Karen North Wells Underground Art Gallery

Jackknife Cove, Chatham

2009-06-26T11:29:00.005-04:00

Dear Readers,
Here are two paintings that I did as demos for my workshop this winter at The Cape Cod Museum of Art in Dennis. Because of the running water of the bay, the water in the background is darker than the foreground. I love to paint images with either shadows and/or reflections. And there are plenty of shadows on this road to the beach.
When demonstrating painting pine trees, I try to explain that most of the needles grow up even if the branch is hanging down. Also very few individual needles need to be painted in order for the viewer to know that it is a pine tree. I squint my eyes and look at the masses of needle and then paint the mass. Afterwards I add the individual needles where needed.

The Peek-a-boo House, Cornhill

2009-06-22T14:50:00.006-04:00

This Cornhill painting is an acrylic on a 14" x 14" canvas. I was struck by all the fencing to protect the dunes at Corn Hill, in Truro on Cape Cod. I started with a tomato red canvas(Cadmium red light). I then painted the blue sky and the pale sand(mainly white mixed with yellow ochre). I added the house and then the grasses and the fences. There was not a cloud in the sky. The bright sunlight produced sharp shadows. The boarded up house peeked right out of the hill. I placed the building so that there was one-third sky and two-thirds land and I made sure not to put the building in the middle either vertically or horizontally.

Racing Day

2009-05-25T11:30:00.008-04:00

Today I am showing you another watercolor of the catboat race. Again I have chosen a view where I can break the horizon line by the vertical sailboat.I started out with Winsor blue (pthalo)with French Ultramarine blue in the foreground and also a wash of cadmium red to dull the blue.. When dry, I added the darker waves with more ultramarine blue. I used the Incredible White Mask to mask the staves and the small boats and then painted ultramarine blue over large sail and then masked the edges of the sailboat before I painted the water.
Happy sailing!

The Catboat Race

2009-05-09T12:47:00.010-04:00

Every August at Aries Pond there are catboat races among the members of that boatyard. This year I was able to get on the top deck of a fishing boat( I think it is a fishing boat?)and take photos in order to get some images to paint.This watercolor I did as a demonstration last fall at The Old Manse Inn .
Again I try to break the horizon line with some vertical masts of the boats. I use Winsor Newton, winsor blue to paint the water starting with the bottom portion of the paper , the foreground making it lighter in the background as I paint the blue. I then add ultramarine blue to the foreground, with a final glaze of cadmium red to dull the water. I finally add small wavy lines with ultra marine blue using Winsor Newton. (They have the best French ultra marine blue but NOT the Cotman series.)

Puddles

2009-04-13T16:07:00.004-04:00

Dear Reader,
Here is a copy of one of my new cards that hasn't even been posted on my website yet. I have shown you the painting before but wanted you to see the poem that my husband wrote for the front of the card. On the back of the card he writes how even a puddle can evoke memories. In many of the painting workshops that I teach, I try to teach that with still water the water is darker in the foreground as it is in this painting. But with running water, such as the bay and the ocean, the water is darker in the background.
I have four other new cards that I also hope will be posted soon on my website.

By the Bay at Cape Cod Sea Camps

2009-03-23T15:52:00.002-04:00

Here is an oil painting I painted years ago at The Cape Cod Sea Camps. It is for sale hanging at The Beacon Restaurant in Orleans, Massachusetts. I have an attachment to this setting and camp because I worked there as the arts and crafts counselor for nine years. I painted this 24"x 30" oil near the boathouse. I can't say enough about this camp. It is so well run and filled with many good memories for campers and counselors alike. I feel that this painting works because of the trees crossing the horizon line and the way they are silhouetted against the sky give it a more dramatic view.

Bass River ( As Seen from Union Street, South Yarmouth,MA)

2009-03-05T14:48:00.007-05:00

Today's 20" x 14" watercolor is a view right down the street from The Cultural Center of Cape Cod in South Yarmouth. I see this inviting image every time I leave the Cultural Center. I am having this painting reproduced on a card that will be out in April. It was painted as a demo for my workshop at The Cape Cod Museum of Art .

While painting this demo, I explained to the students that I first masked the white fence on the left and small white shapes across the river. First I painted most of the sky with Winsor Newton cerrulean blue. Then I painted the Winsor blue water being very careful not to make it too dark. I started painting VERY PALE yellow ochre on the shore across the river and on the tree trunks . I then blocked in other areas with a cadmium red light wash being sure to go up the tree trunks to prevent a horizontal paint line coming through the vertical tree shapes.

I find seeing the trees without their leaves this time of year exposes some beautiful parts of nature including the beautiful tree branches!

The Promise of Spring!

2009-03-02T11:28:00.011-05:00

Dear Readers,
I was painting this 12" x 16" oil of tulips on the left and decided to paint two more to go with this one, Not knowing how to arrange the paintings on this blog all on the same line, I will place the next two "The Promise of Spring lll" to the right and "The Promise of Spring ll" at the bottom which would be in the center if I had them all on the same height on the wall. When painting flowers in a vase, I try to have some flowers reaching over the edge of the vase to make arrangement more interesting. But if this is not possible I use some of the leaves to break up that space and tulip leaves work very well for this approach. I also remember what Charles Reid has said about still lifes. He said to crop the objects so that these objects touch at least three borders. By doing this we break up the negative space and make it a more interesting composition! I also read from another artist that it is best to clump colors together for a more natural arrangement, just like the garden. Otherwise it will look like polka-dots. So I put some of the yellows together and some of the pinks together and then fill in with the same colors in other locations. I also try to have some unequal amounts of greens in different locations and have some flowers overlapping to also make a more natural arrangement.

Peonies

2009-01-31T16:26:00.005-05:00

Here is another form of marketing that some of you artists may be interested in. A few years ago, I started getting my work printed on tiles. Then a few years later, Mill Pond Tileworks started making 12" x 16" cutting boards from my images so I thought that I would show one to those of you who are artists in case you want to get your own work on one. I sell these cutting boards at my Underground Art Gallery for $45 each but they are not on my website. This watercolor was done as a demonstration at a flower still life workshop that I taught about five years ago. Happy painting!

A View from North Dennis Road, Yarmouth

2009-01-18T16:16:00.005-05:00

Dear Readers, I realize that it has been a while since I have put any paintings on this blog. Here is another view from North Dennis Road that I did in watercolor a few years ago. The image size is 20" x 14" When demonstrating the painting of still water I try to tell my students to paint the distant water very light and as it gets closer to you, paint the water in the foreground darker . With running water like the ocean or bay, it is the opposite. The water in the distant is dark.
I was prompted to write today because of my friend. Bernadette Waystack and her blog . She is an artist and teacher but also a very good writer. http://bwaystack.wordpress.com/ . She mentions me in her blog but I wanted to mention her so that you artists out there will think about blogging. It is a great way to promote your art work and it doesn't cost a penny. You can write as often as you like. Those who don't want to spend money on a website can blog to show off their paintings. If you want to see how easy it is to do it, go to blogger.com Happy blogging!

Corporation Beach

2008-12-18T10:45:00.005-05:00

Several years ago I did this oil painting of Corporation Beach for a client. I now have a tile of it . This spring I will be making a greeting card of this image because it is a very popular beach on Cape Cod in Dennis, Massachusetts. The original is 30" x 24". This view is painted from a clift looking down at the beach which is quite a spectacular view.

Resting on The Flats at Robbins Hill Beach

2008-12-18T09:21:00.007-05:00

Here is a watercolor painting that I did several years ago as a demo for a workshop that I was teaching at The Cape Cod Museum of Art. I think sailboats are a favorite for artists because of the vertical mast that breaks the horizon line , a subject that I was writing about in my last blog entry. I am thinking about making this image as a greeting card. The original measures 14" x 12" and is in a 24" x 20" frame. If anyone is interested in this as a card, please let me know. Thanks.

Looking through The Grass

2008-12-11T16:30:00.006-05:00

This 24" x 24" acrylic painting I did as demo for The Cape
Cod Cultural Center in Yarmouth. In October the Center invited artists and craftsmen to come and demonstrate their craft. I feel this is an example of how getting low to the ground to see a view where the foreground overlaps the horizon line makes a more interesting painting. I try to get views with foreground, middle ground and background.

I sent everyone an e-mail newsletter with this image to advertise the workshop that I will be teaching on Wednesday mornings starting January 28 at The Cape Cod Museum of Art

Birch Trees

2008-12-07T17:27:00.004-05:00

Here is a watercolor that I did as a demo for a workshop that I taught at The Creative Art Center in Chatham. I like doing reflections. Here is an example of still water where the water in the foreground is darker than the water in the back ground.
I have often explained that when it is running water, like the ocean or the bay, the water is darker in the background than the water in the foreground.
I kept the white of the paper and used The Incredible White Mask that I use as a masking fluid before I painted some of the trees and the golden grasses. I buy The Incredible White Mask from Artist Supply Warehouse. I usually paint the grasses this time with yellow ochre before I paint on the mask with a pencil. I like using a pencil because then I do not have to ruin a brush and I have more control that using a paper clip. When I want a fine line, I dip the pencil in water before I use the mask.

Linger Longer by The Sea

2008-12-02T16:34:00.008-05:00

Here is an oil that I did last winter for a customer. It is 42" x 24" The building is a popular summer spot on Cape Cod for many families for over 50 years. There are apartments and cottages to rent by the week right here in Brewster. As you can see, it would have been difficult to paint this from the water, so I took MANY photos at different times of day and with different tide levels. In order to get sun on the building, I had to get here in late afternoon in August.
On this particular day I was delighted to see all the towels on the fence and the people in the water also with their colorful chairs and umbrellas waiting to be photographed and painted. I always try to look for reflections and the towel reflections made it fun.
I have also made a giclee print on canvas of Linger Longer by the Sea. The 8" x 10" in frame is $150. The 20" x 12" giclee on canvas in frame is $275. Happy summer memories to you all!

A view from Mass Audubon, Wellfleet

2008-11-10T16:33:00.003-05:00

I can't believe that I let a whole month go by without blogging. Sorry about that! Here is a painting I did at The Mass Audubon workshop that I taught in July. I explained in my demo, that it is important to make sure to leave the sand light in the background. I first painted the sand with a very pale coat of yellow ochre(mostly water)and then painted The Incredible White Mask over the sand so that I would not paint the water covering the sand .The light jof the sand dune was so important not to leave out. When I painted the blue water, I also painted blue the vertical dark green cedar trees in the middle ground. This way when I finally painted in the trees over the blue,there was no horizontal water line showing through them. When I look for a view to paint, I not only look for contrast in color and value but also in contrast of proportion with sizes and shapes. ..the strong contast of the little sand dunes in the distant compared to the tall grasses in the foreground. This painting is 14" x 10". With a 3 1/4 ' margin on a 20" x 16" mat.

Morning Light

2008-09-29T10:18:00.004-04:00

Here is a 30" x 20" oil I did of a barn whose shadows of a tree on it grabbed my attention. Whenever I do buildings I try to paint one side in shadow to give more light and attention to the building. This is easiest when the building is on the north side facing south. If the building faces north, I sometimes have to wait until late in the day in June to get the right lighting. This barn is located in Brewster on Rt 6A. The shaded building to the left is an antique shop. If anyone is in Brewster this week, they can see the building and come watch me paint in watercolor at The Old Manse Inn on Saturday October 4th at 10 A.M. and then watch me paint in acrylic at The Underground Art Gallery at 2 P.M. The galleries and inns are celebrating Fall for The Arts this weekend. Look for the red, orange and yellow balloons. We will be open on Sunday too!

Cape Cod Morning

2008-09-28T07:58:00.004-04:00

I realize that it has been a while since I have written on this blog. Sorry about that. This watercolor was painted last spring for a customer to give his wife for their 25th wedding anniversary. I have been waiting to post this one but they only picked up the painting yesterday and since it was a surprise, I had to wait .
What a romantic guy. He asked me to paint his wife's China with her favorite flower, Stargazer lilies.
This weekend they stayed at Chillingsworth and had dinner there. The plan was to come here to the gallery for her to pick out a painting . It was all very romantic. What a guy! What a couple!

Paines Creek Beach with Roses

2008-08-31T14:20:00.023-04:00

This oil painting of Paines Creek Beach was painted earlier this summer when the roses were blooming. Once again I got down low to make the roses tower over the horizon line to give the painting more interest. I added some permanent rose to the sky to repeat the color in the roses.I
also made the sky lighter at the horizon line to give more contrast between the water and the sky. This 30" x 24" painting is gallery wrapped with no frame.

Puddles

2008-08-25T11:26:00.005-04:00

I can't believe that it has been over a month since I've blogged. Many of you have seen this painting already because it is hanging at the Cape Cup Restaurant in Orleans. I have a show there for the entire month of August. "Puddles" is the old gatehouse at Nauset Beach where people in their cars and trucks stop to let air out of their tires before they drive on to the outer beach. After one rainstorm last year I was struck by the puddles left in all the pot holes in the driveway to the beach. I started this painting at the workshop I taught in Dennis. I explained that with still water, the water is darker in the foreground; hence the large puddle in the foreground is darker than the smaller background puddles. I also explained how reflections are a shade darker than what they are reflecting with the exception of black. It becomes a shade darker in the water. This is an oil painting measuring 24" x 24" and is $1500. If I get enough interest, I may make this painting into prints. I love the square format.

The Yellow Boat ( watercolor)

2008-07-19T12:29:00.004-04:00

I call this The Yellow Boat watercolor because I have also done an oil "The Yellow Boat"which is also on my blog. . I wanted to show it because it is at The Brewster Ladies Library for the next week in their silent auction now going on. if you are on the cape ,please go see it and over 100 other works of art being auctioned. Then on Thursday night ,July 24 they will have a live auction of more art that you can view at the library. The live auction is $25 a ticket and will be held at the The Captain's Golf Course in Brewster.
This painting I did as a demo for The Cape Cod Art Association. I explained that when I am painting still water as in this painting, the water is darker in the foreground but when I am painting running water such as the bay or ocean I paint the water lighter in the foreground and darker in the background. I first painted some of the light grasses and then masked them so that I could paint the water and the darker grasses right over the lighter grass.

Mayflower Beach Rose Time

2008-06-29T11:57:00.005-04:00

Hello Everyone, Here is a watercolor of Mayflower Beach in Dennis painted also for a demonstration from the same image as the acrylic of Mayflower Beach with Roses. When I am painting sand in watercolor, I start with a very pale wash of Winsor Newton yellow ochre. since yellow ochre is an opaque watercolor and very staining, I try to impress upon my students to make sure that it is very light because sand in the bright sun is almost white.
If the sand gets too dark , the whole painting is spoiled. And you can't turn back with watercolor.
For shadows in the sand, I add more yellow ochre (right to the paper) ,French ultra-marine blue and either cadmium red or permanent rose.
All my watercolors are Winsor Newton. With the exception of mixing green, I try to mix on the paper and not the palette.
This image is 20" x 14", double matted in a muted-gold frame it is 26" x 20". The 2008 price is $900 plus sales tax.

Daffodil Still Life

2008-06-25T19:24:00.002-04:00

Welcome to summer everyone! (Even though this is a spring subject.)
This daffodil still life was another demonstration in acrylic that I did for the workshop with water media this spring for The Cape Cod Museum of Art in Dennis. I usually under paint my canvases with cadmium red which is a tomato red because most of my paintings are landscapes of blue and green , the opposite of red-orange. But I under painted this acrylic with lavender, the opposite of yellow on the color wheel. I find by under painting my oils and acrylics with the opposite color on the color wheel, three things are possible. 1. It gives the painting a glow. 2. One doesn't have to fill in all the white dots left on the canvas and 3. Red orange or lavender are neutral in value, not white or black so that when I add white or a dark shade, they pop out and get noticed on the neutral value background. this painting is basically an analogous color scheme with yellow green, yellow and yellow-orange. the daffodils and forsythia came from my garden.

Ropes Beach,Cotuit Watercolor

2008-06-14T14:30:00.007-04:00

Today I am showing you another watercolor demonstrated at The Cape Cod Museum of Art. It will be auctioned off along with an oil of the same view at The Great Brush Off in Cotuit sponsored by The Cahoon Museum July 12 from 10 to 4. It is a fun day for all with hot dogs ,chips, hamburgers, and cold drinks and lots of good music to listen to while strolling through the park.

When I painted the tree trunks I masked some of the greens on the right first so that they would be light in front of the dark tree trunks. I also tried to make some of the tree trunks in different values.

Mayflower Beach with Roses

2008-06-11T17:52:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone,

This is an acrylic painting 30" x 24" that I did as a demo at our gallery when The Creative Arts Center in Chatham had their STUDIO TOUR on May 24th.

I enjoyed painting all day while people walked around viewing the gallery and my studio space /framing area. I also painted this same view as a demo in watercolor for Cape Cod Museum of Art

I just used this image on my first newsletter with images. If you would like to receive my newsletter, please sign up on my website.

Thursday June 12 I will be demonstrating painting at The Cultural Center in Yarmouth starting at 11 A.M.

Again I would like to point out the difference it makes when getting your subject like the roses and fences to cut the horizon line for interest. The sand was made my mixing white with yellow ochre and then adding more yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and permanent rose for shadows. This painting was also underpainted with cadmium red. I try very hard never to have the center of interest right in the center of the painting.