Day #11 :: SWANBOATS :: January Daily Painting Challenge

SWABOATS
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

Sold! 

The Swanboats in Boston are such a wonderful city treasure. I've had this image kicking around in my studio for a while and today was the day I decided to try it out as a painting. 

It was fun to paint except for the GREENS. Goodness me! Greens are a constant issue in landscape painting. When you paint with pastels, greens are a funny thing. They always seem too something. Too blue. Too false. Too dull. Too bright. Too light. Too mossy. Ha! On and on and on. The greens in this painting were all over the place, too. 

Had I had more time (an excuse, yes, but geez, sometimes you don't have a lot of time) I would have done a notan study of the piece and had a stronger idea of the lights and darks in the distant shore of Boston Public Garden. 

All in all, it was FUN to paint. The struggle was fun and so was remembering when this was taken. That day was great. It's one to remember always. When it was our turn to get on the swanboats, this cute Japanese couple sat behind us. By the time we got to the bridge in the middle of the lagoon, their friends were all standing on the bridge holding signs. It was a proposal. We turned around to find him on one knee and she was crying and hugging him. Hurray for love in the Boston Public Garden and a wonderful proposal we will always remember having witnessed.

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Day #7 :: WINTER HOPE :: January Daily Painting Challenge

WINTER HOPE
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

Today was a difficult January day -- as many days in January can be. Apart from the temperatures, which were rather mild for this time of year, today was about change. Changes that have happened and changes yet to come. 

I went to a wake tonight for a dear former boss. He and his family offered me such opportunity when I was in my twenties. Somehow I knew to work hard for them and see where the opportunities would take me and I went all sorts of places! Nantucket was particularly wonderful. So many years ago now. 

In the end, I could and should credit them with directing me to art school because they owned galleries. I spent my days working for them selling other people's artwork, figuring out what people wanted to buy, and studying what I sold. 

Funny how paths make sense in hindsight. 

Today we also got news of a family member's diagnosis. When you're hoping more than you can hope that it's not cancer and then it is....And I have no other words. Only prayers and making art. 

When I'm not sure what to do or when I feel lost or apprehensive, making art helps. 

Today's piece was a challenge again. Simple in construct, this solitary tree with some depth in the flat plane against a treeline and an oddly colored sky isn't as complicated as say a marsh with a dramatic sky and boat and and and... Simple in art is never simple. Instead simple is often a nightmare. How can it be done in a simple fashion and still feel professional/deliberate/confident/finished/etc? It takes some doing and experimentation to get there. 

My notes and reference weren't these colors, but when I painted them as they were there was no hope in the grays and dull browns. Those tones are for another day. Instead, what fun for me to empurple (a great word and joke for my art students) and redden and warm up the color notes! 

The piece is now more hopeful in its feeling. I kept at it with layer upon layer and finally arrived at a place I love for my painting and my head. 

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Day 15 :: CAFE :: #30in30 Painting a Day Challenge

CAFE
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

In a quest to stretch myself from the usual subjects I may be inclined to paint, I took inspiration for today's painting from this past weekend where Tim and I went into Boston to celebrate our 10th Anniversary. We stayed somewhere luxurious, dined somewhere delicious, walked down memory lane, and enjoyed breakfast on Beacon Hill before hitting the Brimfield flea market. You can imagine there's a lot of inspiration to be gleaned from such a great time.

CAFE is from Tatte Bakery and Cafe on Charles Street. While waiting for the most delicious egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich on amazing sourdough bread, I took notice of a few impeccable moments that felt to me like they should be paintings. Perhaps there will be more artwork inspired by our breakfast. We still have half of the month of September to continue to stretch my creative self.

Thanks for reading! -kmw