Picture Perfect

Snowing all day so didn't go to the studio but instead painted with my neighbor and friend Joan. This is an oil on canvas 11 x 14.

Cafe´

This is called Cafe´and is a 12 x 36 inch canvas. Once again it is challenging for me to design this. I do take the basic image from a photo I took in Paris, but it is far from a replica. I am trying to walk the fine line between abstract and illustrative.

Break in the Clouds

Along the lines of larger and semi abstract oils...Break in the Clouds is 24 x 24 inches

Pasture

Still struggling between abstraction and illustrative. This one is 18 x 36 inches oil on canvas

Paris Cafe

Finally posting this one...just not sure about it. 9 x 12 oil

10 Strokes

One of my favorite lessons to teach in my class is 10 strokes. I set up a separate item with a light source and the student must define that item in 10 brushstrokes. These are my demos from that day. The class did really well! It isn't about working fast, it's about working decisively, using a big brush and loading the brush with plenty of paint.

Winter Scape

This is one of the biggest oils I have done, 20 x 40 inches. I enjoyed the process and the abstraction. It was difficult in my small studio to be able to see the whole and I had to step back quite a bit. Now I want to try some more larger paintings that fall between illustrative and abstract

quick oil sketches

Having a great time back in a drawing group. These are a few quick 5 minute, and one 30 minute oil on paper sketches. I think drawing or painting the figure from life is my favorite thing!

Bus Stop

Had some fun with this one. Changed a lot of the colors to work and tried to keep it loose and with character.

Duomo Florence

9 x 12 oil on canvas...Duomo. Finally finished this painting of Florence that started as a demo.

Busy Paris Street

Busy Paris Street a demo I did yesterday. 9 x 12 oil on canvas. I am finding I like canvas better than any boards.

This is a demo from class. A lesson on lost and found edges, and intensity creating the "hero" of the painting.

Demo from class. This is Isle Sur Le Sorgue, a gorgeous little village in Provence. This does not do it justice! Oil on board, 12 x 16

One of the last mornings, everyone was a bit tired of seeing so much green. I did this demo looking out toward the gorgeous Provence landscape with the concept that you can use any color as long as the value and intensity work.

Every morning the light came through the window in the kitchen and I'd see this gorgeous still life. Finally did it as a demo.

One of my demos from our Provence trip. The chateau was gorgeous and this was a sunny corner

Try this link to the Judson Plein Air blog: http://www.judsonsart.com/blog/

Back from Provence and had a fabulous time! Stayed at an amazing chateau with views all around. On rainy days, we were able to paint from this enormous room overlooking the view. Also came back to surprising and great news. I am featured in September's Judson's on line plein air spot: http://www.judsonsart.com/blog/uncategorized/aline-ordman-psa/ Photos of my demos to come!

A pastel demo from Muster Field Farm. A white house with no white. I also wanted to point out how to use light values as well as intense colors to depict light without competition. The intense colors are on the trees.

Rocky Coast, 16 x 20 oil was a pleasant surprise. I was unsure if it would work and I didn't have a clue if it was until I stepped back and saw the shapes were emerging as rocks!

I am honored to announce that Awaiting the Dinner Crowd has been accepted to the 13th Annual National Juried show of the American Impressionist Society!

Miniturn Harbor 12 x 16 Hike up above the quarry and you are treated to this wonderful view!

Frolic 9 x 12 oil on canvas

Miniturn Wharf 9 x 12 Went out on a sunny morning and had a frustrating time of it with this one. On that same morning I turned to see a house at the end of the island which I then proceeded to paint. Still not sure about this one.

Go to the end of one of the island roads and you are greeted by this house nestled among pines with a grass and gravel path leading to it. I loved the light. 12 x 16 oil on canvas, "End of the Road, Maine"

Sunny Sail is a 4 x 8 inch oil. It was fun to play with the limited size of the canvas and design this within those dimensions.

In Maine so doing some coastal paintings. It was sunny though windy yesterday. Went out to the lighthouse and looked down...set up the easel and painted.

View from the Ponte Vecchio is a finalist in the 29th Annual Art Competition for Artist Magazine!

I have spent the last month moving and having a relentless cough. Finally got in my studio this week. This is a 9 x 12 inch oil Sunspots

Colored Glass

This painting, the demo in Monday morning's class, was a good way to show that painting the abstract shapes, not the idea of glass, results in a painting of glass. Not sure if the painting is done...may work on it some more at some time.

This is the painting demo from Monday. Starting from the bottom as the beginning of the painting, I start with the big basic shapes and create detail within those shapes. Though these were white Peonies, no pure white was used.

Did this in the studio today...12 x 16 oil on canvas. I was drawn to the warm tones of the soil in contrast to the blues on the barn. And I always love cows!

I struggled a lot with this pastel, and the original version with the two cows just didn't work for me. And then, I thought about having the laundry in the foreground and liked it better.

Crossing Newburry Street, Boston

Crossing Newburry Street Boston. A 9 x 12 inch on canvas that began as a demo in class. It went through many changes especially on the left side. Still not sure how I feel about it but a lot of thought into how crowded, not crowded enough, took out the white (my class will understand) and put in the cone for balance

Farmstand, 9 x 12 inch oil on canvas.

Monday's demo...oil on canvas 9 x 12 inches

A 4 x 12 inch oil on canvas demonstration from my Monday class.

Harbor in Mackinac Island

This is a 16 x 20 inch painting of the Harbor in Mackinac Island. It was a struggle to have all the various shapes and colors of varying sizes and have it become the harbor.

Demo...Simplifying the Complicated

Today's demo seemed so daunting...all that material and highlights. So I talked about squinting and simplifying what seemed so complicated and allowing the light and shadow to bring out the forms. The class did amazingly well!
9 x 12 inch oil on board

Using Intense Colors

So, in my Community College of VT class and my Monday morning class, I wanted to inspire students to use intense colors and "surprise me"

Chasing Shadows 9 x 12 inches oil on canvas

Here is one I thought would be easy and as usual, it wasn't!

Buying Lobsters

A small demo I'd been wanting to paint...along the same idea of looking at shapes and letting the image emerge

Awaiting the dinner crowd

This little oil was a demo for my class. Again, I talk about thinking of abstract shapes rather than the complications of creating "the scene"...it isn't about thinking of a table and chairs...but just shapes

Italian Portico

This was a beautiful portico in Italy. Pastel 9 x 12

River Road

So, this morning I continued to take advantage of the warm, sunny weather. Feeling a bit better with this one. I enjoyed thinking abstractly and seeing what emerged.

Occum Pond

First plein air in a while...not sure if it's done. Plein air can be hard!