Thursday, July 31, 2008

Hilltop Garden

Hilltop Garden by Alison Vernon
30x24, oil with palette knives

www.alisonvernon.com

I love contrasts in nature like the lights and darks on a sunny day or shades of yellows and blues.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Buttercups by the Old Fence

Buttercups by the Old Fence by Alison Vernon
20x20, oil with palette knives





Tuesday, July 29, 2008

After the Rain

After the Rain by Alison Vernon
24x30, oil with palette knives

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Low Tide

Low Tide by Alison Vernon
20x30, oil with palette knives
In the early summer my enthusiasm for gardening is at its peak. I plant tons of flowers, carefully choosing the right spot, water and fertilize. Around now, the end of July, my enthusiasm for gardening, weeding and dead-heading wanes to nill. I don't care anymore. The impatience is covered with something bad, the rose leaves have fallen off and the slugs are the size of our cockapoo. I'd rather paint.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Hampton Beach

Hampton Beach by Alison Vernon
26x40, palette knife oil
I love painting people walking on the beach. So much personality and attitude can be captured with a random dab of paint. Over here is the weight-lifter with the perfectly tanned body and there is the matronly woman with her daughter. I'm often surprised by who shows up in a painting.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Sandpipers

Sandpipers by Alison Vernon
6x12, palette knife oil
The simple beauties of life intrigue me most.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Dancing Irises

Dancing Irises by Alison Vernon
30x24, oil with palette knives

www.alisonvernon.com

I was fooling with a new background here. It was so much fun to experiment with it. Irises are such unusual flowers...a real call to artists.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Goldfinch

Goldfinch by Alison Vernon
12x9, oil with palette knives
Goldfinches come to our birdfeeders all year round. In the summertime they dress in their lovely yellow tuxedos.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Gladiolas

Gladiolas by Alison Vernon
5x5, oil with knives
These gladiolas were for sale at a vegetable stand in Vermont. Farmers with calloused hands harvested these delicate spires and placed them in utility buckets. That would make a cool painting.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Betsy's Bouquet

Betsy's Bouquet by Alison Vernon
20x20, oil with palette knives
commission
Betsy asked for a floral painting with two glass vases but in mid-arrangement so that the bulk of the flowers were on the table. She wanted the painting to hang in her livingroom near another of my paintings, Red Gladiolas. We're both very pleased with Betsy's Bouquet.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Barn

Barn by Alison Vernon
4x6", oil with palette knives

www.alisonvernon.com

Health insurance is a powerfully limiting factor to freedom and creativity. My husband and I are now in our fifties, the kids are through college and our financial status is fairly stable. We want to blow out of here and head to the Southwest and check out the art scene there. But, hold on! What's that lump? Is my knee swollen? These questions cost thousands of dollars to answer. So we cautiously continue with our day-to-day putting health insurance above life-enriching adventure.


Saturday, July 12, 2008

Alli's Dog, Scooter

Alli's Dog, Scooter by Alison Vernon
12x12, oil with knives, commission
Saturday morning in July. Planning a day with endless possibilities...

Friday, July 11, 2008

Two Girls and Two Ducks

Two Girls and Two Ducks by Alison Vernon
20x30, oil with palette knives

www.alisonvernon.com

I've painted everything for people: boats, trucks, grandchildren, dogs, cats, flowers, driveways, gardens, homes, dead relatives, wedding bouquets, etc. I love doing commissions because it pleases people so very much to see their beloved subject translated into a painting and because it's a sold painting from the get-go.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Sand Dunes and Sea Grass

Sand Dunes and Sea Grass by Alison Vernon
24x30, oil with palette knives
I have recently had the opportunity to give art instruction to a young teenager who is hearing impaired. She was delightful and wide open to painting with palette knives. I'm not sure how much her disability contributes to her attitude but this young woman with her courage and willingness to "go for it" made for a highly rewarding class for me.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Lupine

Lupine by Alison Vernon
24x24, palette kife oil
As I watch the morning news our two puppies are wrestling over an empty selzer bottle. The plastic makes a racket which adds to their excitement. Their happy mayhem is so simple and unfettered by global worries. It's therapeutic to watch them.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Parrot

Parrot by Alison Vernon
18x6, oil with palette knives
I see the world in color. (That sounds ridiculous.) Try again: I see the world in INTENSE and VIBRANT color. I paint what I see. With palette knives, color is more dramatic because it's crisper. I've gotten more comfortable with color over the years so that my green landscapes are loaded with purples, blues, reds and oranges. It's da bomb

Monday, July 7, 2008

Purple Loosestrife through the Trees

Purple Loosestrife through the Trees by Alison Vernon
24x30, oil with palette knives
It's Monday. Two years ago, this meant the start of the work week for me as the Clinical Director at the local VNA. And though I loved my job, Mondays meant five days of human crisis, scheduling with an ever diminishing nursing workforce, disease, recovery or death.
Now, as a full-time artist, Mondays are as awesome as any other day of the week.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Horses by the Fence

Horses by the Fence by Alison Vernon
30x40, oil with palette knives

www.alisonvernon.com
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26hurv3q4rM

Last night we heard the fireworks grand finale down by the lake. Our 50 pound dog lunged up onto the couch and curled securely around my head. I'm thinking of that man who died who dedicated his life to the fireworks show somewhere in the midwest. He died and they decided to send his ashes up in the display. His wife said on the TV that this would be his last "grand finale". There's just something wonderfully odd about that.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Nancy's Bouquet

Nancy's Bouquet by Alison Vernon
12x24, oil
I forgot all the words to the national anthem. I woke up this morning, July 5th, still feeling that wave of patriotism and I started humming the tune. And then I went blank on the words. What's that part about ramparts? What's a rampart? Am I the only one?

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Chickadees and Forsythia

Chickadees and Forsythia
15x30, oil with palette knives
It's the time for weddings. When the world situation seems so dire, here is an event that symbolizes the power of love, the birth of a new generation and hope for the future. At a minimum, it's a party!

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Shouded Sun

Shouded Sun by Alison Vernon
oil, 24x30
I keep finding myself worrying about snow. Isn't that rediculous? It's July. But five months ago there were four feet of snow where my lillies are now blooming. We couldn't see out our windows because of the mountains of WHITE WHITE WHITE. I can't imagine going through that again next winter SO I'm already planning a two week vacation to somewhere luscious and GREEN! This is a priority.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Two Adirondack Chairs

Two Adirondack Chairs by Alison Vernon
16x20, oil with palette knives
Watch a youtube video of a painting of Boats Anchored in Maine

This painting was purchased by a gentleman who brought tears to my eyes. He had recently lost several dear family members. When he looks at this painting he sees his deceased nephew and best friend sitting in the chairs and his old dog splashing in the water. This painting gives him comfort.