3x3in. Oil on linen/panel

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Sunny Disposition

“With their sunny disposition dandelions scatter gleefully about, dotting the countryside with cheer.”

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald

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Welcoming Spring!

With its softness and gentle nature a lone tulip welcomes Spring!

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald

When I spotted these pretty and delicate pink tulips in the grocery store, they made me smile. It has been a long winter and they seemed to sing a song of Spring’s return. I loved both their color and layers. When examined closely, it is amazing to see all the subtle color that exists in their petals. Sometimes, it is easy to overlook small details that may bring pleasure in our fast paced world! Cheers to Spring’s return and days of  painting outside again!

Warmly,

Debbie

P.S.  Photography by my son Brett. I love his artistic interpretation of my set up!

A Grand Entrance

In the midst of winter, Amaryllis make a grand entrance. They evoke memories of bright spring greens and vibrant blooms.

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald

Shortly after Christmas I planted two Amaryllis bulbs. As they began to grow I waited anxiously for their beautiful blooms.  Then one of my plants made their grand debut in the midst of winter with huge bright and bold blooms! We oohed and awed over these beauties as they stayed on display for days. My second plant bloomed a bit later with the same vibrancy and drama.

In the midst of winter when all is dormant, it is so joyful to witness something so magical and uplifting! Their color alone makes one yearn for warm Spring days and vibrant blooms again. Maybe, my next step will be to visit my local florist as I continue to yearn for the lushness of nature!

I hope you get to pick up a bit of nature somewhere and let it add a cheerful note to your home as well!

Warmly,

Debbie

You may purchase “A Grand Entrance” on my Etsy Shop.

P.S. I am trying to build  traffic to my blog, so if you enjoyed this entry I would love it if you could “Tweet” it or click the “Like” button at the top of this page. Big Thanks!!

Free Flow

An English Ivy depicts a sense of free spiritedness as it drifts and spirals about.  A sense of freedom and lightheartedness is felt as it happily cascades downward; twisting and turning without worry.

Children often exhibit this sense of complete freedom as they dance about in play. Their only concern is to enjoy the moment. Often as adults this sense of freedom becomes elusive as responsibilities take precedence. It is important to release ones worries and let a child like spirit prevail. Allowing oneself a moment of pure freedom of thought and spirit- if only for a short while.

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald

]]> http://www.lameymacdonald.com/free-flow/feed/ 1 http://www.lameymacdonald.com/snowballs-summer/ http://www.lameymacdonald.com/snowballs-summer/#comments Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:41:48 +0000 Debbie http://www.lameymacdonald.com/?p=1124

Snowballs in Summer

Although it is summer, giant white snowballs have grown in my garden. Their life expectancy is enduring and even the summer heat does not seem to disturb them. They bobble gleefully in the warm breeze; taking flight with each wisp that comes along.

Their carefree nature bring smiles from those who glance their way. Once picked their longevity persists as they pair nicely with ribbon and glass. Hydrangea’s charm is unrelenting whether in masses or as individuals.

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald

Plymouth, Nova Scotia

As summer marches on my Annabelle Hydrangea displays an abundance of large white blooms. They are so large they remind me of white snowballs. I love taking cuttings and displaying them in vases around the house. The shape of this vase was really appealing to me and I knew it would one day make it into one of my still life paintings. I love this color of purple ribbon and thought it would pair nicely with the greens in the hydrangea leaves. I hope you are enjoying summer’s floral abundance!

Warmly,

Debbie

]]> http://www.lameymacdonald.com/snowballs-summer/feed/ 8 http://www.lameymacdonald.com/small-gems/ http://www.lameymacdonald.com/small-gems/#comments Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:21:33 +0000 Debbie http://www.lameymacdonald.com/?p=1027 Photo album customized with Smilebox

Happy Canada Day all my Canadian Friends! Happy Summer Everyone Else!

I just made this fun video using Smilebox. I hope you enjoy it! Now that school is out for the summer I am excited to get knee deep in paint and enjoy some lazy summer days! Stay tuned for revisions in my website coming soon!

Thanks for watching!

Warmly,

Debbie

P.S. The video doesn’t seem to have an automatic stop, so you have to exit by pressing the x in the right hand corner.

Unexpected Surprises

Several years ago I planted a little shrub called a Flowering Quince.  I was new to perennial gardening and really had no idea what I was buying. Well I am so happy I decided to give this  little plant a home in my front garden. It really didn’t amount to much for a few years and then began to flourish.

Initially it started with a few pretty red flowers that bloomed close to the bottom of the plant. It is now a thriving showy shrub that displays an abundance of beautiful red cupped flowers in early spring. Thus, it became my inspiration and subject for my newest miniature painting.

This Flowering Quince took on a life of its own and matured into a gorgeous shrub! It exceeded any expectations I had for it. Life is sometimes filled with surprises when you least expect them. Recognizing they have arrived is sometimes a subtle occurrence.  Hoping that life brings you sweet, joyful surprises!

Warmly,

Debbie

Sheerly Pink

Many years ago, my mom gave me this delicate handkerchief along with a few others. They had belonged to her when she was really young. I love the sheerness of this one and its soft touch of pink. The drama of course is in its raised embroidered flowers and their decorative appeal.

I have always loved embroidery work and remember when I was a teenager embroidering pillowcases for Christmas gifts to give to family members. It was always so much fun going to the department store to pick out iron on patterns. I also remember being in awe at all the colors of thread that could be bought for one’s project.

I am so happy my mom knew I would love this delicate handkerchief. It has brought back special creative memories while being painted.  I truly believe that our creative passion starts at a young age and is often overshadowed with life’s responsibilities in adulthood.  Awakening our creativity as adults helps alleviate the stresses of life and brings much joy! Let your creative spirit sing–you won’t be disappointed!

Warmly,

Debbie

P.S. I would love to hear your stories about any childhood passions. Did they follow you into adult life?

New Spring Arrivals!

I would like to share some new work I have been doing that I am really jazzed about! A few weeks ago I started painting miniature paintings ranging in sizes from 3x2in. to 4x4in.  They are painted on linen covered archival panels and can be ordered from Art Boards. I discovered that I really love painting on linen and am contemplating painting on linen for larger works as well.

I love the intimacy these small works create. For some  reason their personal quality remind me of short lines of poetry. Careful planning is still necessary when setting up these little paintings.There is not a lot of room for error, so I often do a quick thumbnail or gesture sketch before I begin painting my still life.

For awhile I have had small nudges to explore this area of smaller works.  I am so happy I finally listened to that little voice. My admiration of some daily painters such as Duane Keiser, Julian Merrow-Smith and Justin Clayton have also inspired me to begin this new painting adventure.

In keeping with my artwork/reflections process, I am accompanying each small painting with a line of prose or poetry. I hope these mini paintings will add a ray of sunshine to your day. I have felt most joyful when painting them.

Happy Spring Everyone!

Warmly,

Debbie

P.S. I have begun adding these to my Etsy Shop.  I will also be adding  Buy It Now buttons to my blog as well. For your reference, pricing is as follows: 3x2in $50.00 +S/H, 3x3in. $58.00 +S/H and 4x4in. $75.00 +S/H.

P.P.S. You can now sign up for my future Ezine where I will be sharing, paintings, happenings and thoughts about my work. Love to have you! (Sign up is on this page on the side panel.)

Artist Statement:  Relationships bloom, tweet by tweet. Many tweets later, defenses drop; revealing delicate layers of multifaceted personalities.

Biography:  Debbie Lamey-MacDonald is a Nova Scotian artist who works from life to capture the essence of her subject. Musings accompany her paintings.

I am very happy and excited to be a part of an upcoming art show entitled Twitter 140. Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets that can be no more than 140 characters. All artists involved in the show are members of  Twitter and have completed artwork with a twitter theme in mind. The artists span the globe; thus it is an international showing of interesting artwork! Our Artists Statements and Biography also had to abide by the 140 requirement and the artwork could be no larger than 140 square inches.

The show is being hosted by the Grandon Art Gallery in Flagstaff, Arizona on Sept. 4th, 2009 for the entire month. All the artists and one of their entries can be viewed here.   Also, this is what the gallery looks like from the outside.   All artwork is either on route or at the gallery now!

Many thanks and praise go to Sheree Rensel for her vision in masterminding this event. She worked very diligently to acquire a gallery that would host our show! Kudos to Sheree!! Special thanks also goes to David Grandon(Gallery owner) for hosting our show.

I have found an amazing community of artists on twitter who are both talented and resourceful. Many wonderful relationships have been developed one tweet at a time. Wishing all the Artists and Grandon Gallery a wonderful opening and show!

One Last Bloom

Early summer has begun with a symphony of dramatic blooms. For three years a small peony bush taunted one with the anticipation of expansive blooms.  Finally, the day arrived and she joyfully presented an array of large bouncy blooms.  Their gentle pink hue made them appear delicate as they swayed happily in summer’s breeze.

By and by an abundance of rainy weather dulled their glorious appearance and spoke of their impending fate.  Painting this debut of life became increasingly remote. Finally one last bloom opened the doors of possibilities.  Her freshness, juxtaposed amongst the dulling blooms, gently urged to be eternalized on canvas. Her impending fate was inevitable; just as her floral companions, but her memory was to remain vividly alive through her eternal pose.

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald

Plymouth, Nova Scotia

I was so excited when the peony bush I planted three years ago finally bloomed! I immediately thought that it would be great subject matter for a plein air study! Every day I visited to admire these huge showy blooms. My dilemma was lack of sunshine due to a rainy spell we were experiencing. Every day the glorious pale pink blooms began to fade due to an over abundance of rain and maturation. I even had my art gear outside and was already to paint  when a spurt of sunshine did arrive; only to have my hopes dashed as the sun disappeared and the rain began again.

Finally one last late bloom arrived! It was then I realized I could not wait for optimal conditions! I had to take this into my own hands. So snip, snip went my scissors; then I escorted this lovely bloom inside. Quickly, the staging was set, spotlight adjusted and paint began to flow happily. I knew the bloom’s life span was limited and her essence had to be captured quickly.

That evening we received a heavy downpour of rain. The bloom’s companions left on the bush had been pummelled by the pounding rain! Thank heavens I had followed my intuition and retrieved this one last bloom when I did! Seizing the moment when we can requires both spontaneity and the willingness to take a chance. Wishing you spontaneity and the courage to seize a moment in time that brings you great joy!

]]> http://www.lameymacdonald.com/one-last-bloom/feed/ 16 http://www.lameymacdonald.com/within-the-layers/ http://www.lameymacdonald.com/within-the-layers/#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:24:03 +0000 Debbie http://www.lameymacdonald.com/?p=429

I spotted this little pot of begonias in the grocery store one day. They reminded me of warmer days and gardening. In the summer they have been known to add a burst of bright color to any shade garden. Their interesting shaped leaves are an added bonus to their song of color.

Like roses, they boast many intricate layers of petals. Painting these layers can be tricky. I had to make sure they didn’t take  a “pasted on” appearance. Keeping some layers subtle and others more dominate helped create a more natural display.

As I painted, it occurred to me that their multi-faceted layers were much like individuals in general. As  relationships with others grow, you begin to experience more layers of their personalities. The best layers are the delicate ones inside where defenses have been dropped and their true personalities experienced.

Yearning for the lushness of spring and summer, I once again took a visit to my local florist.  Sometimes when I go I have a flower or color in mind that I feel like painting. This time my urge was the color purple. I love a blue-purple; it seems so regal and rich.

While in the cold florists fridge, I browsed around with a worker. She was so helpful and pulled out various types of flowers for me to consider. I thought the poor worker was going to freeze if I didn’t make up my mind in a more timely manner. Finally, I spotted a small pot of mini irises calling to me from a small ledge in the fridge. They were perfect! Perky and jolly -just what I needed in this drab March weather! We were both happy as we exited the florist fridge!

Once home I stained my canvas with a wash of cadium yellow medium. Then once a quick sketch was in place and the still life set up with its spot light; my painting frenzy began. I worked alla prima all in one session to complete this small painting.

I thought its name “Iris Harmony” was so befitting to its allure.  Being in nature with its timelessness and lush surroundings always seems to bring harmony to me. What creates harmony for you? I believe listening and finding something that creates this emotion is crucial for one’s sense of well being. Remember to take time to create a sense of harmony in your life today. You will be thankful you did!

Every now and then a painting takes you on some twists and turns.  “With Grace” was such a painting.  In the beginning these larger carnations were vibrant and bursting with life.  I happily sketched them on canvas and blocked in my values and then life got in the way and I did not get back to them as soon as I wanted.

Upon my return to my easel a dreaded event occurred! My subject was now wilting and did not look so full of life! Oh dear, what was I to do now? My favorite and usually only way to paint is from life. Luckily, my subject’s values had been blocked in and they were also fresh in my mind’s eye.  A  few digitals added to my rescue as well. I was off and painting again with determination to capture my subject at its best!

My trials and tribulations were not over yet. When I first began my still life I had a narrow strip of ribbon tied around the stems of the carnations.  After painting the ribbon in and fiddling with it a bit, I soon realized that it just   looked too contrived.   So off came the ribbon and on I went to restore the stems and background back to a pleasing presentation.

Although I went through some trials with this painting, I still enjoyed painting it.  A nice moment occurred when I discovered a new background color.  I used a greenish umber, paynes grey, alizarin crimson with touches of white and naples yellow. Together they turned out to be the color I had envisioned in my mind’s eye before I began painting “With Grace”.

As an artist one must remember to make adjustments to works in progress.  Having the courage to delete what  is not working is better than living with a mediocre piece of work.  Likewise, life can be somewhat the same as this experience. Sometimes, we just have to reajust our position or have the courage to make a change where necessary. That is what makes life interesting; change and our ability to adjust to it.

During this time of year I begin to miss nature’s vibrant vegetation and getting out on my plein air excursions.  So I decided to visit our local florist to consume the vibrant colors and aliveness of their ongoing supply of flowers.  In the dead of winter they seemed to energize one;  leading to visions of spring blooms and long summer days. While in the cold florist fridge I spotted this cheerful Gerber Daisy and could just envision it on a small canvas of its own.  So a friend it became as I toted it home so it would become everlasting in bright paint.

It was fun to paint and was painted alla prima ( wet into wet all in one session).  I wanted to capture its vibrancy, thus contrast in lighting was essential. Although a simple subject, it does have a presence of joy and lightheartedness.  So if you are feeling a little deprived of flora and fauna why not visit your local florist and pick up a few fresh flowers to brighten your day!

What is your favorite flower? Do you plant it, or does it just grow wild in nature?

Stay tuned for a new floral to come, as I also picked up more flowers besides Miss Gerber during my visit. Wishing you  a sunny day!