Rock and cat-tails

Watercolor 16x20

(c)2012

Nita Leger Casey

A new painting done this summer at my retreat ,set up the still life in front of a beautiful painting done by Tim Gatos a local artist who spends his summers there, the reflection of two windows in the blue bottle, a cloth I had rescued from textile example on an antique cabinet, I do love to get really involve in sitting my props.
This painting can be viewed at the Lowell open studios this week end in Lowell Massachusetts at Western Avenue studios ,I will be there at 407A, All studios will be open this week end Saturday and Sunday 11AM to5PM  , a great way to see the city as well .

Journaling in watercolor

View from Denise's chalet

watercolor 8x11 (c) 2012

Nita Leger Casey

I had a wonderful trip with my friends in NH, the five of us explored the lake Winapasake area , beautiful mountains and lakes that takes your breath away.I was not very familiar with this area only drove thought a few times, as you know I spend most of my free time in Maine. On this journey I decided to journal only,bought a new book by Canson 98 lb  for mixed media, also bought  a new box of Faber-Castell  pitt pens. When we stopped at a site I only did a quick pencil sketch, and wrote a few notes later back at the chalet I  used ink and watercolor ,on this particular one I stepped out on the balcony for the incredible view.
Journaling can be challenging but very rewarding as well. A great way to get loose with your work, no time to fuss on any scenes.  

Bailey's cove

Pastel 5x7

(c)2012

Nita Leger Casey

Another pastel found in my bag from this summer. This is the view I have done in watercolor so many times, never get tired of the scene, this scene could be anywhere in Maine so many little islands all over the coast.
Well I am packed ready to go and explore a new scene for me in NH . Clancy is looking a bag leaving the house and giving me a sad look , i told him he was staying with Daddy ,went in his cage not looking up. OK now I am going to feel bad all the way there.
this painting is available just email me nlcasey@charter.net.

Three boats in a row

Pastel ,5x7

(c) 2012

 Nita Leger Casey

I am preparing for a quick trip up North to the woods of New Hampshire with a few friends, catching some fall colors, when I took a bag out to take on the trip I found a couple pastels I had forgotten, I had wrapped them so well, I didn't see them.

 I painted this on Campobello Island this summer, all the fishing boats were in the harbor, I think they were not fishing because the price of Lobster was so low, lucky me to have the boats there, it was a very hot day if I remember, so I quickly did the pastel on a board I had prepared myself, it has a lot of texture, I also simplified my scene, I did like the result!

this painting is available ,email me nlcasey@charter.net

   

On the edge!

 Campobello International Park ,

Watercolor 5x5, (c)2012

Nita Leger Casey

First day of fall today!where did the summer go? I do love fall because living in New England it is definitely a treat to see the trees changing daily, I know I will find beautiful landscapes to paint and probably not enough time to paint them all. So for now I still will be posting a few from my summer in Maine .This one was on Campobello Island, my friend and I sat on the edge of this cliff to capture this scene and enjoying the boats going by has we were painting.
This watercolor is available ,email me nlcasey@charter.net  

Summer Maine cottage

Watercolor and ink

5x7 (c) 2012

Nita Leger Casey

I was in Maine for a few days having some work done at our little cabin in the woods, back home now and tons of work to do, like framing for my upcoming show, when you are told a year in advance you are going to have a show in November and you say to yourself ,Oh, I have plenty of time, next thing you know you only have a month left, how could this Happen?
Here is another small painting from my summer retreat ,in this one I did a little mix media do the watercolor first and added ink to get a stronger look to it,I don't do this often but sometime you need a change . this is available email me if you are interested .nlcasey@charter.net

September morning on the pond

8x10 pastel,(c)2012

Nita Leger Casey

I got up this morning,walked to the edge of the pond,and quikly got my small box of pastels, I just wanted to catch that crisp September morning,the water was still the reflections in the pond was perfect, just a touch of gold in the foliage,with these cold nights by next week this scene will look like  quilt of colors, I could paint this scene daily and it will look different every day!
So this pastel was done by 9A M, best time to paint plein air.
email me if you are interested in this painting or something nlcasey@charter.net

The lobster boats at Bailey's

Watercolor 9x12 (c)2012

Nita Leger Casey  Sold

I am re posting these boats because I painted them in the same time frame as my previous post .The house we rent in Lubec has a beautiful view of Bailey's harbor I have talked about before .The room that I share with my Friend Tammy has three windows looking at the view first thing in the morning and what we see  these three boats ,we see them get ready for a day of fishing ,they sometimes leave in the deep fog !  gone all day long as we are preparing supper one by one they come back ,not an easy life but I am sure they love it!
if you are interested in this watercolor ,email me nlcasey@charter.net

Cutler village

9x12 Watercolor (c) 2012

Nita Leger Casey

The paintings I have posted are from my summer in Maine, The cute little village of Cutler on the Maine coast below Lubec. I have painted there at least once a year for the last 20 years, it has not changed! well maybe they don't have a store anymore so if you need milk or want a cup of coffee ,you might have to drive 20 miles for that ,but they have plenty of lobster! If you are interested on this painting email me nlcasey@charter.net

Birthday Bouquet

 

Nita Leger Casey

8x10 Watercolor (c)2012

I have just come back from a very nice week end at our simple little cabin in the woods of Maine, a place we have been going for thirty years this month, a place where I can paint and relax in the middle of nature at it's best! this week end was special because it was my birthday, I did spend a wonderful lunch with my best friend Tammy with a little shopping in Farmington,later back to the cabin where my friends at the pond came trough the woods with flashlights and birthday hats on and a cake in hands , sure was the nicest birthday I had in a long time it was so simple and so touching to have friends come together and surprise me. My friend Judi had given me this little bouquet from her  secret garden, so cute !I had to paint it also was more meaningful than a store bought bouquet.

Simple things in life means so much more !

email me if you are interested any paintings I have nlcasey@charter.net  

Green fishing boat

4x8 watercolor,(c)2012
Nita Leger Casey
Over the years going to Lubec every summer,I  have painted many of these boats,red ones blue ones and green ones, they are always a pleasant sight to see  and to think these fisherman's have gone day after day to get the best catch,! not an easy job!That day myself and five friends  painted there at the pier and all did a different painting,it was a fun day! this painting is available matted    ,$75.00 email me for more info nlcasey@charter.net

View from our window

Watercolor7x12 (c)2012

Nita Leger Casey    

 Here is another view of the cove at Bailey's mistake in the Lubec area of Maine where my friends and I go every year for our retreat.
One morning from our window where I could sit, relax and enjoy this beautiful view, I could paint so many scenes from this window, many mornings it's in total fog ,but still so nice.
email me if you are interested , nlcasey@charter.net

Small island at Bailey's mistake

  watercolor sketch of the Island , 8x10 (c) 2012
Nita Leger Casey
Yesterday I posted a path going to a small island, here it is! at low tide you are able to access this small jewel in the bay of Fundy, a beautiful cove called Bailey's mistake,I have done it before in a previous year, it's not that easy! a few of my friends did venture and painted there this year, you just have to make sure you come back before the tide or you are there for a long while.  The chances we take when we paint plein air! but what fun it is.
This was done as a quick watercolor  vignette on an acrylic paper alsmost a canvas like, gives a different affect.

The path in the morning

Watercolor 8x11

(c)2012

Nita Leger Casey

To all my followers, I am back! I am like the kids going back to school !I took a much needed summer off from Blogging . I was painting in Maine having a great time with my friends and kind of wanted not to think about posting and writting ,I did keep up with facebook. The Summer was very hot and also went very fast . I did spend time with the family, a trip to Maryland and many trips to Maine. I did not paint  as much as I wanted, I  am still trying to get ready for my solo show at Western Avenue studios in Lowell, it will be the month of November .
This painting today was done on location one morning with still  the fog in the background, this path took us to the beach accross from the house we rented. $75.00 matted +shipping
 my email is nlcasey@charter.net

Bailey's boats

watercolor 
Nita Leger Casey
(c) 2012
Paiting in Maine while  at a painters retreat,enjoying the beauty of the coast and relaxing.

House portrait commission

16 x20 portrait commission (c) 2012

Nita Leger Casey

Just finished this house portrait, it will make a family very happy who has moved away  to another State, it always makes a nice present and keepsake .

contact me if you are ever interested , nlcasey@charter.net

Also I would like to remind everyone about checking my challenge blog http://nitalegercaseymenagerie.blogspot.com/

check my new blog,Nita's menagerie

I have taken a side  trip with my blog ,check my new challenge of painting 75 paintings of animals who have touch my life,here are my first three go  the http://nitalegercaseymenagerie.blogspot.com/

Campobello fishing boats

Watercolor ,6x12 (c) 2012
Nita Leger Casey
This was the first watercolor painting I did in two weeks , this cold really knock my down ,I just did not feel like doing anything ,I really had to push myself to do this It really is not like me Tim also had it, we sure make a pair !but I think we are doing better.
Today I did go to the studio it was time to change work at the Loading dock  gallery downstairs ,a Summer show is up , Western Avenue has been going through  a face lift ,the parking lot is looking good, if you are in the area check it out .
In three weeks I will be going to my yearly art retreat in Lubec so I better get back to normal .  I think this watercolor was a nice warmup !

On the coast of Kerry

miniature in Acrylic
Nita Leger Casey
In Maine for the week and did not get much painting done,I was busy socializing with friends,Kayaking, going to a play at Lakewood theatre in Madison with two good friends, and now just came down with a bad cold ,came out of no where and feeling terrible,many people told me it's going around not fun !I have been in the couch for two days.
I did paint a couple of miniatures,here is one  feeling guilty about it, you should see all the art material I brought .I will have catch up later after I get rid of this bad cold .
One nice thing happen while i was kayaking I took some great photos of a moose that was so close to me ,it was exciting,if you are my friend on facebook you can see them there . 

Two sketches from Pemaquid retreat

Sketches ,pen and ink with watercolor (c)2012
Nita Leger Casey
Just came back from a wonderful retreat with the Pastel Painters of Maine The weather beautiful for half the time there, gave me plenty time to paint two paintings and a few sketches , the rest of the time we are lucky to have a great carriage house who serves as a great big studio,we had two critiques and a great demonstration from a Maine artist Caren Michel, lots of socializing,suppers at a small restaurant right on the edge of the ocean. Sunday the weather did turn to the worst and was not able to make our planed trip to the Island of Mounhegan ,so my friend and I drove back with some heavy rain, all and all it was a great week end retreat.