Coffee and Dunkin Donuts

Calories, anyone?

Coffee and Donuts

Acrylic on Canvas 12x12"

For information or to purchase, contact patti@mollicastudio.com

Boat Painting

Painting boats en plein air, its tricky. The boats move, the light changes, there is always distractions from curious bystanders who are fascinated and want to chat, the schlepping, the bugs, I always forget my visor and sunblock. So many things to deal with, so little time to work with before the light pattern has changed completely, about 3 hours tops. However all these factors put together make for a painting that communicates a bold, immediate reaction to your subject matter which is hard to simulate in a controlled studio setting. Your color, values and drawing decisions have to be quickly calculated and ruthlessly executed - no time to waver. Get it right - now - and move on quickly.

I discovered a marina in Rye, New York yesterday at about 3:45. After getting permission to paint there, parking, setting up my easel, putting out the colors, brushes, doing a quick sketch etc, I was ready to roll at about 4:30. Minus about 1/2 hour of chat time with some local boat owners who kindly offered me beer, water, and a sunset boatride, the painting was done at 6 PM. Just in time to enjoy that sunset cruise - which departed about 10 minutes prior ... next time!

Rye Marina SOLD

12x12 Acrylic on Canvas

Yellow Rose

A rose is a rose is a rose...

that elegant simplicity of a rose in bloom is so alluring. Yet is there anything more challenging to paint? The tendancy is to paint every single petal, accounting for the layers and layers of lush fullness that makes the rose so voluptuous. However in approaching it that way, one can quickly find themselves on a slippery slope of painting every petal and eliminating all the "magic" that struck us upon first glimpse. This is one of the many challenges of painting such an exquisite, complex, masterfully designed form. Implying the complexity but painting the simplicity and the drama ... not so easy.

My husband bought me a dozen yellow roses for my recent birthday. One of them stood out as being so "perfect" in its structure and design, so "architectural", that I decided to bring it to class and have my students paint it. What added to the challenge was that it was set against a very light backround, with little contrast to "fall back on". When everyone left, I pulled out the paints and went at it too.

Yellow Rose Acrylic on Board 10x10

If you are interested in purchasing, contact me at: patti@mollicastudio.com

Strappy Shoes

Strappy shoes - can you ever have enough of them? Patent leather pumps, rhinestone bejeweled sandals, chunky platforms, slinky mules, leather studded spikes ... they're easy on the eyes, tough on the feet, and so delightful to paint!

"Strap Happy" Acrylic on Canvas 12x12" SOLD

Party Shoes

Shoes are so really fun to paint! The white shoe was last worn on June 30, 2001, the day I got married. Seems a shame that I haven't had an opportunity to wear it since, but being a more predisposed to wearing black than white, it just doesn't get much action. That strappy shoe makes a perfect painting subject however, so at least it is now immortalized, with extremely fond memories, whether it gets worn or not.

Wedding Bells 12x12" Acrylic on canvas SOLD

Sweet Stuff

Here's a painting I started last night at 9:30 and finished at 10:45. I went out and bought all kinds of sweet things to paint, so stay tuned for a slew of paintings of desserts, ice cream, candy, cookies and all the stuff we love to eat, drink - and look at too! This is my first in the "Sweet Stuff" series. I took photos from start to finish to show the step by step progression, I'll be uploading them and posting to my website "demos" page.

"Sweet Stuff" Acrylic on Canvas, 12x12"