The Last Big Red

6"x6" oil on gessoed masonite professional artboard

We came home from our Thanksgiving trip south to find that most of/many of the trees here in CT have lost their leaves. We are on that downhill, slippery slope to winter. But on our morning walk just the other day, my neighbor has one of the last trees to hold its leaves. It's the biggest Japanese maple I have ever seen. I really never noticed it's size before, until this year. I'm walking up the hill and I can see these big 'abstract arms' of color stretching over a big green hedge. Pop this picture up on your screen and look at it from across the room. It's so fun when the shapes "read-well" from a distance, as well as close-up!

To purchase this painting, please visit my Daily Painters Gallery online!

Peaceful Fields of the Quiet Corner - sold

11"x14" oil on linen mounted on panel (Sourcetek professional artboard)

The northeast corner of CT is known as the"Quiet Corner". It is such a pleasant scenic drive. The angles of the hedgerows on these fields were so interesting to me, as well as the last tree that still had it's leaves was also the biggest!

Fleeting Memories - sold

16"x20" oil on oil primed canvas

Sunset skies at this time of year begin to get really interesting, especially when you have weather fronts moving through. Thanksgiving day in Destin, FL we had overcast skies & a bit of drizzle mid-day. By evening, we knew that Friday was going to be very different. The heavy clouds started moving out and the high whispy "mares-tails" clouds that always come with cold weather showed up! And yes, Friday was clear, chilly and windy!

River's Silver Bliss - sold

6"x8" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

What can I say, late afternoon, mid-autumn, along the Housatonic River (in the western side of our state of CT) - the moving water reflects it's silver sparkle along the late day shadows as some grey clouds roll in. I love to paint the ever changing state of water.


We finally made it back from our Thanksgiving trip today! I only took the time to paint this one while we were traveling. There are times when it is more important to get your head out of the paint-box and be with friends and family. And while the scenery was very pretty....the friends and family were the best part of the trip! This is my "Navy sister" we got together with - we've known each almost 20 years and watched each others kids grow up - and been great support for each other during long deployments. Her parents came along,too & it was great to see them also. What a great delight to have all of us together again! Hope to get to bed at a decent hour & rest from too much time waiting in airports today! I'm cured of flying....for at least a little while! Tomorrow, I look forward to getting back in my routine, and painting!

Travel Dilemnas

Oh well. I thought I was so well prepared. I had my paint box, my new little camera, but I just realized I don't have the cable to download any pictures into my computer, so you won't get to see new paintings until I get home. But we finally made it to Destin early evening. It's beautiful here. Don't know if the weather will hold out, but it will be fun. So I'll have more updates after Monday the 26th!

Don't Smash the Egg!

"The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it." - Arnold H. Glasgow

This is the quote I'm sending Wednesday morning on my Cheer Factor email (if you're interested in signing up, email me direct at roxannesteed@gmail.com & request your daily Cheer Factor).

We made it from Providence, RI down to Jacksonville, FL. Changed planes in Baltimore, but apparently our luggage didn't do it at the same time we did! So we waited for a bit this evening before we could get on our way. I had to remind myself "please be patient" so I wouldn't unravel into a meltdown. I began a search for quotes on patience and got an interesting line-up. The one that wins the prize for making me laugh is:

"Never chase a man or a bus, there will always be another one."

Well, I was SO glad to see my suitcase & backpack with my paintbox come rolling in on a later flight! I was worried it might make the grand Thanksgiving tour without me! Hopefully there will be time for a small painting tomorrow!

And I will sign off with a very crucial Chinese proverb:
"One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life."

May you be blessed with a patient temperament.

False Starts, Packing & Puttering...

Traveling at Thanksgiving??!! I must be nuts! I'm flying out tomorrow & will have set foot in 3 airports, one car rental and a hotel in a distant town before reaching my final destination on Wednesday. I feel like I'm on a great quest. But reuniting with old friends AND all our children IS a great adventure that I look forward to. In running final errands for the trip, doing last minute laundry before packing, I'm trying to decide whether to bring my smallest paintbox in my backpack. It usually travels well, but do I want to risk it during Thanksgiving week? I must be insane. Well, I have 'til tomorrow morning to decide whether to bring it or not. I'm bringing my laptop, in hopes of having internet connection where I'm staying. Not too sure of that either!

Walk Down to the River -sold

6"x6" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

Oh this was another memorable fall day. A couple weekends ago, my husband and I took a Sunday drive along the CT River. This shady path led the way down..."Keep walking, I'll put you in a painting", I called to him as he stopped to turn around to see if I was still behind him. I take a camera every where I go now. I don't want to miss a thing! This shady path opened up to the sunniest spot of light on a golden afternoon down along the river.

Seaside Window View

20"x24" oil on canvas

This is in my front window with some of my favorite things; sea stars & shells, flowers, blue & white pottery, a celadon green Asian teapot - with a view out to sea. How could it get any better?!

If you are interested in this painting, please contact me: roxannesteed@gmail.com

Mill House Above the River - sold

12"x12" oil on 3/4" gallery wrapped canvas

This building is above the Housatonic River by Bull's Bridge. There is a hydro-electric power plant nearby this & a waterfalls. - The power of water being pushed through small places is amazing! When we drove by there a couple Sundays ago, the late afternoon sun was making dappled shadows along the side of the structure. Some of the trees have dropped their leaves at this point, some are turning color and some still green. Makes for an extensive show this year! The warm white of the building reflecting into the water is what initially caught my eye!

May/December Romance

6"x6" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

I've got to laugh at my crazy cat! We do love our pets....even when they make us crazy! They seem to love us back, too (well, mine does NOT seem to love me when she needs her nails trimmed, UGH!). No matter what we look like, they think we're adorable...hmm...is it the food?? ha.

To bid on this painting, click here.

Beach Babe -sold

6"x6" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

OMG! Why is it that when you CAN'T go to the beach & have warm sunny weather, that's all I can think about? It started out rainy & gray this morning, usually I try to 'embrace' what ever's out there in the great outdoors. But today I've been craving the warm sun on my skin, a big floppy straw hat, a balmy breeze, and sand between my toes. I practically made myself miserable just thinking about it. So I looked through all my photos 'til I found something I'd like to paint that made me feel better. By the time I finished this painting - I was happy again....by brain was in that warm sun-shiny place...and I remembered - I AM going SOUTH ...to the beach for Thanksgiving! Now I'll be smiling through next week!

Just Ducky - sold

6"x6" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

I don't know what it is about sunlight on a white duck..... or it could be this one's personality?! This duck lives just around the corner from us, and every morning on our walk there he is, waiting to greet us. He does have a pen, but in the morning, he is also out for HIS walk. He actually has the run of his part of the neighborhood. We have wondered how he hasn't been eaten by dogs, hit by a car, etc. he's been like this for years. If you walk by and ignore him, he lets you know he's insulted - and will not shut up until you say hello and make a general fuss over him. And how do we address him? Usually it's Mr. Duck, but when he's particularly amusing, it's "Ducky!"

Passages (finished)

9"x12" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

I think I'm happy with this one now - and yes, it's for sale.

Contact me roxannesteed@gmail.com to purchase.

Passages (in progress)

9"x12" oil on masonite artboard

I did a little tweaking on this piece Friday night before I went to bed (at 2am). Saturday we were up early to drive down to Maryland for my aunt & uncle's 50th wedding anniversary!! Talk about passages! This was such a fun/sweet event! It was great fun to catch up with cousins I hadn't seen in a long time! (and get to see my brother, too!). So we just got back this evening after way too many hours on the Jersey turnpike & Garden State Parkway! And New York traffic is crazy no matter which route you take. My brain is fried. No more painting this evening - fiddle dee dee - tomorrow is another day, great for painting! My brain needs to chill out! I hope to wrap this up tomorrow and begin something new!

Passages (unfinished)

9"x12" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

Today's painting is from the end of summer down in Tallahassee, FL with one of my two favorite models. Passages is symbolic of the many stages we go through in the journey our lives.

I want to have another look tomorrow to make sure I am finished. Needs a bit of tweaking.

See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil - sold

5"x7" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

I saw this trio of pumpkins on a neighbors porch, just waiting there in front of the recycling bins! I immediately thought of "See No Evil....." There are three young kids that live there & I'm sure the mom wishes the same thing!

Horsetails Over The Hilltop

4"x4" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

This was an interesting study of the colors in the shadows. On our trip through the eastern half of CT last Sunday, I stopped along the road to look back at this hilltop farm. The weather was changing, and the high whispy clouds we called 'horsetails' as kids seemed to fan out behind this farm on the hilltop. The sun was low in the afternoon and lit up the sides of the buildings, but the backs had these deep interesting shadow colors, as well as the ruts in the hillside...and the long shadow of the tree going down the hill made an interesting element, too. It seemed the land & sky were opposing in their design lines....another thing that caught my eye.

I love the way light catches things differently on each successive day - a new visual challenge awaits us every single day. How could one ever get bored?

Contact me if you are interested in this painting: roxannesteed@gmail.com

Bend in the Road - sold

4"x4" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

This past Sunday we drove up the eastern half of our state to the "quiet corner" of CT. So many pretty towns in this area. Some areas areas of trees are past their peek, but there are still some trees that are still green. The way the road bent here, the tree looked like it was in the middle of the road! (good idea to build the road around the tree!).

Reflections of Bull's Bridge - sold

16"x20" oil on linen mounted on professional artboard (Raymar)

Finished this painting up this morning! What fun working with big round brushes!

Reflections of Bull's Bridge (continuation)

16"x20" oil on linen mounted on board (Raymar)

A bit further today. Still in need of a bit of tweaking tomorrow. I'll address more of the water features at that point. In our area now some of the trees are loosing all their leaves, we are past the peek of all that wild color! Soon, we'll have the subtle purply grey tones of winter.

The wind was howling all day today on this rainy day. It sounded like the roof was going to come off of my studio at times. At other times, it sounded quite like a 'scary movie sound-track'!! I'm hoping tomorrow is calm & clear again.

Reflections of Bull's Bridge (block in)

16"x20" oil on linen mounted on board

I really wanted to get started on a large painting today! Our drive last weekend took us past several covered bridges in the western half of CT. This is Bull's Bridge....(not sure what it was named for, but I guess there must be a story behind it!). Anyway, today I got just a bit further than this block-in you see here. More tomorrow! I'm really enjoying the beauty of New England this year in every painting I work on!

Had a wonderful opening this evening at Studio 33 Gallery on State Street in New London. It's a group show and runs until December 29.

Red Tree, Red Door - sold

5"x7" oil on gessoed masonite artboard

Sometimes you'll be driving down the road & an interesting sight catches your eye - this red tree next to the building with the red door did that for me. The late afternoon sun was hitting them across the front, leaving interesting shadows & brilliant light.