Early Oil Painting

Newport Garden

Night before last we stopped for a drink with our friend Jack to check out his new paint job. Right there on the wall between kitchen and den I noticed one of my first oil paintings created in a class with David Barnes through the Newport Art Museum about 15 years ago. I chose a site in the Rose Garden on the campus of Salve Regina where I could also capture the picturesque Arts Building nestled among a forest of stately American and Copper Beech trees. The roses were in full bloom, so it must have been just this time of year! Jack's late wife Karen purchased it at a local show, encouraging me to keep on painting. It's a busy scene, but strong, including every bit of local color. I did not know what not to include so the whole scene got crammed into about 11 x 14. I want to share this bit of my earlier work with you all. Karen Jefferies wrote the book Chuckles which we helped publish last winter and is available thru lulu.com.

David was my first oil painting teacher and probably the best painter in Newport - maybe Rhode Island. I'm grateful to have been in on those classes. Here's a link to David Barnes' website.

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