November Skies & Gift Giving

November Skies, 3x3in. Oil on linen/board.
Painted En Plein Air in Plymouth, Nova Scotia. 

Available Here

November Skies

"In late autumn, November brings an abundance of moody skies and the donning of extra layers."

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald ©

The beginning of November seemed to be an endless stream of gray, cloudy days.  On the day I painted this one, the sun had finally peeked out for longer moments. So I decided to head out on location close to home. By the time I had set up and began painting, heavy cloud cover moved in again. I was lucky that the sun was lower in the sky and began to illuminate the abundance of clouds.  By the time I was packing up to leave, I was quite cold. This time of year sure does get chilly when the sun disappears!

Holiday Gift Giving
The festive season is fast approaching! Some of you are probably beginning to think about your gift giving dilemma. I know many of you like to try to get special gifts for those who are close to you or difficult to buy for. Since fine art is unique and handmade, I thought I would start selecting some of my work to highlight. I thought this might spur some ideas for you, or you might like to purchase my work for that special someone! 

Today, I am featuring my Fine Art Gift Bags. They are totally one of a kind and are put together with love. Last year I teamed up with two other gifted entrepreneurs to create these special bags using my miniature paintings. Many were sold for Christmas Gifts, where they were delightfully received!

The following Fine Art Gift Bag is available in my Shop. I painted these little chive flowers from my garden. This would make a wonderful gift for someone who loved gardening, baking, or is interested in natural healing. More photos, details and purchasing information can me found here. Local collectors feel free to message me.

Fine Art Gift Bag featuring Original Miniature Oil Painting"Violet Heads", 3x2in. Oil on linen/board.

You can read all about my Fine Art Gift Bags on my shop. If you see a miniature you would like us to use to create a Fine Art Gift Bag, just send me a message. I will be creating a few more bags in the near future to post in my online Shop.  You can view previously purchased bags here.

Thanks so much for your continued support and interest in my passion!

Warmly,
Debbie

You may also be interested in reading my latest post on my Inspirational Blog

 "Small Pauses ".

A Study at Grant's Lake, N.S.

Study completed in Grant's Lake, Nova Scotia.

NFS

(Presently unavailable as I will be using it as reference for larger studio work. My reflection below was written on location.)



Coolness in the Air

The air has become cooler, even on sunny days. The sun's rays add appreciated warmth, while adding drama to autumn's palette. Strips of reflections in the lake mimic autumn's brilliance. Geese have gathered in the lake, milling about and honking noisily by times. They startle their visitor with loud flaps and abrupt noises.  Soon they will make their journey to warmer temperatures, returning once we have endured the long winter months. 

Autumn is marching along quickly, thus, every opportunity to capture her beauty must be taken.  Already leaves are floating continuously from their branches, drifting in the air before they float down to their destination. It won't be long and the landscape will be undressed, baring all its skeletal structure. Beauty will come from its basic structure and its ability to project calm within its simplicity. 

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald



It had been awhile since I had painted in Grant's Lake. I especially love painting the lake and its beautiful reflections. It is such a treat to view this location in the fall with all its brilliant colors. 

Ready to dive into my painting. 
Dressed in layers for the chilly morning.

I decided to paint a study which I could later use as reference for a larger studio painting. I jotted down color notes and any impressions I had of my subject. I also made mental notes regarding the areas that were in shadow and light. While painting my study I made mental decisions about what I would like to achieve in a larger work.

My subject earlier in the morning. See the leaf floating in the air?!

When I arrived in the morning it was quite cool, but as the day progressed it really warmed up. Typical of early autumn weather. What a surprise I received upon my arrival! Geese were gathered in sections all over the lake. They swam, honked, flapped their wings and flew in the air. Quite a busy lot for sure! They even startled me a few times while I was painting.

Artist and Subject together

As soon as I was setting up to paint, I realized I had forgotten the attachment needed to attach my pochade box onto my tripod. I quickly called home and luckily my son Brett was able to drive it out to me. Yay!! Brett also took a few pictures while he was visiting me. 

Having a good laugh with my son!

Beautiful reflection and branches in the lake.

The nice thing about being on location is that you often get to meet and chat with the local residents. Today I chatted with several locals and even had an invitation to paint the lake from someone's property. This will give me a whole different perspective on the lake. So nice of them to extend an invitation!

All and all, I had a great day on location and am looking forward to using my study and notes for further studio work. 

Warmly,
Debbie

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30 in 30 Challenge, Day 27, "Magic"

Magic, 4x4in. Oil on linen/board.
Painted En Plein Air in Big Island, Nova Scotia.

Available Here

Magic

"Magic occurs, as a golden glow sweeps over the land. "

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald ©


We had one last blast of summer yesterday! The temperature was so warm I could wear summer clothing. Yes, I'll take more of these days please! After finishing some domestic chores, Ian and I decided to escape and go for a nice drive. I wanted to try to get a painting completed on location, since the weather was so gorgeous.

After a bit of a drive we landed in Big Island--a favorite painting haunt for me! I loved this scene in the golden evening light. We parked the car on the side of the road and left the trunk up, which acted as a wind break while I painted. The light really changed quickly as I got further into my painting. 

My Subject at Big Island, Nova Scotia.

While I was painting, Ian and I were thrilled to both see and hear geese flying in formation in the wide open space beside us. Several groups of them filled the air during my painting session. 

The geese were honking loudly as they flew by--such an awesome sight. This is one of my favorite scenes on the Island--would make a wonderful larger painting.

It is looking like I will have 27 out of 30 paintings completed by the time this challenge is over. I am going to keep my count until I hit 30, even though my days won't be consecutive and in the same month. It was quite a commitment, but I learned from this experience in many ways. I will elaborate in a future blog post. I really appreciated all those who commented here, liked my posts on facebook etc. It was great encouragement and really kept me going. Big Thanks!

Cheers to more fun painting times!

Warmly,
Debbie

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30 in 30 Challenge, Day 26, "Touched By Color"

Touched by Color, 5x7in. Oil on linen/panel.
Painted En Plein Air in Powell's Pt. Park, Nova Scotia.

Available Here
(I will have to get a better photo of this one yet.)

Touched by Color

It is a very warm September morning. We have been blessed with a beautiful weekend forecast. Foliage in the park has been touched with nature's brilliant array of colors. It is apparent that autumn has arrived. 

This morning, I am struck by the drama of light and shadow. Bright colors come alive as the sun makes its journey higher into the clear blue. Geese noisily honk from the ocean, as they bobble along on the waves; while tall grasses rustle about as the breeze tosses them to and fro. Nature is alive and active this morning!

The light is changing quickly. Paint and observations must be made without pause. A record of time recorded; a moment in time lived.  An experience that will not be forgotten after winter's cold hand sweeps over the land. 

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald ©


I spent a great portion of my day in the park, scouting around for future painting spots and painting. The park is really abundant with autumn colors.  I found a secluded spot just off the beach and around a bent in a marshy area. It was a good job I didn't set up my easel where I initially was going to, as by the time I finished painting, the tide had come in and that area was covered with water. 

My location later in the day.

Just about finished.

I loved nature's activity today; seagulls feasting on the sandbars and geese honking and floating on the ocean! There were not many people in the park today, just the occasional walker out for their morning stroll. 

It was nice to have my husband join me after I had been painting for awhile. I forgot my camera card so he took that, along with lunch for me! We really enjoyed the peacefulness and warm temperatures. It won't be long and the park will be closed. If I want to paint here I will have quite a hike with my gear, as the places I like to paint are a distance from the gate. Staying in shape is a must for a plein air artist!

Thanks for following my adventures and for supporting me in my 3o in 30 day painting challenge!

Warmly,
Debbie

P.S. The above written reflection is attached to the back of the painting on laminated card stock. 

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30 in 30 Challenge, Day 24, "Spiky Attraction"

Spiky Attraction, 3x2in. Oil on linen/board.
Painted from life-Alla Prima

Available Here

Spiky Attraction

"Scattered about in tall grasses, thistles attract a variety of winged friends. "

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald ©

I picked this thistle alongside the road, while I was on my walk one morning. Although a weed, thistles add charm with their violet color and ability to attract all sorts of winged pollinators. I like how carefree they look as they dance about in the breeze. 

I have enjoyed using a variety of weeds and flowers still in bloom as my subjects before the frost nips their beauty. They have kept me busy this past month. My near future plans are to paint studies to paint larger works this winter. The leaves are becoming really beautiful now and will reach their peak very soon. I am looking forward to capturing autumn`s beautiful colors before they begin to fade. 

Well I`m off to paint another one! Nearing the end of the 30 in 30 day painting challenge!

Warmly,

Debbie

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30 in 30 Challenge, Day 20, "On Its Way"

On Its Way, 3x2in. Oil on linen/board.
Painted En Plein Air in Plymouth, Nova Scotia.

Available Here

On Its Way

"Autumn is on its way, weaving bits of color into the last of summer greens. "

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald ©


I enjoy sitting out in my screen tent in the morning as summer comes to an end. The light is really pretty and enough light comes into the tent to make it warm. The tent is on a wooden platform so it is more like a doorstep. While I was sitting with my tea, I took note of the light on the trees and bits of color in the leaves just beyond the tent. Yes, I thought this would be my subject for the day.  

The realization that fall was definitely on its way really struck me. I am in disbelief--where did the summer go?! I like the fall with its gorgeous color, as long as the weather stays warmer so that it is more pleasant to paint on location. 

My Persian cat "Marlee" came to visit while I was painting. She likes to nose around both in and outside the tent. She is good company and makes me laugh. This is a very small format for this particular subject, but in the end it seemed to work. 

A photo of Marlee in my indoor studio on the ledge. She jumps up here!

Hoping you are finding quiet times in your day to notice and take pleasure in your surroundings!

Warmly,
Debbie

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Blooms Before Autumn

Blooms Before Autumn, 4x4in. Oil on linen/panel. Available

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Blooms Before Autumn

"Carpet roses burst into full bloom before autumn nips their beauty."

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald

I painted this little miniature in my back yard early last autumn and neglected to post it online. It was early autumn and I knew I had to seize the moment before they perished in the cold autumn nights. I love carpet roses! They are so delicate in appearance, but yet so hardy. They were so cheerful in the sunlight with their fresh pink hue and sweet nature. 

I have been a bit scarce with my posts lately. Ian was on vacation, so he was a bit distracting. Chuckle! We have gone on a few tours enjoying nature and scouting out new/old painting spots for me to paint on location. Tomorrow (Aug. 18th) we have plans to head down to his old stomping grounds where he grew up. We have already been there over his vacation and I have a few spots in mind that I would like to paint. Soooo it will be an early rise and a nice picnic will be part of the adventure. Definitely a couple of thermos' with hot tea are in order as well.

Besides painting outside this summer I caught the "decluttering" bug in spring and have been clearing old belongings, clutter etc. around our house and yard. I enlisted Ian as a participant in my project--much to his delight! Big chuckle! He has been a good sport about it. We made a few trips to the dump and I must say it feels really good to purge old belongings in preparation for new opportunities etc. Although our place did not look messy, it is amazing how much "stuff" we hold onto.  

We have also been busy cleaning and adding little accents to areas around our home. We painted a small bench a wonderful apple red color. It was unfinished when I had placed it on our front doorstep last fall. I am excited about dressing it up this fall and winter. This summer, I loved decorating it with plants and a couple of outdoor cat ornaments my mom gave me for my birthday this year. Staining our doorstep is our next summer project. I'm hoping Ian won't go on strike on me. Wink, wink. 

Our apple red bench --amongst many of my summer projects. Photo taken at night.

One of my favorite books on clearing clutter is "Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui" by Karen Kingston. I bought it in 2001 and thus my journey in to "clearing" began. I have picked it up many times over the years, loaned it to friends and recommended it to others. When I reread sections, I always feel inspired. Kingston makes the idea of clearing clutter such a sensible thing to do.  Lately I have been reading sections again and they make so much sense. Good energy and keeping things flowing is the basic premise. Being aware of our surroundings and how they affect us is one of her main points.

You can find this book on Amazon. 

Cheers to making room in our lives for new beginnings!

Warmly,

Debbie

P.S. I presently have a few auctions running on DPW. You can visit my shop page for links to each auction. Thanks for looking!

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Crimson Berries/ Rt. Brained Summit

Crimson Berries, 4x4in. Oil on linen/panel. $75

Available Here

Crimson Berries

"Winged friends feast happily on autumn's crimson berries."

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald

Powell's Point Park, Nova Scotia

I'm sharing a miniature I neglected to post on my blog and shop earlier. "Crimson Berries" was painted on location in Powell's Point Park which is one of my favourite places to paint. I love how these red berries glisten in the autumn sunlight! They attract many small birds, who feast happily on them. When I was painting the ocean breeze rustled through the branches creating a swaying movement which added greater sparkle. I had to capture my subject fairly quickly as the position of the sun continued to shift!

Right-Brainers in Business Video Summit

http://rightbrainersinbusiness.com/

This past week I have been participating in an awesome Video Summit, hosted and founded by Jennifer Lee. She is a coach, writer and artist who is both a vibrant and generous leader! You can watch all the sessions free for 48hrs. or upgrade to either booster or premium levels where you will have unlimited access to all the sessions.

The speakers are terrific and are presented in a sincere and engaging manner. You will laugh, nod your head and have some aha moments! 

Two points that I have taken away so far are:

1. The summit has echoed my belief that you need to become clear on your "why" so that you choose the most suitable projects, activities etc. that best align with the deeper reason for doing your business. That is what will make your business authentic!

2. The biz side of your creative business does not have to be boring! You can make it fun and interesting, which again is a reflection of you.

If you haven't already been participating in this Video Summit, I would highly recommend jumping on board this week. One more week of awesomeness is available for participants. You can sign up here for free!

Enjoy and Thanks for Visiting!

Warmly,

Debbie

P.S. I am not an affiliate for this summit--just wanted to share as I was enjoying it so much. I have also ordered Jennifer's book The Right Brain Business Plan. :D


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