OpSail2012CT.

OpSail2012CT


OpSail
is a highlight 

if, not the 
Summer highlight event

for Connecticut and
OpSail is always
scheduled in and around
the 4th of July.

This year's event was held
July 6-9, 2012.

Each year
celebrated vessels
from around the country
and the World
are selected to take part
in this great event and
journey hundreds
if, not thousands of miles
just to be a part
this traditional event.

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There was some pre-OpSail activity
on Friday before the official parade and event(s).

Off in the distance,

US Coast Guard Cutter 'Eagle'

makes the trek to Niantic Bay,

arriving for OpSail2012CT.

An early OpSail arrival,

the Delaware Oyster Schooner, A.J. Meerwald,

takes a day sail out on Long Island Sound.

Another early arrival,
U.S. Coast Guard ship, the ice breaking tug Morro Bay.

Two unidentified Schooners cruising the Sound,

before joining the OpSail festivities.

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OpSail - 2012 - CT
Official Parade.

US Coast Guard Cutter 'Eagle' leading the parade.

US Coast Guard Cutter 'Eagle' and American Flag.

USS Carter Hall, an amphibious dock landing ship.

Three-masted square rig tall ship, Cisne Branco, from Brazil

Auxiliary schooner, Brilliant, Mystic, CT.

The mist on Long Island Sound was fairly thick

and grew thicker as the parade of tall ships and other vessels

made their way slowly into New London harbour.

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Heading home or bound somewhere else.

Topsail Schooner, Amistad.

The Amistad's is currently

missing her top masts and yard,

because she is undergoing maintenance

at the Mystic Seaport, where she was built.

A.J. Meerwald, heading out.

Gaff rigged topsail schooner, Wolf,

Flagship of the Conch Republic and Florida Keys.

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In the wake of OpSail2012CT,

I am certainly looking forward to

spending heaps of time in the studio!

So, pleased stay tuned for what's to come!!

Cheers, ~ Polly ~

The Artistic Wisdom of Chuck Close.

Today,
I celebrate
the 4th of July
with the Artistic Wisdom
of renowned and celebrated
American Artist,
Chuck Close.

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Chuck Close, Self-Portrait, 2004-2005

Oil on canvas. 102" x 86"

Private Collection, New York.

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Painting is the most magical of mediums. The transcendence is truly amazing to me every time I go to a museum and I see how somebody figured another way to rub colored dirt onto a flat surface and make space where there is no space or make you think of Life experience.

~ Chuck Close.

The Show is Up!

The

High Summer

show is up

and on display at the

Cate Charles Gallery

until July 14th!

If, you have any questions regarding my work

and or of Sheila Barbone's work

 please contact the Cate Charles Gallery

for pricing and availibility.

Cheers and Thank you! 

Preview of 'High Summer' at the Cate Charles Gallery.

Promotional postcard for 'High Summer' show.


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If interested,
please contact the
Cate Charles Gallery
for availability, pricing,
 and shipping information.

For all other inquiries
about a piece or pieces
please contact my studio.

Thank you!

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

8" x 48". Oil on mdo board. 2011/12. Floating Frame. Copyright.

Binoculars #163 - View from Avery Point - USCG, Returns from European Voyage.

10" x 60". Oil on mdo board. 2011/12. Floating Frame. Copyright.

Binoculars #164 - View from Eastern Point - White Sails, Blue Waters.

8" x 48". Oil on mdo board. 2011/12. Floating Frame. Copyright.

Binoculars #165 - View from Avery Point - Just Cruising.

8" x 48". Oil on mdo board. 2012. Floating Frame. Copyright.

Binoculars #166 - View from Avery Point - Summer Fun!

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

Binoculars #167 - View from Eastern Point - Racing with the Wind.

7" x 60". Oil on mdo board. 2012. Floating Frame. Copyright.

Binoculars #168 - View from Eastern Point - Fisher's Island Bound.

8" x 48". Oil on mdo board. 2012. Floating Frame. Copyright.

Binoculars #169 - View from Weekapaug Point - Passing Summer Storm.

10" x 60". Oil on mdo board. 2012. Floating Frame. Copyright.  
*Please note: this piece is no longer available.

Binoculars #170 - View from Weekapaug Point - Surf's Up!

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

Binoculars #171 - View from Eastern Point - Sunfish Pals.

8" x 48". Oil on mdo board. 2012. Floating Frame. Copyright.

Binoculars #172 - View from Eastern Point - First Good Day to be on the Water.

10" x 60". Oil on mdo board. 2011/12. Floating Frame. Copyright.

Landscape/Plein-Air - Summer Fog at Barn Island.

8" x 48". Oil on mdo board. 2012. Floating Frame. Copyright.

Landscape/Plein-Air - Sunset and Fog over Winnapaug Pond, RI.

8" x 48". Oil on mdo board. 2012. Floating Frame. Copyright.

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The Artistic Wisdom of St. Francis of Assisi.

Jusepe de Ribera. St. Francis of Assisi. 1642.

Image Source: Wikipedia.

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He who works with his hands is a laborer.

He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.

He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.

~ Saint Francis of Assisi. (1182-1226)

Mystic, Confessor, and Founder.

The Great Frame-Up!

Starts with a trip to the lumberyard

for a careful selection

of the available lumber of poplar.

I prefer using poplar to pine,

because it's harder and

yet still fairly light in weight.

Poplar is known for having

a rainbow of colours

white blondes,

rich yellows,

sappy greens,

and wonderful streaks

of dark purples.

I prefer the white blonde look for

my Floating Frame-Stock.

1" x 3" and 1" x 6"
boards are selected
for the framestock.

Then it's back to the woodshop

to make the floating framestock.

For the Floating Framestock

I rip 2 2" widths from the 1" x 6"

and keep the remainder 1 1/4"

for the interior part of the frame's profile.

I also rip 2 1" widths from the 1" x 3".  

Once all the rips and cuts are made

it's time to assemble the lengths

into their proper Floating Frame profile.

Floating Frame profile glued, stapled, and drying.

All 128 linear feet sanded and ready for the next step,

painting the interior of the profile with latex - flat black.

Second coat of flat black in drying stage.

80 miter cuts later makes for 10 frames!

Filled, sanded, waxed, and ready for paintings.

Detail of waxing.

Back of frame with painting set in place.

The Great Frame-Up!!

Surf's Up ...

Binoculars #170 - View from Weekapaug Point, RI. - Surf's Up.

10" x 60". Oil on mdo board. 2012. © Copyright. 

RESERVED!

For the 'High Summer' show

at the

Cate Charles Gallery.

June 22, 2012.

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I have a fondness for

Weekapaug Point, RI,
which runs deep in my Being
not only because it is an ideal lookout
location for the Binoculars Series,
but also because the many hours of
duely noted observations
and
contemplations of Life
have been spent here.

With that said
this piece
Binoculars #170,
is a combination of two days.

Perhaps this view has already happened
or maybe it has yet to happen,
either way,
it was extracted
from that deep recesses
of the fondness I have for such a
popular and yet quiet lookout.

I close out with a tune
that often kept me company
while Weekapaug Point
stitched its way into my heart.

Enjoy! ~ Polly ~

Summer Fog ...

'Summer Fog at Barn Island'. 8" x 48". Oil on mdo board. 2012. © Copyright.

RESERVED!

For the 'High Summer' show

at the

Cate Charles Gallery

June 22, 2012.

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This piece is much larger than

its original 6" x 24" plein-air counterpart,

(now in a private collection in Africa!)

The pleasures of working 

in plein-air painting are many,

but the top #1 reason is, 

there is nothing like working from Life

and being 'one' with the elements!

   

Also, most plein-air pieces tend

to be small in nature

which makes for easier transport and,

one can work effectively, more quickly. 

With the essence of the moment

residing in a small piece,

the work allows itself to be

brought back to the studio

and used for reference

later on.

I hope the transformation

from small to large

was a success!?

Enjoy! ~ Polly ~

Today's Rainbow Palette ...

Today's Rainbow Palette ...

Offered colourful sails and bright skies

to the panel on the easel!

Before the cleaning .... 

There are some moments in the studio

where I feel truly 'free' as a painter

and those moments are usually found

during the process of cleaning the palette

at the end of a day's work.

In today's cleaning process 

I, unintentionally

made and discovered,

the above,

rather beautiful abstraction.

I almost wish this was a real painting.

Enjoy!  ~ Polly ~ 

The Artistic Wisdom of Salvador Dali

The Persistence of Memory. 1931. Oil on canvas. 9 1/2" x 13".

 Museum of Modern Art, New York.

(Image Source: Wikipedia)

Have no fear of perfection. You'll never reach it. ~ Salvador Dali

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I don't know why, but it seems to me this tune 

complements Dali's piece quite well.

Enjoy, ~ Polly ~

The line-up ....

With a week and half (more-or-less) of painting remaining,

before it's time to head into the woodshop for framing,

there is still so very much to accomplish!

Each piece is quietly anticipating

it's completion with the recognition 

of a signature and date.

Others pieces are just anxiously waiting

for something to happen at the moment. 

The line-up of this new batch of Binoculars

 is currently posed in the studio.

The palette in mid-thought before the day starts!

Morning light waking-up the easel from it's nights slumber!

An abstraction, of what kind of looks like a Sunset, on the easel.

Well, I'm off to the studio!

Cheers, ~ Polly ~



In the midst ...

A number of days ago on my FB page,

I promised to make an updated blog entry

of the studio happenings

for the blogging activity has become alarmingly quiet,

contrary to what has been happening in the studio.

I am in the midst of working on 

11 new 'Binoculars' pieces

for the upcoming show

'High Summer'

at the Cate Charles Gallery.

All the pieces are in varying stages of completion

and in rotating positions on the easel.

As the days march on ever closer to the deadline,

I am trying my very best not to think of it 

while attempting to make paintings fly off the easel

and maintaining my high standards! 

Here is a sneak peek of what's on the easel!

Binoculars #??? work-in-progress.

So, please stay tuned for more!

Cheers, ~ Polly ~

Upcoming show - High Summer.