"Cool as a Cucumber" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

"Cool as a Cucumber" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

I was slicing cucumbers the other day and paused to really look at them.  They are incredibly beautiful. I was struck by the subtle color and pattern of the seeds in the center. I also love how the soft green/yellow interior contrasts sharply with the dark outer skin. Lovely. Just lovely.

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.

"Sunny Day at the CCA" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

The town of Chelmsford has been busily renovating their old town hall to turn it into an arts center...the Chelmsford Center for the Arts. Their renovation is nearly complete and they are getting ready to open their doors to the public. For the inaugural art exhibit, they've asked artists to submit works of art interpreting the building itself. This is my entry. It will be fun to see the other entries and everyone's individual depiction of this iconic structure.

I started by painting my canvas a bright purple color. I chose purple primarily because it is the complement of yellow -- the main color of the building. (Complements are pairs of colors that are opposites on the color wheel). If you place complementary colors near each other, they tend to make each other appear brighter.

This painting will be for sale at the CCA exhibit which runs from July 3 - 29, 2012. Visit the CCA website for more details if you're interested in attending the show.

"Bettyann's Barn" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Bettyann's Barn" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

I was inspired to paint this barn because of the long and complicated shadow created by the forsythia wreath. This is one of those paintings that just flowed right from the start...I really didn't have to fuss too much over any one thing. I paid careful attention to my values noting that the barn interior was the darkest value, the wreath, shadows and pavement were medium values and the barn itself was the lightest value. I really like the abstract quality created by the large, bold shapes and simple color scheme. This painting is hanging at the Art on Main gallery through the middle of May if you want to stop by and view it in person.

Speaking of Art on Main, be sure to stop by on Thursday, May 3 from 5 - 8 p.m. for our monthly "Wine and Nibbles" open house. Our May guest artist is Italian artist Esilda Evans Corbin.

"Cathy's Forsythia" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

"Cathy's Forsythia"  - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas

I never know when inspiration will strike but I'm usually inspired by the way the light hits an object or perhaps by an interesting shadow or reflection. In this case, my friend Cathy had a vase of forsythia sitting in her living room. I was struck by the light in the vase along with the contrast of the deep blue curtains and the bright yellow flowers. I was also inspired by the reflection on the tabletop. To me, this is a very peaceful and meditative painting.



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.

"Last Traces of Snow II" - 6 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD



"Last Traces of Snow II" - 6 x 12 inches - oil on canvas



This is a 2nd stab at painting the marshes at Plum Island. For whatever reason, I've always gravitated towards painting on square canvases (which may explain some of my quirky personality traits), but this time I decided to take a big leap and used a rectangular format. I survived the experience and may even try it again some day :)

In other news, I was very pleased to receive an Honorable Mention for my painting "Afternoon Snack" in the Westford Regional Art Event. My second entry, "Cat Nap", sold shortly after the show so it was great news all around.

Finally, congratulations to Leslie Thomas who is the winner of my April give-away! For those who don't know, each month I randomly select someone on my mailing list and give them a gift.  To sign up, enter your email address on the right side of this blog and click the subscribe button.

"Leaving Boston" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

"Leaving Boston" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

I recently made an early morning trek into Boston on an overcast, rainy day.  I always love seeing the Boston skyline and all the iconic buildings.  If I can't see the famous Citgo sign, I look for the Prudential Center or the Hancock tower.   There was a lot going on in this scene so I focused on simply painting the shapes and colors and tried to simplify things as much as possible and let the viewer fill in all the details. 

This 8 inch square painting is available for $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 from Westford, MA, 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.

"Last Traces of Snow" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

"Last Traces of Snow" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

I went up to Plum Island in Newburyport, MA a few weeks ago to do two of my favorite things - painting and birdwatching. There was a crowd of people with binoculars and spotting scopes and sure enough, just across this inlet, barely visible in the tall grass, was a Snowy Owl. For those who aren't "Birders", the Snowy Owl is a pretty rare and wonderful bird to see. I stayed and watched for quite a while and I could see his head moving but I couldn't get a great view of his body. I really, really wanted to see him fly. They are huge birds. So, I decided I'd "kill two birds with one stone" :) and set up my easel to paint right there. Not only did I have a lovely view to paint, but I could keep my eye on the Snowy Owl. Long story short: that damn owl sat in that tall grass and NEVER moved away from that spot. Below is a picture of the Snowy Owl:

This 8 inch square painting is available for $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.

"Wake Up!" - 16 x 16 inches - oil on canvas

"Wake Up!" - 16 x 16 inches - oil on canvas

This is Cooper - my nutty dog.  He absolutely adores my son.  I don't know how Cooper will survive when Jason goes off to college in the fall.  I'm going to have one depressed pup hanging around the house.

This painting is a bit larger for me, 16 x 16 inches, so it took a while to complete.  The quilt was fairly tedious to paint with all the color changes.  I had to make sure the folds and wrinkles translated from one color square to the next.  Every painting is a learning experience and I know I picked up a few more tricks after completing this one.

"Early Spring" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

"Early Spring" - 6 x 6 inches - oil on canvas

Sunday was a magnificent day with bright sunshine and unseasonably warm temps.  I just had to get outside and take advantage of a perfect day to paint plein air.  I headed over to one of my favorite local spots -- the cranberry bog in Carlisle, MA.

I set up my canvas on the side of the road and happily painted.  I chose this particular scene for a couple reasons.  First off, I love those two big evergreen trees that overlook the bog so these are really the focal point of the painting.  I also like the thin, horizontal slices of color that I could see in the distance --- the yellows, purples and blues.  I actually fabricated the sliver of water in the foreground to add a bit of color and interest.  Above is a photo of the actual scene - as you can tell I used a bit of artistic license to punch up the color.

In other news, congratulations to Trina Teele who won my March give away!  For those who don't know, each month I randomly select one person on my mailing list to win a gift...anything from a pack of greeting cards to an original painting.

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.

"Forge Pond Shadows - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Forge Pond Shadows" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

This is the painting that I completed during my book talk/painting demonstration at the Westford Museum last week. I thought the demo went very well and we had a lively discussion with a group of about 15 people. It is, however, very hard to talk and paint at the same time...very hard! I was able to finish the painting in the back of the room during the 2nd presentation. I donated this painting to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell for their annual fundraiser.

As you can probably tell, I started the painting with a bright orange background. I like the color combination of the yellow-green grass and the bits of orange. The shadows across the parking lot are what initially attracted me to this scene along with the slice of light gray-blue water that separates the distant trees from the foreground trees.

In other news, Art on Main is having our monthly "Wines and Nibbles" on Thursday March 8 from 5 to 8 p.m. with guest artist Rory Gallagher. We got snowed out last week so hopefully mother nature will cooperate this week with milder weather. Everyone is welcome so join us if you can!

"Judee's Curtains" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Judee's Curtains" - 12 x 12 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

This painting is a commission from the woman who made the curtains in the windows at Le Gourmet Jardin.  As you can tell, I made sure the curtains were prominently displayed per her request.  In actuality, the curtains were somewhat obscured by reflections, but, that is the beauty of being an artist, I can modify reality any way that I choose.  As always, this shop is so fun to paint.  I love the architecture, the colors, and all the interesting shapes inside the windows.

In other news, for those who live in the area, Art on Main is having our monthly "Wine and Nibbles" on Thursday March 1 from 5 to 8 p.m.  Rory Gallagher is our new guest artist -- stop by and say hello!

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

"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 - SOLD

"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.