"Pond Shadows" - 10 x 10 inches - oil on canvas

"Pond Shadows" - 10 x 10 inches - oil on canvas

I created this painting as a donation for the Chelmsford Center for the Arts upcoming "10 x 10 Silent Auction Benefit".  The event is 100 days before the grand opening of the completely restored Chelmsford Center for the Arts in Chelmsford, MA.  All works of art start at $50 and everyone has 100 minutes to bid.  The event is on Saturday, March 24 from 7 - 10 p.m. - click here to read more if you are interested.  Sounds like a fun evening and there should be some really nice artwork.

You can probably tell that I started this painting with an orange background.  I didn't fuss much and just tried to let the paint flow.  I was especially happy with the rocks as I was able to suggest them with just a couple of brush strokes.

This painting is my warm up for the demo I'm giving on Thursday Feb 23 7 p.m. at the Westford Museum.  So, if you attend, you'll see me create something very, very, very similar...hint, hint.  :)

"XOXO" - 3 x 3 inches - oil on canvas

"XOXO" - 3 x 3 inches - oil on canvas

Happy Valentine's Day!  Congratulations to Sheila Youd who won my February give-away just by being on my mailing list.  She will receive this original painting.  You can sign up too by putting your email into the box on the right side of this blog and click the "subscribe" button.

I like the simplicity of this painting and decided to leave it at just one Sweethearts candy.  I also have to report that they changed the flavors of these candies and they tasted terrible!  But, it is fun to read the little sayings, "Be Mine", "Love Bug", etc. so I look forward to them every Valentine's Day.

Other News

On Thursday, Feb 23 at 7 p.m., I'll be at the Westford Museum talking about my book, "Paint the Town!" and giving a painting demonstration.  The talk is free but they ask that you register in advance by calling 978-692-5550.  I hope you'll join me.

I haven't been posting much lately since I've been working on a commission.  I hope to have it finished this week and will post it as soon as I get final approval.  If you are interested in commissioning a painting, contact me at LaurieGMiller@gmail.com.  I love to paint pets, houses and am open to any ideas you might have.

"Timberland III" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

"Timberland III" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

I'm not sure why but I've always loved Timberland boots. This is my 2nd pair -- the first pair I bought when I was in college and wore them until the sole was cracked and eventually separated from the heel. I'd probably still have them if they were still functional. Yup, that's right...I get pretty attached to my old, well worn, well loved stuff and hate the thought of having to break in something new :)

In other news, I'm going to be talking about my book, "Paint the Town!," and giving a painting demonstration on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Westford Museum. For more information, visit the Museum website.

This 12 inch square painting is available for $175. If you are interested in purchasing it, you can do so in several ways:

1. Art on Main: For those who live in the Westford, MA area, visit Art on Main, 40 Main St, Westford, MA 01886. We accept credit cards, checks and cash.

2. PayPal: For those who live far away, click the "Buy Now" button below to pay by PayPal/credit card. I will carefully pack and then ship the painting directly to your door.

3. Personal check or money order: If you're not a fan of paying on-line, I accept personal checks and money orders. Just send me an email (LaurieGMiller@gmail.com) and we'll work out the details.

"Jackson" - 16 x 16 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Jackson" - 16 x 16 inches - oil on canvas

This is Jackson - a yellow lab. Jackson suffers from FOCD (which stands for Frisbee Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). In his heyday, Jackson could catch a Frisbee like nobody's business -- didn't matter how high or how far you threw it. He was somehow able to calculate all the physics -- angle of ascent, wind speed, wind direction, etc. He knew exactly where to run and how high to jump to catch it -- just about every time.

Unfortunately, as a senior dog, Jackson's joints aren't what they used to be. He would still LOVE to spend hours retrieving the Frisbee but his owners limit him to a couple of throws a day, otherwise, he'll end up limping. So, when you suffer from FOCD, you need to devise other ways to satisfy your craving. During the summer months, that is pretty easy for Jackson. He drops the Frisbee into one side of the pool. The wind and current from the water filter carries the Frisbee across to the other side where Jackson waits and snatches up the Frisbee to start the process all over again. And again. And again. And again.

This painting was commissioned as a present to Jackson's owners. They are thrilled with their new painting. It is such a great feeling to know that my art brings joy into someone's home.

"Peppermints" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

I found these peppermint candies in the bottom of my backpack.  I have no idea when I tossed them in but they looked pretty sad so I'm guessing it was quite a while ago.  Painting these mints was a bit of a challenge as I've never attempted to paint cellophane.

Like any new subject, the key is to focus on what you actually see as opposed to what you think you see.  I would have thought that the center of the mints were a very bright, white color.  However, the brightest color is the highlight on the wrapper and the mints are actually several shades darker.  My other observation is that the shadow under the mint is much darker than the shadow under the twisted cellophane wrapper.

In other news, congratulations to Jo Wray who won my January give-away!  To become eligible, sign up for my mailing list ... each month I randomly select someone to win.

This 6 inch square painting is available for $60. If you are interested in purchasing it, you can do so in several ways:

1. Art on Main: For those who live in the Westford, MA area, visit Art on Main, 40 Main St, Westford, MA 01886. We accept credit cards, checks and cash.


2. PayPal: For those who live far away, click the "Buy Now" button below to pay by PayPal/credit card. I will carefully pack and then ship the painting directly to your door.


3. Personal check or money order: If you're not a fan of paying on-line, I accept personal checks and money orders. Just send me an email (LaurieGMiller@gmail.com) and we'll work out the details.

"Sprayer" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

"Sprayer" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

Growing up, I enjoyed playing practical jokes.  My mother was my favorite target.  Periodically, I'd wrap a rubber band around the spray nozzle lever so that she'd get soaked when she turned on the faucet.  She fell for it every time, much to my delight, and never noticed the yellow rubber band.  When she started getting wise to me, I switched to black thread.  Yes, she always had to be on her toes. 

Unfortunately for me, her current kitchen sink has the sprayer integrated into the faucet so that joke has gone by the wayside.  I really hope my kids don't read this post as I still have a spray nozzle on my sink.

This 6 inch square painting is available for $60. If you are interested in purchasing it, you can do so in several ways:

1. Art on Main: For those who live in the Westford, MA area, visit Art on Main, 40 Main St, Westford, MA 01886. We accept credit cards, checks and cash.

2. PayPal: For those who live far away, click the "Buy Now" button below to pay by PayPal/credit card. I will carefully pack and then ship the painting directly to your door.

3. Personal check or money order: If you're not a fan of paying on-line, I accept personal checks and money orders. Just send me an email (LaurieGMiller@gmail.com) and we'll work out the details.

"Abbie" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Abbie" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

To get the reference photo for this painting, I told the dog’s owner (who is my friend Natalie), that I got a commission for a very similar looking dog named “Bonnie” who lives in Florida.  I called to ask if I could come over and take some pictures of her dog since I needed better photos.   Natalie happily complied not knowing that I was actually going to paint her beloved dachshund Abbie.

I had the pleasure of surprising Nat with the finished painting since the person who requested it (her former neighbor Ruthie) now lives in New Zealand. So, off I went to show Natalie the finished painting of “Bonnie.” Well, she was incredibly touched and started to cry which, for Natalie, isn’t all that unusual. You can see her (happy?) face above. In any case, I was honored to paint Abbie for my friend.

"Winter Sunset" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Winter Sunset" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

I should have called this painting "Winter Sunset Redux" as I painted it once before in a larger size. I'm not sure what compelled me to paint it again, but I'm happy that I did. I've had a bit of trouble getting inspired with new material so I'm happy to now be working on a new commission of a dog painting (a long-haired dachshund named "Bonnie").

Last weekend I went to the Westford Museum for a "Buy Local, "Read Local" event. 18 Westford residents who published a book were invited to sell and autograph their books. I met a lot of nice folks and sold a handful of "Paint the Town!" books so it was a good afternoon.

"Southbound" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas



"Southbound" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas


I was driving on route 495 and thought it would make a cool painting. So, I pulled out my camera and started snapping photos while driving along. I was evaluating the quickly changing composition as the traffic, exit signs, guard rails, etc. morphed from one image to the next. I nearly missed my exit as I was completely engrossed in the scenery. 

I really let the paint fly on this one and kept it fresh and loose. I made simple suggestions for the distant cars and trucks. I scraped green paint off the canvas to let some of the pink under painting show to create the highlights on the trees.


On another note, I was invited to participate at the "Buy Local, Read Local" event for Westford Authors on Sunday, Dec. 11 from 2 - 4 p.m. at the Westford Museum. I'll be selling my "Paint the Town!" book. For more information and a list of participating authors, click here. If you live in the area, stop by and say, "Hello!"


HOW TO BUY THIS PAINTING


This painting is available for $175. If you are interested in purchasing it, you can do so in several ways:


1. Art on Main: For those who live in the Westford, MA area, visit Art on Main, 40 Main St, Westford, MA 01886.  We accept credit cards, checks and cash.


2. PayPal: For those who live far away, click the "Buy Now" button below to pay by Paypal/credit card. I will carefully pack and then ship the painting directly to your door.


3. Personal check or money order: If you're not a fan of paying online, I accept personal checks and money orders. Just send me an email (LaurieGMiller@gmail.com) and we'll work out the details.

Congratulations - December Give-Away!

Each month I randomly select someone from my mailing list and send them a free gift.  Congratulations to Leah Harrington who won my 2012 Desk Calendar for my December give-away!

To sign up and become eligible, type your email address in the box on the right side bar and click the “subscribe” button….good luck!

"Concord Afternoon" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Concord Afternoon" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

This is Concord Massachusetts late on a weekday afternoon. I enjoyed a nice lunch at the Main Street Cafe and walked outside to browse in the small shops. I was immediately captivated by the scene in front of me -- a strong band of light that illuminated a strip of the street. That simple band of light was the inspiration for this painting.

As with many of my paintings, I started with a pink undertone. I generally work from background to the foreground so I started with the sky, next came the distant trees and steeples, then the buildings and road, and finally the cars followed by the small details.

"Sunlit Pears" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

"Sunlit Pears" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

Pears are probably my favorite fruit to paint.  Because of their shape, they have great personality and attitude.  I always laugh at myself when I buy fruit since I'm constantly evaluating each piece as a potential model for a future painting...shape, color, does it sit nicely, etc.  Yes, it can complicate the shopping process immensely!

In this painting, I really let loose on the color.   My main goal was to show the bright sunlight illuminating the pears as they sat on the windowsill.  I laid down broad strokes of color and didn't fuss with it much at all.  So, what do you think?  Did I go too funky or do you like it?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

This painting is available for $60. If you are interested in purchasing it, you can do so in several ways:

1. Art on Main: For those who live in the Westford, MA area, visit Art on Main,

40 Main St, Westford, MA 01886

. We accept credit cards, checks and cash.

2. PayPal: For those who live far away, click the "Buy Now" button below to pay by Paypal/credit card. I will carefully pack and then ship the painting directly to your door.

3. Personal check or money order: If you're not a fan of paying online, I accept personal checks and money orders. Just send me an email (LaurieGMiller@gmail.com) and we'll work out the details.

"Great Brook Barn" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Great Brook Barn" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

Fall is definitely my favorite time of year. The weather is cool. I can wear my favorite sweatshirts. I can comfortably paint outside with fewer bugs and no fear of heat stroke :)

We've had a really nice stretch of fall weather so I grabbed my painting gear and headed over to Great Brook Farm, a state park in Carlisle, MA. I spotted this barn across a field and decided it would make a great subject to paint. There was a gap in the treeline so I pulled my car off the road to the side of the field and happily painted away until a park ranger approached me. He was very nice and complimented my painting before he told me to move my car. Oh well. I was nearly finished painting (and my hands were pretty cold as I was standing in the shade) so I wasn't too unhappy to pack up and move along.

As you can probably tell, I started this painting using a bright pink canvas. I used a rubber tipped tool to scrape off the paint in various spots to let the pink shine through. I just love how that looks.

"Flag Day" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

"Flag Day" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

My parents were avid sailors and I spent many weekends of my childhood sailing with my family on Lake Ontario. When simply going out for a "Sunday sail" got too boring for my father, he started racing and our family soon became known as "Ken Miller and His All-Girl Crew." A passionate man, Dad learned all he could about racing and eventually had great success winning many races over the years.

When sailing became too rigorous for my folks, they eventually gave up sailing and gave their boat to my sister Julie who docks it at the Sodus Bay Yacht Club just outside of Rochester, New York. This past summer, I saw Dad's boat for the first time in many years. It was bittersweet to see something that he loved so much when he is no longer with us.

This painting is available for $175. If you are interested in purchasing it, you can do so in several ways:

1. Art on Main: For those who live in the Westford, MA area, visit Art on Main, 40 Main St, Westford, MA 01886. We accept credit cards, checks and cash.

2. PayPal: For those who live far away, click the "Buy Now" button below to pay by Paypal/credit card. I will carefully pack and then ship the painting directly to your door.

3. Personal check or money order: If you're not a fan of paying online, I accept personal checks and money orders. Just send me an email (LaurieGMiller@gmail.com) and we'll work out the details.

"October Snow" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

"October Snow" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

Last weekend, during an October snowstorm, I lost my power on Saturday evening. On Sunday, in an effort to get warm (and pass the time), I headed off in my car to paint plein air and spent a really lovely afternoon painting at Forge Pond. It was breezy outside so I painted in the passenger seat while the sun kept the car toasty warm.

I was fortunate to get my power back on Monday evening but most folks in Westford were in the dark for several more days. Spending a few days without electricity is really a jolt to the system. I am fortunate to have good friends that offered up hot meals and a warm place to sleep. For the most part, I enjoyed my break from my computer (and all things electric) and was happy to pass the time with people that I love spending time with.

This painting is available for $60. If you are interested in purchasing it, you can do so in several ways:

1. Art on Main: For those who live in the Westford, MA area, visit Art on Main, 40 Main St, Westford, MA 01886. We accept credit cards, checks and cash.

2. PayPal: For those who live far away, click the "Buy Now" button below to pay by Paypal/credit card. I will carefully pack and then ship the painting directly to your door.

3. Personal check or money order: If you're not a fan of paying online, I accept personal checks and money orders. Just send me an email (LaurieGMiller@gmail.com) and we'll work out the details.

Free Stuff!

Congratulations to Natalie Sandore who won a copy of my 2012 Desk Calendar by signing up for my mailing list. Each month I randomly select one winner and send them a gift! 

To sign up, enter your email address in the box on the right and click the "subscribe button"

"Gray Day" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

"Gray Day" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

I don't think I could ever get tired of painting the ocean.  I stood among these rocks and happily painted for a couple hours.  On this particular day, the sky was overcast and there was little or no wind.  All the colors were subdued, shadows were subtle and the ocean water was quite calm. I was kept company by a flock of Yellow-Rumped Warblers that stopped to graze in some bushes behind me.

This may be the first plein-air painting that I finished completely on location and didn't make any changes or corrections when I got back to my studio.  I think the overcast lighting is probably the best explanation for this.

This painting is available for $60.  If you are interested in purchasing it, you can do so in several ways:

1. Art on Main: For those who live in the Westford, MA area, visit Art on Main, 40 Main St, Westford, MA 01886.  We accept credit cards, checks and cash.

2. PayPal:  For those who live far away, click the "Buy Now" button below to pay by Paypal/credit card.  I will carefully pack and then ship the painting directly to your door.

3. Personal check or money order:  If you're not a fan of paying online, I accept personal checks and money orders.  Just send me an email (LaurieGMiller@gmail.com) and we'll work out the details.

"Afternoon Snack" - 16 x 16 inches - oil on canvas

"Afternoon Snack" - 16 x 16 inches - oil on canvas

Sometimes the simplest moments in life are the most poignant. My son was eating his after school snack while his dog Cooper patiently waited under the table. This daily ritual will be forever ingrained in my memory.

I really pushed the colors in the painting with a bold orange wall color and aqua blue in his t-shirt. I outlined the shaped in bright pink and allowed bits of it to show through here and there. I added the rug to help anchor the table and give some balance to the composition by adding a dark space towards the bottom of the canvas.

 

How to Buy this Painting:

This painting is $275. If you are interested in purchasing it, you can do so in several ways:

1. Art on Main: For those who live in the Westford, MA area, visit Art on Main, 40 Main St, Westford, MA 01886. We accept credit cards, checks and cash.

2. PayPal: For those who live far away, click the "Buy Now" button below. I will carefully pack and ship the painting directly to your door.

3. Personal check or money order: If you're not a fan of paying online, I accept personal checks and money orders. Just send me an email (LaurieGMiller@gmail.com) and we'll work out the details.

2012 Desk Calendar is now available!

I'm pleased to announce my third annual Desk Calendar for 2012!

Each month features a different painting and the calendar comes packaged in a CD-like case that opens to display each month:

The 2012 Desk Calendar is $18 (plus $3 shipping) and it can be purchased in a couple of different ways:


1. Art on Main: For those who live in the Westford, MA area, visit Art on Main, 40 Main St, Westford, MA 01886. We accept credit cards, checks and cash.

2. PayPal: For those who don't live near Westford, MA, click the "Buy Now" button below to pay by Paypal/credit card. I will ship the calendar directly to your door.

3. Personal check or money order: If you're not a fan of paying online, I accept personal checks and money orders. Just send me an email (LaurieGMiller@gmail.com) and we'll get the process started.

"Cat Nap" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

 

About the Painting:

I started with a bright pink ground and allowed the pink color to shine through in various spots.  I love that effect and have used it in many paintings.  I was able to keep my brushstrokes very loose and expressive.

About the Cat:

His name was Vito.  He was tough as nails.  He was rescued from a research lab at the Cornell Veterinary School just prior to being euthanized.  The insides of his ears were tattooed with his “lab number” as proof of his inauspicious beginning.  After being passed through a couple households (for various reasons), he ended up as part of my family.

Like a dog, Vito would greet you at the front door, usually meowing for food.  He was a voracious eater and never missed a meal.

Vito loved dogs and was more than happy to spend his senior years curled in front of the wood stove with his buddy Rain. 

How to Buy this Painting

This painting is $95.  If you are interested in purchasing it, you can do so in several ways:

1. Art on Main: For those who live in the Westford, MA area, visit Art on Main, 40 Main St, Westford, MA 01886.  We accept credit cards, checks and cash.

2. PayPal:  For those who live far away, click the "Buy Now" button below to pay by Paypal/credit card.  I will carefully pack and then ship the painting directly to your door.

3. Personal check or money order:  If you're not a fan of paying on-line, I accept personal checks and money orders.  Just send me an email (LaurieGMiller@gmail.com) and we'll work out the details.