This piece was created based off of a photo reference I took last year when preparing for a nocture painting. The Guilford Marina offers many different views, What struck me about this scene was the warm orange glow from the street lights and the rich blue water and sky. There was a slight band of orange to pinks low in the horizon. The Lobster Shack was lit up with bright spotlights almost as bright as the setting sun.

​Many years ago I was invited to join a Tuesday night sailing group. There were 15 of us on the boat. I had no clue what I was doing but the crew was so happy to see me show up with a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies! - This scene reminded me of those time. 

This piece along with 17 of my works are on display at Chapter One Restaurant in Guilford, CT - The show is called "Beaches, Boats and Sunsets" it's a collection of my latest works based of the Connecticut coast. 
Chapter One Restaurant is located at: 
25 Whitfield Ave
Guilford, CT
Directly across from the Guilford Green and next to Mix Design and BSK Design at The Greene Gallery.

The restaurant is open for Tuesday - Sunday - lunch and dinners - here's a link to their website for more information. Chapter-One.com

Out with the Connecticut Plein Air Painters on a Thursday in late March. It was foggy and incredibly overcast. Sarah, Bill, Doug, Candace and Jill joined in - 
this piece was painted on a linen panel. This piece is available in the online shop or contact me directly  by email - linda@lindasmarinoart.com

Our next CT plein Air Show will be in Newtown CT, in a Barn at residential home. June 18-19, 2021 , more details to come -

#foggydaypainting #beachpainting #seagullsandrockpainting #enpleinair #hammonassetbeachpainting  #oilpainting #CTartist #ctpleinairpainting #connecticutcoastpainting #madisonct 

​Painted en plein air with the Fairfield County Painters on Thursday May 6, 2021. Location: Lee Memorial Garden, New Canaan, CT.  It was a small group of painters about 5 of us. 

When Elizabeth posted the location for our weekly paint out I was so curious about the place because I never heard of it and I grew up in New Canaan.  I did a quick search on my phone for the location and discovered it was close to where a high school friend lived but I had never been there before. 
Driving down the windy residential road I was surprised to find large black gates open and a small lot for cars to park. It's hard to describe in words how unique this garden is and every photo I took doesn't do it justice. Faith, the garden curator said they are just entering peak season for the spring blooms with pink, peach and purple azaleas and many other flowering plants. What's unexpected is that the design of the garden is very organic with a very limited amount of man made structures, just enough to know someone is meticulously caring for this garden.  Looking forward to return again in a few weeks!

As we close the chapter on 2020 and look ahead to 2021 wouldn't it be nice to share a gift of hope to someone you care about?

In this year's A Fresh Perspective Art Calendar, each month features a new painting and inspirational quote to brighten not just your day but your whole year.  

Why not share that hope with a friend?  

Today I'd like to share one of my calendar pages with you.

It's the month of April 2021.

This year I decided to add inspirational quotes to each calendar page so I gathered all the quotes I've been saving and searched for more.

After changing the quote and image for April a few times, I settled on the painting of the pink spring blossoms in Branford. I love this painting because it brings back memories of sitting in my car with the easel resting against the steering wheel. It was just too cold to paint outside that April day but I didn't want to miss this moment. Be faithful in the small things, or should I say the small moments.

"Be faithful in the small things because it is in them that your strength lies." - Mother Teresa

I love this quote by Mother Teresa as well as many other words of wisdom from such a remarkable wise woman.

This morning I was reading a blog post by Mark Batterson. Author of the Circle Makers and Pastor at National Community Church in Washington DC..

 The title of the blog post is "Find your Calcutta".

I knew right then I had to read this one. I knew it would be about Mother Teresa.

Mark Batterson has a wonderful way of linking ideas together to paint a beautiful picture with words. He tells the story of Mother Teresa, and how she started the orphanage in Calcutta.

 Her superiors said, “You can’t build an orphanage with three pennies. With three pennies you can’t do anything.”
Agnes smiled and said, “I know. But with God and three pennies I can do anything.”

For fifty years Agnes worked among the poor in the slums of Calcutta, India. In 1979 the woman we know as Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace Prize. Listen, it is a long way from three pennies to a Nobel Peace Prize. And my question is, how did a woman with so little do so much? The answer is simple. Never underestimate someone who has the courage to come out of the cage and pursue a Godordained passion.
​
Toward the end of her ministry, Mother Teresa was often asked by her admirers how they could make a difference with their lives the way she had with hers. Mother Teresa’s oft-repeated response was four words long: “Find your own Calcutta.”

What an inspiring story!! I love it! And so worth sharing and passing it along. This is exactly what I needed to get the engine reeved up and face another day! I hope it inspires you too.

​ Mr. Batterson also ends his post with this last line  which I think is worth sharing too.

Be the Light! Keep shining -Be faithful in the little things -
Blessings
​Linda

I'm happy to share that my latest 2021 A Fresh Perspective Art Calendar is at the printers now and will be ready to ship soon! 

Each year I love to gather together my latest collection into a 12 month wall calendar. It's such a joy to see it call come together in one pretty package. 

This year I decided to add some of my favorite quotes to illuminate the images each month.  The quotes vary from unknown to well -known, like Mother Teresa, Desmond Tutu, Maya Angelou and Martin Luther King Jr. 

In December the quote is from Desmond Tutu - " Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness."

In February the quote is from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ' " Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase: just take the first step."

and in September the quote is Maya Angelou "Nothing can dim the light that shines from within."

I selected these quotes so that we may be encouraged and challenged to see what's before us in a whole new light - A Fresh Perspective!

These calendars are wrapped individually in make great gifts! 

Here are a few sample pages:

Our second night out painting a nocturne at the Guilford Harbor.
I switched over from acrylics to oil to see if I like the medium better for a nocturne painting. There are some advantages like drying slower that acrylics but one big disadvantage I could find is that with the lamp light or over head street light a very hard glare happens when a layer of oil paint is on the canvas. I had to keep moving left to right to see if I could dodge the glare. But once I got use to it, I didn't even notice that it was there. 
Our second night was a little quieter than the first night. Although a few folks would drive by and yell out their car window "nice painting" - I was so slow to respond, I don't even think they heard me say "Thanks" as they drove off into the night.
One thing I do love about painting a nocturne is that the light source, usually a street lamp doesn't change like the way the sunlight changes throughout the day. 
I was thankful that Eileen had an extra clip on light for my easel but it still was a challenge to see the true colors that you were mixing. It wasn't until the next day in daylight I could truly assess whether the colors looked correct or were totally off!
Now that the winter is approaching and the days are getting shorter, I've been scoping out new places to paint a nocturne painting. I found the Branford Green with the tall white church and red doors a definite on my list of places to paint.

Special Offer: From now until November 29th Artists Sunday - Free shipping on all commissioned Pet Portraits! Contact me for more information or go to my Pet Portrait Page

A wonderful day at Weir Farm in Wilton CT with the Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society. It was early autumn when just a few trees have started to turn. There were about 8 or 9 of us painting throughout the day. We were spread out on the 280 acre property. I would making my rounds to see how all the painters were doing. I enjoyed meeting several new artists.

 I was able to complete a quick block in for this painting and finished it up in my studio. I love this spot behind the main house where the Ranger's office is. There's a stone potting shed, sunken garden and a few smaller buildings in the back. I set up my easel in the shade of a large oak tree and right next to a stone wall. 
Painting at Weir Farm is so inspiring especially when one learns about the history of famous American painters who painted right there on the farm. Julian Alden Weir was the owner of the property and he would invite his friends to join him for an artist's retreat. I absolute love this idea because it's a secret dream I hope that one day Dean and I could own a small farm and hold Plein air painting artist retreats. 
Here's the link to read more about Weir Farm and the History. - 

what also makes visiting Weir Farm special this year is that the Farm has been selected as a National Park for the Arts and a US coin has been minted with a picture of Weir farm on the back! Thanks to the Friends of Weir Farms for selecting one of paintings to be on the cover of their mailers!

We will definitely be back to paint at Weir farm especially in the Winter and Spring seasons, I  can only imagine how beautiful and so different the place will look.

I'll be putting together a short video of our paint outs at Weir farm for CPAPS website. I'm just gathering the image and I have a few short interviews to include - I'll post it on our social media page for public viewing.

Thanks for being apart of my art journey - I hope it's inspired you to get creative and try something new!

Warmest regards,
Linda


P. S. Don't forget... Open Studio Visits are going on for the month of November and December 2020 - register for a visit - come and see the new artwork I've been creating all year and purchase a painting for yourself or as a gift. Art makes the best gift!

First time for me out painting by the moonlight. It was the perfect September evening out on the Guilford Harbor with my friend Eileen.

We painted from just after sunset to about 9pm.

There were a few folks walking by and we could hear the quiet chatter of the people enjoying a meal at the nearby restaurant. 

I could hear the fish popping in the water right below me. When my husband who was fishing on the other side of the parking lot came over to join us. I told him about the fish popping and he dropped his line.

​Within just a few seconds he hooked a blue fish. Just a little to small to keep so he tossed the fish back in and dropped the fishing line again.

We went back out a second night and I was able to complete a second painting of this scene.

Thanks for being apart of the journey!
Linda

P.S. Join me for an Open Studio Visit this month and next  if you live in the area.  - go to the Shoreline Arts Trail website to learn more about the open studio and to schedule a visit. Look forward to seeing you!

Our second painting out with the Connecticut Plein air painters society was at the New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain, CT.

We met up on Saturday September 26- it started off rainy and drizzly on my way up to the museum but by the time we unpacked our gear and found a place to paint the sun came out and it was just a perfect day to paint - together.  

I've just stepped into the role of President for CPAPS and there's a lot to learn and organize. I'm hoping we'll have a board soon so that jobs can be delegated and the work load is a little lighter. But I enjoy gather with my fellow artists, finding new places in Connecticut to paint and seeking new ways to showcase our artwork.

This is our 25th year but we plan to celebrate next year because of all the restriction due to Covid.  I'm looking forward to meeting new painters and checking out all the beautiful spots in our small but picturesque state!

It was great to be back at the New Britain Museum of American Art. 12 years ago I in the educational department with a great group of ladies. Maura, Morgan, Linda M and Heather. We had such fun and worked hard to promote the education programs and events at the Museum.

​ If you live in Connecticut and have never visited NBMAA I would recommend that you do -It's a hidden gem of our wonderful state and offers an amazing collection of American Masterpieces. A few of my favorite collections are the Illustration Collection, The Ash Can Artists Collection and of course, the American Impressionists collection.