I've been working on three large forest paintings and I think I've finished two of them.  This one is called Lena Lake Trail #4, 40" x 30".  (There are only so many names I can think of for trail paintings!)  I started this one out very loosely and was please with the progress.  Tell me what you think!

Last Tuesday I was invited to do a pastel demonstration at the Rainier League of Arts in Tacoma WA.  They had a really good turn out of members.  The image on the left is how it looked when I stopped painting, and the image on the right is how it looks now, finished and signed.  It's from a photo I took while cross-country skiing up at Hyak last winter.  It was a beautiful, sunny day (my favorite skiing weather!) and the shadows on the snow are so interesting and beautiful. 

I've got a show of 14 paintings - oils and pastels (and a couple of acrylics!) at Viridian Art and Frame on Mile Hill Drive across from SKHS ballfield in Port Orchard. It's a mix of new and not-so-new. Hours are 10a to 6p Tues-Fri, 10a to 4pm on Sat and closed on Sun and Mon. Sage is a really good framer and very creative.  You will see this pastel, Morning Walk #1, 17" x 11", one of my favorites.

I tried out a new surface - Pastelbord by Ampersand.  Not sure if I like it but I think the painting turned out ok.  I've tried other surfaces that I didn't like yet got some good results from them.

Finally updated my website - www.mjmcinnisfineart.com - after several months mainly because I'm so lacking in tech savvy.  Anyway, take a peek and see some new paintings I've done.  Here's a new one that I did for Bill McEnroe's "class" - Winter Turns to Spring, pastel, 17" x 11".  The assignment was to show the passage of time, going from new to old.  I decided to turn it on it's head and show something going from old (winter) to new (spring). 

Just sold this painting, Where the Tree Bends, (oil, 48" x 36") to a buyer from Portland OR this morning!!  She was thrilled to have it and has the perfect space for it.  You may have seen it on display in the front entrance at Bluewater Artworks in Poulsbo WA when they first opened last January.  Then it went to my new gallery in Issaquah WA - Patrick Daley Gallery @ Gilman - where he had it in his front entrance.  One of my favs!

Good grief!  I can't beleive I haven't posted anything on here for over a year.  I have been sending out updates on Fine Art America - guess you could say that was the replacement.  I'll try to do better but I'm not promising anything!  I guess I've just been very busy.  For those of you who are interested, our daughter Karen got married last July and is now due with our first grandbaby in September, ergo, I will not be participating in the Gig Harbor Open Studio Tour this year as we will be in Upstate New York where she and her Army husband live.  I am still on the GHOST website, though.  And speaking of websites, I finally got mine updated (kicking and screaming!) so go see what's new at wwwmjmcinnisfineart.com.  This new oil painting is called "Anne's Driveway".  There's just something about paths and roads that I really like!  And the lighting!