At the Cate Charles Gallery ...

Cate Charles Gallery.

147. Water Street.

Stonington, CT. 06378.

860.245.5213.

In the window

Winter Sunsets - On the Way Home #12.

6" x 6". oil on mdo. 2011. Copyright.

*Please note: This piece is no longer available.*

Binoculars #139 - View from East Beach, Watch Hill, RI.

8" x 48" Oil on mdo board. 2011. Floating frame. Copyright.

(Notice the article)

Binoculars #162 - View from Avery Point (Out for a Sail)

8" x 48". Oil on mdo board. Floating frame. Copyright.

 Winter Sunsets - On the way Home.

6" x 6". Oil on mdo board. 2011. Copyright.

(Top:#6 Middle: #5 Bottom: #4)

Binoculars #145 - View from Avery Point. (Afternoon Cruise)

10" x 48". Oil on mdo board. 2011. Floating frame. Copyright.

Binoculars #141 - View from Avery Point. (A good catch)

8" x 48". Oil on mdo board. 2011. Floating frame. Copyright.

In the window

 Binoculars #163 - View from Avery Point. (USCG - European Voyage)

10" x 60". Oil on mdo board. 2012. Floating frame. Copyright.

In the window

*Please note: This piece is no longer available.*

Binoculars #137 - View from Avery Point. (Out for a Sail)

8" x 48". Oil on mdo board. 2011-12. Floating frame. Copyright.

----------

If, interested, please contact the Gallery for

availability of pieces, pricing, and shipping options.

Thank you.

Cheers, ~ Polly ~

From Studio to Gallery - Binoculars #163.

The latest addition to the Binoculars Series,

Binoculars #163. (USCG Cutter)

is now available at the

Sylvan Gallery

 Binoculars #163. View from Avery Point / USCG Cutter Returns from European Voyage.
10" x 60". Oil on mdo board. 2012. Floating Frame. (wax finish). Copyright.

Binoculars #163 - Detail.

Binoculars #163 - Signature Detail.

If interested, please contact the gallery for pricing and shipping options.

Thank you.

----------------------------------

If, you are curious to know of Binoculars #163's story, you may click here.

Thank you and Cheers, ~ Polly ~

From Studio to Gallery.

Pieces are now available at the

Cate Charles Gallery.

147. Water Street.

Stonington, CT. 06378.

860.245.5213.

 Binoculars #137 - View from Avery Point. (Out for a Sail)

8" x 48". oil mdo board. 2011-12. © Copyright.

Binoculars #141 - View from Avery Point. (A good catch.)

8" x 48". oil mdo board. 2011. © Copyright.

 Binoculars #150 - View from Eastern Point. (Twilight Cruise) 

8" x 60". oil mdo board. 2011. © Copyright.

Binoculars #162 - View from Avery Point. (Out for a Sail)

8" x 48". oil mdo board. 2012. © Copyright.

If interested, please contact the gallery

for pricing and shipping options.

Thank you.

--------------------------------------

Before paintings leave the studio for the gallery

they begin the last process of documenting and presentation.

Paintings are signed, dated, titled, dry, varnished, and

recieve a thorough inspection before they head off to the woodshop

for framing where they'll wait for their custom fit to be made.

Hand selected poplar is milled into a contemporary

floating framestock of my design, in the studio's woodshop.

The frames undergo the same treatment as the paintings.

They are fitted, mitered, joined, glued, sanded, waxed,

and recieve a final seal of approval before paintings are set

into their frames where they will be showcased to the World! 

Each painting is then photographed multiple times
for the closest possible match to the actual piece.

The images are then photoshopped for id-ing and
a little extra fine tuning on the matching if needed.

The last and final step, delivery to the Gallery.

For all the World to see.

The Artistic Wisdom of Paul Cezanne.

Paul Cezanne. Mont Sainte-Victoire. Oil on canvas. 65 x 81 cm. 1904-06. 
(Image source and info: Wikipedia.)

All my life I have worked to be able to earn my living, but I thought that one could do good painting without attracting attention to one's private life. Certainly, an artist wishes to raise himself intellectually as much as possible, but the man must remain obscure. The pleasure must be found in the work.

~ Paul Cezanne.
 

Last Light at Mohegan Park.

Last Light at Mohegan Park.

10" x 10". oil on mdo board. 2012.

© Copyright.

If interested, please contact me
for price and delivery options.

......

Had the wonderful

opportunity yesterday

to go plein-air painting

with fellow and veteran 

plein-air artist, Gray Park.

We ventured off to Mohegan Park,

not too far from my studio.

This was Gray's first time to the park

and it was my first time painting at the park.

There were a number of good spots to

choose from and with the winter Sun

quickly descending in the sky

spots had to be chosen.

The day was bright and sunny

slightly warm in the sun,

but with a winter chill in the air. 

The wonderful thing about

plein-air painting is that

it gives you the opportunity

to stay focused on the 'now'.

You're completely connected

to the moment in front of you

as it ever changes and evolves,

something which seems

to be difficult to

attain in these modern times. 

The plein-air, the 'now', bug is back!

Gray keeping his cold fingers moving

by making quick work of the fading light.

At the end of day,

when your painting gear is packed away

and all you can think about is heading home

and having a nice cup of hot tea,

the only thing that really matters

whether you're happy or not

with your new piece,

is gaining brush mileage!

Out for a Sail ...

Binoculars #137. View from Avery Point.
'Out for a Sail' (Just cruising)

8" x 48". oil on mdo board. 2011-12. © Copyright. 

Binoculars #137 - Detail.

.....

Nice warm winds, calm waters, and sunny,

the perfect summer day to be

'Out for a Sail'

Far out on the horizon,

sails slowly, sometimes quickly,

make their way along to the rhythm

of the warm sea breezes

carrying the sound of laughter

and crying seagulls,

over the waves gently

lapping at the shore.

.....

 Binoculars #162. View from Avery Point.
'Out for a Sail.' (Out fishing)

8" x 48". oil on mdo board. 2012. © Copyright.

 

 Binoculars #162 - Detail.

Binoculars #162 - Detail.

Gallery Location to be Announced!

US Cutter Returns to Home Port after Euporean Voyage.

Binoculars #163 - View from Avery Point.

US Cutter Eagle Returns to Home Port after European Voyage.

10" x 60". oil on mdo board. 2011-12. Copyright.

..........

       Let me take you back to

this past summer - mid August.

I was heading back to the studio

after having just delivered a number of

new pieces to the Cate Charles Gallery

when I decided to a pay visit to a

favourite Binocular location of mine.

Avery Point, Groton CT.

Avery Point always has something good to offer.

Unbeknownst to me

 awaited a rather sweet surprise.

There 

just off shore, 

anchored

on the New London side

was the 'Eagle'

the US Coast Guard Cutter.

Detail: Binoculars #163 - View from Avery Point.

Seeing her impressive silhouette
anchored there in the
bright sparkling water

being greeted with a fervour of
on-lookers, hellos, cheers,
and welcoming's home

filled my Spirit up with much
delight, excitement 

and inspiration.

Apparently, she had just returned 

from a 3 month European voyage.

Gallery Location to be Announced!

Shadows falling on Snow.

This 2011-12 Winter has been unusally

mild for the New England region,

compared to the past several winters

which have been bitterly cold 

and where it seemed to snow
almost everyday.

A few days ago, ol' man Winter and

 his favourite companion, Snow,

came for a long over due visit.

The Juncos, Cardinals, Sparrows,

Wrens, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers

and the like all hopped to it,

they were in a feeding frenzy

for they knew there was snow

and lots more of it on the way.

Much of yesterday was spent by keeping the trenches clear 

which was fueled by a number of cups filled

with steaming hot chocolate.

This morning we were greeted with

bright silvery Sunshine

and a fresh blanket of deep snow.

A deep blanket which will be

greatly appreciated by all

the sleeping beauties of the Spring

nestled deep in the ground,

Crocuses,

Daffodils,

Grape Hyacinths,

Lily of the Valley,

Snow Drops,

Irisis. 

The fresh snow also gave me a chance

to play with the new studio camera as well!

Cheers!!

The Artistic Wisdom of R.H. Ives Gammell

R.H. Ives Gammell, The Hound of Heaven, panels IX, X and XI.

Oil on canvas, 79 x 13. The Maryhill Museum of Art, Goldendale, Washington. 

Great painting is the result of two factors. The first essential is that the painter should be expressing his own genuine emotional reactions in a form which is the appropriate vehicle for that expression. The second factor is that he should be a master of that form.

        
 ~ R.H. Ives Gammell

Update ...

Long stretches between blog posts

can only mean one of two things

1. I'm either busy in the studio.

or

2. I'm travelling and have no access to a computer.

I can only wish it was the latter,

for I'm finding myself day-dreaming of

far off places with warm beaches

and new vistas for the Binoculars Series.

Alas such is not the case.

In the meantime, I'm here in the studio

making do with the warmth from the woodstove

to tide me over until the Spring and Summer.  

And without further adieu onto the update 

1. The new studio camera arrived,

the smart and rather compact point and shoot

Canon Powershot SX40 HS 12.1 mp!

2. I'm currently working on a number of

new Binocular pieces for galleries.

3. The article on me in Grace Magazine
of The Day paper
comes out Feb 15th, 2012!

(Oh, I'm so excited to read it!!)

Photos to come!

So, please stay tuned!!

Cheers, ~ Polly ~

 

The Masters in Marine Art

 

That sailed into my Life!

I grew up in the city of Pittsburgh, Pa.

Far away from the blue horizon of the ocean.

Far away from tall ships and sailboats.

Far away from stories of the sea.

Far away from regular visits to the beach.

Far away from sand in my shoes.

Far away from the smell of sea breezes.

Though the allure of the ocean

and all of it's romance and glory

was never far away from my heart.

  

The romance of the sea

was celebrated and decorated

select walls, mantels and table tops,

in the house where I grew up. 

The Masters in Marine Art

that graced the walls, mantels and table tops,

of my childhood home,

and had their hand in

helping to launch

my artistic endeavours 

were as follows.

. . . . . . .

Alexander Dzigurski (1911-1995) 

'California Coast'

. . .

An original oil painting

by Alexander Dzigurski,

a Yugoslavian artist

graced the mantel our the dining room.

. . . . . . . .

‘Jack’ John Charles Robert Spurling (1873-1933)

'Titania'
. . .

A set of six coasters with small prints

by J. Spurling graced the dining room table.

. . . . . . .

Montague Dawson (1895-1973)

'The Thermapylae Leaving Foochow'
. . .

 A beautiful print by Montague Dawson

graced the mantel of the front parlour.

. . . . . . .

And last, but not least,

John Stobart (1929-)

'Decks Awash'
. . .

A few prints by John Stobart

were peppered around the house.

. . . . . . .

These four celebrated

Masters in Marine Art,

all had their own influence on

the direction of my own art

both subtly and greatly.

I feel lucky and honoured

to have had the chance

to study, learn and draw from

with these four

Masters in Marine Art.  

To this very day

 I still revere their

individual talents

and the impact

they have had on me,

even as a female marine artist.

An old friendship and a new year ...

Come together for a special sojourn

My dearest friend, Gavin,

from the Lyme Academy College days

came up from Maryland for a short sojourn
and to ring in the New Year!!

Wonderful

ideas and thoughts,

hopes and dreams 

about our art

were shared over

coffee and orange juice,

and a very delish breakfast

at an old favourite haunt

"The Paperback Cafe"

Exploring
new horizons

with the prospect
of triumph ahead
filled both our hearts

with anticipation
of what is to come!

And in the excitement
of knowing new horizons
await for the both of us
quiet details spoke volumes to us.

We journeyed
along the path 
of many before us
who celebrated
 

Love for Life

and

Love for Light.

.

.

.

Gavin's collection of loose leaf teas

was shared, sampled and greatly enjoyed.

And somewhere in between

each savoury sip

"The Majesty of Innocence"

was born.  

.

.

.

There was a day where

almost no photos were taken. 

Perhaps it was because 

the rainy sleepy day

that greeted us in the morning

did not invite the taking out of our cameras,

or because we so enjoyed the company

of another artist friends,

we simply forgot,

though 

the smiles and laughs

shared

between kindred Spirit's

will forever be etched

in our memories.

.

.

.

The ringing in 

of the New Year

2012

was celebrated

by stepping outside

creating a great

clattering and banging

of a pot and a wooden spoon

a tradition I grew up with.

.

.

.

We woke

the next morning

ready to start

2012

with moxie.

The Sunday morning

jazz session at the

"Paperback Cafe"

put rhythm in our

feet and minds

over another delish breakfast! 

.

.

.

.

Then

the bittersweet

time to say

Goodbye,

Farewell,

and of

Hugs and Kisses

came too soon 

was dutifully exchanged 

.

.

.

 

Until the next sojourn!!

New beginnings in a special New Year!!

Happy 2012!!

2012

the year

all of us

have been

waiting for!

A new year calls for new beginnings

and with every new beginning,

calls for valour, moxie

and a bit of faith.

Nothing breathes more Life into

one's Spirit than a fresh and clean start!

My New Year's

wish for everyone is ... 

May this year have a bounty 

of wonderful changes

embraced with open

arms, hearts and minds!

of new beginnings

which evolve into more

and greater new beginnings.

of old dreams come true,

the birth of new dreams.

of shedding old thoughts

and growing new thoughts.

of realizing true

peace and happiness,

are real and attainable.

And it all can be had

in

2012

Big Cheers!!

Christmas Cheers!!

To: Those who celebrate and honour

the Christmas Holiday!

From: My Studio.

 

 

May your Christmas be filled with peace, joy,

love, happiness and merry cheering

with the ones you hold dear!

Cheers, ~ Polly ~