Jingle, Jangle, Jingle

Merry Christmas to all. Wishing you a year filled with peace, blissful connections and inspired creating! 

Oil on panel, 6" x 6"

SOLD

Tennis, Hennyone?

This is Henny. Looks like he'd be a fun playmate. This painting is part of my One Hundred Hands project. Hands...paws...whatever. I couldn't resist this one! You can read more about this project and see the image of Henny that I worked from by visiting One Hundred Hands.

Oil on panel, 6" x 6"
SOLD

The Artist's Touch

Roger of Rock Garden Pottery sent an image for my ongoing One Hundred Hands project. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to paint it. It was a blast to paint all that slippery wet clay! If you would like to see Roger's beautiful finished pieces, please click on his link above.To see the image I worked from and read more about One Hundred Hands, click here.

Oil on panel, 6" x 6", $100 (with free display easel) + shipping

or contact brenda@brendaferguson.com

Moon Over St. Esprit

This is our oceanfront land on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. I've done this subject before but in a different format and medium. It was fun to try it in oils in the square format. Isn't St. Esprit a beautiful name? Funny though...it sounds like it would be elegantly French (Es-pree), but the locals call it St. Es-prit (rhymes with desperate.) Ha!  Either way, it's a miraculously beautiful place.

Oil on panel, 6" x 6", SOLD

2011 Open House Reception

I'm delighted to be able to share with you this year's STUDIO OPEN HOUSE held here on Saturday December 3, 2011. The preparations actually began a year ago as I painted all year with this event and others in mind.

The flurry of activity got underway in earnest about a month ago when I began preparing over 230 paintings for display. The first step was spraying with a light coat of workable varnish to protect them a bit and even out the surface. Our deck is a prefect place to safely do this job in batches.

Once the varnish was dry I brought the paintings in to sort.

Then began the process of backing them for frame-less hanging...again, a small batch at a time.

 

In order to have a cohesive show that made sense, I planned to sort and display paintings by loose categories such as florals, pears, birds, portraits, feet (ha!), etc. 

This sight was a gratifying  one and a bit overwhelming, too!

But I had my trusty assistant (our son, Lucas) and his tools and gadgets to help me, so all was well (and FUN!)

We hung...

and hung...

and hung until all 230 paintings were up on every wall of our home.

Next it was time to do the little 'extras' I love to do each year. The free gift tags for guests to help themselves...

 

and packs of gift cards in both floral and winter varieties.

The house was clean, the artwork hung, the refreshments set out, the candles lit, the music playing...and the guests arrived (my favorite part!)

It was a happy and festive crowd.

The Ferg Girls included. (Our daughters Sadie and Molly)

We pondered art...

we pondered life (and light.)

 Guests were able to see where I stand (and dance) to create each painting...

with two brand new pieces still wet on the easel.

Each year I give away a painting. It's always a time of anticipation and a wonderful chance for me to give just a little something back to the people who support, encourage and follow my art all year long.

And the winner is...

Glenice Williams! The same lady who won last year's painting give-away! What are the chances?

As the afternoon wound down...

the refreshments and the crowd dwindled...

 but the celebration of a wonderful day (and life) of art and friends was only beginning. To be continued...

With BIG love and gratitude to all who shared this day with us...it means more than you know.

Thanks to Heather Alvarez and Sadie Ferguson for all the fun photos.

I Miss Your Kiss

More kisses. More chocolate love. And some appropriate music. (To continue looking at the art while you listen, right click on the colored word 'music' and go to Open Link in New Tab.)

Oil on panel, 6" x 6" SOLD

X X X

Some more treats from my recent open house reception. I had a blast painting these. What a charge I get from trying to paint illusion...shiny metal from matte opaque paint!
And what better inspiration?

I'll post Open House photos as soon as I get them! We had a grand time...please stay tuned.

Oil on panel, 6" x 6", $100 ( with free display easel) + shipping

or contact brenda@brendaferguson.com

Let It Flow, Let It Flow, Let It Flow!

I recently purchased refreshments for my open house (it's tomorrow!). This wine was among them and of course I had to paint the bottles first. I began with a black gessoed panel and sort of carved the bottles out of the dark background with my paint. It was a blast to do. Though I ended up covering nearly all of the black gesso, I didn't use any black paint...just created my own with some of the colors in my palette including pthalo blue, alizarin crimson and burnt umber.

Oil on panel, 6" x 6"

SOLD

Drifting

I haven't had a lot of painting time lately getting ready for my studio open house this Saturday, but this is a recent landscape. 

Oil on  panel, 6" x 6"

SOLD

Transparent

Eggs. Not easy, but oh so much fun to paint.  And here's the music that got me going. (To continue looking at the art while you listen, right click on the colored word 'music' and go to Open Link in New Tab.)

Oil on panel, 6" x 6", $100 (with free display easel)+ shipping 

or contact brenda@brendaferguson.com

See Through

I love-love-loved painting this! I've painted eggs before but only the shells. This was the first time actually attempting the insides.

To all who have expressed an interest, left a comment, made a purchase, participated in a creative project or workshop, offered a constructive critique or gracious encouragement, I thank you from my heart. You keep me motivated, uplifted, striving to improve...and most of all, you keep me joyously creating. Happy Thanksgiving.

Oil on panel, 6" x 6", $100 (with free display easel) + shipping

or contact brenda@brendaferguson.com

Shine On

Our neighbors decorated this little unassuming tree in front of their home a few years ago. I loved the simplicity of it and the big old fashioned lights as it glowed in the twilight. Though those neighbors have come and gone, the tree remains. I did a similar painting a couple of years ago in soft pastels. I always loved the reference image so painted it again in oils. 

Oil on panel, 6" x 6"

SOLD

Winter Line Up

One of the views of our side field. 

Oil on panel, 6" x 6"

SOLD

Beaming

I'll be giving away this painting at my studio open house soon. If you're in the area (the rural hills of Dixmont, Maine) please stop by and join us on Saturday, December 3 between 1:00 and 4:00. There's always lots of good food, great friends and I'll be displaying over 200 of my recent oil paintings from the past year. I'm busily planning and getting ready...can't wait for the celebration!
Oil on panel, 6" x 6", NFS

Shadowed

 

Oil on panel, 6" x6"

SOLD

Outdoors In

These are the same leaves from yesterday's painting. I brought them in for a still life. I love this color combination of warm orangey red  and turquoise.  Here's some great music to paint to. (To continue looking at the art while you listen, right click on the colored word 'music' and go to Open Link in New Tab.)

Oil on panel, 6" x 6", $100 (with free display easel) + shipping

or contact brenda@brendaferguson.com