From Windy Hill Studio North!

FROM WINDY HILL STUDIO NORTH

One month from now I'll be back in Lewes, Delaware till next summer. It's been great spending the summer at camp here in the North Country. 

In preparation for moving I need to start pulling my artwork out of the galleries here so---You will not find my work at River Muse in Clayton until next Spring/Summer. A big thank you to all who stopped by the gallery and bought art from this talented group of local artists and artisans. 

My artwork will still be available at Bay House Artisans in Alexandria Bay till the first week in October. Original paintings, prints, cards and the latest Fall Scarves (leaf patterns) will be in the shop till just before I leave for Lewes. Bay House is another fabulous collection of local artists and artisans. We sure do have a lot of talent in the North Country! 

And as always you can find my artwork on my website
Joan Applebaum's Windy Hill Studio
www.windyhillstudioarts.com
Look for me on FB and on Instagram at joan.applebaum

Windy Hill Studio on the Move!

Low Tide, Henlopen State Park

Just a short post today to let you know that

Windy Hill Studio has moved!

That's right. WINDY HILL STUDIO has moved to Lewes, Delaware, just minutes away from some of the most beautiful beaches on the East Coast.

My studio is nearly complete--I'm just waiting for the movers to bring in my storage cabinets tomorrow. The new space has lots of natural light, so I'm really loving it! And my furry studio assistants are loving to too!

Although my primary residence will be in Delaware, you can still find my artwork up in the Thousand Islands Region because I will still be spending summers at camp in the North Country. So look for my paintings, at Bay House Artisans in Alexandria Bay and River Muse in Clayton.

Floating Dream

Summer Afternoon in the Narrows

I feel so lucky to live in two extraordinary places, so full of natural beauty, so inspirational to paint!

Gearing Up for the Season

"Dawning"

Another Summer on The River

I've been gearing up for another summer on The St. Lawrence River. When I say summer I use the term loosely. The season on the River runs from May till about mid-October-- Columbus Day on one side of the River, Thanksgiving on the other side.

In my last post I blogged about RiverMuse, the new gallery opening in Clayton. This post is devoted to Bay House Artisans in Alexandria Bay. Over the last few years Bay House has established itself as a unique gift shop/gallery located right in the heart of Alexandria Bay. At Bay House you can find one-of-a-kind items, works of art, fine crafts including pottery, stunning hand-made jewelry and some delectable treats like chocolates.

Sunken Rock Lighthouse

Paintings, Prints, Cards and Scarves

At Bay House, I will have an assortment of small paintings, prints, cards and hand-painted silk scarves. The images will be primarily nature inspired with an emphasis on The St. Lawrence River and the Indian River Lakes scenery.

Detail of "Poppy!" scarf

We've Moved!

Yes, we've moved, but just a few doors down. So this year you will still find us in the heart of Alexandria Bay, but in a different building. I hope you will stop in to see Bay House Artisans in our new location, and perhaps come home with a lovely gift for someone special--could be you!

Summer Paintings

"Grass Lake"

June and July in Review

As we are slightly past the midway point for Summer I thought I would take some time to look over a few of the paintings I had created in the past few weeks.

The unique thing about this group of paintings is that they were each begun as a demo piece either for a class that I was teaching, or a demonstration of painting in a public setting.

Back in early June I was visiting friends who were staying on Blind Bay along the St. Lawrence River. On the day I was visiting the weather was less than perfect, intermittent rain fell for a good part of the afternoon. Not too great for kayaking, but I could see a painting coming to life. The soft rain and heavy skies created this dreamy setting, tucked away from the River in a world of its own. I took a few reference photos and a few days later while I was working at Bay House Artisans in Alexandria Bay I began the painting. As customers came into the store they would stop, watch my progress and make comments (mostly favorable!). I finished the painting later in my studio at camp.

"Rainy Day, Blind Bay"

"Rising" was painted during Arts on Genesee, an outdoor Fine Art and Craft show. I blogged about painting that piece a few weeks ago.
http://joanapplebaumart.blogspot.com/2017/07/rising-watercolor-this-is-new-image.html

"Rising"

In July I taught three 2-day workshops at the Thousand Islands Arts Center in Clayton. The first workshop, Foliage & Flowers left me with the beginnings of a really nice floral watercolor. I haven't finished it yet--it's next on my list. I also taught a class titled Creating Atmosphere in Your Watercolors. The small painting below "Sentry"came out of that class. We were working with heavy overcast skies and misty effects. I had really just meant to paint a sky but somehow a dreamy landform and a heron emerged from a puddle of Payne's Gray, Yellow Ocher and Cerulean Blue. The stark simplicity of the painting really appeals to me.

"Sentry"

"Grass Lake"

At the end of July I taught an Acrylic Painting class, concentrating on landscape. "Grass Lake" was under-painted on Monday, painted on Tuesday in class as a demonstration, finished that night in my studio at camp and sold on Wednesday. How's that for fast work???


Our first painting in the acrylic landscape class dealt with daytime light. Our second painting, done from our imaginations was a sunset painting. Skies and water come alive with color as the land becomes a silhouette.

"North Country Sunset"

So it seems that one of the perks of teaching and demonstrating is the opportunity to create a painting --maybe. Some of the pieces that I began as a demo for class turned out well. Others are opportunities for later. I have a couple of beach scenes and the afore mentioned floral painting to return to and perhaps a painting will emerge. Or perhaps these demos will become "studies" for a larger, more developed painting. And some demos just don't make it as paintings at all. All part of the learning process.

This coming week I will be detouring into "Painting on Silk", which is very much like watercolor. We'll see where the demos lead.

A Big Thank You to Thousand Islands Life Magazine!

"Rock Island Lighthouse"

A Lovely Surprise

As I was busily gearing up for another summer of art activities in the North Country, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a phone call from Susie Smith at Thousand Islands Life Online Magazine. She had seen my artwork on Facebook and wanted to feature me as the artist of the month in the April issue.

Of course I was delighted! Susie wrote a wonderful article about my work, and I've had several nice comments from people who had seen the article. The images selected for the article ranged from Thousand Islands area to the Indian River Lakes and even here in CNY.

I am happy and honored to have been selected for this publication.

And here's the link if you would like to read the article.

http://www.thousandislandslife.com

Meanwhile Back in the Studio

Meanwhile back in Windy Hill Studio it's business as usual as I package cards and prints for Bay House Artisans in Alexandria Bay and Sackets Harbor Arts Center. I will have original paintings as well in both locations. The painting above will be at Bay House Artisans, which will open for the season on Mother's Day weekend. 

Sackets Harbor Arts Center opens May 20, with a reception for their Spring Show. I haven't decided which pieces I am entering---hmmmm better decide soon. Drop off date is early May!

Time to get back to work. Postcards need to get addressed and sent--but here's a sneak preview!

Time to Paint the Boldt Castle---Again

"Daybreak, Heart Island"   JOAN APPLEBAUM

Time To Paint the Castle---Again

Remember that commercial"time to make the donuts"? I find myself saying that as I once again paint Boldt Castle. The castle and its haunting story have captivated Thousand Islands tourists and residents for decades. And all of the artists have painted it from every imaginable angle.

I prefer the other structures on the Island, like the Power House, Playhouse and Entry Arch, so I tend to focus on one of those and paint the castle looming in the background.

The painting  "Daybreak, Heart Island" was done in watercolor taking advantage of the wet-on-wet technique to create a dreamy atmosphere. While I was working on the painting I began to wonder how to capture the same or similar effects in acrylic paint. 

So when I finished the watercolor I started work on the acrylic version. Same view, but different feel to the finished piece. I used a pumice medium to make a texture and give bits of light-colored paint somewhere to hold onto to create an almost 3-d look to the mist. This painting is now on its way to a new home in Alexandria Virginia. From Alexandria Bay to Alexandria Virginia! Rather poetic, or perhaps ironic. 

"Morning Mist, Heart Island"

And One More Time!

When both paintings were finished I drew the Power House and Castle one more time for the Bay House Artisans coloring book which will be available when we re-open Bay House in the Spring. You will find the work of several of our Bay House Artisans in the book.

Another Angle

And just to prove that I don't always paint the castle from the same angle I have included "Winter Closing In", now on display in The Art of Winter at the Thousand Islands Arts Center in Clayton.

RELATED LINKS

http://joanapplebaumart.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-art-of-winter.html
http://joanapplebaumart.blogspot.com/2015/04/blog-post.html

What's Next at Windy Hill Studio?

"Time Found"

What's Next at Windy Hill Studio?

The calendar says Fall and so does the weather, but this Fall is little different for me. I have always viewed fall as a time of new beginnings. I guess it is that I am a perennial student or teacher, so for me the new beginnings tend to start in September.

But for the first time in several years I will not be returning to teach at the Y Arts Studio. It was tough decision but it was time for a change. I've gotta say though, I miss my students already.

So what's next? Well for starters there were 3 commissions to complete this fall. Two have already been finished and delivered to happy customers. I'll be starting sketches for the third one next week.

Teaching???

And I'll still be teaching but probably not till 2016: time and dates to be announced. I am set on the locations: Sackets Harbor Arts Center and The Thousand Islands Arts Center. There is also a possibility that I will be teaching a class or workshop at the Arts Center in Hamilton.

Bay House Artisans

Meanwhile, we are still going strong at Bay House Artisans in Alexandria Bay. The Fall weather brings out plenty of tourists by bus, boat or cruise ship, so we still have a lot of activity in town. I will be dropping off a supply of holiday themed merchandise later this week.

The Lyric Coffeehouse and Bistro

The Lyric, in Clayton is carrying my Woodlands and Waterways 2016 Calendar, as well as a few small framed prints. The Lyric is a great place to have lunch, dinner or just coffee. If you stop in during the Fall try their pumpkin spiced latte!

Shows

The summer was a wonderful time for me for art events. The Artists Studio Tour in 1000 Islands was very successful and my show at the Sackets Harbor Arts Center received lots of attention. Sales were good too.

During the Fall I will be participating in a few group shows: Snowy Splendor at the Onondaga Historical Association, Associated Artists Fall Show at the Manlius Library and The North Country Arts Council Show in Watertown. 

I have just one solo show scheduled for early winter. It's at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Church in December. Since the artwork is hung in the sanctuary I'll most likely have several soft soothing winter scenes to carry the congregation past the holiday mayhem and into the bleak midwinter.

And last but not least..........

I've got to finish my homework from the art marketing class I took last Spring! 

Although I was able to implement many of the ideas from the class, I didn't have a chance to try everything. So now you know what's on my schedule!

Bay House Artisans: a One of a Kind Delight in Alexandria Bay

Opening Day May 8....Come On In!

"Mmmm....it smells so good in here." That's usually the first thing anyone says as they enter Bay House Artisans. The smells of essential oils and herbs mixes with mellow music by Willie Nelson or Cowboy Junkies. Beautiful hand-made jewelry, pottery and sculpture line the shelves. The walls are filled with paintings and photographs depicting scenes from the St. Lawrence River and surrounding areas. Yes, Bay House Artisans, now in their fourth year of operation, is a one-of-a-kind delight in Alexandria Bay.

Regional Artists and Artisans

Bay House Artisans is a co-op made up of approximately 30 artists and artisans living and working either full time or part-time in the North Country. The shop is staffed by members of the co-op so while browsing through Bay House you will have an opportunity to chat with the artisan on duty that day. 

Special Events

Bay House has some special events planned for the summer including several "Art Walks" throughout the summer months. The Soldiers Art Show will be held on June 17 - 18 and

Pirate Week Activities for kids will be back again in August. 

Hours

Bay House Artisans is open Monday - Thursday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Fridays and Saturdays 10:00 am - 9:00 pm and Sundays 10:00 am - 6:00 pm. Hours will change as we get closer to summer; the store will be open each day till 9:00 pm.

Location

You can't miss it! We are right in the center of Alexandria Bay, the Heart of the Thousand Islands! Ok, I'll be more specific. It's the quaint old white house located at 21 James St. (the main street with all the shops)

Come on in and check us out!

Three Weeks and Counting till Opening Day......

Three Weeks and Counting....

As I begin this post I am reminding myself that I have just 3 weeks until we open our co-op Bay House Artisans in Alexandria Bay. This will be our 4th year in the shop right in the Heart of the Thousand Islands.

Over the past few months I have devoted many hours to painting, teaching art, taking an on-line marketing course (lots of homework) and a blogging class. And it was a challenge to find enough time to paint. So now with just a few weeks to go I feel that I am down to the wire.

I did find time to paint some new images of those iconic Thousand Islands scenes. It's always a challenge to find a new angle on those places that all the artists up here love to paint. Lately I find myself drawn to watercolor and the atmospheric effects which can be created with washes of color. I'm interested in portraying how the lighthouses and castles exist within those spaces where the sky and water become one atmospheric blend.

Floating Dream,  Boldt Castle

Frozen World, Clayton

Opening Day May 8!

Bay House Artisans will open on May 8, just in time for Mother's Day! I hope to see you in the shop sometime during the "season" May - October. I will have a selection of paintings, prints and cards of Thousand Island and North Country imagery available at Bay House and of course through my website. www.windyhillstudioarts.com

Bay House is just one of the places you can find my art this year. I have two special events coming up, but I'll save that for another blog post.

Thanks for stopping by my blogsite
Joan

Updates From Windy Hill Studio…Thousand Islands, Snowy Splendor, Ireland

This has been one of the busiest seasons for me. By "season" I mean the Spring, Summer, Fall time of year when I show and sell my work in the seasonal galleries throughout the Thousand Islands and the North Country. I also was accepted into 3 juried shows here in Central New York and was featured artist at Arts on The Square in Watertown, so that kept me busy too. And I was teaching in a variety of places near home and near camp, so life got hectic and things like blogging went by the wayside. It's actually been more than a month since my last post! I am still painting though and that's what counts.

Although Fall is here my "season" is not completely over. I will be exhibiting a group of paintings at the Lyric Coffee House during the month of October. The Lyric is located at 246 James St. in Clayton and open from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm.

And we are still going strong at Bay House Artisans in Alexandria Bay, where I am one of the members of the co-op. People say we are the most unique shop in that town and I agree. You can find us right smack in the middle of A-Bay….white house, white picket fence…lots of signs that say "OPEN" (we had a contest where people voted on their favorite sign).

Here in Syracuse the "Snowy Splendor: Winter Scenes from Onondaga County" show will be opening soon at the Onondaga Historical Association. I don't have the date yet for the opening, but will post it when I know. I have two paintings in that show: a watercolor and an acrylic.

And, last but not least Ireland: I have booked a date for my Ireland show (haven't really come up with a title for that one yet). The show is scheduled for March 2015 at Sparkytown, opening reception March 8. More details on that as we get closer to the date.

That's all for now from Windy Hill Studio.

A New Year at Windy Hill Studio

The new year always finds me planning direction for the upcoming months. I'm usually lining up teaching opportunities for spring and summer, looking for possibilities for showing new work and
deciding what to paint and when to paint it. The winter months are slower for me; most of my gallery/sales opportunities are in the late Spring, Summer and Fall. So the winter is the time for planning and painting.

The winter itself presents endless possibilities for painting; sunlight on new fallen snow is full of subtle shifting colors. Yeah...I know, we don't see a lot of sunlight in the winter here in Central New York. But those heavy leaden skies can have a somber beauty to them too.

One of my plans for the new year is an update to my website. That update will be coming in the next few weeks after I gather together the newest images and write some new text. And delete the sold paintings!

I am currently teaching two painting classes at the Y Arts Studio: Watercolor and Acrylic. In both classes I am working on winter landscapes as my demo pieces, also intending to use them in the Art Of Winter Show at the Thousand Islands Arts Center in Clayton. During the winter months I have plans to paint a few "River" pieces which will be exhibited in the Thousand Islands areas; specifically Bay House Artisans in Alexandria Bay and The TI Arts Center Gift Shop in Clayton. Boldt Castle, Singer Castle, the Thousand Islands Bridge and the Lighthouse at Tibbett's Point are all on my list of paintable images!

I have submitted my plans for summer classes at the Thousand Islands Arts Center. This year I will be teaching Watercolor and Acrylic Painting for adults and a Parent/Child painting workshop as well.
Last summer I divided my time between camp and home. Many of my teaching and work opportunities were in the North Country/Thousand Islands, so I spent quite a bit of time at camp...always a great place to relax and at the same time be inspired by the scenic landscape. This year I plan to do the same. Windy Hill Studio North has been recently renovated and is a nice cozy spot to paint while my cats doze in the dappled sunlight streaming through the windows.

I will still be teaching Drawing and Painting classes at the Y for adults and various types of studio classes for kids.and I plan to teach at least 2 weeks of Y Arts Camp this summer at Stone Quarry Hill Art Park.

I'm looking forward to a pleasantly busy winter of teaching, painting and preparing for the summer shows. I have an exhibit now at the Y Arts Gallery titled "Camp". My intention in this show is to capture those timeless and intimate moments shared by all who live life in the outdoors. I am continuously inspired by the land, sky and water. It is my hope that this show will bring back memories of what it was like to be a kid at camp: splashing your canoe paddles in the water, canon-balling off the dock into the lake, running through the grass to catch fireflies and staying up late to roast marshmallows around the campfire while re-hashing the day's escapes.

I hope I bring back a few memories of the good old days at camp, whether they were 10 years ago, 50 years ago or just last summer.