10 of my paintings are being shown at C & C Coffee Shop in Chambersburg, PA for the month of August. 

C & C Coffee Shop is a delightful bistro just off the square in historic Chambersburg, PA.




You will enjoy discovering their flavorful coffee drinks, fresh pastries, and lunch fare.  You may enjoy your culinary delights inside the shop or outside along a shady tree-lined walk within view of the iconic fountain on the square. 

However,  their most amazingly delicious beverage is their brewed iced coffee which is prepared in this scientific looking coffee contraption.

  It tastes so rich and delicious that you would swear you were drinking something sinful and diet breaking.

So, take a refreshing summer break from all of your busy summer activities and enjoy lunch or a snack with your friends at C & C Coffee Shop in Chambersburg.  

While you are relaxing, be sure to check out my paintings.  Be sure to tell Andrea, "Dee sent me!" 

Walk in the Light

My new artist statement: 

In my art I am trying to somehow transcend the physical and glimpse the spiritual.  Visual art expresses what words cannot.  Many of my works are meant to be contemplative.  They speak to the gap between spirituality and our human understanding. This is what draws me to my subject matter. I believe art emanates from the Creator.  It's bigger than ourselves.  My art is part of my spiritual journey-- like a prayer you can see. 

Final Day of Our Pastel Workshop at Stone Ridge Farm

Susan Ogilvie and Myself

Our workshop came to an end today.  It was a very good week.  I feel happy to have worked for five days with such a wonderful group of artists.  I learned a great deal, made some new friends, and even finished a couple of paintings.  We made a pact that we will try to make art everyday and continue the growth that we began at Stone Ridge Farm and Bucks County Art Workshop with Susan Ogilvie. 

This is almost everyone from our group.  Donna had to leave early this morning and so was not in this picture.

This is Linda M. and Joyce G. having a tea party on Thursday.  We were all working so hard and we got a little silly.  It was fun.

 This is a view of the studio.  It was spacious and well equipped. 

I hope that I will be able to return for another workshop next summer.  Bucks County Art Workshops at Stone Ridge Farm has been an experience I will not forget.

The Fulton County Art Club met today to paint en plein air at the Kelso Estate in McConnellsburg.  Linda Moseman, Linda Best, Anne Gobin, and myself had a marvelous morning strolling the grounds, photographing, and painting.  The heat and humidity were not a deterrent as these brave artists worked in oils, pastel, watercolor, and pencil.  A special "thank you" to owners, Linda and Allan Kelso.  Your hospitality was greatly appreciated!!!!

 

Cops Stop Behind Me--- Lights Flashing--- Funny Now---Scared Then

Officer Brunner Driving Away

Cow Photo I Risked Life and Limb to Get

Why do these things always happen to me?  Here's the story--- it's actually kind of funny-- reveals a lot about me.  Anyway, I was on my way to Chambersburg to teach an art class to migrant workers' kids and while I was driving toward St. Thomas I happened to see cows in the stream by a lovely old spring house.  As I drove further I said to myself, " You should go back and get a picture of that bucolic scene."  So, I did exactly that.  I had to park right on the berm of a busy section of route 30.  I left my flashers on and hopped over the bank to get the photos (saw a snake too, but that's another story).  As I walked back to my car continuing to photograph, a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper had pulled in behind my car.  I glanced up from my camera to see the flashing lights and I nearly had a heart attack.  I didn't think that I had broken any law (maybe trespassing?).  A nice young trooper named Officer Brunner assured me that they were just stopping to see if I needed help.  I told him that I was an artist and I just wanted to get a picture of the cows for a painting.  Then, I boldly said that I blogged events from my life and asked if I could take his picture for my blog.  He declined, but said that I could photograph them as they left.  I think he floored it because I only got a tiny bit of the back of the state car.  I continued on to my destination very much relieved.  My art class went well with a wonderful group of creative, polite, attentive 3rd grade migrant children and my heart is now beating normally.

Reedsville Flea Market Day

Wednesday was a quintessential Pennsylvania summer day and I spent a large part of it leisurely meandering through the flea market at Reedsville for unique items.  Fresh produce was also plentiful as you can see from this Amish produce stand.  

Fine older pieces were mixed in with more contemporary items.  The people were charming and fun to strike up conversations with.  There was the elderly woman who sold me a block and tackle and the gentleman who had a dazzling yellow glass candle stick.  In the years that I have been going to this flea market, yesterday was the best I've ever seen it--- many vendors and many vintage items all at super prices.

Oil Paintings are taking shape

I worked for several hours tonight on the oils I started a few days ago.  The one of the road in winter is taking shape.  I want it to have a very limited palette and have a warm glow where the light is hitting the trees.  

The other painting is of Nathan at Rickett's Glen.  This is also going to be about light and shadow, so I have to get the values right.  This one has a way to go yet.

Fulton County Art Club Meeting and Encaustic Demo

The Fulton County Art Club met here tonight.  We went over some business and then the group showed the encaustics we made at the Linda McCloskey workshop.  Group members were able to try their hand at encaustics in the garage set up.  It was an enjoyable time.  

The group decided to have a plein aire painting day on June 30 behind the public library.  The group is hoping to do plein aire painting during the Fulton Fall Folk Festival the third weekend in October.   

Art all Morning!!!

I worked on encaustics all morning.  I call the one "Streambed" and the other "In the Beginning".  Tonight I want to paint all night--- probably on my oils.  I'm going to make an extra pot of coffee and see what happens.  In Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way, she says, "  Creativity is God's gift to us.  Using our creativity is our gift back to God."  I am trying to do creative work as much as possible.  I will control the quantity and let God control the quality.

The Encaustic Palette

I use an electric griddle with heat control as a palette. You can mix encaustic paint right on the griddle or mix large quantities of paint in cat food cans. The paint is made by mixing some of the melted medium (damar resin and beeswax) and oil paint. Notice how a clothespin makes a heat proof handle for the tins. To clean the griddle, I use melted paraffin and wipe it with paper towels.

Garage Set Up for Encaustics

Now I know why I shouldn't use the store brand of aluminum foil to cover my work surface!!! Look at how it tore when I wanted to lift my project!! I will have to put down another layer of foil and try to use up this cheap stuff. Covering the work surface with foil helps to protect it from wax and heat. The foil also helps you to save the hardened splashes of encaustic so that you can re-melt them.

Made Encaustics Today

Today I worked on encaustics in my garage set up. Here are the two that I completed. In the dark, textural one, I used many layers of color and applied black for the final layer. I pressed small items on, added encaustic color over them and then pulled off the items. Textures and impressions were left behind. Lace made an especially nice pattern.

In the red encaustic, I tossed many of the small items that I had pulled from the previous work. I embedded them in more medium and finished with a top layer of alizarin crimson. I used a small clay working tool to gouge lines into the red layer revealing the colors beneath.

More Class Photos-- June 13

Arts Council Class Tonight

Tonight I taught a "Corks and Canvas" class at the Arts Council in Chambersburg. This is an enjoyable, "party atmosphere" kind of class in which a group of friends meets at the arts council classroom to paint a "step by step" acrylic painting. The whole experience is designed to be low pressure and lots of fun. All of the painting materials are provided and the participants bring their own snacks and drinks. In three hours everyone creates a work of art. I enjoy teaching this very much and the group of ladies tonight did a fine job.

Using the torch to Fuse Layers

This is the fun part! Here I am fusing a layer of medium over a layer of pigment.

Encaustics--- Next Step

Here is the 7 to 1 ratio almost melted in the electric skillet. You have to be careful not to get the ingredients too hot. 250 degrees is a critical temperature. I melted the resin crystals first around 240 and then reduced the heat considerably before adding the beeswax.