Before the Next Storm

This pc is approx 30" x 30" which is bigger then what I normally do and was done yesterday morning, before the latest storm covered us with about 2 ft of snow. The sun came out for about 45 mins and it was nice to see warm colors again even if it was on snow. This morning I could not even get my Wife's Jeep out of its parking spot never mind the yard. I plan on doing more snow paintings with all the new feet of snow we received, but I'm afraid my plow guy is not coming and I have a few tons of snow to shovel. Quote:"In Art, the hardest skill to learn is to be simple" Sergei Bongart This is my last post before Christmas so Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Crazy Kwanzaa to all !!...(sorry if spelling wrong on holidays)

The Best Christmas Song EVER

This really has no explanation. Enjoy! Quote: Merry Christmas ! anonymous

SNL Christmas Song Movies & TV SPIKE.com

Big Thaw

This is another one from my window after all the Ice melted from our big freeze, the temps got up around 50 but its supposed to snow again tomorrow . I would have liked to get out and paint but I was busy readying my home studio for a very small home class that is starting soon. I am still teaching at River Arts and have a class scheduled to begin sometime mid late January. Quote:"Painting from nature is not copying the object, it is realizing one's sensations" Paul Cezanne

Still life, very still and extremely cold

This pc was painted while we were frozen solid here in Maine. We got quite a covering, almost like a big glazed donut landscape outside, when we were chiseling out the cars most areas were about 3/8" - 1/2" thick. When the Ice is that thick you kind of have to use your scraper like a hammer first then as a scraper. I have been really inspired lately by my fellow painters and my 30th reading of Hawthorne on Painting, I hope it shows. Quote:" You don't have to think of planes if you think of color; note a spot of color, and then the plane will take care of itself" Charles Hawthorne. I don't usually advertise this but you can click the painting and see a close up , might be interesting?

Just a Sketch

Sometimes when I'm out painting I have no idea what I'm looking for I just know I want to paint. I end up doing a bunch of small paintings that are an idea but not really a thought. This pc is from one of those days, the light was moving pretty fast and I left this as I left it the other day. Anytime after noon time now in Maine seems to be sunset the plus is the shadows are really long and colorful, the minus is sunset is soon after 3 . If your wondering the building in this is Muscongus Bay Co-Op in Round Pond, fresh lobster and BYOB. welcome to Maine. Quote: "If the wind doesn't blow...row row row" sorry unknown.

First Snow

Finally we got some snow today, I got this pc done early this morning just as the snow was starting to stick. This is a view from out my window so its not really plein air, but if it matters my feet were cold.?...... Quote:"Take the ugliest object or subject and make it beautiful. Do not look for pictures in nature, get a problem." CW Hawthorne..

Queen of Round Pond

This painting shown is from a few weeks ago, and is currently hanging in the juried show at River Arts in Damariscotta ME. My recent trip to Round Pond was two days ago and wasn't a painting success. I wasn't getting to far with my sketches and I think at least 7 people stopped and carried lengthy conversations with me . I generally don't mind although when paintings aren't working out, it can get old really quick. (I won't include the names of the Innocent) One of the people that stopped and talked to me I found extremely interesting, this person had me not paying attention to my sketch, and had me picking my jaw up off the ground with his experience's with the paint world. This person has studied with Henry Hensche in Provincetown MA. Then later studied under David Leffel at Art Students League, and If that wasn't enough this persons father was a famous portrait instructor also at the students league. He told me some interesting quick anecdotes about his experience with these teachers and had me enthralled. I found this to be quite a day maker and had to tell somebody of this chance encounter, I guess that's what a blog is for !?.. Quote: A man with his belly full of the classics is an enemy of the human race." Henry Miller (1891-1980)

Tagged

My Tag will be a bit Lo tech compared to others but hopefully the content will overshadow my 8 track knowledge level. First the rules, if you have been tagged by me you must (if you decide to play along) 1: you have to put a link in your posting to the person who tagged you(that's me :) 2 List 7 unusual things about yourself. 3 tag 7 other bloggers at the end of your post and comment on their blog and let them know. OK the person that tagged me is Frank Gardner and if you click on his name it will bring you to what I think is like the Cheers of blogs just no beer or anyone named Norm.?. (that I know of)

1. When I was child I had to wear the same funny leg braces as Forest Gump

2.I have the same birthday as Cezanne.(different year, slightly)

3. I like Doritos on my egg and cheese sandwich (try it, you'll see!)

4. My first bicycle was a "Huffy Desperado 2" it had pictures of the desert with cactus on it, and had a large brown bannana seat. I used to dream of riding it through the desert and living off cactus water.. nobody knows that one! (yes I guess Huffy felt the need for a sequel?).

5. I'm a brush snob, I don't like to paint with people who use those screwed up "specialty" brushes, seriously does that need an explanation?

6. I'm a certified Installer of 12 volt electronics (car radios,alarms,remote starters,etc)

7. 5 years ago I finished the Boston Marathon in 6hrs 20mins.

8. For two years I lived in U.S. and Brasil. (that's how its spelled by the way, with an "s".)

Ok now this is Frank.G rules so one of these weird or unknown facts is bogus. If you leave your guess and you are the first correct one I will send you this 6x8 painting that is pictured here, well if you want it.?.

now for those selected to be my "taggys"

1. Eric Merrell:

2. Allison Currie:

3.Aaron Lifferth:

4.Bob Bissett

5.Colin Page: not a blog but a favorite.

6.Ryan Evans:

7.Kyle Martin:

Today's Quote: "Gravity isn't easy, but its the law."

Empty Lot

This peice was from the other day when my view was blocked(see 4x4 lobster boat) and I didn't get to finish, I was gonna paint over this or maybe just put it away and look at it in a year or so and say" hey I remember this day" but....... I've decided that maybe where it ended isn't a bad place, and It has grown on me. Let me know what you think.?. Right now the bay is peppered with a boat or two here and there but the weather and season has emptied this once packed nautical parking lot. I think the painting conveys that feeling of park anywhere there's room, and I might use as basis for a larger piece....?..I have recently been "tagged" by Frank Gardner (thanks Frank) (if your gonna be tagged be tagged by the best) and I am currently preparing my tag assault on the blog world, its coming soon......Quote:" You try to make an interesting journey between the cradle and the grave, you know?"Robert Duvall ..........two quote Tuesday! LOL, :" My favorite thing is to go where I've never been" Diane Arbus... that's a good one.. later

Toast-Tea Morning

There is a small story behind this one, the toaster has a setting on it for Pop Tarts (see red mark on toaster front that is logo of Pop Tarts)and I am a big fan of these breakfast treats(frosted strawberry if your wondering) and when we bought this toaster that "Pop Tart option" was a major reason for purchase. I really wanted to know after (at the time) almost 30 years of life how a Pop Tart is supposed to be cooked....This past week it moved on to the big kitchen in the sky.........this toaster will be missed..... In case your wondering the perfect cooking was with just starting to brown edges.. today's Quote: "You can pretend to be serious; you can't pretend to be witty" Sacha Guitry (1885-1957).

Happy Birthday Raquele (my wife)

Warning: not much to do with painting

OK I'll set the scene for ya, its 3:3? in the morning Raquele is getting ready for work(see previous post"time to make the donuts") and I am pretending to make breakfast for her. I sneak off to my secret hiding spot(cant give it away here then she will know) to get her hidden birthday cake, a really cool cupcake birthday cake with the whipped frosting. I try to open it Very quietly, the plastic covers are hard to take off normally, never mind at this time of day. I start to put the candles in and she started to come out.....false alarm. OK so go see what she is up to just to be sure she will be busy for a minute. OK shes doing her hair...So I light the candles and walk backwards so no candles blow out or reflections catch her eye(painters have the super sense of reflected light ya know).... I'm near the door that she is on the other side of, its open a bit.......so I (in one swift motion like a 6'4" chubby puma) reach in to shut off the lights and start to sing happy birthday.........and drop the cake, top first candles lit and all on the floor...................................................................................I''m still speechless as it plays back in my head.. Sorry Raquele.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!.......she was understanding and the flashbacks tell me she may have even laughed.? and yeah ... the 5 second rule was applied here. :) Quote :" Don't cry over spilt milk,because you might drop your cake...and that would be worse" Dan Corey 11/22/08

4x4x LOBSTER BOAT

I went painting at Round Pond today and had my view of the Lobster boat I was painting blocked by this guy trying to back a construction trailer on to a flatbed transport boat. In reverse, down two narrow wood planks that were very flexible, the trailer almost went in the water at least 3 times! So I watched the possible train wreck and took a break, when looking around I noticed that the parking lot trucks paralleled the work boats in the bay. After 15 minutes the truck and trailer in my way moved and I decided that like the red lobster boat, the Red Truck deserved a portrait. ..........Quote:" I can't wait to learn more, so I can understand what I don't even know yet" Colin Page.

Round One!

These two apples look like they are kissing or fighting , (or attacked by a guy with a crazy brush) and I decided to name it Round One! instead of kissing cousins.... Quote: "I will astonish Paris with an apple." Paul Cezanne

Time to make the Donuts

This painting is inspired by a true story, a story of waking up way to early , approx 3:15 am, 5 days a week! The star is my wife Raquele and I play a supporting role (I make the coffee and toast her English muffin) . Raquele is a store manager at a Dunkin Donuts and if you are around my age you remember the old commercial from DD that had the guy waking up at all hours and trudging around like a donut making zombie, while uttering "time to make the donuts" .This is a true to life commercial which happens here 5 days a week, the cup of water and an annoying alarm clock lit up by a bedside lamp is how the day starts...... Today's Quote: "I want you to get something to work with- your ability to see- that's the whole job of a painter." Charles Webster Hawthorne...

Self X 2

Two for one today, I was recently asked to post some of my self-portraits here, so here they are. The first one is 5"x7", almost a postcard haha and the second is 10"x 20" which has so much paint on it I think it weighs a full pound. I usually paint self-portraits about every 2-3 months, not as a goal but thats usually when I get the itch to up my figure or portrait work and i usually test whatever new technical idea I have, on myself. On the election, the people have spoken, I agree, happy, nuff said..... :) this post Im gonna start something I really wanted to start on post one but ,better late then never.?. my favorite quotes: "Education as we have it does as much to thwart the recognition of individual experience as lack of education limits it" Robert Henri. I love it , being mostly self taught I thoroughly believe persistent hard work trumps any reciept from any school. paying attention doesn't hurt either :)

GO VOTE

On this past Wednesday night (maybe it should be called wednesnight) while attending our local figure drawing(or painting) group I painted this piece , which took about seven minutes. I know its nothing to write home about but every other painting I did that night I scraped off. I was having a tough night and was getting more frustrated with every painting I scraped. So at the end of the night I put this painting in my carry box (the only survivor of my Brushes of Mass Destruction) and forgot about it , you kinda need to forget your bad days in painting and move on or use them as fuel for a day of hard work at the easel or at least studio cleaning. Anyway I found this and thought I would post it tell of my Bad Day, and remind you all that no matter what you do today, you might do something with 5-7 minutes that will brighten your day tomorrow.GO VOTE!,,,Dan

Presidential Recess

I was thinking of the coming election and the decision ahead, not for me but for the country as a whole. I'm sure which way I'm voting but firmly believe no matter who wins, this country will be better off. With one better then the other but both still better then the present. Moving on, I recently found a great book on Winslow Homer, the title is The Color of Light. Inside is a great catalog of mostly his watercolor works, and goes into the depths of detail about all his working methods and tools, it even tells you what pigments are in what paintings! If you are an aspiring watercolorist or a closet one like me, this book has to much info and is worth every penny, I found it for $35.

Cold Morning

This painting was painted the other morning in Round Pond at my favorite place Muscongus Bay. Cold air and gusts of wind made this one of the more memorable plein air painting trips I've taken recently. I finally got a chance to test some of my winter outdoor clothing acquisitions ,nothing serious yet it was only in the high 30's low 40's. My new fleece hat with pull down anti-microbial mask kept me toasty (while also letting the fisherman know that I'm actually a painting ninja) and also my new fleece fingerless gloves with mitten pull over worked great. This painting flew off my pochade box (easel) and hit me pretty good. I had repaint some and wipe a bit off me. When I secured the panel extra good, the easel was blowing over. Its always something..

JONNY BRASIL

This piece is from Thursday's portrait group ,I didn't get to finish it and I think my interest due to the light and thirst became the coffee cup on the stool. Sorry John,but nobody can compete with light.(that sounds Cliche but nobody says that.? right?) Does this pc look like a scene from the old Batman show? I did attempt another but I scraped it and that is now oil primed for the next one.haha? On the topic of primed, this past week I received in the mail my sample order of Raymar panels. So far they are "Top shelf " in my book and my favorite so far is the canvas smooth. One other product I'm Mcloving are the brushes I've never heard of before ,the brand name is Connoisseur. They are a synthetic fiber and take a BEATING I do alot of scrubbing in my underpaintings and so far I turn flats into filberts in a day or two. Ive had one of the two I have for three weeks now and its still sharp and flat. Hope everyone had a great & safe Halloween . please leave comments on paintings or discussion topics,thanks Dan

Shifts of Focus

During the class that I'm currently teaching ,I learned something very interesting about helping my students and myself find something that can help satisfy us with our painting . That thing is FOCUS, not just" focus on what your doing" that's to easy. What I'm talking about are things like color, edges, light effect, line quality ,paint quality, brushwork,etc. I believe that if you focus on any one of these or combo of them you will come up with something different then usual, different then the last and next painting you do, if the next focus is different. This is only to help you learn who you may be and to coax out what will start to satisfy you . This is helping me quite a bit lately ,I'm not saying I'm satisfied by any means but I am starting to realize what I love and what I hate . In this post I decided to give the penguin center stage and since I was talking about teaching I figured I would show this weeks in class demo ." Chilly Willy" was about 20min and I focused on not messing up my demo . HAHAHA :)

The King of Round Pond

This is a portrait of my favorite lobster boat in Round Pond. The name of the boat on the other hand is my least favorite ,"R 2 Sons" awful huh? anyway this was from a day of two other smaller paintings a 6x8 and a 11x14 this one was the second one done and "for me " its a good balance of warmed up and energetic, sometimes you get out there to paint and your first attempts show more energy then thought and reverse for the last ones. In the middle "the sweet spot " of Plein Aire readiness is the place to be .Usually I start going downhill when my eyes start telling me to hold my blinks for a few seconds or I say to my self "why did I do that " at least a few times in a row. On another note I must thank Colin Page for pointing out just how much beauty these donkeys of the sea possess and for helping to push me along with the inspiration his paintings provide. If any of you have not seen his work ,get out from under your rock and type this in, colinpagepaintings.com and hit search you wont be wasting your time ...I promise!

Well you cant fly either

OK I didn't get a good photo of my lobster boat paintings so here is one of my still lifes to check out. I found these two guys at the local Big Al's (that's a dollar type store ,a Maine fav) and thought to myself "that has to be the fattest piggy bank I've ever seen " so I bought it and the foam rubber penguin. not until I put them down when I got home did I see the composition what had to be and the title...

Occupied

I painted this recently and entered it in the River Arts Annual Member show. so if you are not local and wont have a chance to see "Occupied" in person ,well this awful photo should get the point across(sorry I'm working on the camera situation). The subject is about a mile down the road from me and is a pretty significant port-a-potty around here, its the only one and when tourist season comes around things can get messy. no not like that :) to the left is rt 130 and to the right is a very popular swimming spot in the summer ,Bristol Dam. When the painting I did today dries I'll post it. I went out to Round Pond (my favorite place to paint) to paint some lobster boats...

First Post

This is a painting of the south side of a north bound rocket,my Toyota echo aka "the silver skittle" aka Mr Biscuit . Its no rocket and I barely fit in it , but it does get a freakish 44 mpg on a good tank. For my first post I will keep the boring "my life" stuff to a minimum I will say that I currently and have never had gallery representation ,I am now trying to "get out there" so maybe this blog will get interesting .?. I do paint everyday but I'm not sure if I will post everyday ,but I will try. Thank you for checking me out