The Drawing Room A gem in New Bedford for shopping and inspiration

Looking for the perfect color for your bathroom? A little gift to bring to a party? A piece of art you never knew you had to have? Then you need to stop by The Drawing Room in New Bedford on North Water Street. Anthi Frangiadis, the owner and an architect has an incredible eye, offers design services and is a stockist for Farrow and Ball paint. She reps local artists and also has a wonderful line up of events this winter.
Below some of my art hangs with Casey Gunshel's wallpaper and leather wall hangings. The watercolor feather and Swarovski install I did for the Boston Design Community's fund raiser, is available to purchase as individual hanging pieces.

NEW SHOW LandscapeSehnsucht at the Imago Gallery in Warren RI

May 11 to June 11. Artist reception is May 12. For more details the Imago website is here.

Paul reminded me of the German word Sehnsucht and how it fits this new series of paintings.

Wilkipedia snatch-

Sehnsucht is a German noun translated as "longing", "pining", "yearning", or "craving", or in a wider sense a type of "intensely missing". 

Some psychologists use the word sehnsucht to represent thoughts and feelings about all facets of life that are unfinished or imperfect, paired with a yearning for ideal alternative experiences. It has been referred to as “life’s longings”; or an individual’s search for happiness while coping with the reality of unattainable wishes.

CS Lewis wrote about the longing often.

“That unnameable something, desire for which pierces us like a rapier at the smell of bonfire, the sound of wild ducks flying overhead, the title of The Well at the World’s End, the opening lines of “Kubla Khan”, the morning cobwebs in late summer, or the noise of falling waves”.  -CS Lewis

Goodbye 2016

The idea I keep embracing that pushes me out of bed every day, is art gets us through the very worst of times. 

I've put my lovely pale yellows, pinks and blues aside for awhile and I can't stop with the deep blue. 

The cello of deep blues. 

Indigo, Cobalt, Cerulean, Linen, French, Lattier, Phthalo, Provence, Royal, St. Remy, Ultramarine and Turquoise Deep. 

Maybe I'm in mourning. 

I keep craving the lakes in Maine I visited as a child, Pemaquid, Biscay and Damariscotta.

I'll give it some time. I have a few more of these I'm working on.

The serene and innocent Pantone picks for 2016 

don't seem relevant anymore.

Pantone is putting its money on a very hopeful green for 2017.

Those picks from Pantone always seem awkward at first, 

then they find their way into our hearts,
attitudes, clothing and dishes.
So I'm going give PMS 15-0343 a chance. 

And of course, green is next to blue on the color wheel.

Counting days till spring

Today's color from my painting studio.

I think I see cranberry bogs emerging.

What's your January color craving?

I painfully admit I can get into a pinning frenzy and not savor some of the gorgeous images I curate. So I loop back around sometimes and spend time soaking up the beauty I so quickly tossed on a board. I thought you might enjoy some of the pinks I've fallen, once quickly, but now deeply for. What's your January color crave?

Image credits are top Karla Black, below are John Hoyland, de Kooning, Comme Des Garcons, Laura Burton and Ann Woo.

Always Circling Back to Watercolors

I love the texture and smell of my oil paints. Thick fat color I can mix and layer. But a few times a year I sit with my watercolors and work on series inspired by my walks in Westport. Sometimes it feels like I'm conducting music. I just put a new series up on Etsy titled River Lentement. A french tern used in music to describe slowly but surely. 

Forge Pond and waterfall with Levi

New Blues on my Etsy Site

Going to Block Island, or sometimes called New Shoreham, in the summer is like visiting a dreamy children's book. Gentle hills, sweet but dramatic cliffs softened with sleepy dunes and beaches. You can get around entirely on a bike. And though you can see so much of the island from the top of it's hills and victorian porches there is the good kind of aloneness that seems to happen everywhere you go. Paintings inspired by our last trip to the island.

My Painting and Prints Shop on Etsy

I know I know, it's really coming in under the wire for Christmas shopping but you do what you can do. My motto around this time of year is, if I'm not finding joy in doing it, I don't do it. Opening my little Etsy art shop was pure joy. Intimidated for way too long, I found going through the body of work I've had professionally shot to get up on a site some day, was pure delight. I don't let myself step out of the process to judge in anyway while I'm painting because I start down that awful path of "will this painting be loved by anyone else?" I would, however love your feedback on the site, pricing, descriptions, etc. My little shipping elf tells me if we get an order in by the Dec. 17-18 you can most likely get it by Christmas Eve. 
Just a reminder I have two etsy sites. One for hats and one for art. For art you search for alyncarlsonart or just go here.

I love these three together on a blue or white or grey wall.

Blue Heart 1     12" x 12" ready for a simple frame

Blue Heart 2     12" x 12" ready for a simple frame

Blue Heart 3     12" x 12" ready for a simple frame

Sometimes all it takes is a new tool

I've been trying out some new silicone brushes. They look like thick, fancy spatulas. They've helped me discover some new blending and scraping methods. A few new oil paintings from this weekend. Poppy seed oil on panel.
Here's a link to where you can buy these very cool new brushes.

They come in a wide range of sizes and shapes

The Paper Hat book is here.

Yup really truly in my hands as I write this. Paul and I are are so happy with the results. It is beautiful. You can get a sneak peak by going to Craftside Blog and download one of my hat design patterns for free. Goodreads has a contest for the month that you can enter to win one of my books for free.

The rose hat made from coffee filters is one of our favorites.
Thanks Zoe for being our wonderful model!

Little Sammy our ferocious viking