Six New Paintings to show at local gallery
I have to thank my daughter, Stephanie, for the inspiration on four of the new paintings. Her commitment to her photography hobby provides me with a continual flow of images. This time her visits to a stable/farm near her home in Maryland and to the beach across from my house were the necessary influence.
Hi Mom, Guess what I saw is intended to show the enthusiasm of a young colt discovering his new world under the watchful eye of his mother.

 Colonel who??? This painting is about attitude. The defiant countenance of the rooster says "I am the king of the barnyard...and don't you forget it!"





 IL POZZO is a memory of a small gallery I found in an alley in Tuscany a couple of summers ago. The idea of fresh, new art being displayed in the crumbling facades of past generations was echoed in the bright sunlight on one wall of the dim alley.

The promise of a new day as a shrimpboat plies the Atlantic waters off Amelia Island led me to Amelia Sunrise. And, the golden light of dawn reveals a small group of residents searching for treasure in the sands of Amelia Island. I call it Dawn Patrol.

Finally, the local gallery asks the artists to produce small paintings for gift buyers at the holiday season, otherwise known as a box show. This year I have painted one I call Fire and Ice.

Dog Days of Summer!
It has been a busy summer what with family weddings, a number of visitors and a host of other time-consuming activities. Still, I managed to complete several new paintings. One that is already in the gallery is based on my grandson and his devotion to the great American pastime. Obviously, I titled it Field of Dreams.

Three more are going into the gallery this weekend. One is a portrait of my Cockapoo, Maddy. This painting shows her looking out the window. Is she wishing she was running free outside, or is she anxiously waiting for the grandkids to come home from school?

 

Another is called "Up and Over". It is based on some photos that my daughter shot of my granddaughter's friend in one of her favorite environments. The confidence and determination of both horse and rider is what I hoped to capture. 

The other one is the most directly related to the next gallery show's theme, Celebrate the South. I call it "Swamp Reflections". It depicts the quiet serenity of the swamp--minus the bugs and critters.

How time flies! It has been several months since my last posting. I have been spending a lot of that time rebuilding my website, grubinart.com. Now that I have it up and running, I can get back to the regular activities.
It is almost time for the Summer show at the gallery and I have completed four new paintings for showing.
"Walkies".  In amongst all the colorful and wonderful sights one of the many things that caught my attention was the people "walking" their dogs. I really enjoyed painting this one.
"Old French Boats" was my first foray into acrylic knife painting. I loosely based the subject on some scenes from coastal France and some earlier studies I had done of works of European painters. Letting the knife and thick paint interpret the subject is often freeing.









"On the Beach". Some years back I painted a beach scene from Martha's Vineyard. A friend from Massachusetts bought it. I recently came across a photograph of the painting and decided to concentrate a new version on the couple and their umbrella.








 "No Rush Hour" also came from my last European adventure. Quiet streets in old Mediterranean towns always seem to have a calming effect in forgetting the hustle and bustle of the new world. I find scenes like this peaceful and charming.






I also recently completed a painting for one of my patrons who had bought a dog painting from me last year. I used photos of two separate Wheatens he has owned and put them together. "Wheaties" places the puppy that came first with the latest one. I hope I captured their personalities.

Getting a jump on Spring

Although it is still January, the  next show at the gallery will be called March into Spring. While I have not  painted any newly emerging plants or animals, I have done a variety of fresh subjects for the show.

Ready to cast off represents the anticipation of a new journey. The rowboat and its passenger tell me that it is time to go somewhere..time to explore.  Misty Morning Woods also speaks to exploring. Those things close to us may be visible and clear, but what is distant is something of a mystery.







Can Someone Get My Ball? comes from a scene near my home
where a footbridge crosses a pond. For years I have thought about
painting it, but never had the right inspiration. Then, one day I saw a

small dog crossing the bridge and a story began to develop in my head.

Master of Murano is based on observations of a master craftsman demonstrating glass blowing. This retired old master came in to show a group of tourists how he makes beauty emerge from a lump of molten glass. It was enchanting to watch.

End of Year Show

It is time for the November show at the gallery and this year we are introducing something new. We call it Gallery Squared. Each exhibitor was asked to produce art on 10" square wooden blocks. This is in addition to the regular pieces that are to be exhibited this quarter. I have produced two of the squares. "Are you talking to me?" is based on the facial expressions of my mother's Pekingese, and "Where is that 'Paws' key?" is from my curious little Cockapoo discovering a keyboard. While I wasn't thinking about it when I created these, it seems that the majority of my sales this year have been animals and birds.


"Amelia Summit Meeting" is from the scene outside the gallery's back window. There in a small golf course lake is a log where the local turtles meet to sun and?.

"Downtime" comes from a scene I observed in Rome last year. The drivers seem to spend a lot of the day relaxing in the carriages. Might make a nice retirement job.

"Mutual Admiration Society" is based on one of my daughters love for animals and the knowing response of a carriage horse here on Amelia Island. I hope I have portrayed the feelings that each has for the other.

Gallery Additions -

Another show is coming up, and I have been painting steadily to prepare. Four new entries include: Lucy -A painting I did of my older dog. She is now thirteen and recently diagnosed with Lymphoma. I guess the painting was a cathartic exercise as I came to grips with the future. She is now in the midst of chemo and is doing well--so far.
Feeding time was based on a fellow traveler who stopped during a tour of Dubrovnik to feed the pigeons.

It struck me how giving and nature-loving man can be when he stoops to aid the lowliest of the bird kingdom.

R.I.P. is of a little old church and surrounding graveyard located on an old plantation on Fort George Island in Florida. The location, perhaps from its age, takes on an almost otherworldly feeling of peace.

And, Eager Crew was from observations of the antics of local pelicans. These were excitedly greeting boaters on the downtown dock in Fernandina Beach.

Latest Additions to Gallery Entries

The Spring show just opened at the gallery and I entered four new paintings.
 Concentration was based on a long ago visit by my grandson. All of the surrounding world becomes secondary as a child examines the grains of sand spilling between his little fingers.









  Island Sunshine is a remembrance from an earlier dive trip. Everything becomes golden as the sunshine melts over the water and islands of the Caribbean.  







First Spring is based on a photo of one of my dogs when she was only a few months old. The warmth and wonder of a young pup's first Spring leads to a pause...if only for a brief moment.












The Door Guard came from last Fall's cruise.

Upon reaching the entry to a beautiful, old building in Dubrovnik, I was taken by the sentinel at the door. Unmoving as the tourists walked by, he seemed to say I am guarding my place.