No 881 Rainier Over Ebey's Landing at Sunset

Rainier Over Ebey's Landing at Sunset

Oil on Linen Panel

5" x 7"

Sold

It was a lovey evening at Ebey's Landing on Whidbey Island with super clear skies. Skies so clear you could actually see Mt. Rainier!

This is one of many paintings that found new homes last weekend at the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Fair. Thank you so much everyone for adopting one or more of my paintings! It is much, much appreciated. I hope you enjoy them immensely!

No 880 In the Garden at Captain Whidbey Inn

In the Garden at Captain Whidbey Inn

Oil on Birch Panel

5" x 7"

Almost there! Mostly packed for the festival in Coupeville this weekend. A few loose ends here and there. Meg and I will head for the ferry tomorrow morning. Looking forward to getting this party started!

If you are planning on coming (it's a terrific arts festival so come if you can!) my recommendation this year would be to come on Sunday. The weather looks absolutely perfect, 70 degrees and sunshine. Sundays are usually a little more relaxed too. Be sure to get there early when parking is ample and it's easy to move from booth to booth. I'm in booth 197 on the waterfront next to Toby's.

Hope to see you there!

Click here for the festival website.

No 877 Coupville Wharf at Low Tide

Coupeville Wharf at Low Tide

Oil on Canvas Panel

5" x 7"

Wow! I hope you are having a great summer. We've had an excellent one. Filled with lots of new places to explore and paint, I couldn't be happier. It's that festival time of year though. So it's time to settle down and get ready for the Coupeville Arts Festival. It will be my only festival this summer unless I get a last minute call from the Fresh Paint folks.

I've been redirecting a lot of my online activity from my blog to Instagram. So if you are on Instagram please follow me at scmcmanamen or https://www.instagram.com/scmcmanamen/ 
It's much easier and less time consuming to post there so that's where you will see most of the action. :)

No. 807 Coupeville Wharf - Plein Air

Coupeville Wharf

Plein Air

Oil on Canvas Panel

6" x 8"

One of my better plein air paintings of the wharf in Coupeville. Painted earlier this summer. We're mostly packed for the Coupeville Art Festival and headed to the ferry early tomorrow morning to beat the summer traffic (hopefully). 

Two days until the festival!

No. 804 Ooo! La! La!

Ooo! La! La!

Oil on Canvas Panel

5" x 7"

I found these adorable shoes at an antique shop in Snohomish. Sadly, they are way to small for me to actually wear. But! Not too small to paint. :)

You may be wondering why the frequent posts lately. It's because daily painting has really been on my mind. I have two art festivals coming up in the next couple weeks were I will be out selling them.

The first is the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival, August 12th and 13th. If you need an excuse to come to Whidbey Island and you enjoy art festivals, this is your ticket. For more info on the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival click HERE.

The second festival is the following weekend, August 19th and 20th. Fresh Paint is Everett's best kept secret. Both festivals are held by the sea but this one really emphasizes artist demonstrations. So if you like to see how art is created get more info by clicking HERE. 

My advice for attending an art festival is to come early! Maybe even a bit before it starts when the temperatures are still cool and the parking is ample.

No. 740 Wallace Falls Hike - Plein Air

Wallace Falls Hike - Plein Air

Oil on Linen Panel

5" x 7"

I feel like this is one of my best plein airs to date. My daughter's and I went hiking with friends on a trail not too far from home. I stopped part way in to paint along the river while they did all the hard work hiking up to the falls. I think I had the best deal. This painting sold at the Coupeville Arts festival last weekend.

Here's a little video of the festival:

 

And of course the link if you're not seeing the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-VJxGxA2rM

Now we're on to the fabulous Fresh Paint festival in Everett this weekend!

Here's another link if you would like more info on this great festival.
http://www.schack.org/events/fresh-paint/

No. 739 Teapot and Lemons - Genie not Included

Teapot and Lemons - Genie Not Included

Oil on Linen Panel

5" x 7"

I don't know why this teapot reminds me of Alladin's lamp but it certainly does.

Everything is trashed! The house is trashed, my studio is trashed and even a part of the backyard is trashed getting ready for the festival this weekend. Will it all come together? We'll see...

Flash back to last years festival with Meg helping out. Gone are the red curtains, tulip banner and golden backboards.

If you think you can make it to the festival my advice is to come Sunday morning. You also might consider driving up by Anacortes and down the island instead of taking the ferry. If you decide to take the ferry you can keep an eye on wait times via their website. Here is a link to their webcams.

The girls and I will be located near Toby's Tavern in site 197. I'm pretty excited. I have a spot on the water side of the street. You should be able to see Penn Cove right through my booth! Click here for a map to the festival.

No. 738 Perrin Peonies

Perrin Peonies

Oil on Linen Panel

5" x 7"

I enjoyed Dennis Perrin's workshop on roses so much I went ahead and took another one on peonies. :)

The big news is our return to the Coupeville Arts Festival this weekend. This will be our third year. Somehow I got a bee in my bonnet and decided to redesign my booth. After spending a couple of weeks on it, I am questioning that decision. Hopefully all the work will be worthwhile. Speaking of that, I'm not done yet and I have two and half days to go! Better get back to work!

If you would like info on this great art festival held on beautiful Whidbey Island click HERE.

No. 636 Those Marvelous Peonies

 

 

Those Marvelous Peonies

Oil on Linen Panel

5" x 7"

 

A painting from earlier in the summer that sold at the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival this past weekend.

 

 

My daughter, Meg, helping out in the booth.

 

It was sunny, hot, successful weekend at the Coupeville festival. A HUGE thank you to my husband, Don, and my daughter, Meg, for all their help with the fair. Also a very big thank you to everyone who stopped by my booth to check out my artwork, chat, puff up my ego with compliments and the ultimate compliment - purchase my paintings. I can't tell you how much I appreciate each and every one of you.

 

Now it's time for a brief rest before gearing up for the next festival - Fresh Paint!

 

 



No. 635 Coupeville Historical Buildings

Coupeville Waterfront

Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

5 x 5

Just a quick note to say, after weeks of prep, we're ready for the festival! Yay! Tonight is set up. Tomorrow is the big day. Wish me luck!

Some of the historical buildings on the Coupeville waterfront.

While searching for flowers for the booth, I came across these beautiful things.

No. 634 Golden Goblet with Pear

 

 

Golden Goblet with Pear

Oil on Linen Panel

7" x 5"

Click to Bid

This painting has a bit of a "Renaissance" feel that I love. I used a palette knife to break things up a bit and add some variety to the edges and background.

 

Stage one of getting ready for the Coupeville Arts and Crafts festival has been completed. All paintings have been signed and edges touched up. Now it is time to pull out the tent and try to remember how to put everything together...

No. 633 The Newest Roses

 

 

The Newest Roses

Oil on Gessobord

6" x 6"

 

So happy I bought this rose. These flowers have been a joy to paint.

 

I'd hoped to share more of my trip and watercolor journal by now but I'm knee deep in preparations for the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival on August 1 and 2. I applied for two art festivals this year and was accepted to both. No waiting list this year! The second festival is Fresh Paint on the Everett waterfront. It's being held August 15 and 16. Now...back to getting ready!

No. 474 Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival

 

 

 

Coupeville Waterfront

Oil on Canvas Panel

9" x 12"

Sold

 

Terrific news! The art festival went great! It was a lot of work but I sold many paintings and met all kinds of wonderful people. A big thank you to everyone who decided to take one or sometimes up to six paintings of mine home. A HUGE thank you to my family for all of their help. I couldn't have done it without you guys!

 

 

A peak at the interior of my booth.

 

 

 

My daughter, Anika, behind the counter wrapping, packing and ringing up customers. She was great!

 

 

 

The view outside my booth.

 

 

 

And finally, me, working on the painting at the top of this post. The fesitival ended up being a really positive experience. I hope they let me come back next year! Now it's all about getting ready for the Fresh Paint Festival this weekend in Everett. Off to work!

No. 473 A Yellow Rose Lisa Gloria Style

 

 

 

 

Yellow Rose - Lisa Gloria Style

Oil on Linen Panel

5" x 7"

 

 

Putting the ideas to work that I learned in Lisa Gloria's online workshop.

 

Frantically packing for the Coupeville Arts Festival this weekend. I applied all the way back in February, was notified I was on the wait list in May and then a week and a half ago was told I was in! Thankfully, I was mostly ready since I will be in another art festival next weekend. I've sold some of my daily paintings at farmer's markets before but this is my first art festival, so I'm pretty nervous. Cross fingers for me that all the work and expense will be worth it!