“There once was an owl who sat in an oak, …the more it heard, …the less it spoke,..the more it heard“ ~GentleHawk
The winter months make me want to be still. When it snows and the ground freezes quiet can be heard…and I try to listen. Watching the birds outside my window at the snow covered feeder reminds me to trust. I think it was Einstein who said “Everything is as it should be…” and it is. Wisdom comes with Winter.
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Tuscan Groves...oil on linen... Colleen Kidder
In the Autumn of 2002 I traveled with artist Caleb Stone to Tuscany to paint it’s olive groves and many vistas . The shades of green were so unlike the warm and golden hues found in New England. We stayed at a former Romanesque monastary called Pieve Di Caminino and went out early each morning mixing paints on our palettes in an attempt to capture the moods of the surrounding grounds. It was a challenge getting that green!…cobalt blue, yellow ochre and just a touch of white to soften the color…and then if I remember correctly I added a dab of cadmium red to indicate the olives that were hidden in the vines from a distance.
Recently at my annual Holiday Studio Show I displayed the painting “Tuscan Groves”…no price…I really didn’t want to sell it! The painting was the only one that I had left from the trip. A local art collector saw it and said that it “brought him right back to Tuscany” and he asked if it were for sale. I remembered that he had inquired last year too . I had said that it was part of my Private Collection and it was not for sale. But this year I decided that he was someone who would appreciate the painting . It was time to let it go. I offered the painting to him and he gratefully purchased it. Letting go was difficult … but I know that someday I will go back to paint in Tuscany . I will never let go of the memories of that first painting trip.
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I am so filled with appreciation ! The 3rd Annual Studio Show was a huge success!! Seeing friends from long ago and welcoming first time visitors to my Studio was truly enjoyable..
The weather was unseasonably warm and the mood as people shopped and shared conversation while sipping sangria was like being at a fun party!
Studio Shopping
Pottery by Melynn Allen
Melynn Allen’s Pottery looked perfect displayed in the cupboards and through out the Studio. I was sad to see her beautiful pieces leave their temporary home when Melynn packed up at the end of the show! I’m already looking forward to next years Post Thanksgiving Studio Show. It’s a far cry from “Black Friday” at the Malls…no pepper spray…no long lines…just good company.
Thanks to all~
Welcoming visitors to share my Studio
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Recently I was asked to decorate a shoe for an upcoming Fashion Show and Silent Auction that will help the Class of 2012 of Ipswich High School raise some funds. I agreed but wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do to make this shoe stand out at an auction! It’s pointed toe and spiked heel looked architectural sitting on a table in my Studio. After staring at it for a few days I decided to just pour out some paints and see where my brush would take me. I was sort of surprised when a seascape started to evolve. The toe became the sky… below it I painted a band of deep blue water . Then I added a sandy shore which led to violet shadows in the warm dunes with green sea grass. Very abstract but definitely a beach scene. I even added some butterflies…
It was a fun and creative exercise … Very different than painting on canvas!
The event is called “Walk this Way” and will be held on November 14th at the Ipswich Country Club. Tickets for the Fashion Show, Dinner and Silent Auction are a Donation of $35.00 ea. For more information please contact Laurie Fenton @verizon.net…it’s a “shoe in” for a good time!
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Miles of Marsh ...11x14 oil pastel ...C. Kidder
For the past several years now in early autumn, Charlie Schurcliff who is a wonderful painter and neighbor has invited me to join him at his home to paint and have lunch with a small group of artist friends. They travel from as far away as Montreal for the opportunity to paint the special vistas. The setting is ideal…the back door opens up to miles of marsh . The view of Hog Island and golden fields threaded with waterways is incredible.
Miles of Marsh
Yesterday was the perfect day for our gathering. Clusters of puffy clouds raced through the very blue sky shedding shadows that highlighted the marsh . I worked with my oil pastels and tried to capture the colors.
Charles Hopkinson Self Portrait
Being with other painters sharing lively conversations at lunch about art and the world was stimulating. It felt reminiscent of the days back in the late 1800’s and early 1920’s when artists would meet at Salons to be with like minds unleashing their creative thoughts. Charles Schurcliff’s grandfather Charles Hopkinson was an important portrait painter then . Most likely he too arranged get togethers with his Artist companions at his Boston Salon. I like to think that his spirit inspires his grandson. I looked up at lunch to see a Hopkinson portrait hanging on the wall and I was instantly transported back in time…maybe a past life .
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Looking Out from The Island..Oil Pastel by C.Kidder
“There are moments in our lives, there are moments in a day when we seem to see beyond the usual.” ~ Robert Henri
Three days spent on Monhegan Island in early October was like like taking a trip to Heaven.
The minute I boarded the “Laura B ” in Port Clyde Maine for the short trip to the Island I began to feel an other worldly connection.
Heading towards Monhegan
The early morning ocean air was better than a second cup of coffee and the salty spray more tasty than a bacon and egg breakfast!
Choppy Surf...
Porpoises popped out of the surf and two bald eagles soared close to the boat. By the time we had docked at the Ferry Landing I was in the vortex…a HUGE smile on my face. I settled into my room at the Island Inn…the same one I always request. It has a view of the ocean from a little window which makes me feel like I’m in a cabin on a boat.
Monhegan Harbor
I ventured out for a bowl of chowder and then did some hiking until the sun began to set. I sat watching as it illuminated the sky behind Manana. It was like viewing a Rockwell Kent painting!
Monhegan Sunset
Amazing Sunset
Sleeping on the island put me in a peaceful state…I only woke up once to look out the window. I had to grab my camera…the water was sparkling and still under a starry sky…
Still of the night
In the morning before sunrise I watched the crew of the lobster boats garbed in orange slickers row out to their ”offices” coffee in hand ready for a days work on the open waters.
There is a simplicity to Island life that is alluring. It’s easy to slip into the pace…to slow down into the moment. The difficult part is going “Off Island” and back to the mainland. It always feels like I’m leaving something behind…a little bit of Heaven.
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