Even in December it is still Fall and so I am posting probably the last in the Fall series of paintings. Another Fall sky. I liked this one for its hopeful light shown in an early Fall sky close to Sunset.

Early Fall Sky

Oil on Panel

I have this for sale at dailypaintworks.com.

Happy Thanksgiving and Apples

Apples are quintessential Fall here in New England. This painting was done several years ago using oil painting and just blending everything in real fast, even the quick charcoal drawing underneath. It's a bit larger than my others. I hope to do more like it in different sizes and maybe some pears, quince who knows. 

Apples

11inH by 30inW

You can big on this  or buy it now at Daily paintworks.com

I like how in cooking shows they change up ingredients, like substituting quince for apples or using hazelnuts in a pecan pie. Reminds me of painting too.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Fall Abstract

After the election, sigh...I started this more limited color gray/brown with elements of white/blue painting of the trees reflected in water. I decided to focus on the reflection as an abstract vision in its own right. 

Fall Abstract

This is part of my Seasons series. You can buy this at auction or buy it now at dailypaintworks.com. It is so good to paint again after Inktober!

Greetings for November! 

With Inktober over I am back to my Seasons project. I was prepping this little beauty to make a more involved painting of a cornfield, but it got such a good response all on its own I've left it as is! It even got picked as a Dailypaintworks Auction Pick. 

Autumn Sky http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/619143

Autumn Sky

Oil

This painting is 6 by 8 in on panel but I'm planning on doing a much larger version on canvas. Back to painting!

Happy Halloween!

This month of Inktober 2016 has been really fun. I am really excited about the character I've drawn this month in its various situations. I am excited to be planning a poster with all my illustrations that I hope to have done soon! I'm gonna get back to daily painting and posting at Dailypaintworks.com but for today here is my last cat illustration. 

In an ode to the great pumpkin its the great cat in the pumpkin patch!

Hello again and happy Fall!

Because it's October my mind is full of pumpkins and yes gourds. I could paint these all day!
Here is my still life of them which is a bit different in style them some of my expressive stuff. Still I think the bright colors fit my style.

This painting was done on canvas board. You can see it and purchase here. 

Now back to painting. I'm working on a cornfield so we'll see how that works out.

Hello Autumn! Hello Fall!

The colors are really changing up here in Western Massachusetts. The weather is warm and lovely. This painting is of the hills of Mt. Tom behind Holyoke Community College that I captured last year. Right now its not for sale but stay tuned! More are coming!

Even I know that summer is now over. Tonight they are calling for frost. 
This is my last summer painting in the series although I may do more along these lines as I decided to try a more stylistic approach. But Fall paintings are definitely up next!

Unfortunately my daughter has claimed this for herself but I'd be happy to do another upon request!  This one is on a cradled gessobord which is kind of cool. 
I'll be back soon for Fall!

Summer continues again. 

Here is my take on these flowers. You can find the auction Here.

I will definitely tackle these again as I feel another painting in there for sure!

Well folks, it's here! What's here? Hey it's October 1st! Time for...

Inktober! 

Follow the fun! #inktoberchallenge, betsycookstudio on instagram or betsycookstudio on Facebook. Oh and I might do all cats.

Day one

Alas I did not get picked as the NEPR Art Mug design for the fundraiser. However I will post my design as promised. 

I think I could fool around with this concept and make it a bit more spiffy but sorta captures New England at any rate!

Tomorrow, back to daily painting!!

Ok I know. It's the first day of Fall. Because I was involved in some other projects like my KIDS and my aging mother, I haven't quite finished summer. But ain't it the truth that none of us want the summer to be gone so soon? I always feel like I need another two weeks at least. 

Here is my last piece of watermelon of the season. Then I move onto sunflowers!!

                                          Summer Slice
                                       

You can see this item on dailypaintworks.com here. Auction Summer Slice

Here it is...almost Fall! 

For me end of summer continues as long as the weather remains warm and luxurious the way it is right now. 

I took a bit of a break from painting to go to a wedding during a full moon with an incredible view of the skyline of New York City! Wow!

.....oh! Right back to painting! 

I got back and dug right into project Art Mug for New Public Radio's Art Mug contest. 

I turned my entry in in the nick of time yesterday! To that end I include some of the sketches I used. This was a fun illustration type project that incorporated some of my favorite themes about New England. Landscape, agriculture, water, boats...

Then on to adding color...

 And sometimes just black and white if it suits!

Eventually these all get put into a landscape believe me! But just have to wait until tomorrow for the result! Not that I think they'll pick mine or anything but you never know! 

Summer flowers. 

This peony just cried out to me as I walked past it a few weeks. No doubt it is gone by now as we enter the last days of summer!

So I just had to paint it too! Here is the result!

This acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas is available at 
dailypaintworks auction flower

Ciao!

Ahhhh! September is here full of the crisp air we expect to have. We have plans of going to the Three County Fair in Northampton this weekend the perfect end of summer activity. My sons will be heading back to college next week, one in Western MA and the other to Boston. Even though all this bodes the coming of Fall we are still in summer and I plan on continuing my Summer season paintings on this blog and dailypaintworks.com as well as my website and social media.

For now though, my painting Poppies which was away at the Brick Co-workshop Anniversary show is back. We had a great time at Celebrate Holyoke visiting my painting in the wonderful Pop-up Gallery setting. Love those old brick walls!

                            Poppies now will be available for sale at Daily Paintworks 

Hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Oh how I love these last days of August! It's not the end of summer yet but it sure brings on that nostalgic feeling. These summer weeks in August usually involve visits from my kids and excursions south to visit family and do exciting things. Which meant I was on vacation more than being home and why I haven't posted until now! Though my first post was meant to be a test! 

Something else happened...as well. My painting Changing Seasons a mixed media composition on canvas was accepted into a show at the Greenfield Community Television Station in Greenfield MA! The exhibit runs from September through December 2016. A preview can be seen here  Changing Art Exhibit

This painting is kind of a masthead for my series on the Seasons. The others aren't abstract yet... but more to follow I'm sure as this has inspired some new ideas.

Here it is!

Hello!

Welcome to my blog! 

I make paintings and illustrations in lots of different media. I found myself influenced by the daily painting movement after taking a workshop last winter

(in an unheated building to boot!) here in Western Massachusetts. 

While a lot of my time has been devoted to getting better at children's illustration, I was anxious to start painting small paintings so I could experiment and improve my painting, drawing and perhaps even try some mixed media.

I've been busy in this summer heat painting some small works using acrylics. Right now I'm working on a series Summer paintings that follow my first series, the Spring series. Most of them seemed to be flowers. But with summer comes thoughts of watermelon. In our house we get whole watermelons and cut them up although my boyfriend will just take a spoon and eat the whole thing from 

one half of the melon!

I insisted we cut some so I could a few photos. Watermelon makes me think of the warm summer sun. I wanted to show that heat hitting the slice. I also like using bright colors and just having fun with the paint. 

Click to Bid

Watermelon Slice
 acrylic 6x6 Gallery wrapped canvas

I think I will do more watermelon slices soon!

This is my first time blogging so hopefully I'll get this completely up and running soon. This piece will be available at dailypaintworks.com.