Leaf Shadows

Between The Rains, 8 x 8 " oil on Raymar panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

$150, free shipping

The rain continues with very brief intervals of sunshine. It was during one sunny interval that I was able to paint this before the clouds returned.  We still have a bit of blue sky without the bright sun and shadows.

My "Endless Summer" Hydrangeas have not bloomed once all summer because I pruned them too much and too late.  Last evening I was on the porch and saw an amazing sight--lots of blooms on six plants. It's going to be nice to have October blue Hydrangeas!

Lemon, no butter

Lobster, Arundel Wharf, 6 x 8 " oil on linen panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

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Kennebunkport is one of my favorite places in Maine because I grew up going there with my grandmother and later with my Uncle Paul. For many years my husband and I spent a week at the Colony Hotel with my uncle and our children  every summer.  It was fun for me to have some time this summer visiting relatives while exploring new and old favorite places. Arundel Wharf restaurant holds many memories for me.

The only thing better than painting a lobster is eating it. I have painted some of these beauties from life, but this was done from a photo I took of my dinner while I was enjoying the views of water and boats.

Tea Time

Le Creuset Red, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

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It's almost time to start up the tea kettle. We drink ice tea most of the year but it will soon be nice to have some hot tea. Our daytime temperatures are still around eighty degrees so hot tea is not appealing yet. 

I've always liked painting tea kettles, especially when they are bright and shiny like this one. 

Thanks for viewing my art.  I hope you are enjoying the regularity of my daily posts once again. 

No Room For Us

Move Over, Lemon! 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord, ©2015, Fay Terry

We just got home from the mountains and I did this late day painting pretty fast. It's been a rainy week-end but even with that it was so beautiful in the High Country.  We visited some great art galleries and we did a lot of walking and shopping in Blowing Rock and Valle Crucis. Good thing we had our rain gear. We also tried some wonderful restaurants, so I can't wait to go back.

I am excited that the painting challenge is winding down. It has been a lot of fun.

Salad Making

Salad Making, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

$100, free shipping

Chive Blossoms

Chive Blossoms, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord panel,©2015, Fay Terry

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Orange for breakfast

Two Bright, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

This is painting number 24, only six more for the completion of the thirty paintings in thirty days.

Fall Fruit

Fall Fruit, 6 x 6 " oil on panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

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This is my painting for Day 23 of the thirty paintings in thirty days. It was supposed to post last night but it didn't work so here it is today. 

I love figs so it is nice to see them becoming plentiful. I was visiting a friend yesterday where I saw a beautiful large fig from one of her fig bushes. She has to pick them quickly before the deer eat them. The color on the inside is even prettier than the color of their skin.

Three For Cooking

Three For Cooking, 6 x 8 " oil on gessobord, ©2015, Fay Terry

Fall Fishing

Five Fish, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord, ©2015, Fay Terry

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HERE

We saw so many fish being caught this week-end at the beach that I decided to do a quick and fun painting from memory. I know I want to do more of these so I'm glad I tried this painting.

Grey Feathers

Ruffled Feathers, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

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This sea gull was spotted on Crescent Beach while I was walking one windy morning. The feathers were lifted up by the wind which  seemed to surprise the bird.  I love the reflection of  the legs on the wet sand. 

Pumpkin Sale

Pumpkin Sale, 6 x 8 " oil on linen panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

When I went to the market yesterday, at least half of the shoppers were buying pumpkins. Seems a little early to me but they are beautiful and fresh so I can see why they are going home with people well before October. 

The prices are pretty reasonable, too. Maybe the prices will go up when it's closer to Halloween, who knows?
The painting was fun to make with slight changes in the various shades of orange and the way the sunlight was bouncing off their chubby shapes.

Central Park

Colors In The Park, 6 x 8 " oil on linen, ©2015, Fay Terry

Colors

Please Don't Fall, 8 x 8 " oil on linen, ©2015, Fay Terry

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"Autumn is a season followed immediately by looking forward to Spring."-  Anonymous

Waiting For October

Cool Weather Bloomer, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

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Gulley's Garden Center will have flats of Pansies for planting the first week of October. It can't be  sooner because we usually have some hot days in September and Pansies don't like the heat. Every year I can't wait to get them started because they bloom profusely until the first hot weather in the spring. The Pinehurst Resort and The Carolina Hotel plant theirs at that time, as does the Village of Pinehurst.  These cheerful bright flowers appear in almost every Fall landscape- the hospital, the huge flower pots on Broad St. in Southern Pines, and Pinecrest Plaza to name a few.

I never liked Pansies until we moved here and found that gardening in the Sandhills is very different from the red clay soil in Raleigh. We soon learned what grows in sandy soil.

 A surprising thing about Pansies is that they are edible. There are quite a few patient cooks who make candied flower petals and then put them on cookies like the ones below.

Eight More Days Of Summer

Sirens Of The Garden, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

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The tomatoes have been especially good this season, just like this summer has been. There are still 8   glorious days of summer, my favorite time of year.  The end comes on Wednesday, September 23, at 4:21 am. I'm not sure how this information is arrived at, nevertheless, I am happy to know the exact time this really great summer closes out.

I am not a fan of Autumn and Winter but I manage to find ways to make them bearable.  There are actually a few good things about them, one of which is North Carolina basketball. Another is the occasional snowfall that we get. Last but not least is hot cocoa.

I had a wonderful afternoon yesterday spending time with a fellow artist, blogger, and participant in the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. I have followed the work of Los Angeles artist Carol Steinberg in several previous challenges so when she let me know that she would be in NC, I jumped at the chance to meet her in person. Carol and I had much fun in Durham and Raleigh. We went to a large art gallery in Raleigh, sat outside in North Hills talking about art and getting to know each other, visited a second gallery in Cary then ended up at Whole Foods which we both love. Also we laughed a lot and took photos.  You can see Carol Steinberg's paintings Here.

 Here we are, late afternoon in Cary. Thanks, Carol!

Small Boat

Small Boat, Bright Day, 5 x 7 " oil on gessobord, ©2015, Fay Terry

It's not always easy to capture the shape of these small boats, but it sure is fun to paint them.

I love painting water with the sun on it. We used to spend long afternoons in a boat like this fishing and crabbing in Little River, S.C.  We tied fish heads onto a nylon string, put them over the side, and scooped up the hungry crabs with a net. Those were fun times when the family all gathered at the Big Landing House on the inland waterway.

Mountain Apples

Mountain Apples, 6 x 8 " oil on linen panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

$100 plus $10 domestic shipping

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The apple orchards of the Blue Ridge Mountains are some of the best when you want fresh and delicious apples. We like making a trip to Hendersonville, North Carolina where there are dozens of beautiful orchards to choose from.

It seems that most everyone has a favorite apple and more varieties are being grown. My choice is Honey Crisp because the texture is just right and they live up to their name. It is hard to find anything but the super size of these apples in the markets, so you need to have someone to share it with.

I recently read that apples can contribute far more to our good health than was previously determined. New evidence links an apple a day to keeping skin young looking and other desirable anti-aging benefits. 

What's your favorite apple?

Wild Persimmons

Wild Persimmons, 8 x 8 " oil on gessobord, ©2015, Fay Terry

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It's that time of the year, time to make persimmon pudding. We are fortunate to have a persimmon tree in our yard and it is loaded with fruit. 'Simmons, as some folks call them, can't be picked from the tree.  The only way to collect them is when they fall to the ground which means they are ripe. Eating one before it is ripe will cause your mouth to pucker from a very bitter taste, caused by the tannins in the fruit. 

I make the pudding, which is  like a very moist bread, almost every year when I've collected enough of the fruit paste.  It is tedious work to remove the skin, seeds, and caps. 

Here is how they look on the tree once the leaves have fallen. The trees in September have not lost many leaves yet, even though some of the fruit is ripening already. 

Coastal Crustaceans

Hard Shell, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

The blue crab is common to all North Carolina coastal waters but the largest populations tend to live in the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds. In 2011, over 30 million pounds of blue crabs were harvested commercially with a dockside value of $21 million.

Here's a little known fact:  If a crab loses a leg or a claw, it is able to regenerate, or grow a new limb to replace the one lost.  In addition, the crab possesses the power to throw off limbs voluntarily.  If a crab is seized and held by a leg, it may release that leg and escape. The leg is regenerated during the next shedding cycle. Pretty cool, huh?

Day Ten

My Blue Vase, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

short stems of these grow

up to love sunny windows

with petals and all

Tea Time

Tea Is Ready, Ting-a-Ling, 5 x 7" oil on gessobord, ©2015, Fay Terry

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These tea cups remind me of some of my grandmother's tea cups. She was the first to let me drink a cup of tea and started me on a lifelong love of Earl Grey tea, which is not a registered trademark. It is made by numerous tea companies. "Lady Grey" is a trademark of Twinings.

 I also became enamored of Rooibos tea when I tasted it some years ago on a visit to South Africa. It is not a true tea, but rather an herb. It contains polyphenols which are organic chemicals most often lauded for their antioxidant capabilities. Rooibos tea is also caffeine free. 

There are certainly other benefits of this tea, including its good taste.

The third tea that I enjoy is a Green Tea which contains lemongrass and mint.  During the summer months, I drink ice tea exclusively, but when our high temperatures begin to drop I begin making hot tea.

Thanks for following my art.

Shadow Box

School Supplies, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

$100 plus $10 domestic shipping

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Pens, pencils, crayons, notebooks, colorful paper, and markers are among things that I love to buy.

I still get enthusiastic about school supplies at the start of back to school sales.  I did not stock up this year as I sometimes do, but I did look to see if there were any new items I needed to purchase. Maybe next year... but in the meantime, these are my favorite "fat" colored pencils that my brother brought me from Paris. He found them at a papetier near the Sennelier store, where I have enjoyed perusing wonderful art supplies which are cleverly wrapped for travel upon purchase.

Thank you for visiting my blog!

Lumina Pumpkin

Lumina Pumpkin, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

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It is always fun to see the many white pumpkins each fall which seem almost more popular than the traditional orange ones. I love the unique curly stem on this one. 

This variety of pumpkin has the same taste as others,  some say they even make a better pumpkin pie.

One thing is certain, they are easy to see in the dark.

Bald Head Island

Old Baldy, From The Ferry, 6 x 6" oil on linen, ©2015, Fay Terry

$100 plus $10. domestic shipping
HERE

This has been a beautiful week end at the beach. Our beach season doesn't end with Labor Day, we will have many more days of hot weather and lots of good fishing and crabbing before  Fall weather arrives.

I did this quick little painting of the Bald Head Island light and I like the way it turned out. I will be spending some time on Bald Head with my good friend Teej in October. I always create a lot of  new paintings  when she invites me to her home on this beautiful island.

North Carolina School Bus

Going To School, 6 x 8 " oil on Raymar panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

$100. plus $10 domestic shipping

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Seeing a school bus on the road always brings back memories of walking my students to their buses at the end of each day. Teaching was a wonderful experience for me, one that I still miss. I taught first grade for three years and Kindergarten for seventeen years. I worked in Raleigh,Winston-Salem, and Greenville. 

It is interesting to know that North Carolina operates 13,349 buses this school year with 779,127 students being transported every day. A student's average morning ride time is 23 minutes.

My children were fortunate to be picked up and dropped off right across the street from our house by the same driver all through elementary school.

Oak Island Seagull

Oak Island Gull, 8 x 8 " oil on linen panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

$130 plus shipping and tax

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This is one of the many seagulls living on the Island enjoying time on the sand. I take pictures of these birds all year long and always like painting them.  I toned the canvas with thio violet and let it dry before I started the painting. 

This is a brand of canvas panel I have not used previously, now I realize that it absorbs the paint like a sponge.  I repainted it after watching the image get lighter and lighter.

Here's a little known fact:
Seagulls can drink both fresh and salt water. Most animals are unable to do this, but seagulls have a special pair of glands right above their eyes which is specifically designed to flush the salt from their systems through openings in the bill.

I hope you enjoy this little glimpse of the beach and the bird.

Football Tonight

My Carolina, 6 x 8 " oil on Raymar Panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

$110 plus $10.00 domestic shipping

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Tonight is Opening Night for college football and the game is in Charlotte, NC, aka, neutral territory.

Charlotte is not far from the South Carolina border so both teams should have about an equal number of fans. Many of you who follow my blog know that I'm a Tar Heel. 

Gamecock is a name that honors Thomas Sumter, a Revolutionary war hero from South Carolina. A British general said Sumter "fought like a gamecock."

Enough about USC, this is bound to be a close game. I think Coach Larry Fedora's team will outplay Coach Steve Spurrier's talented Gamecocks and the Heels will have their first win.

Six pm on ESPN-I'll be watching and pulling for my team. GO HEELS!!!!!

Pine Cones Are Dropping

Longleaf Pine Cone, 8 x 8 " oil on Raymar Panel, ©2015, Fay Terry

Picking up these large pine cones is a daily job in our yard this time of year. Most of these that are on the ground are eight to ten inches tall. I line them up on the porch sometimes to decide which ones I want to paint. I once told someone I loved painting pine cones and they asked me what color I spray painted them. Yes, some folks here do box up pine cones, plain or painted, and sell them online. I have brought them to some of my cousins in New England because they love the large pine cones in a basket beside the fireplace. Actually, they make good fire starters and we sometimes burn a few in the fireplace in the back yard. 

I just like them for the challenge they present, drawing and choosing the colors are like putting a puzzle together and it's fun to see the final result. They all have slightly varying shapes and stand up at different  angles. 

Sweet Peaches

Fresh From The Orchard, 6 x 6 " oil on gessobord, ©2015, Fay Terry

$100 plus tax and $10. domestic shipping

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Every time I buy fresh peaches, I choose them for their paintability, often using one of my favorite plates when I set up the still life. Since this is the first day of the thirty paintings in thirty days challenge, I decided to start the month with bold colors. This is how I love to paint. I did manage to use some grey in the shadows. 

I am certainly excited to be taking part in Leslie Saeta's challenge for the fourth, (or maybe fifth) time.

You can see the other paintings HERE.