And The Living is Easy?

Yes, it is summertime and in some ways the living is easy.  No snow to shovel, no oil bills to pay, no morning scrambles to get the boys off to school.  But there's a lot going on for the Baker family this summer and while much of it is good, I'm finding it hard to get in much painting.

We are undergoing a major home renovation.  My studio is becoming the kitchen and the kitchen is becoming my studio.  The light was wrong for these two spaces: the studio got lots of southern light and was often too bright, while the kitchen had the steady - but darker seeming - northern light.  The project is stretching out over at least five months.  While the work is being done I am working out of a third floor bedroom that's tiny with less-than-ideal lighting; it also gets wicked hot on summer days.  In the long run, I will get an amazing studio out of this renovation so I'm not grumbling too much.  But my productivity has waned a bit.

It's likely that your summer is relaxing, but busy, but should you find yourself with time to visit a gallery or two, there are several spots where I have work this summer.  I just dropped this painting off last week at Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland, Maine.

February, Oil on linen mounted on panel, 25 1/4 x 38 inches, 2015

I also have work at Artemis Gallery in Northeast Harbor, Maine.  This is a great spot with a collection of numerous Maine-based artists.  It's tucked just off the main street of beautiful bustling Northeast Harbor with a shaded courtyard that offers respite on a summer's day. And if you are lucky enough to be on Nantucket this summer, Quidley & Company has two of my paintings in their summer show.

About Those Tire Tracks

In the last post I ended with a tease about an upcoming post.  I hinted at images of a Ferris wheel and tire tracks.  And while I may be slow to post, I am at least a man of my word.  Here are two recent paintings.

Our World's Fair, oil on linen on panel, 22 x 45 inches, 2015

It's not unusual to see yards in Maine with old boats and cars as part of the landscape.  It is unusual to see an old Ferris wheel in someone's yard.  Along Route 1 between Sullivan and Steuben there is a house with such a lawn ornament.  It is awesome and odd and always catches my eye. "Our World's Fair" uses this scene with favorite model Lauren and younger son Corin in the foreground.

Town Hall, oil on linen on panel, 22 x 45 inches, 2015

Thanks to miles of isolated pavement and the need to find creative outlets, one can find some intriguing tire mark patterns throughout the state.  Several years ago a documentary was made about this art form.  "Town Hall" feature's a parking lot in the town of Sullivan and a local model named Victoria wearing a yard sale prom dress and my wife's winter hat.  The painting was just delivered to Quidley & Company's Nantucket gallery.

Digging Out

While it's April on the calendar, winter hangs on in Maine with few signs that spring is actually coming around this year.  It's snowed twice this week and this part of Maine has set records for annual snow accumulation and sustained cold temperatures.  It was a good winter to lay low.  And if wintery weather wasn't enough of a reason to take it easy, a torn ACL in a soccer game led to surgery in December and several months of limited activity and rehab.  I'm not back to playing soccer yet but I've returned to full days of painting and am excited about several of the projects that I've recently completed, along with those currently on the easel.

Three portrait commissions filled my studio time just after the new year.  Other completed works include Mid-September and a painting of my older son in his natural habitat titled Reader, Morning Light.  I'll post some "work in progress" photos in upcoming blog entries.  There may be tire tracks and a ferris wheel for you to see.  Until then, check out the aforementioned completed paintings AND my redesigned website.  

Mid-September, Oil on linen mounted on panel, 16″ x 20″

Reader, Morning Light, Oil on linen mounted on aluminum panel, 14” x 14”