New Paintings, New Blog!

 . . . Here, chickie chickie!

I had a lot of fun painting this one. When I got to the Sebastian River Art Center this morning to teach a class, this wooden painter's box was still sitting on the counter, where I had donated it to be sold for our Scholarship Fund.  So in a last-ditch effort to get it sold and out of the Art Center I painted this rooster on it in oils, then hung it in one of the gallery spaces as if it was a regular painting, it looked charming.  Turned out pretty good for a painting which took me about an hour, in between chatting and teaching.  Here's hoping it's gone by the next time I'm at the Art Center.  NOTE: Got a call from Peni Baker, Club member and wonderful artist herself, who purchased the paintbox.  The $35 price goes to our Scholarship Fund.
. . . And FOOTNOTE:  This box was given to me by the family of Ruth Steer, a long-time student of mine and wonderful friend, who passed away recently.  She would be thrilled to know what I did with it, where it went and the money it brought for a cause she believed in--she so loved painting, and was such a strong supporter of the arts.  The box was one of many things which I passed on to the Club from Ruth.  I will finish her great-granddaughter Lucy's portrait for her, one that she started before her passing; Need to get it to her family before Christmas, and I will post it on this blog when done.

 
PRETTY BRITTANY ~
Below is a nice little painting I did of my niece Brittany Preble.  I started it over a year ago and just finished it.  I hope it still looks like her.  Wrapping it up tonight to ship it out tomorrow.

Painting "en plein air"
I participated in the Cultural Council's Bird Show in October, and my White Egret in Flight won 3rd place and went home with some lucky buyer.  Didn't get to take a pic of it.  Last week I joined a dozen or so other plein air painters for a day of painting at the Vero Beach Yacht Club, and painted in oil a tallish picture (below), which sold that night at the reception.  It was a beautiful sunny day and I thoroughly loved it.  There' is a certain comfort level in painting outdoors with other artists.  This painting took under 5 hours and started out really rough but I tweaked it till it was presentable.  I really hate to frame a wet oil painting but that's part of the deal.  I forgot to sign it, so I took it home, signed it, and later delivered it.

"Red Sail Cover" 30"x18" oil by Judy Burgarella

Tomorrow morning at 9 is my class in oils and acrylics at the Sebastian River Art Club, after which I will drop off 3 paintings at Gallery 14 for their Beautiful Waters show, then off to teach Cork & Canvas at the museum with Christine.  It will be a full, rich artsy day.  A good day for me.