Today is Day 30 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge that I signed on to be apart of with Leslie Saeta and over 260 other artists!!!!

I DIDI IT! WHOO HA!
Ok... so I'm completely exhausted and having trouble just typing this post... I can't wait to climb into bed... Yeah!

My theme is: Connecticut Treasures. 
I thought a lighthouse scene would be appropriate for the last painting of this challenge because there are 22 lighthouses along the Connecticut Coastline and definitely a Connecticut icon.

There is so much more I want to say about how much I've grown from this challenge but my "thinking cap" is no where to be found right now... so... I'm signing out for the night... and hopefully tomorrow morning, after my first cup of coffee... I can share with you a few new ideas about this challenge... like displaying it in a gallery, creating an e-book or even a coffee table book. Well, good night and thank you everyone for joining me on this 30 day challenge...  it been a blast!

with much gratitude and love, 
Linda

Today is Day 29 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge that I signed on to be apart of with Leslie Saeta and over 260 other artists... Only one more to go!

My theme is: Connecticut Treasures. 
Last July I had the pleasure to see one of the most spectacular horticultural sites in Connecticut. In Griswold, CT there's a farm called Buttonwood Farms and back in 2003 they planted one acre of sunflowers. People came from miles to see and photograph these beautiful flowers. By 2012, Buttonwood Farms planted 14 acres of sunflowers! An oasis of  golden splendor! The farm sold the sunflowers by the bunch for  $5 and all the proceeds went  to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut.

I met up with two fellow plein air artists who were enjoying a morning at their easels. The day was heating up by about 10:30am and at 11:15am the watering tractor made its rounds leaving sparkling puddles of water along the path... and I came very close to getting a sprayed!

Now onto the last painting of this Challenge.....

Today is Day 26 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge that I signed on to be apart of with Leslie Saeta and over 260 other artists.

My theme is: Connecticut Treasures. 
I'll be brief: Nothing says Connecticut more that all the white steeple churches sprinkled throughout the state. One after another I pass along the roadside and the only words that come to mind are.... amazing grace!

Join in the Journey
 Hope you join me on this 30 day painting challenge... you can sign-up for these blog posts to be delivered right in your inbox... just look for the email sign-up box in the right column. Feel free to comment below and share either your  favorite places and/or things to do in CT or... Have you ever noticed how many white steeple churches there are in Connecticut?

Today is Day 25 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge that I signed on to be apart of with Leslie Saeta and over 260 other artists.

My theme is: Connecticut Treasures. 
Another warm summer scene on a freezing cold snowy January day. Lake Compound Amusement Park in Bristol, CT has been a long time favorite place for me and my kids to go on hot summer days. I can remember our first time visit... I was taken back by how beautiful the grounds were, it's cleanliness, how friendly all the employees were and just how much fun my kids had! It was a perfect place to stroll along the walkways and so many rides for the little ones. I can remember my son Ray had to ride the motorcycle a dozen times in one day. And of course, Veronica loved the flying elephants. The swings were Victoria's favorite. One of the oldest rides there is the wooden carousel and my kids (they were really young) thought it went too fast! Now a days it's the fastest, steepest, craziest, make-your-hair-stand-up- straight rides that thrill them!  This photo was taken on a trip with my husband and his girls, Hope, Allison and Gretchen and our friends, the Beckley family.

What I didn't know about Lake Compounds is that it's the oldest, continuously-operated amusement part in North America, first opening in 1846! And was a huge attraction for celebrity big bands from the 1940's. Here's a quote directly from Lake Compound's website:

"On Easter Sunday, Glenn Gray and the Casa Loma Band opened the "Starlite Ballroom" to a full house of "big band" enthusiasts. Most big bands played Lake Compounce. From Dorsey to Calloway, Basie to Kenton, James to Goodman, the ballroom was packed for each performance. The all time attendance record of 5,000 dancers was set in spring, 1941, when Tommy Dorsey's reorganized band featured a young, up and coming vocalist, Frank Sinatra."

Join in the Journey
 Hope you join me on this 30 day painting challenge... you can sign-up for these blog posts to be delivered right in your inbox... just look for the email sign-up box in the right column. Feel free to comment below and share either your  favorite places and/or things to do in CT or... Have you ever been to Lake Compounds in Bristol, CT? and if so what's your favorite ride?

Today is Day 24 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge that I signed on to be apart of with Leslie Saeta and over 260 other artists.

I've fallen a little behind again over the weekend because of a full schedule of kid's activities, driving, lots and lots of driving, an Art Opening on Friday night at 6 Summit Gallery in Ivoryton, CT. and just busy stuff. But I'm back and challenging myself to painting at least 3 paintings today... it's snowing outside so painting warm scenes is like a sweet treat!

My theme is: Connecticut Treasures. 
Here's a scene from a photo I took last summer while Dean and I were heading toward the Apple Store in New Haven, CT. Lot's of Yale students around even in the summer time and as you can see in the background these are just two of the many and I mean many, Yale University Buildings. Yale University isn't the only educational facility that's rich in the Collegiate Gothic architecture style here in Connecticut but what I find so fascinating with Yale is its ability to blend in so fluently into the city's environment ... as though a Grand Designer reached down and delicately arrange each structure to His liking... and then sat back and smiled.

Join in the Journey
 Hope you join me on this 30 day painting challenge... you can sign-up for these blog posts to be delivered right in your inbox... just look for the email sign-up box in the right column. Feel free to comment below and share either your  favorite places and/or things to do in CT or... do you like to walk along the city streets in New Haven, CT and admire the vast architectural styles? Or to my out-of-state friends who might be planning a trip to CT... I definitely recommend spending a day walking around the city of New Haven. You won't be disappointed!

Today is Day 22 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge that I signed on to be apart of with Leslie Saeta and over 260 other artists.

My theme is: Connecticut Treasures. 
 Feeling the need to paint something HOT, I came across a photo I took last summer of the stuffed lobster my husband Dean made for us on a HOT July evening! Dean's an amazing cook and he's always experimenting in the kitchen. 

Since I started this project, I've been scoping out books and websites to find interesting facts about CT to share and this one kept popping up. Did you know that Connecticut is "Home of the Famous HOT Lobster Roll?" According to John Mariani's Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, the lobster roll "may well have" originated at a restaurant name Perry's, in Milford CT back in 1934. Since I grew up in Connecticut I had no idea that there was any other kind of lobster roll but the one that comes served on a HOT dog bun with HOT melted butter all over HOT fresh lobster meat. And to my surprise I once ordered a Lobster Roll in Boston, MA only to find that it was cold, and mixed with mayo! No thanks! So for me Connecticut's HOT Lobster Rolls RULE!  I don't believe Perry's in still in business but Lenny's and Joe's FishTales has three locations, Westbrook, Madison and now in New Haven, CT and they serve the REAL HOT Lobster Roll on their menu! Hungry, yet?

Join in the Journey
 Hope you join me on this 30 day painting challenge... you can sign-up for these blog posts to be delivered right in your inbox... just look for the email sign-up box in the right column. Feel free to comment below and share either your  favorite places and/or things to do in CT or...which Lobster Roll do you like better? HOT with melted butter or cold with mayo?

Today is Day 17 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge that I signed on to be apart of with Leslie Saeta and over 260 other artists.

My theme is: Connecticut Treasures. 
I set this still life up early this morning on the kitchen counter thinking I would have a relaxing morning painting after everyone leaves the house, so off I went for a cup of tea with my very dear friend Tracey at Panera. A little while later ready to paint I come home only to find the lighting wasn't right anymore so I set everything up on a small table on the other side of the kitchen and then the apples wouldn't cooperate. They would randomly roll around or lean over awkwardly. And to make matters worse, our cat Jac was desperate this morning for attention. First jumping up right on the chair that my painting palette was on and next onto the table with the still life. (see photo below). Who knew it would be so difficult to paint a "still life"? Now what's up with that?

Frisbie Pie Plate Takes Flight
We had this pie plate in our hutch and it comes from the Frisbie Pie Co. in Bridgeport, CT. Here's a few notes about Frisbie:

• Frisbee was inspired by the Frisbie Pie Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, founded by William Russell Frisbie. 
• In the 1870s, William Russell Frisbie opened a bakery called the Frisbie Pie Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut. His lightweight pie tins were embossed with the family name. In the mid-1940s, students at Yale University tossed the empty pie tins as a game.
• on January 13, 1957, Wham-O Manufacturing Co. of San Gabriel, California, Americans were introduced to the Frisbee.

And that's how the plastic Frisbee disc came to be.

Join in the Journey
 Hope you join me on this 30 day painting challenge... you can sign-up for these blog posts to be delivered right in your inbox... just look for the email sign-up box in the right column. Feel free to comment below and share either your  favorite places and/or things to do in CT or... are you a Frisbee fan?I've tried playing a few times but it appears that I'm quite dangerous with my keen ability to hit the house window rather than the target when playing "Frisbee Golf" just ask my brother, Mickey! or perhaps you have a favorite frisbee story to tell, please share, I would love to hear your story.

Today is Day 16 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge that I signed on to be apart of with Leslie Saeta and over 260 other artists.

My theme is: Connecticut Treasures. 
 Over the past year I've taken so many shots of places, events, people and things all around Connecticut and I'm looking forward to sharing these inspirations with you.

Who's Fresher?
I'm not sure who's fresher my husband Dean, or the pineapple in his hand.... hmmm... Well, I finally caught up with the group on Day 16 and this place was one of the first on my list to paint and I'm not sure why it took so long. Probably because I have so much to say about this place that I couldn't possibly fit it all in one blog post. So I'll try my best to make it brief. 

Today is Day 13 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge that I signed on to be apart of with Leslie Saeta and over 260 other artists. 

My theme is: Connecticut Treasures. 
I know this looks nothing like the last 12 paintings but I've fallen behind on the challenge and I'm trying to catch up. (I need to create three paintings today!)
I thought I would share with you a color study exercise I do quit often. Practice, practice and more practice  is what improves any skill and that goes for creating art. When I have some left over paint on my palette or I'm not sure exactly what to paint I like to grid out these little 6 x6 panels and just play with colors. changing up the values, opacity, hues is the goal in creating these  little "color quilts". 
Where's the Tie in?
How does this tie into the Connecticut Treasure theme? I could talk about the history of Connecticut quilting which is very extensive (I'd rather give you the link below to the New England Quilt Museum in Mass., if you want more quilting history.) Or I could talk about all the quilting groups in Connecticut like, CT Piecemakers with over 260 members, ( here's the link to their calendar of events... it's a very popular thing here in CT) but what came to my mind when I painting this "color quilt" this morning is a little shop I discovered back in November called Yankee Cloth in Wallingford, CT. The store is in an old Victorian style home near the downtown center and the first time I stepped foot inside I could feel the creative energy all around. There's a kitchen in the back with a circle of chairs for quilting chats and two floors of the most beautiful quilting material ranging in every color and pattern you can imagine! There are also lots of samples on display and for sale. The quilting ladies who work there were all very friendly. Hope you get a chance to stop in and wrap yourself in Connecticut love!

Join in the Journey
 Hope you join me on this 30 day painting challenge... you can sign-up for these blog posts to be delivered right in your inbox... just look for the email sign-up box in the right column. Feel free to comment below and share either your  favorite places and/or things to do in CT or... please share, I would love to hear your story.


P.S. One more thing about quilting... One of our all time FAVORITE (emphasizing how much we love ) this children's book called "The Quiltmaker's Gift" by Jeff Brumbeau. I can't tell you how many times I've read this book to my children... if I had to guess it would be in the 100's! Beautifully illustrated and a very fun, clever story that has a powerful message for both children and adults.

I've always admired the beautiful blue and white ornaments my friends, Joy and Scott's would hang on their tree each year ever since we lived in the same apartment complex ... wow... 22 years ago! 
It wasn't until last year that we reconnected after 16 years of separation.... and I can't tell you how thankful I am to have both Joy and Scott back in my life again.
We both have daughters name Veronica and they are only a year apart... something we didn't plan.
Joy lent me her lovely blue and white dutch ornaments to paint. I can't wait to show you more.

This season I want to reflect on the wonderful friendships I have in my life. ....
and ...
the other treasures of joy in my life... my children!
Pictured below are two of my three kids. Today, 
Veronica just received an award for outstanding player this season on the Varsity Field Hockey team at her school.... while her big brother Ray and I cheered her on during the assembly.