Category Archives: Uncategorized

Painting New York

New York in January, Sunrise

New York in January, Sunrise

Each January I visit New York for conference.  Although I’m officially there for business, I never can seem to turn off my artist’s eye.  I’ve put  sketches up here before which I’ve done in museums, hotel rooms, night clubs.  Even just leaning against a wall in Times Square late at night.  Always interesting to me.  Most do not turn into finished artwork but are just memory notes.

This happens to be a painting that I did based on the view from my hotel room.  I love the early morning light dancing across the buildings with the cool colors of Central Park in the background.  There seemed to be some inversion layer going on which translated into a variety of impressionist colors.

When I create a painting like this, I’m often asked why I didn’t finish off the buildings.  But that wasn’t what attracted me to the scene, I reply.  It was the juxtaposition of hard and soft shapes, early morning light, a light dusting of snow on the roof tops.  I doubt the painting would have been improved if I had included every window, balcony, and detail.  This just leaves the soft feeling of a city wakening to a new morning.  What do you think?

Painting Nova Scotia

Cabot Trail, most iconic of drives.

Cabot Trail, most iconic of drives.

My husband and I made a trip to Nova Scotia last month.  Neither of us had been up that way.  It was so beautiful!  I took my painting materials but came home with enough subject matter to last for a long time.  We spent a week on Nova Scotia south shore, then toured the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton and finally ended on Prince Edward Island.  The weather was lovely with temps in the low seventies, dipping to the fifties and even forties at night.  Perfect for August, I think.

Nova Scotia Beach, Storm  Coming

Nova Scotia Beach, Storm Coming

Here are the first few paintings, some painted on location, some back here at home.  Rugged shores, pines, ocean, beautiful sunsets and sunrises, quaint towns and fishing villages…what more could an artist want?  As always, I appreciate any feedback.

Painting at Sand Hills Beach, Nova Scotia, Kit Miracle

Painting at Sand Hills Beach, Nova Scotia, Kit Miracle

Sunrise, Nova Scotia, oil on canvas, 12x16, Kit Miracle

Sunrise, Nova Scotia, oil on canvas, 12×16, Kit Miracle

French Lily, oil on canvas, 12x16, Kit Miracle

French Lily, oil on canvas, 12×16, Kit Miracle

Cape Breton, Cabot Trail, 12x16, oil on canvas board, Kit Miracle

Cape Breton, Cabot Trail, 12×16, oil on canvas board, Kit Miracle

Felling a giant

Memory of a giant

Memory of a giant

Several years ago, I did a painting called “Saturday Morning.”  It basically depicted men working together on, yes, Saturday morning.  This is what people do here in the country.  You cannot do everything yourself so you pitch in and help the neighbor, or he you when you need it.

This morning we had to say goodbye to an old friend.  We have a giant elm which  was here since we bought the place over 25 years ago.  Everyone marveled at its beautiful shape and how it had magically escaped elm disease.  Unfortunately, it began dying last year and we had to take our old friend down today.  It was very close to the house and would have been a real danger during the next big storm.

Taking down the elm which was leaning one way while we wanted to fell it in another was challenging and not without risk.  Fortunately, these two guys have felled many trees but anything can happen.  I documented this not only for my old tree friend but to let you know of some of the dangers.  If you don’t know anything about taking down a tree, hire an expert.

new eyes

Sometimes it takes a little nudge to get us out of our ruts. I’m currently traveling in the southwest with a bunch of canvases and paints. They say that travel is good for the soul. All I can add is that it makes me see the world with new eyes.  I love the colors, the vistas, the entire flavor of this part of the world.  This is a photo taken as I was perched on the edge of the Grand Canyon. I also spent several days painting the red rocks of Sedona.  Now I’m in Santa Fe. I’ve discovered that it’s best not to look at the work of too many other artists as I lose focus on my own vision. I brought 19 canvases and intend to return with 19 paintings.  Of more or less achievement. Stay tuned.Image

Night visitors

Living out in the near wilderness, we are often beset with furry critters set on eating our produce. Our 90 acres is more like a big park than a real farm. We don’t mind sharing but…there’s plenty for the animals to eat without invading the garden and orchards.

Recently we noticed that something was munching on the fallen apples. So we set up the deer cam in the orchard. My goodness, but there is a LOT of activity out there. Plenty of deer, lots of raccoons (and babies), and one slinky coyote. This isn’t counting all the rabbits and squirrels that set off the camera.

And for those of you who think raccoons are cute little masked bandits, think again. They are vicious creatures who just enjoy the pleasure of killing a whole flock of chickens in a single night.

Anyway, we’re really trying to capture a photo of a bobcat or mountain lion rumored to be living in these parts. We’ll move the deer cam into the woods soon and see what we will see.

Day visitors - a whole herd of deer munching on peaches  8:45 a.m.

Day visitors – a whole herd of deer munching on peaches 8:45 a.m.

Big buck 10:15 p.m.

Big buck 10:15 p.m.

Raccoon stealing bait from trap 5:08 a.m.

Raccoon stealing bait from trap 5:08 a.m.

Wylie Coyote 1:43 a.m.

Wylie Coyote 1:43 p.m.

Evening muncher 6:45 p.m.

Evening muncher 6:45 p.m.

Your life in jelly beans

What are you doing today? What are you doing with your life? Check out this video on You Tube – Your Life in Jelly Beans. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOksW_NabEk&feature=youtu.be

How to tone a canvas

TonedcanvasIn an earlier how-to post, I told you about the why of using a toned canvas but I thought I’d review that again.

Using a toned canvas takes away the fear and indecision of painting for many artists. You already HAVE something on the canvas. Mostly when you’re painting, you’re using push-pull. That is, pushing the background into the back, and pulling the foreground up front. You see this more often with artists drawing on toned paper, such as, pastel artists. This is a very old technique, maybe centuries old.

I like it because it seems as if the tone color (whatever I may have chosen) fills in the broken spaces of my paintings. A search on the internet will turn up quite a few artists who use this technique.

Most of the time, I will take leftover paint at the end of a session and tone a bunch of canvases just to have them on hand. Although I do not use this technique all the time, it’s great to be able to grab a few canvases as I’m heading out for some plein air painting. I just seem to be able to get a head start on getting the basics down. However, you can do this on location with just rubbing in some local colors with a rag. It’s entirely up to you.

My preference is for warm colors or even some very dark colors but I have used many – burnt sienna, dark brown/grey, blues, greens and even purples (yuck). One artist I know, Caroline Jasper, uses red for her canvases which adds an element of sparkle, and Wyatt LeGrand uses some very dark tones which also works well for him.

If you haven’t tried this technique, just try it for a few times to see how you like it.

Stilllifesetupbluebottles150step1

Tonedcanvas4

Tonedcanvas3

Tonedcanvas2

Noise

As this blog isn’t totally about being an artist, I thought I’d talk about country life today.

This evening I was sitting on my patio listening to the sounds of the day winding down.  For those of you who live in the city, I know you think you live in a chaotic and noisy environment.  But those of us who live in the country also have the noise and chaos…just a bit different. 

This evening as I was sitting on my patio, I tried to identify all the sounds that I could.

  • Crickets in the garlic chives
  • Birds – chickadees, cardinals, goldfinches, titmouse, two kinds of woodpeckers, mourning doves, and even the stupid starlings in the gutters
  • Peepers (frogs) in the lowlands
  • Diesel engines of the train about a half mile away
  • Neighbor’s son revving up his truck’s engine then taking off
  • Far away highway sounds
  • Jet high overhead
  • Cat meowing in the shop telling me that it’s too early to be shut up for bedtime
  • Wind in the trees overhead
  • Bumblebees in the honeysuckle

Plenty of noise…just different.  You just have to listen.

House in springtime, plein air

House in spring, final, oil on canvas 18 x 24

House in spring, final, oil on canvas 18 x 24

Plein air painting in the spring sunshine is one of my favorite things to do.  I love the fresh colors.  Check out my step-by-step page for a how to demonstration.  https://my90acres.com/artwork/plein-air-painting-in-spring-time/

Christmas in the artist’s life

The holidays are often a busy time for artists.  Although I don’t seek out the sales that I used to – I’m too busy with my day job – I still get busy around Christmas time.  I sold Dos Palomas which was exhibited in a small, local exhibit.  That was a nice surprise and the person who bought it was totally smitten with it.  I’m so glad she has it.

Last month I received a call out of the blue from someone asking if I’m the Kit Miracle who does house portraits.  Yes, but I don’t do many any more.  I really don’t have the time.  As an aside, this used to be a big part of my bread and butter painting business.  I’ve done a lot of house portraits!  So the lady who was interested in one more house portrait was a client for whom I’ve done four others in the past.  She wanted the final one to be by the same artist in the same style.  So….I agreed.  This was a simple watercolor with pen and ink overlay.  See the photo and the details.

Watercolor house portrait with pen and ink overlay

Watercolor house portrait with pen and ink overlay

House portrait detail

House portrait detail

Small Christmas paintings, w/c - pen and ink, painted in multiples

Small Christmas paintings, w/c – pen and ink, painted in multiples

This year I also decided to create some small paintings as Christmas gifts to my staff.  I used to do these a lot, also.  They are 4×6.  Although they’re all hand-painted, I do them in sets of four.  It’s more efficient that way.

Framed mini paintings

Framed mini paintings

Painted child's sneakers

Painted child’s sneakers

Finally, I decided that my granddaughter needed some hand-painted shoes.  These are just cheap canvas sneakers with dinosaurs, dancing lady bugs, butterflies and flowers.  She’ll outgrow them before the paint wears off.

 All in all, it was a very merry Christmas!