Busy Summer

Wow, this has been a fast paced Summer.  We have made several trips to Elk Rapids, Michigan and Mackinac Island to my galleries.  They are always whirlwind trips as I attempt to also gather new reference photos for future work.   I am also in the process of finalizing a show-date TBT.
Aside from trips my nose has been to the grindstone most of the Summer.  Well, along with gardening and chasing my 1-1/2 year old grandson around the yard.  Oh, and did I mention that my daughter had foot surgery 3 weeks ago and have been taking care of her.  She is not allowed to place any weight on her foot until August 5th.  In addition she developed a blood clot and infection in that foot.  Luckily, neither appear to be serious (clot very small) but all concerns just the same.
The painting in this post is a vintage 53 foot Chris Craft Constellation owned by the owners of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.  It is their baby.  This painting is oil and the size is 2-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches.
Till next time,
Gail

Memories of Mackinac

This is my latest Trompe Lóeil painting entitled Memories of Mackinac.  The idea behind the composition is a tourist returning home from the island and tacking up all their favorite photos along with snippets of island flowers collected on the way home.  It is meant to look like everything is tacked up on a white board.  Notice that I carried the shadow of the lower lilac onto the frame to complete the 3 dimensional look.  The painting was done in oil and the image is 12" x 16".  I have 3 more compositions waiting to paint between miniatures.  Can't wait!
This painting will be available for purchase on the island in May.
Till next time,
Gail

Grand Phone Call

Well, I don't ever post the same painting twice, but I have good reason. I received a phone call yesterday telling me that my painting Grand Arrival had been juried into the 2012 Mackinac Island Art Exhibit that will take place this summer at the Manoogian Museum on the island. The theme for this exhibit is the Grand Hotel in honor of its 125th birthday. I was completely blown away to learn that their were 80 entries and only 15 were chosen for the exhibit, mine being one of them!!! The best part is that their are six cash prizes to be announced in June. Wish me luck!

Artists Of Mackinac Island

I am pleased to announce that I have been invited to participate in an exhibition at the Crooked Tree Art Center in Petoskey, Michigan, entitled Artists of Mackinac Island. The Crooked Tree Center is the premiere gallery in Northern Michigan for visual and performing arts as well as educational programs. This exhibition will encompass both main galleries and run from June 2nd through September 2nd. More details as they become available.

Beginning in May, I will also have a new gallery representing my work. I am very excited about this opportunity! I will be sharing the details of this gallery in a later blog.

Till next time,

Where Do I Begin?

My backyard, wow, most leaves are down!

Wow, where to begin after not updating in so long? I am not even going to try to describe all that we have done since June. Well, we did finish the front lawn, actually just last week as every time we put sod down, it would burn up before it finally knitted to the soil. So, we gave up until a couple of weeks ago. Glad it is over.

My husband and I made several trips to both Mackinac Island and Elk Rapids to paint in front of my galleries. We met many wonderful friends along the way. We still have one more trip to Mackinac Island and will be staying on the island for two days due to a gift certificate from an artist friend.

Below are just some of the paintings I have completed over the summer. Till next time,

Hollyhock Heaven 3-1/2" x 4-3/4"

Carriage House 3-1/2" x 4-3/4"

Grand Fountain 2-1/2" x 3-1/2"

So What Have You Been Doing For Fun?

It has been quite a while since my last post and we have been busy. Already this year we have spent time on Mackinac Island. My dear husband bought me a new bike ,on the island for mothers day. I love it! It is called a Biria, very unique design that reminds me a lot of the bike I had when I was a girl. We were having so much fun riding around on the island I did not take any pictures-go figure.
Weather the last few weeks has been strange. Lots of 50 degree days with buckets of rain. Finally, we got some warm weather and sun. With it came a ton of work around our house. Last fall we had an issue with one of the walls of our home and basically I had more bulldozers on my lawn than on the road. Bottom line-I lost most of my lawn and flower garden-uh!!! Three weeks ago we guilted our two grown children into helping us and we stripped off the old lawn/weeds and laid down new sod on about half the lawn. My back has been killing me ever since. Hopefully, in the next week or so we will have the job done. I can't wait.

In between all the yard work we spent a day in Elk Rapids and I painted for my gallery there, Twisted Fish. It was their Art Beat gallery hopping day. The weather was wonderful and I met many wonderful people. I always enjoy talking the Bob and "Charlie", the owners who have become friends over the years.

I will be camping this coming weekend in Mackinaw City and painting on the island at Victorian Summer Gallery ,Saturday and Sunday, as part of the Lilac Festival Celebration. I am looking forward to seeing the many friends I have made on the island as well as meeting new friends. The kids will get watering duty back home! I will be delivering Rain On Main, one of my latest pieces of Main Street, taken from a photo of a very rainy fall day. I was inspired to paint this scene because of the reflections on the pavement. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Till next time,

Gail

Still Hybernating

As I am writing this blog, my husband and I are parked in front of our wood burning stove vowing not to move. We have warned the dogs NOT to ask to go outside (we know that will only last so long) and are even sitting under blankets. Although daylight savings time officially starts at 2am, you would never know it by our weather. Today it has rained, snowed, sleet, you name it, we have had it. It is the kind of day where the damp settles into your bones and stays. I must be getting old!
I have been painting non-stop for the past month. I am currently working on 3 paintings to enter in Michigan competitions. These three are very complicated images that have taken forever. I really enjoy the challenge. I have also completed a couple of paintings for Mackinac Island and three for Twisted Fish Gallery in Elk Rapids, Mich. Aside from the weather on days like today, Michigan is a great place to live. This state provides a tremendous variety of images to paint from. I am never bored.
The big news from the Hayton household is that our son, Jeff is officially engaged. They leave home? I thought that was a myth! Seriously, he is marrying a very nice girl and we are happy for both of them.
My latest pieces are below. They are both acrylic and measure 3-1/2 inches by 4-3/4". A bit larger than my normal format. Who knew painting an extra inch or so could take so long. Go figure.
Till next time,

My Show on Mackinac Island

Wow, I cannot believe it has been a month since I updated my blog. To say I have been busy is an understatement. Last Saturday evening was the opening reception for my miniature show on Mackinac Island. It was a very eventful weekend.
We arrived on the island Friday as I had some framing to complete before the show. The weather was already getting nasty and was the beginning of a rough weekend on the island. The ferry ride was more like going to the amusement park and the wind was buckling our umbrellas in the opposite way they fold. Not to be deterred, we went about our business and helped the gallery owner finalize the setup of the show.
Friday evening was the opening reception for my friend Bill Murcko's show at the library that hosts art events as well. We fought our way over in the wind and driving rain (no cars on the island) and talked with Bill, Betty, his wife, and their son who had flown in from New York. I took a picture of Bill next to my favorite painting in the show. I love the expression on the girls face in this painting. One wonders what she is thinking about!


The opening reception for my show was Saturday evening and the weather again did not cooperate. I had a friend that called to say she would not be attending the show because she was not about to get on the ferry -it was so bad out. We found out later that more than one freighter heading into Lake Michigan thought better about continuing their trip and were anchored behind the island to shelter themselves from the storm. Many people did venture out, however ,and it was a great time. Below is Bill Murcko attending MY show along with the mayor of Mackinac Island (in pink) and her mother (back turned away) who is the most spry 90 year old I have met in my life.
The gentleman in the baseball cap is Rev. Vincent Carroll, pastor of Little Stone Church. I am talking with his wife Molly, who is also an artist. They were kind enough to invite us to services the following morning. We attended and we quite surprised to be sitting in front of the governor of Michigan who was up on the island for the annual Mackinac Bridge walk.

Its not polite to point! My husband was taking the pictures. Hm, This was one of the better ones.

All in all it was a great weekend in spite of the weather. It is always good to get home, however, and I am settling back into my painting routine.

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend and didn't get windblown wherever you were at.

Till next time,

Nose To The Grindstone

The last couple of weeks I have been pretty much living in my studio. Not that I am complaining! Once a day I will pop my head out the door to check the mail and remember what season it is. Also once in a while I will go outside long enough to let my neighbors know I am still alive. Our big splurge lately is to take the Wrangler out in the evening with the top down and soak in the summer night air. Um!!!
Last week we spent the day in Elk Rapids at Twisted Fish Gallery and next week we are off to Mackinac Island again. These little breaks are good for gathering reference material and recharging the batteries. I am looking forward, in particular to touring the new Manoogian Art Museum on the island that had its dedication on Wednesday evening. Mr Manoogian is well known in the Michigan area for his generosity and fabulous art collection. He also resides on the island during the summer.
The two paintings posted are only some of my completed works. The above is a view of the produce section of Doud's Grocery Store on Mackinac Island. It measures 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" and done in acrylic. The second painting is called Iroquois Autumn and is a view of the hotel patio area overlooking the ferry dock and downtown buildings. This painting measures 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" also done in acrylic.
Till next time,

Time Is Flying!

Hi all!
I just can't believe it has been so long since I updated my blog. Forgive me. We have been on the run like many of you. Had a wonderful time on Mackinac Island for a couple of days and have also been to Elk Rapids and Sugatuck, Michigan. We are currently camping a few miles from our home. We have been here for two weeks almost a necessity to get a decent campsite. In the two weeks here, we have dodging severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. I LOVE thunder storms, but not in a motorhome! Unfortunately, last week one man was killed in a campground not far from here after his motorhome was thrown into a tree, I believe. One night while sitting here, the tornado siren went off, the wind rocked the motorhome and the power went out. I looked at my husband and said "get me out of here!!!!" Unfortunately, we only had our little ranger pickup truck with us. He threw our two golden retrievers in the front seat with us (it only seats two) and struggled to drive home as our dog kept on throwing the truck out of gear by running into the stick shift. It seems funny now, but at the time quite scary.

I have been working on several pieces, but wanted to share this one with you. It is called Blessing of the Animals. This is a ceremony that takes place once a year on Mackinac Island during Lilac Festival. I couldn't resist painting these two darling girls having their dog blessed by the minister. Notice he wears gloves. He also blessed turtles and horses.

This weekend we are having our kids and their boyfriends/girlfriends out for a cookout and fireworks show put on by the campground. Hope the weather cooperates.
Happy 4th of July to everyone and stay safe.
Till next time,

From Freezing To Frying

Has it really been over three weeks since I checked in? The calendar doesn't lie. It is amazing how time does fly. One minute I am complaining about late season snow and the next I am frying at a campground!
Although we have been away camping, I have been painting every day. It is a bit of a challenge in the heat and wind. I have worked on several painting and completed two that I have shown in this post. Below is my husband, who was not crazy about being included in my blog. We love to have a campfire every night and as you can see, our dogs also love it! Over the weekend we had both our kids and their girlfriends/boyfriends for a cookout. I would have taken pictures but it poured with rain about the time they all showed up. Isn't that the way it goes. We had a good time anyway as we all shoved together into the RV.
The painting below is called Beyond Mission Church. Mission Church is on Mackinac Island and it is listed as the oldest church in Michigan. Many weddings take place there every year. This piece is acrylic and measures 3-1/2" x 2-1/2"

The next painting is also acrylic and the same size. This painting is of the parsonage where the minister of Little Stone Church lives. Land and privacy are at a premium on the island, and as a result many residents have privacy shrubs and gates. I have always been fascinated by this house and garden and even more so after meeting Molly, the ministers wife. She is a lovely person and we had a wonderful chat last year when I painted in front of the gallery. Hope to talk to her again this year For those in the Michigan area, I will be painting at Twisted Fish Gallery in Elk Rapids, from 3:00 PM to 5:30 pm on Saturday. If you are in the area, please stop by and say hi!

Well, I need to continue to unpack the RV as we just got home a couple of hours ago.

Till next time,

Freezing On Mackinac Island

Thought I would show one of my latest paintings that I delivered to the island on Friday. This is a well loved Indian chief who is affectionately called Duck. He is a well known figure who officiates at all the parades. This painting is 4 inches by 4 inches and is painted with acrylic on ampersand gessoboard. I had a lot of fun with this piece and am considering painting some of the reinactments at Fort Mackinac.
Friday, my husband and I made our first trip to Mackinac Island for the season. The weather was horrible. The ferry ride wasn't too bad considering the windy conditions but for some reason the coast guard was sitting outside the harbor-hmmm. We walked up to Lilacs and Lace, another store owned by Jack, the gallery owner. He has just expanded his store and gave us a tour. On the way over to Victorian Summer Gallery, about two blocks away, we observed some of the horses returning to the island.

This was the best photo I could get as these big boys were moving at a fast pace. They had just taken a ferry ride from the upper peninsula and were spooking out at every noise! Just before I took this shot we had to scatter as one horse actually jumped up onto the sidewalk and almost took out the trash container in the picture. The island in season has over a hundred horses that are used for everything from taxis, trash pick up even UPS deliveries. No cars are allowed on the island.

The gallery is not open for business yet this year and looks a little bare without all the flowers in planter boxes that will be present soon. I was so busy talking with the people in the gallery I forgot to take any pictures. I get engrossed in conversation!

After leaving the gallery we walked up to the Grand Hotel to see the tulips that are on display every spring. It was so cold that every one of them was completed closed up! I can't blame them. We quickly walked back downtown and parked ourselves in one of the restaurants for lunch. We waited as long as possible before walking down to the boat docks. The weather forecast called for 2-4 inches of snow on the island.

Hopefully it will be warmer when we return next month.

Till next time,

New Works

Just wanted to share my latest pieces completed this week. The above painting is West Bluff on Mackinac Island. The building on the right, is the Grand Hotel. The buildings on the left are some of the beautiful mansions on the bluff. This piece is acrylic and is 3-1/2" x 2-1/2"

Little Stone Church is a wonderful building with three stained glass windows in the front. I think in the future I may paint the windows from the inside! This piece is also in acrylic, same size as the first.

This final piece is greatly blown up as the original is only 1-1/4" square. I call it Pop Art Pansy.

I have several pieces partially complete and hope to post them soon.

Till next time,

Gail

Spring In The Air

It has been a wonderful week in Michigan. I can't believe how beautiful the weather has been. Today is was over 70 degrees with clear blue skies. It doesn't get any better that this. Both of my dogs sat in front of the open windows in my studio and snorted in the fresh air. The only drawback was their barking at the neighborhood kids running around down by the lake. I enjoy my solitude. I hope that isn't an old people thing. A year ago this week we had a terrible ice storm that snapped tree limbs and left many without power. That is more normal for this time of year. But not this year. I feel like we jumped from Winter to Summer. Well, it is certainly motivating me to get a lot of painting done. Both of my galleries sell the bulk of my work in the Summer, so I need to push forward.
I have posted two paintings I completed this week. The flower garden I call Up Market. It is 3 x 4 in acrylic. I know, Up Market doesn't really apply to the scene. The street behind the hedge happens to be Market Street and it is heading up the hill. When I took the reference photo for this piece, I was standing along the shore of Lake Huron, with the Mackinac Bridge behind me. Just a breathtaking view for the person who lives in the house behind the garden.
The second painting is called The Grand, and is 2-1/2 x 3-1/2 in acrylic. I have done several pieces of the Grand Hotel and will probably continue to do so, because it is a popular subject on the island. The Grand has the longest porch in the world. We have stayed there several times, but really prefer and small B&B on Market Street, because it is less formal. My husband and I swore when we retired, we would never again dress up. Well, most of the time we live up to that promise. When staying at the Grand, one MUST dress formal by 6pm or not appear on the main prominade or porch. Its fun once in a while. They have a band playing during dinner and later you can go up to the portico which is a piano bar and watch the freighters traveling through the straits of Mackinac. It is a wonderful view!
Well, back to work. I think I am going to be putting in some long hours for a while.
Till next time,

On The Dark Side

The name of my latest piece pretty much sums up how I have been feeling the last week or so. The weather in Michigan, like a lot of the country has been downright crummy! We have had nothing but black skies and snow and rain. I always feel colder when it is above freezing and wet outside. It seems to go right through me the older I get. I have been living in my studio keeping away from the weather. That is OK. If I was still working I would be getting up at 4:30 to face the crummy weather!
I always feel inadequate in my posts because my life is much the same from day to day. No events to describe in colorful detail or observations on life in general. I could lament about politics, but I think most of us are downright sick of that. Not that I am complaining. What that means is there are no crisis, illness or other problems in my life. Boring is good.
I am really looking forward to spring and we had a glimpse of it today. The sky was blue, and the sun was warm. For the second year in a row, we have a rabbit living under our porch and I have been watching him (and he me) from our lower level kitchen. He is obviously enjoying the warmer weather. He watches me with nervous attention waiting to see what I will do. When my daughter came home from work she exclaimed "baby bunnies!" I freaked out. I thought we had a clutch of little rabbits all living under our porch. I had visions of our golden retrievers chasing half dozen bunnies through our yard. False alarm. She didn't realize we had ONE rabbit, so she was all excited.
Daylight savings time has added time for me in my studio. I really enjoy painting in the daylight although I always use additional lighting. More hours in the studio and less time to snack! I have recently eliminated sugar completely from my diet and reduced the carbs. Till I get used to this new regiment I am craving sugar like mad. Keep painting Keep painting.
Till next time
Gail

A Week For Patience

This has been a week for patience. I have just completed the above painting I call The Essence of Mackinac done in acrylic and is a miniature that measures 3-1/2 inches by 2-1/2 inches. When I think of Mackinac Island, this is the kind of image that comes to mind. This is one of the many historic homes on the island in all its glory! It is a piece I started several months ago and put on the shelf. Sometimes I lack patience. But as I said before, this has been the week for patience or is it patients?
My daughter had surgery on Tuesday and as I always suspected, it is easier to be the patient than the caregiver. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind being the caregiver, but I think it is exhausting. My daughter is 27, but had never been in the hospital before, let alone for major surgery. I stayed with her overnight in the hospital sleeping on a recliner they provided. I am pleased she is doing well, but she is anxious about every little ache or pain, so I must constantly reassure her. She has been quite content to be waited on hand and foot, so I finally started making her get up and do simple things on her own. I know it is better for the healing to move. I was unable to paint for a couple of days and it felt good to pick up a brush late in the week.
Today was quite warm for Michigan this time of year and I sat outside with my coffee this morning and just soaked up the sun. It felt sooooo good. I was energized for the entire day. I am really sensing the changing of the season and I can't wait!!
Plan on spending considerable time in my studio this week and hope to complete several other half finished pieces on my shelf.
Till next time,

January Freeze

Wow!!! I guess everyone is freezing right now. I am very content to work in my studio. Well, kindda. My studio has a huge window facing North with a cathedral ceiling and skylight. I can't keep it warm! When I walk in my studio in the morning, I swear I can see my breath. This room used to be my mother's bedroom when she lived with us before she passed away. She always complained about how cold it was. I thought it was an old age thing. Sorry mom, you were right. I am currently using a space heater to keep warm. Even the dogs, my constant companions, are staying out of the room.
Speaking of dogs, 2010 is starting out with more vet bills. Yikes. Renji, our younger golden (my son named him) cracked a nail running outside in the ice and snow. The nail split up into the quick. He was in tremendous pain. So, Thursday he went to the vet to be knocked out and the nail removed. Friday he refused to put his weight on the foot and ran around on 3 legs. Today he is finally starting to act normal.
Before Christmas I started this portrait of Duck, a full-blood Cherokee Indian who lives on Mackinac Island. Duck is quite the character. He leads most of the parades on the island riding a beautiful paint horse. Duck makes all his own deer skin costumes. He is very patient with people like me taking reference photos of him and I learned a great deal about him during his setting. My friend, Bill Murcko has done several portraits of Duck, in a much larger format and my challenge was to see what I could do in miniature. This painting is a work in progress. Yes, I know, most portait artists do the hard part, the face, first. Leave it to me to be backward. Actually, I had a good reason for doing so. This painting is on gessoboard by Ampersand, a surface I was not used to working on. Anyway, I hope to complete Duck's portrait week.

Sometimes I get confused at what season it is. Below, is a piece I completed just before the holidays. The piece is call Grand Misty Morning. It is an image of the stair leading out of the Grand Hotel. All the pots are part of a florist shop attached to the hotel. I really enjoyed working on this piece and I hope that comes through in the work.

Looking forward to the end of the week. My husband and I are going to Florida for a week and during that time, will be attending the MASF show. Even though everyone is complaining about the temperatures in Florida, they can't compare to Michigan. I will have new photos to show when I get back.

Till next time,

Gail