Hi there! I have 2 paintings in the Plein Air show at Bishop's Stock--through June 5th. And now my mugs & totes are in the JPPM gift shop. Read on…
Plein Air Show
Bishop’s Stock is showing a selection of plein air (outdoor) paintings by Paint Snow Hill alumni through June 5th. I have 2 paintings in the show, made during my family/painting trip to Delmarva in April. The boat painting “Dream Catcher” has already sold, but the house “Feeling Neighborly” is available.
In fact, Bishop’s Stock has about 30 of my paintings right now. And they will show them to you if you know the secret password… Just kidding! That is *not* how galleries work. All you have to say is that you would like to see some of my work, and Ann, Gilly, or Doug will gladly point you in the right direction. You can even make an appointment to look at paintings if your schedule does not match the gallery’s hours. Don’t let “gallery” intimidate you—they are super friendly!
Totes & Mugs at JPPM
The Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum gift shop now carries my coffee mugs and tote bags. If you live in Southern Maryland, you can save yourself the cost of shipping with a visit to the park. One of my favorite annual events is coming up soon: Children’s Day on the Farm. It’s a celebration of Southern Maryland’s rich agricultural heritage with antique tractors, pony rides, shows, games, petting zoo, food, and more. Children's Day is Sunday, June 2nd from 11am-5pm, free admission.
Housekeeping
For most of May I've been doing chores, like painting old frames a nice warm, dark grey and working in my garden. Seeing the product of your labor is so satisfying. I'll be back to painting and updating the Etsy shop in June.
Sign Up The most efficient way to find out about these goings-ons is to subscribe to my email list. If you are relying on social media to keep you posted, don't. Facebook and Instagram change their rules and algorithms all the time. To thank you for signing up, I will send you a 10% off coupon to use on your next purchase in my Etsy shop. Sign up here.
Sadly, 2018 was the 15th and final Paint Snow Hill annual plein air (outdoor) painting event. It was my 12th year! I am not quite ready to kick the habit. So I will be traveling to paint in and around Snow Hill, Maryland, in late April.
There's no 'Wet Paint' Show & Sale at the end of the weekend, so I am going to take on a limited number of painting commissions for that trip. I'm calling it "Commission Snow Hill." When I say "limited number of painting commissions," I mean three (3). I will make a maximum of three (3) commissioned paintings in Snow Hill this year.
Here's how I will make them available: * First, I will offer the commissions by email to my collectors on Monday, April 1st. * Next, if any are left, I will offer them to all of my newsletter subscribers on Tuesday, April 2nd. * Finally, remaining commissions will be made available to the general public on Wednesday, April 3rd, in my Etsy shop.
THIS OFFER IS NOW CLOSED. I AM NO LONGER ACCEPTING COMMISSIONS. Available paintings are in my Etsy shop.
Q&A
* Why should I commission a painting?
Well, it's exciting and fun to commission a painting! You will get to see photos of the scene that inspired the painting, the preliminary sketches, and the painting-in-progress. It's a behind-the-scenes glimpse into my studio and the making of your artwork. It's being made just for you!
* What is the cost?
It's $350.00 US. That is my regular sales price for an 8 x 8 inches framed painting. (I hate when people bury the price waaaaaay at the bottom of the info sheet, like they are embarrassed to tell you.)
* What does that price include?
You will get an 8 x 8 inches acrylic landscape painting on a wood panel mounted in a custom black floater frame. The painting will be signed on the front and back, and titled, dated, and numbered on back. It will be wired and ready to hang. If you live in the US, then the purchase price also includes USPS Priority shipping.
* What do your frames look like?
Below are 2 examples of my paintings framed in custom floater frame with a black finish. This is my preferred frame style. Yours will look something like this.
* I am not interested in commissioning a Snow Hill painting, but I would like you to paint something else for me, like my grandma or my new house. Can you do that?
No. This opportunity is unusual because I do not regularly take commissions. If you would like a custom painting of your grandma or your new home or anything else you love, please let me know. I have a couple of friends who welcome commissions and do breathtakingly gorgeous work. And I am glad to refer you.
* When will the painting be made?
These paintings will sometime between April 25-27, 2019, in and around Snow Hill, Maryland. To be clear, they have not been painted yet.
* What exactly are you going to paint pictures of?
Well, I'm thinking that there are two possibilities for commissions:
1) You give me a general suggestion. Tell me what you love about Snow Hill. For example, your mom used to live on Morris Street, and this would make a great Mother's Day surprise. Or you have fond memories of hiking on Assateague Island as a child. Or you've always been fascinated with working boats. Or nothing says Delmarva like flat expanses of farmland. Or, oh, those Snow Hill church steeples!
2) You love my recent work and the paintings I've made at Paint Snow Hill in the past, so you trust me. And part of the fun is being completely surprised and delighted by what I come up with this time. Will I paint the canoe shop or the cannery? Will I venture over to Berlin or spend a morning visiting baby goats? In this scenario, you are basically buying a painting right off my easel. And I will need to know your selection by 11:59pm ET on Saturday, April 27, 2019.
But... 3) Please not, a portrait of your cat Fluffy sunning herself on the front porch next to a pot of pink flowers, but make the porch yellow and Fluffy's eyes open but looking off to one side not straight out at the viewer. Also not, this is my address for you to come paint a house portrait but with the trees in full bloom and in afternoon light, even if it's raining when you're here, and make the shutters more blue than green. These requests are quite different (in my mind) from general subject suggestions. If your commission request is too specific, too art-directed, I will issue you a full refund and direct you to one of my commission-loving friends, who will make you much happier, I promise.
* How can I see what you're painting in Snow Hill?
I will have limited internet connectivity during the trip. I plan to post images to Instagram and Facebook (follow Barb Mowery Art on either platform) throughout the trip. If you have a particular aversion to social media, I could probably email images to you. But bear in mind that I will be doing all of my posting and messaging from my phone, which is less comfortable and comprehensive than working from my desktop at home. I believe that means I am old.
* I have a coupon code--may I use it for this?
Yes, you may!
* How do I join your email list?
Just follow THIS LINK, and I will send you a 10% off coupon for your next purchase.
* How do I know if I'm a collector?
I consider a collector someone who owns a piece of my artwork, either because you've purchased it or received it as a gift. Also if you have purchased my artwork to give to someone as a gift, or if you are another artist with whom I've traded paintings, I would consider you a collector. That said, I do not know the names of every collector, especially if you purchased my artwork at a gallery or event. If you are a collector who is interested in "Commission Snow Hill," please send me an email to barb [at] barbmowery [dot] com (or leave a comment on this blog post) to make sure I have you on the correct list. And if you are a collector who is not already subscribed to my mailing list, you will need to do so HERE or expressly give me permission to add you.
* When will the painting be delivered to me?
If you're on the Eastern Shore, I can make arrangements to hand-deliver the artwork to you on Sunday, April 28, 2019. Otherwise, I will ship it to you by Friday, May 10, 2019. I use USPS Priority Mail, so all artwork is fully insured and has a tracking number. If you live outside of the US, we can talk about shipping options and costs.
* What if I don't like anything you paint in Snow Hill this year?
Yeesh, a grim possibility. When I get home from my painting trip, I plan to spend May working in my studio using my source photos and sketches from the trip. As a back-up, I could offer you "dibs" on one of these Snow Hill studio pieces. But this can't go on forever. You would need to make a selection by May 31, 2019. Sound fair?
* Where is Snow Hill?
It's right in the heart of the Delmarva Peninsula. Check it out.
* What was the annual Paint Snow Hill event?
This is a flimsy excuse for me to link to my video-love-letter to Paint Snow Hill that I made in 2017. Please pardon the fact that I know nothing about sound mixing.
* I would like to commission a Snow Hill painting.
Great! Follow THIS LINK to my shop.
* I have more questions.
Please ask away in the comments or send me an email -- barb [at] barbmowery [dot] com.
Mom, Mom, Mom, Mommy, Mommy, Mom, Mama, Mama… Happy Mother’s Day, friends! The final Paint Snow Hill was full of delightful surprises. Grab a cup of tea, and I’ll tell you all about it. Read on…
My Paint Snow Hill
Instead of bringing my whole family, I traveled solo this year and stayed with hosts Christina and Chuck, both artists, in their magical home in nearby Whiton. My room was also Christina’s studio, so I felt like a kid spending each night in a toy store. Molly the cat greeted me in the kitchen each morning; Frankie the dog had better sense and slept in.
I enjoy getting up early to catch the morning light as it spills across Delmarva. I am proud of myself for making preliminary drawings before squeezing out any paint. (Why is that such a hard lesson?--A few minutes of planning consistently yields better results. Duh!) I painted exclusively in town this year, deliberately choosing some iconic scenes like the water tower and the feed mill. Several paintings turned out well. Several paintings did not. I made all of them while standing under the hatchback or sitting inside my car. As usual.
As a special thank you to Ann Coates for nurturing this event for the past 15 years, many of the 70+ participating artists created small paintings on note cards, which Kirk McBride presented to her just before the “Wet Paint” Show opened. (I made of little cartoon of Ann’s beloved dogs.) I framed up 6 paintings for the show, and 1 of those went home with a Salisbury collector. Thank you, Michele! I am particularly grateful that friends Jess and John traveled from Virginia for the exhibition—and got some nice beach weather as a bonus.
So after 12 years wrestling Spring into paint in and around Snow Hill, Maryland, I’m closing this chapter. Yes, I will be back there frequently. No, the town isn’t closing its doors. Still, I wept before the reception, knocked over by a wave of strong emotion. For everything this event has meant to my development as an artist. For all the friendships that were planted there and continue to grow. For this annual migration with a flock of colleagues, this rite of Spring we’ve been dancing. I am hurting because I have loved it well.
Thank you, Paint Snow Hill.
Thank.
You.
Speaking of Snow Hill
I dropped off several new paintings at Bishop’s Stock FineArt, Craft & Wine: 2 from Paint Snow Hill and 4 recent studio pieces.
Contact the gallery for more info or stop by. And if you visit the gallery this
month you will be richly rewarded: the current show is paintings by Alison
Menke and Lynn Mehta. Both of these women are seasoned plein air painters who
create very energetic, muscular landscapes.
Shop Update Coming Soon
In about 10 days I will post some new artwork in my online shop. I’ll send you a short note when it’s up.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Love,
Barb
P.S. -- If you would like my newsletter conveniently delivered right to your inbox each month AND if you enjoy coloring, thensubscribe here. I will send you a free, printable coloring page as a little thank you.
Drumroll please…. This is Paint Snow Hill weekend! By the time you read this message, I am already painting madly with 75 of my colleagues in the charming town of Snow Hill, MD. You are cordially invited to come see what we make of these gorgeous spring days at an exhibition on Saturday & Sunday. Read on...
This Is It.
You are warmly invited to the 15th and final Paint Snow Hill.
‘Wet Paint’ Show & Sale
Ticketed Preview
April 21st from 6-8pm
$30 admission applies to the purchase of a painting
All of my plein air (outdoor) paintings are marked down 20% during April 2018! Read on…
Did you see snow flurries this morning?
The calendar assures me that it's spring. And for me--flurries or not--spring means getting outside to paint. In honor of spring, the plein air paintings in my Etsy shop have been marked down 20% through the end of April. Shop the sale.
This past week was a scorcher, but last night's storms rolled in absolutely perfect weather for today's paint out at the Mattawoman Creek Art Center at Fort Smallwood Park in Marbury, MD. I hadn't been there before. Have you? It's gorgeous--let me show you around.
I crossed the footbridge into the campground for my first painting. That's where I met this little skink sunning itself on a stump.
I painted in the campground for about an hour and then hiked back across the park. I found Barbara Septura seated on some steps watching some fishermen and painting the waterway. And I found Tom Ritchie painting on the other side of the bridge, wondering if he could work his way out of the mess he had made. (Spoiler: he did.) And finally Denise was painting outside the Arts Center, where I decided to start a second painting.
Around noon everyone gathered inside the Arts Center for lunch and to see what everyone else had been working on. I said we should take a group photo for the MAPAPA newsletter, and everyone agreed. So, here we all are:
What a fun day!
P.S. - You guys, I forgot to tell you that I'm on Instagram now! I know I'm so late to the party. But I'm a quick study. Here, have a LINK.
Ann and Randy Coates sent me a photo of my painting they purchased at the Paint Snow Hill Show (bottom) hanging in their kitchen next to a painting by Alison Menke (top). So happy to be in good company in the heart of their home.
I know it's teeny, but can you see the red dot on the label right over my purse strap? That means that "Gone Fishin'" sold last night. And although it's intended as a gift, I doubt I will be spoiling the surprise if I thank Doug Fisher here. Thank you, Doug!
Do you know Doug? He is a fine artist in his own right: an expert duck carver. Let me introduce you. If you are near Snow Hill during the week, you can watch him work. Doug spends Tuesdays and Wednesdays carving in Bishop's Stock Fine Art.
News from Barb Mowery Fine Art
A last minute invitation (opening tonight!) and a review of Paint Snow Hill. Read on…
Paint Snow Hill 2017
The highlight of April was Paint Snow Hill. My little video was the talk of the town and even got me recognized on the street by a stranger. I completed 7 paintings in 3 days. A full account of my time painting in Snow Hill is here.
"Gone Fishin'," acrylic on canvas panel, 6 x 12 inches, SOLD!
Gone Fishin'
Friday morning of Paint Snow Hill, I set up my easel at Porter's Crossing, a peaceful spot on the Pocomoke River. An old farmer from Westminster was fishing and checked on my progress. He drew as a boy but was unable to continue because of his trembling hands. He showed me and said, "It runs in the family." I told him that painting and fishing are a lot alike: even a bad day painting is better than a good day at work.
Plein Air at Bishop's Stock
My painting "Gone Fishin'" remained at Bishop's Stock to be included in the May exhibition of plein air artwork. (Find out more.)
Plein Air Paintings Group Exhibition Opening Reception
“Gone Fishin’,” acrylic on canvas panel, 6 x 12 inches, SOLD!
Once again Ann Coates of Bishop’s Stock Fine Art has hand selected paintings from the Paint Snow Hill event to feature in a group show at the gallery in the month of May. My painting “Gone Fishin’” will be included in the show.
Best of all, I will be at the Opening Reception! Come, tell me what you think of the featured Australian wine. Here’s the important info:
There are all kinds of fun things happening that evening around town for First Friday and Cinco de Mayo.
And if you need further enticement, half of the gallery will be an exhibition of Meg Walsh’s paintings. She is from Easton, Maryland, belongs to the exclusive Washington Landscape Society, and her artwork is absolutely delightful. I can’t wait to introduce you--you’re really going to enjoy talking with Meg.
But, wait! There’s more…artwork of mine at Bishop’s Stock right now. All trees. Let me show you.
“Drinking Coffee in Peace,” acrylic on canvas panel, 8 x 8 inches, $350, framed, available at Bishop’s Stock Fine Art
My other job is full time stay-at-home-mom, so I take whatever peaceful moments I can get. As the sun came up behind the Mystic Harbor trailer park, I got to enjoy the double rare treat of watching sunrise and drinking my coffee in chilly solitude. This painting was made en plein air during Paint Snow Hill 2016.
“Runoff,” acrylic on canvas panel, 6 x 6 inches, $225, framed, available at Bishop’s Stock Fine Art
Sunrise over the runoff pond at Calvert Marina. I made this at the end of a plein air painting session. Initially I was using up the leftover paint on my palette. But then it took on a life of its own and ended up being the best thing I painted all morning.
“Driving Home,” acrylic on canvas panel, 6 x 6 inches, $225, framed, available at Bishop’s Stock Fine Art
We had a blizzard early in 2016, and I got snowed-in at my part time job for 3 days. This painting—although not a snowy scene—is meant to convey my feelings of relief and joy to be driving home on the highway as the sun began to set on a very long weekend. This painting was made in my studio, from photo reference and memory.
“Secret Heart,” acrylic on canvas panel, 5 x 7 inches, $225, framed, available at Bishop’s Stock Fine Art
Early morning near the Patuxent River at Brown’s Bridge Rec Area. It was overcast and the light came up very slowly, so this painting was well underway before I could make out the field of dead, yellowing grasses. A very pleasant surprise. This painting was made en plein air.
“Thanksgiving Morning,” acrylic on canvas panel, 5 x 7 inches, $255, framed, available at Bishop’s Stock Fine Art
Another early morning near the Patuxent River at Brown’s Bridge Rec Area. I snuck away from my sleeping family before sunrise on Thanksgiving to paint for a little while. It was overcast, and the peak fall colors were long gone. But I think I captured the wet woods as they were. In the shadows just behind the nearer, light-trunked trees is a creek that feeds into the river. Everyone was just waking up when I returned. This painting was made en plein air.
Also available at the gallery right now are these 4 paintings from my Memory Project, each 6 x 6 inches, unframed, $175, clockwise from the top left: “Whisper Now,” “To Tell the Truth,” “Cracked Map,” and “Fragmented.” (More about the Memory Project HERE.)
Whew, this post was a lot longer than I thought it was going to be. If you're still with me, then WOW! Thank you, for hanging in there. I hope to see you at the reception!
If you're a new visitor, I'm not always this long-winded. If you can stand to hear more from me, I also have a fine art website and a Facebook page.
For the past 11 years in a row I have spent the 3rd week in April at the plein air (outdoor) painting event in Snow Hill, Maryland. The stars aligned so that my kindergartner's Spring Break matched up with my painting trip, so once again we also had a family vacation during the paint-out. My little video was the talk of the town and even got me recognized on the street by a stranger. By Saturday I had 7 finished paintings to show for my efforts. 1 of my paintings sold, 1 traded for another artist's work, and 1 stayed in Snow Hill for the upcoming plein air exhibition at Bishop’s Stock Gallery in May 2017.
Paint Snow Hill 2017, the long version:
Work in progress - "Morning on Church Street," acrylic on wood, 8 x 8 inches, sold.
On Thursday I set my alarm for 5am, so I could get fully caffeinated and out the door before sunrise. But I must have needed more sleep because it was 7:30am before I was set up near the corner of Federal and Church to paint the lovely play of light and tree shadows on the side of this home. An hour later I realized it was Ann and Randy Coates' house when Randy came out walking Sarge and Moe (their sweet dogs) to work. They bought the finished painting--THANK YOU!--and it's hanging in their kitchen now. Paint Snow Hill started in 2004, so it is amazing that this year was the first time anyone (me and Alison Menke) chose the organizer's home as their subject.
Work in progress - "Recycle Day on Federal #1" and "Recycle Day on Federal #2," each acrylic on canvas panel, 6 x 6 inches.
I headed further down Federal, parked in front of the Flag Man's house (an actual place), facing southwest. Not only do I paint sitting in my car most of the time, but, yes, what you see here are my sketches and panels taped to the steering wheel. That is how I worked. And then, a lady named Beth out for a walk on her lunch break leaned in my passenger side window and said, "You're just colorin'!" because she recognized me from my Youtube video. Which was both awesome and sobering at the same time. That evening I said to Robb, "I broke the internet."
Work in progress - "Gone Fishin'," acrylic on canvas panel, 6 x 12 inches, available at Bishop's Stock Fine Art.
Late Thursday I stopped by Porter's Crossing to paint. There was a very chatty group of fishermen, who weren't catching much. I was chatty right back, so I wasn't catching much either. But I returned Friday morning, determined to take another stab at this peaceful spot. Apparently all I needed was a night to sleep on my ideas. I saw the river outfitters drop off a family of canoers. An old farmer from Westminster checked on my progress several times. He liked to draw as a boy but was not able to continue. He showed me his trembling hands and said, "It runs in the family." I told him that painting and fishing are a lot alike: even a bad day painting is better than a good day at work.
Obligatory selfie looking down Green Street after checking in at Bishop's Stock Fine Art. My "Follow Your HeART" t-shirt is courtesy of Savvy Painter. Thank you, Antrese!
"Gone Fishin'," acrylic on canvas panel, 6 x 12 inches, sold.
Speaking of selfies, the Bayside Gazette must have my headshot on file from last year's interview (p. 18) about Paint Snow Hill because they reused it for this year's event coverage. People are really getting sick of seeing me.
"Instigator," acrylic on canvas panel, 6 x 6 inches, traded away to Jess Cross.
Peer pressure led me astray. Again. I saw on FaceBook that Kirk McBride had been painting over at Ocean City Harbor. I haven't painted there during Paint Snow Hill before. Because the harbor is not in Snow Hill. Or near it. Not even close.
But my thought process went like this: "That's less than a mile from my hotel....if Kirk's doing it, it must be fine..."
"Tiki XIV," acrylic on canvas panel, 5 x 7 inches, available.
Nope, completely out of bounds. I completed 2 naughty paintings while there.
The Instigator docks across from The Shark bar & restaurant and Atlantic Tackle (used to be Ake Marine), and I had a particularly calm morning to paint her. The Tiki XIV docks further up, along the municipal lot. I painted her under a streetlight in complete pre-dawn darkness. Sunrise sneaks up fast, so this painting took 2 sittings to complete, starting at 5:30am on Friday and Saturday.
Our hotel room was on the second floor, and I decided not to lug all of my gear up and down the stairs. That meant painting, signing, varnishing, and framing all happened in my car this time. Definitely a first.
Of course the Easter Bunny found us at our hotel. Also, we had lots of
disregarded bedtimes and a trip the zoo and ice cream for lunch and sightings of wild ponies and movies and an egg hunt on the beach and putt putt.
"Morning on Church Street," acrylic on wood panel, 8 x 8 inches, sold.
Back before we had kids and a mortgage, Robb and I lived in Ocean City while he finished his degree. A little known fact about Old Pro Golf: if you've ever worked there, you get to play miniature golf for free for life (as long as someone recognizes you). And this is how we continue to reap the benefits of part time jobs of yesteryear. The kiddos made it through 9 holes of dino-golf before we retreated to the arcade. That little one can really fling a skeeball--guard your head!
"Recycle Day on Federal #1," acrylic on canvas panel, 6 x 6 inches.
I had a wonderful dinner and visit with my dear friends Jessie and Cindy Lingebach. My daughters decided that the Lingebach sisters are twins now, so when the Mowery sisters grow up they can be twins, too. Thanks for making the trek to the shore for me!
Also, the Jess Cross display at my house grew once again. I traded "Instigator" for one of her enchanting alcohol ink on Yupo paper creations. More on this in another post.
"Recycle Day on Federal #2," acrylic on canvas panel, 6 x 6 inches.
My painting “Gone Fishin'” stayed behind to be included in the Plein Air Paintings exhibition at Bishop’s Stock Gallery, in Snow Hill, MD. The opening reception for the show is Friday, May 5th, from 5-8pm. I hope you can come!
The show will be at the Old Firehouse on Green Street in Snow Hill, Maryland.
*Admission is $30, which will then be applied to your purchase of a painting. The evening event is your best opportunity to meet the artists (as many will travel home afterward to spend Easter with their families) and the fullest selection of artwork. There's also live music, wine, and snacks. See you there!
Even with the holiday season beginning, I was able to squeeze in painting time last month. Here are a couple of small (6 x 6 inches) paintings I made recently. Above is "Runoff" and below is "Time to Make the Donuts" (sold).
