Big sky

Big sky Over Hog Island  10 x 10  

I couldn't think of a more relaxing way to unwind from a stressful week than to paint "happy clouds." One sniff of oil paints and turpentine and I instantly fall into a sort of zen mode and all is well again. Well, that and a glass of wine. I didn't have time to commit to a larger painting, but wanted to play with paints. This cloud study is of Hog Island in Ipswich Mass, where the trees sprawls out over the serene salt marsh. Below is how it looks framed, against a teal colored wall.

Concord art show

The gloaming (study) 4 x 6 

POSTSCRIPT: SOLD • 

I currently have two these paintings in the Concord Art Association small works art show. (click here to see photos) The CAA is housed in a beautiful, large historic home in downtown Concord, and always has wonderful shows. The show runs December 2—20th. Direction here.

Birds nest (color study): I   5 x 7

Art in the Barn, 2014

Halibut Point path  30 x 30

Here is a sneak peek at the 13 paintings I've submitted to the 25th annual Essex County Greenbelt's juried 'Art in the Barn' show this weekend—including 3 large paintings and 10 small, unframed paintings. The group show is three days only—Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 12–15. There will be loads of paintings, pottery, jewelry, and sculpture to peruse and purchase. There will be a wine and cheese reception Friday night with food stands and live music! The ECG is "...the region’s most effective champion of land conservation, working to conserve the farmland, wildlife habitat and scenic landscapes of Essex County, " so any art that you buy supports the beautiful ECGA open spaces of the North Shore. Hope you can make it!

Gloucester Marsh with Egret  6 x 12 

detail  from Gloucester Marsh

Manchester Marsh  6 x 9  

Smaller works

Kim's fabled fish route

Remember the good old days when milk was delivered? Probably not—but it was convenient. If you're lucky enough to live on Boston's North Shore, Kim Bartlett will deliver fresh fish right to your door! Kim's fabled fish route starts in West Gloucester, and runs through Essex, Ipswich, Hamilton, Wenham, North Beverly, Prides Crossing, Beverly Farms, and ends in Manchester… by the sea.

Here's how it works: you order your 'fish wish' by Tuesday evening by contacting Kim either by e-mail or telephone, then in the wee hours of Wednesday morning—way before you are awake and thinking of dinner, never mind fish—he buys his fish from the largest and best-kept vessels fishing out of Gloucester, via a fish distributor called Ocean Crest Seafoods. This fish is gorgeous and as fresh as it gets—shiny and briny! Kim weighs out the fish, packs it into individual bags sorted by weight and kind, and places it into coolers in the back of his Toyota truck. Then he cranks up the jazz music and sets off to deliver the fish to "the iceboxes of the beautiful ladies of the North Shore!" He's a charmer, that one.

Kim has been doing this sui generis sea-to-door fish delivery routine for over 35 years! It all began when he was a writer and stay at home dad who needed to get out of the house one day a week. Oh, and did I mention that this New Englander is also a carpenter, makes gorgeous hand carved bowls, and is a published author!? Ayup. You can buy a copy of his published book, The Finest Kind, about the lives of Gloucester Fishermen on Amazon.com by clicking here.

Kim's delivered fish service is a fabulous deal! You get the absolute freshest fish for a very good price, and it's delivered right to your door with a bright and happy smile. If you aren't home when he delivers you can leave a cooler with some money for him, or arrange something else. He's very trustworthy and so some folks just leave their door open for him, they way they would for a plumber or carpenter, which makes for fun stories...

One day years ago Kim was delivering to a home on Argilla Road in Ipswich. He had another customer in the woods directly behind that house, so he would park at one house and walk through the woods and around the back to get to the other house. This particular day, a landscaping crew working on one yard saw this stranger (Kim!) sneak into a house, sneak out, then disappear. Of course, they called the Ipswich cops who roared in, raced into the house, paused, opened the fridge door, shut it and announced to the landscapers: "It was just the fish man!" 

To order:

e-mail   kimbartlett1@gmail.com

phone  617-595-8886

What's your fish wish?

Kim's fresh fish
Haddock — $12. per lb
Salmon — $12. per lb
Flounder / Sole — $12. per lb
Scallops — $16.50 per lb

+ 

Fresh farm eggs
$2.50 per dozen

+ 

Kims very own maple syrup
quart — $25.
half gallon — $35.
gallon — $50.

Impressionists on the water

Water, water everywhere… to quote Samuel Taylor Coleridge. I finally saw the Impressions on the Water show at the Peabody Essex Museum last week. The small but stellar exhibit features impressionist paintings from throughout France that have water elements in them—lakes, rivers, inland waterways, or the sea—by renowned artists such as Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Signac and Caillebotte, as well as etching and model ships.

Of course I was utterly mesmerized by every Monet painting in the show, and in order to see every brush stroke I studied each of his paintings up close—as close as the museum guards would let me stand to them! It's always nice to learn from the masters and one cannot see those details in images from a book or on the web. The colors and brushstrokes in the painting below were sublime! One of my favorite paintings is the one you see above, the glorious yellow and orange colored “Saint-Tropez, the Red Buoy,” painted by Paul Signac.

One element of the exhibit that was particularly interesting to me was a recreation of Claude Monet's floating boat studio—complete with paint box, easel, a magnificent scenic view, and a series of computer generated paintings that were being created before my very eyes. Cool concept, and well executed. There are also beautiful boat models that were designed by Caillebotte. Boston Globe writer Sebastian Smee wrote an excellent article about the show—and really, all of his art reviews are excellent—and he raved about these boat models. You can read his article by clicking here.

So although the show wasn't huge, to me it was still worth the visit. Aren't we lucky to have these beautiful exhibits at such an esteemed, local museum? This is in our own back yard! "Impressions" runs to February 17, 2014 so you only have a few more weeks to see it. Anchors aweigh!

A magical menagerie

Hamilton artist Juliana Boyd has an exhibit at the Hamilton Library, showcasing her amazingly intricate, two-dimensional textile works of art. 

In a former life Juliana was an apparel designer, but more recently this Irish lass has gone to the wild side! She uses a combination of appliqué (using upholstery fabric) and a centuries-old process of needle felting (using un-spun wool in myriad hues) to create wool “paintings” of  all manner of happy critters—both domestic and wild. The artist has felted a magical fauna menagerie of foxes, field mice, hedgehogs, birds, backyard bunnies, and my person favorite... chipmunks! And there's flora too—several beautiful flowers! In one example of a spectacular blue colored morning glory, you clearly see the skill of Juliana's craft with all the lovely shading gradations she achieves by felting. 

The artist also takes on commissions, in case you've ever considered timelessly immortalizing your family pet. The animals are usually perched in regal wing back chairs, or on fluffy, tufted cushions. In the show there's a darling little terrier perched on a blue and white toile covered chair! The show runs to February 1, so don't miss it. (the show has been extended until the end of February!), You won't believe these works are made of wool and fabric, and you'll leave feeling warm and—sorry, can't resist—fuzzy! And when you go, make sure to look closely at the eyes... they really twinkle with life. 

I admire Juliana's skill, her love of nature, and her imagination — which was inspired at a young age by stories of Growler and Renard, a wolf and a fox respectively, that her father told to her and her siblings. Read more about Juliana and her enchanting artwork by clicking here!

Charmingly worded 

in her press release, Juliana writes:

In these quiet January days it might be nice to

re-visit the woolly world of Growler and Renard 

at the Hamilton Wenham Library. The woodland 

creatures have taken up residence among the 

bookstacks, and flowers are peeking out 

to remind us of spring days ahead.

The greening of the Great House

I went to the Greening of The Great House at Castle Hill in Ipswich, Mass. yesterday. It was festive and full of Christmas cheer, which helped me get into the holiday groove. Maybe it was the live band playing tunes, or maybe it was the cookies they were handing out in the grand kitchen! Being a grand house, it also got me in the mood for the next season of Downton Abbey. The "greening" part was that local florists and greenhouses each had a room to decorate in whatever festive fashion they wished. Most were a bit off the mark, compared to other years, IMHO. But it was still fun to see.

One highlight I'm always thrilled to see when I sweep through the rooms of Castle Hill is a pencil portrait of Mrs. Crane, sketched by John Singer Sargent! I swoon whenever I see it.

all photos, Dan Ryan and Diane Carnevale

View from the hill

Dan took these breathtaking photos from Castle Hill on the Crane Estate this weekend. Are we not lucky to live on this beautiful North Shore of Boston? Such magnificence! The Trustees of Reservations have been busy on a three-year restoration of the trees lining the grand allée that rolls down to the sea. When we were married at Castle Hill in 1993 the old Norway spruces then were well over 30 feet tall, but old age and strong winds had made them look ragged, so they chopped them all down and planted new ones. The photo above is the section of trees that is closest to the ocean. The statue is one of the last of a line of them that flack easy side of the allée.

Below is the view of Crane's beach—

on the right of the grand allée. 

The ocean is almost a cobalt blue!

Below is the backside view on the drive up to Castle Hill, overlooking Fox Creek, which winds through the marsh like a serpent.

Below, leaves covering steps in 

one of the Italian Garden.

Crane Estate art show & sale—2013

This coming weekend is the Trustees of Reservations annual Crane Estate art show & sale! It's a chance to visit and "View more than 150 pieces of art highlighting the beauty of North Shore's landscapes and landmarks." I have 5 paintings in the show this year—two large canvases and three small ones. Shown here are three of them.

The Crane Estate is beautiful to visit this time of year, magically perched on a hillside that overlooks the Atlantic ocean. The kids can run wild and the adults can pop inside to see the paintings, then you can stop into Russell Orchards on the way home for some apples or cider donuts. It's free, and show hours are Saturday and Sunday, November 8th and 9th from 10-4. There is a preview party Friday night (Nov 7th) from 7 to 10 PM with an open bar, catered hors d'oeuvres, and music. Tickets for the preview party are $50. each, but it's a really good time and worth the price of admission to be in an enchanting grand estate filled with beautiful artwork. Hope you can make it some time over the weekend!

POSTSCRIPT: SOLD!

Not your average scarecrow

There's a creative Halloween display that pops up every year on Bridge Street in Hamilton, MA. Alton Bynam and his family take scarecrows to a whole new level and annually display the most amazing tableaus. In the past it's been the Flintstones, The Wizard of Oz, or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but this year Ariel and the characters from the Little Mermaid are front and center. The evil and voluptuous Ursula, shown above, has obviously stolen the show from little Ariel. Also on display are King Neptune, Sebastian the crab, The Prince, the fish and the seagull. Read more about this creative family here. Well done!

Here it is all lit up at night!

Three blind mice

The artist who made these adorable standing mice is Johnny Ward, from Seattle, WA. He uses some sort of alchemistic chemistry using concrete and lye to achieve the interesting patina effect on them. Check out his website here. When I first saw the mice in the True North Gallery in Hamilton I knew I had to purchase not just one but three of them. They stand outside on my steps but I suppose I'll need to bring them inside for the winter.

Coach class

We have quite a treat in Hamilton this weekend with a group of classic four-horse drawn coaches in town for North Shore Coaching Weekend. Dan and I checked them out yesterday (it was a bit rainier than forecast; sure made us appreciate our modern cars with heat — and roofs). The horses, carriages and riders were all quite striking trotting down the grassy paths at Appleton Farms. It's a shame it was raining, but it was a gorgeous sight anyway. A little later we watched the carriages parade down Bay Road in Hamilton. They looked quite natural in the rustic country setting of Appleton Farms, but they a bit looked anachronistic clippity-clopping on asphalt and past modern stop signs with automobiles on the road.

And right out of central casting ... the photos below just shows that if you put a top hat or bowler hat on anyone they are immediately transported to another age and time. The ladies and gents looked quite dapper, even in the rain.

The Coaching Weekend continues Saturday (with a drive to Bradley Palmer State Park) and Sunday (featuring a stint on our own street and a final stop at Myopia for the weekly polo match).

Some enchanting garden

The Rose Garden inside Beverly's Lynch park is a magical place indeed. Originally it was the formal sunken Italian rose garden of President Taft's original summer home. I grew up nearby on Lothrop Street and used to frolic in the beautifully manicured garden when I was a child. Wasn't I lucky? It's really no wonder that my husband and I eventually created a sunken garden in our own back yard with such grand inspiration! The two huge stone lions that flank the entrance steps were so majestic and mysterious to me, and the aroma of the flowers were heavenly. The garden has beautiful herringbone brick pathways, ancient carved limestone benches, and a brick wall that encloses it like a neat little package. Shouldering the Atlantic Ocean, the crashing waves add an extra romantic touch to the garden. It's also a fabulous place to get married, and I just happen to know that twenty years ago today it was a spectacularly sunny day there... wink wink. 

Upon entering, the signs on the brick columns read:

Whoever enters here let him beware

For he shall nevermore escape nor be free of my spell.

(bottom photos, Diane Carnevale)

Fabulous Fabergé

Ever wish you could fly to the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia to see an ornate Fabergé egg? All you have to do is drive to Salem, Ma! Fabergé Revealed is an exhibit currently showing at the Peabody Essex Museum are more than 230 decorative pieces—brooches, frames, cigarette cases, parasol handles, carved stone animals and a few of those amazing eggs—are all luxuriating in air conditioned splendor at the museum, away from all this summer heat and humidity. Only 42 imperial eggs, expertly crafted by the House of Fabergé between 1855 and 1916, are known to exist in the world. The eggs are made of jewels and precious metals, and were created for Russian tsars to give as Easter gifts. I only get a Lindt chocolate bunny! The exhibit through September 29.

Art in the Barn, 2013

Tuscan olive grove

I have three paintings in the annual Essex County Greenbelt Association's  'Art in the Barn' show. The group show is this weekend, three days only—today, Saturday and Sunday—and there's loads of paintings, pottery, jewelry, and sculpture to peruse and buy. This organization is "...the region’s most effective champion of land conservation, working to conserve the farmland, wildlife habitat and scenic landscapes of Essex County, " so any art that you buy supports the beautiful ECGA open spaces of the North Shore. Click here to view more of my paintings on my website.

San Gimignano skyline

On the scent

Crane Estate art show & sale—2012

This coming weekend is the Trustees of Reservations' annual Crane Estate art show & sale! The theme for this year is An Alternate View, and it's a chance to "View more than 150 pieces of art highlighting the beauty of North Shore landscapes and landmarks." I have 2 landscape paintings in the show, including this one named "Autumn Marsh," which is of Fox Creek in Ipswich.

Even without the awesome art show, the Crane Estate is beautiful to visit this time of year, magically perched on a hillside that overlooks the Atlantic ocean. The kids can run wild and the adults can pop inside to see the paintings, then you can stop into Russell Orchards on the way home for some apples or cider donuts. Show hours are Saturday and Sunday, November 3th and 4th from 10-4, and there is a preview party Friday night (tonight!) from 7 to 10 PM with an open bar, catered hors d'oeuvres, and music. Hope you can make it!