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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Diary of a Plein Air Painter #20

Summer Has Arrived, 12x6in. Oil on linen/panel. A Study for larger work.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Powell's Pt. Park, Nova Scotia

9:00-10:30 a.m.

I escaped the heat of the house and my to do list today by coming to the park to paint. Summer has arrived in full force with temperatures that make one slow down. As I made my way to the park, I anticipated the vision of wild rose bushes in full bloom. Sure enough when I arrived I was not disappointed. I always take delight in their bubble gum pink color and cheerful disposition.

My Subject at Powell's Pt. Park, Nova Scotia

When I arrived I walked around viewing the roses from different angles and admired the ocean view peeking through the foliage. This is one of my favourite scenes to paint this time of year. One cannot help being mesmerized by its charm.

My Set Up

I found a shady spot to paint my subject. It is a perfect view and a most comfortable location. I must set up quickly before the light shifts. It is  time to dance with nature.

During my painting session, I had several visitors as I was completing my painting. I enjoyed two interesting conversations. One was with an old acquaintance from childhood. I am sure we solved all the problems of the world! My second conversation was with a gentleman of native descent. We talked about nature and he shared some native terms for various months. The month of July was the month the birds lost their feathers. He came to the park to bird watch and find feathers which he will use for a creative project. 

 I think I will make a larger painting of this scene using my study as reference. Such an interesting session today and a most beautiful day to be in the park!

Warmly,

Debbie

P.S. My first visitor was in awe of my painting palette and the whole process of how I could create a painting. Many questions pursued! He had a great appreciation for art and artists. I even had my picture taken while I painted. Wink, wink. It is special how some people think we create magic as artists!

P.P.S Two ladies arrived with two sweet little girls. They sat in the picnic table beside my subject and carried on a most intense conversation. I felt like a statue on the sidelines privy to all. A bit of an odd feeling. I guess I really blended in with my subject. People are a most interesting species indeed! 

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