Self Portrait - A Western Avenue Studio 326 Challenge

Challenges..........challenges!  This painting began as a challenge activity between my studio mates at Western Avenue in Studio 326.  We were all to create a self portrait in the medium of our choice. Some did sketches in pencil or pen, some in water colors, and some of us in oils.  Portrait painting is a difficult task and one that I learned a great deal from.  Most artists at some time or other in their career attempt a self portrait. I was reluctant to post this at the risk of readers thinking that I am vain, however, I was encouraged by friends to do so.  I do think that the painting looks somewhat like me and is a fair for a first attempt at figurative painting.  Looking at it makes me want to turn back the hands of time.......but what is, is!  With this post I have caught up with my posts after a long hiatus from this blog.  It does show that I have been working in the studio painting even though I was not blogging.  I really enjoy sharing a studio with other painters for the comraderie, constructive criticism, and fun afforded by activities such as this one.

Kimball Farms Antique Ice Cream Truck

Another of my summer paintings, this painting was the final result of what began as a day of Plein Air
painting in late August.  The truck  is an antique ice cream truck from the local ice cream stand that has been a fixture of life in Westford, MA for many years.  The painting was finally finished in my studio from pictures taken on location.  Another challenging subject for me to paint was this vehicle. I am relatively pleased with this painting which is available.  If you are interested contact me.

Art Teacher Wins State House Christmas Card Contest

           In November members of our open studio group were invited to the State Archives Building on Morrisey Boulevard in Boston to celebrate Marie Stabile's award as the winner of the 2010 State House Christmas Card Contest.  For the past two and one half years Marie has been my teacher and mentor as I paint with the Cameron Senior Center Open Studio Artists every Monday afternoon.  The pictures in this post are of Marie receiving this award from Secretary of State William Galvin,  Marie Stabile and long time friend and artist Janet Lambert Moore who was last year's award winner, members of the open studio art group, and of course the award winning painting. 

Farmer's Market 2010

As I promised in a previous post I have again statrted to post to this blog.  The painting on the left is a 16X20 oil that I painted last summer of the Farmer's Market. I am pleased with the results since the challenge for me was the multiple figures and the many tent angles.  This painting is available and is now hanging in my studio at Western Avenue.

First Parish Church United on the Common Westford, Massachusetts

This painting is of the First Parish Church United which is on the Common in Westford, Massachusetts.  A beautiful building with a great deal of historical significance since it served as Westford's Meeting House for over 100 years.  The early records of this wonderful rural town are still housed among the church records. The painting is an 8 X 10 oil on canvas board.  I am pleased with the results I achieved.  This painting is the second of a series of paintings that I intend to do of sites around Westford.  In an earlier post I showed a view of the Gazebo on Mill Pond in Graniteville, one of the villages of Westford, which I painted in the Spring of 2010.  The painting is available and is copyrighted 2010 Joe Lapiana..  I am looking forward to the cooler weather of September and October to do more plein air paintings and to working at my studio at #326 on the third floor of the Western Avenue Studios in Lowell, MA.

Mountain Hideaway

It's been a lomg hot summer and I have only been painting once a week, primarily with an Open Studio Group that meets on Mondays at the Cameron Center in Westford. The room we use has been beautifully renovated and best of all air conditioned on these dog days.  With the heat I was thinking of cooler places and so I was inspired to paint this scene reminding me of an area in Estes Park, Colorado.  I am fairly happy with the depth that I was able to achieve and how the tones create a distinction using lights and darks.  This painting, an 8 X 10" oil on canvas board, is copyrighted 2010 Joe Lapiana and is available for purchase.

Last Friday, 7-2-10 several of the Nashua Area   Breakfast Club Artists met in Hollis, New Hampshire to paint Plein Air.  This is my painting of "A House On Monument Square.  It was so much fun to paint outdoors with a group of artists who each chose a scene to paint.  Some of us painted the same scene from different angles. We will repeat the plein air experience each Friday as weather and time permits.