New Blog/ Special Commission Revealed!

New Blog: Please note that all current Blog posts are now being published on my new Blog "Creative Rituals". You can join me on my new blog here! 

See you there! 

Warmly,

Debbie
(Feb. 22, 2016)

Awakenings in the Marsh, 18x24in. Oil on linen/panel (Click photo for a larger view)

Commissioned

Awakenings in the Marsh

I have come to a new location to paint. It is so peaceful; that time seems endless. The evening light is captivating as it illuminates tree tops, creating halos of brightly colored greens. It boldly fills spaces not blocked by greenery and foliage. The land is transformed by nature’s spotlight. 

This moment will not last long, as the sun dips lower in the sky. Paint and brush work rhythmically with nature’s easy pace. The marsh awakens as winter grasses are interspersed with bright greens and new blooms. Skylight strokes open pockets of water, leading one along a lighted pathway. Winged friends rejoice in new beginnings. They sing of warmer days and a leisurely pace, only nature can provide. 

It is these moments that make time stand still. A sense of solitude takes hold where one merges with nature. All cares gently fall away; only the present matters. It is where pure joy is experienced. 

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald ©

Malagash, Nova Scotia

The journey for this piece began this past April when I was approached to paint a commissioned piece for an upcoming retirement. The painting was to be of an area very special to the retiree, which was in Malagash, Nova Scotia. Since I don't paint from photographs, special arrangements needed to be arranged. In my working method,  I use a study completed on location, color notes and also digital images which are more for drawing purposes. 

The wonderful thing about this commission, is that I had free creative choice to paint what I deemed would depict this beautiful area in its glory. Soooo the adventure began! My husband and I visited the area one Sunday afternoon. (It is about one hour and fifteen minutes from our home.) When we arrived I thought I was in heaven! It was so beautiful and peaceful. I scouted around taking in the views and getting a feel for the area.

After our Sunday visit, I returned two more times and painted a study both days. It was on my final day there that I decided the above scene would be the one worthy of becoming a larger work.

It was so beautiful the evening I painted the study for "Awakenings in the Marsh".  Finally, Spring had arrived with its lime greens and new foliage. The light was breathtaking and was changing fast. I began my study at about 4:50 p.m. and finished it about 7:15 p.m. Then I cleaned up and sat down to write my written reflection to accompany the painting. By the time I left it was about 7:50 p.m. I arrived home at about 9:15 p.m. The drive home was really beautiful and I didn't have to drive very long in the dark. I was happy--I knew this study was going to assist me in designing a larger work of this gorgeous area. 

My subject in Malagash, Nova Scotia.

The marsh area in the painting took some designing in order to make it pleasingly to the eye. Several sessions and hours later, my painting finally came to life. It was fun keeping it a surprise, even though the recipient knew it was happening. 

New beginnings in my studio!

My palette with some grays mixed on the right hand side. 

Painting this piece was extra special for me as it was for my former Superintendent of Chignecto-Central Regional School Board. Gary Clarke is both a wonderful person and a very dedicated educator. He retired with 36 dedicated years of service. As Trudy Thompson, Chair of CCRSB stated,  “His dedication, commitment and passion for education has made him a truly exceptional leader for our system. He will be greatly missed.” You can read a tribute and write up about him here. I loved working with both Gary and his Assistant Jo-Anne Jarvis-Jordan on this project.

Not the best pic, but framed and ready for packaging.

Ready for delivery!

I really enjoyed delivering Gary's painting to him. It was such an honor and pleasure to participate in this very special gift giving project! Knowing that "Awakenings in the Marsh" has really resonated with Gary and his family brings me so much joy! An emotional attachment is what we hope will be accomplished with any commission. It was fun creating this artful experience for all involved!

Thanks so much for reading!

Warmly,

Debbie

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Summer Has Arrived & Timed Blooms!

Summer Has Arrived, 24x12in. Oil on linen/panel. 
Powell's Point Park, Nova Scotia.

Available in my Fine Art Shop

Summer Has Arrived

Summer has arrived in full force with temperatures that make one slow down. Temperatures that delineate hast and dictate a languorous pace. The air is still this morning making my set up easier and adds to a prevailing calm. 

I have come to one of my favorite spots in the park where wild roses and foliage play peek-a-boo with the ocean beyond. The charm of wild roses in full bloom captivates onlookers, adding a regal presence to the surrounding area. 

Their bubblegum pink, cheerfully scatter amongst the foliage. Throwing all cares away they bring one into a present moment, retaliating from life and its many demands. They caress the soul and nurture a place within. Nature once again delivers a gentle therapy where one’s spirit becomes renewed. 

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald

Powell’s Point Park, Nova Scotia

(The above Reflection was written on location after I finished my study for this larger work.)

This is a favorite spot I love to paint every year in Powell's Point Park. There is an abundance of wild rose bushes that bloom profusely every year. I am in love with roses and especially wild ones! They just exude joy and symbolize that wonderful relaxed feeling of warm summer days. 

I completed the study a couple of years ago on a warm summer morning. This past winter I completed a larger studio painting using my study, notes and digital images as references. 

I recently visited this spot again this year! The rose bushes are just beginning to bud. I can't wait for them to burst into bloom. If you are patient, nature can be so rewarding and giving. 

Warmly, 

Debbie


P.S. (If you receive my Ezine, you would have already read parts of this blog. Thanks for indulging me! )

P.P.S ( On a personal note, Ian and I happily celebrated our 33rd Wedding Anniversary on Friday, July 3rd! I posted some wedding pics taken many moons ago on Facebook. Look what bloomed just in time for our Anniversary. Cheers!)

Peonies in my gardens. This one is huge!

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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 Collage and My Thoughts

Presenting my collage of all the paintings I completed in the 30 in 30 day painting challenge!

Miniatures in collage available Here.
Small Paintings in collage available Here.


Well my family and I made it through the 30 in 30 Day Painting Challenge! It was definitely a fast pace and the month is a bit of a blur. lol I definitely got more paintings completed than  if I hadn't been involved in the challenge.

 It was challenging due to the fact that I work from life, either at my home or by travelling to a location to paint En Plein Air. I did enjoy picking many of my botanical subjects from my gardens or while I was on my morning walks. It was also enjoyable painting during the beautiful month of September in some of my favorite painting locations.

Painting daily really creates momentum and muscle memory. It eliminates any hesitation artists experience sometimes, after taking long breaks in between paintings. I will continue to paint almost everyday, but not necessarily finish a painting a day. I enjoy being reflective and also tackling larger works which take longer than one day. 

It was not just the painting that took time in this challenge, but all the behind the scenes work. Just blogging, adding work to my website and adding a link to our host Leslie Saeta's blog took quite a bit of time. However, I am happy I participated. Now that I can work at my art full time, it made me realize how I can fit daily painting into my schedule. I realized that I really enjoy balance in my schedule, time to be reflective and time to explore new ideas. The insight that I gained from the challenge was very beneficial. It was also fun being a part of an "art movement" with such a large group of global artists. Great camaraderie! Many thanks go to Leslie Saeta for once again hosting this challenge.

I would like to especially thank my family for their patience and support during the challenge. Big thanks goes to my son Brett who took photographs of my work almost daily!
Thanks to all my followers who received my work via email, commented or liked my posts on facebook. Your support and cheering kept me going!

Next on my agenda is more painting and publishing my next ezine!

Warmly,
Debbie

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30 in 30 Challenge, Day 23, "Color Parade"

Color Parade, 4x4in. Oil on linen/board.
Painted En Plein Air in MacLellan's Brook, Nova Scotia.

Available Here

Color Parade

"With one last procession, nature's color parade, marches into autumn."

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald ©

As the month progresses, green foliage has continuously changed into an array of colors. Reds, oranges and yellows are becoming the predominate colors; replacing summer greens. I love how the light makes the leaves appear translucent. Leaves are beginning to float in the air on windy days; while, deep blue skies serve as a wonderful backdrop for nature's brilliant colors. 

MacLellan's Brook is one of my favorite places to paint. This space made me feel  like I had been tucked away in a room within the woods. It reminded me of the spaces we use to seek out as children. They were magical little spots, where we thought no one could find us. We thought they belonged to our own private world. 

I hope you are getting a chance to enjoy quiet spaces whether in your home or nature! Everyone needs to create their own private world; if only for a short while.

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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30 in 30 Challenge, Day 18, "A Burst of Light"

"A Burst of Light", 4x4in. Oil on linen/board.
Painted En Plein Air in Powell's Pt. Park, Nova Scotia.

Available Here

A Burst of Light

"September light bursts through a moody sky, illuminating tree tops before its evening departure."

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald ©


This was one of those paintings that if you did too much monkeying around you would loose the spontaneity and freshness! I had to make sure I tossed my brush aside when I had the affect I was looking for; it would have been easy to add one brush stroke too many.

My Set Up

It was so quiet in the park the night I painted this, you could hear people's footsteps before I actually saw them. I love how dramatic and moody the skies get this time of year. It is breathtaking when the sunlight bursts through towards the end of the day.

Powell's Pt. Park, Nova Scotia

When I first arrived to paint, an eagle flew so close to me I could see him perfectly. You could hear his wings swooshing through the air. What an amazing looking bird!


I hope you are getting a chance to witness dramatic skies and beautiful light. Nature never seizes to reward those who are attune to her beauty!

Warmly,
Debbie

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30 in 30 Challenge, Day 12, "The Night of the Super Moon"

The Night of the Super Moon, 5x7in. Oil on linen/board.
Painted En Plein Air in Powell's Pt. Park, Nova Scotia.

Available Here

The Night of the Super Moon

The park is exceptionally quiet this evening. The lowering sun casts a golden glow upon the land. It is an enchanting evening, especially tonight as the super moon is scheduled to make its appearance. 

As the evening progresses, layers must be donned. The night brings crisp autumn air, creating a chill and the knowledge that soon colder days will be upon us. 

Once the land was recorded with paint, the Super Moon made its grand appearance! It shone  brightly like a huge globe in a pinkish sky. Its beauty was beyond words; causing  an awe inspiring appreciation for nature and her marvels. 

Tonight nature humbles her viewer with her grandeur. She has gifted one with yet another orchestration of beauty. It is an honor to witness her offering! 

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald ©


It was such a beautiful evening in Powell's Pt. Park when I painted this one. Witnessing the Super Harvest Moon when I was just finishing my painting was beyond words. I literally gasped when I turned around and saw that huge glowing globe in the sky!

 I immediately unpacked some of my gear again and quickly recorded the essence of the moon on a miniature painting. I just have to do some tweaking on it and will post it soon as well. 

Nature's beauty never seizes to amaze me. Being witness and experiencing her beauty on location is a wonderful gift. I will never grow tired of trying to capture her beauty in paint. Definitely a humbling experience!

I hope you have a chance to absorb some of nature's beauty this weekend! Take a few moments to pause and acknowledge your natural surroundings. You might be surprised what see and feel. 

Warmly,
Debbie

P.S. Please feel free to comment or join in the challenge if you are an artist! 

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