvern Retreat House,  315 South Warren Avenue,  Malvern, PA 19355