Tumbling, Watercolor by Linda McCoy

7"X7" Watercolor on Paper. Copyright Linda McCoy 2010. lindamccoyart@live.com

Graphium Weiskei, Butterfly Oil Painting by Linda McCoy

And another, simply because I enjoy painting them. :) Small painting, 4"X4"  lindamccoyart@live.com

Lemenitis Arthemis Astyanax, Oil Painting by Linda McCoy

“Don’t step on it!” she said to her little ones. At the foot of the stair was a still butterfly. She and her young boys hunkered down in a deep knee bend to observe the tragedy. For an exquisite but brief moment she too, was little again. Wow, look at the colors. Is it dead? Why did it die? What kind is it? Is it a girl or boy butterfly? The conversation lasted as long as there were questions for her to answer.

Their curiosity satisfied, she reminded them it was time to go shopping for school supplies. The boys ran to the car weighted down with last year’s lunch boxes filled with their treasured Star Wars and Spiderman figurines. It’s an important week. Back to school, so many lessons to learn.

Not one more important than the one she just taught them.

4"X4" Oil on hardboard. Copyright Linda McCoy 2010 lindamccoyart@live.com  Collected

Plum, Peach, Pear

A small study for a larger still life. The pears are from our tree, but they are still really hard.
6"X6" oil on gallery wrapped canvas.
lindamccoyart@live.com   copyright 2010 Linda McCoy

Haulin' Glass, Oil Painting by Linda McCoy

His eyes were as blue as the cobalt marbles he was playing with. He liked the way the marbles clicked as they bumped into each other on the pebbly, cracked sidewalk. He carefully piled them into the toy truck his grandfather had repainted for him. Once red, now covered with hospital green, the red peeked through every ding and dent, refusing to be ignored. He looked up and saw his mother’s gingham apron through the screen door. “Put your toys away and come in for lunch.” He put the truck and the marbles in the old wood box along with his Hire’s Root beer bottle caps and some real caps left over from the 4th of July; which he was convinced no one would ever find.

He ate little lunch, for the Chicago summer heat was almost unbearable. He let the screened, wood door slam as he ran back down the porch steps to play. He continued to load the truck with marbles, beads of sweat appearing on his nose, even though the summer “crew cut” was supposed to keep him cool.

He looked up to see his sisters playing tug-o-war with their pet mutt “Blackie.” This went on for a few moments but he looked up again when he heard the dog growl. Something wasn’t right. The dog had foam coming his mouth and was swinging it's head back and forth angrily. He heard the screen door slam again as his father came on to the back porch. “All three of you get in the house now!” He was too young to know what distemper looked or sounded like but his father knew.

The shots rang out in the silence of that summer day; loud, piercing. The dog did not stop running. Up and down the stairs, growling, foaming. More shots, until finally the dog lay still. What had just happened? The gray paint of the porch now stained with blood. His mother and sisters crying in the bedroom, his mother’s head leaning against the top bunk bed. Bewilderment clouded his young eyes. He witnessed his father’s sadness at having to shoot the dog, mixed with relief that none of his children or the neighbor’s children were hurt by it.

The next day the morning glories that filled the wood and wire fence were spectacular. The smell of the back yard after the brief summer rain was comforting and familiar. He took the marbles out of the old wood box and put them again into the back of the toy truck. Click, click, click.

10" X 20" oil on gallery wrapped canvas.
The toy truck was made by Metal Masters, 1938 Diecast. Painting and story copyright Linda McCoy 2010
Lindamccoyart@live.com

And a cropped view. You can see this painting on a calendar by the Daily Painters by Clicking Here:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/dailypainters

Rigby, Oil Painting by Linda McCoy

9"X12" Oil on canvas. Whew! it was a long ride to New York!    Private Collection

August Twilight, Watercolor by Linda McCoy

I will be at a "meet the artist" event Thursday night from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at Artonsymmes Gallery.
You're invited!
http://www.artonsymmes.com/
Watercolor 24"X30" available through Artonsymmes Gallery

Lavender Pansies, Watercolor by Linda McCoy

Little flowers in the windowbox.

7"X7" Watercolor on paper

Engine 92, Chicago Fire Department, Watercolor by Linda McCoy

I grew up with firehouse lingo…still and box alarm, 211’s, 5-11 and 4 specials. The rig. Inspection days. 24 on 48 off. Smoke eaters. On rare occasions my sister and brother and I visited the firehouse; a big building with echo’s of fireman’s conversation’s bouncing off the walls. The firemen had worn out and throw-away recliners; green leathery things with holes in the upholstery to offer comfort in between calls or “runs.”

Firehouse coffee was as strong as espresso, I don’t think they cleaned the old coffee maker, just added more coffee. Hot mud 24/7. When the alarm went off (was this preceded by a ticker?) the bell was deafening. Yes, if they were upstairs in the bunk room they slid down the pole, one after another. Grabbing up gear and jumping into those big boots that had loops on top to pull them up they headed for the “rig.” Out the door with sirens and horns blaring, we watched as they left, not really understanding the danger they faced.

Sometimes we would hear of big fires on the television news, and would ask my mother “is dad at that fire?” The answer depended on where the fire was but my mother always reassured us that all would be well. She must have been beside herself with worry when she knew he was out of the “barn” but we never knew.

Back at the firehouse, (Truck 51 on Chicago’s south side) Muggs the huge German Shepherd dog prevented would- be intruders from taking the fireman’s dinner until they returned. No one messed with Muggs. I think they buried him near the firehouse with his own little headstone. One of the firemen wrote a little book about that firehouse and Muggs. My father drove the battalion chief for years at that very busy house.

At the end of his career at the CFD, he was stationed at Engine 92 on the south side. The hat is from that time period. The one from Truck 51 is battered and burned and probably still smells like smoke, as is the one from Engine 84 also on Chicago's south side, his first duty station.

This painting is inspired by a picture of my grandson that my dad took during our recent visit to Chicago to see my parents. He was delighted to be wearing this authentic hat, and I think my dad had a few stories for him.

Loud sirens, big red engines, hook and ladders that seemed to reach the sky, going into smoke filled buildings, yes- that’s a big hat to fill.


Watercolor 12"X16"

Bells of Ireland and Dephiniums

I started this painting awhile ago, see post of June 13th. I added a few more details, but somehow it seems the less I do the better.  The Chinese inks add texture, I just defined a few petals to identify the Delphinium's and Bells of Ireland. I took a week long watercolor workshop several years ago with artist Ted Minchin. He was a fabulous teacher, and I've tried to apply the things he taught. His watercolors had an abstract quality, yet you knew what the subject of the painting was. I was fiddling with some detail on a painting and he said to me "Linda, everything doesn't have to make sense." 
lindamccoyart@live.com

Strawberry Swing Oil Painting by Linda McCoy

I read a comment made by a collector that artist's shouldn't just put painting on their blogs without commenting on how the painting came about. So, here goes. I logged on to a great website http://www.faboverfifty.com/ started by a business acquaintance of mine. On her blog their are a variety of links, so I clicked on http://www.thelisaportercollection.blogspot.com/  On her blog was a post about a china basket that she liked from http://www.my-sparrow.com/  I ordered the basket, it was here within a week. I loved it, so while my daughter Bree was at the grocery, I asked her pick up some strawberries. She brought back huge bright red dipping strawberries. They were so perfect even the seeds were in neat little rows.  I set it up on a shelf in partial sunlight. Well, there you have it. How long did it take to paint? A week of applying many glazes of color; reds are a pain to paint because they are so transparent. Getting the shadow side of the basket gray enough took more than a little courage. Were the strawberries good? Unbelievably sweet.
Oh, come on Linda, why did you name it Strawberry Swing? In homage to a song of the same title by Coldplay.
8"X8" Oil on hardboard lindamccoyart@live.com  Sold

Elizabeth, Pastel Portrait by Linda McCoy

Elizabeth is a lovely young lady full of personality and energy. She was a delightful little model. Her mom was painted in the same dress when she was Elizabeth's age. The two portraits will hang together one day.
Pastel 18"X22" Pastel on paper. Collected

Sugarbowl and Squash Blossoms Oil Painting by Linda McCoy

Today was a really nice day. We met up with David and Rachel and did a little shopping at Findlay Market. A little early on Sunday so not all of the vendors were set up, but no crowds either. Several stands had squash blossoms which were pretty.  After shopping a little breakfast then on to Anthropology where I found this little sugar bowl. I previously prepared this board for another painting, but I was anxious to paint my finds of the day. A quick and fun little painting. The sugar bowl looks a little crooked. Maybe something you'd find at the Mad Hatters tea party. Oh well, maybe I'll fix it later. Then again, maybe not.
6"X6" oil on hardboard
lindamccoyart@live.com

Findlay Market lll, Cincinnati Ohio, Oil Painting by Linda McCoy

This is my third painting of Findlay Market here in Cincinnati. The colors have not been enhanced, this is how it really looks. All the buildings are different colors with bright awnings. This is a great place to visit if you are ever here. It has a great European market feel to it, lots of produce grown by local Ohio farmers.
6"X6" Oil on hardboard
lindamccoyart@live.com

World War One Sewing Kit, Oil Painting by Linda McCoy

My grandfather drove an ammunition truck in the first world war. He was in the 1st Division and was stationed Belgium and Germany. He was in the Army from 1917-1921. His honorable discharge papers say he was of “superior integrity.” I remember him as kind, gentle and soft spoken.  We lived in a two flat and my grandparents lived upstairs, so they were very much a part of our young lives. He died when I was eleven, and I remember the great sadness I felt.

On a recent trip back to Chicago to see my parents, my father gave me this little army sewing kit that belonged to him. It is battered from the war and missing it’s thimble. I wonder about the thimble. The simple answer is that my grandmother needed one and just used the one from the kit. Maybe it was lost in a foxhole while trying to mend his uniform or sew on a button. Maybe it was lent to another soldier. Maybe, it still lies in a field somewhere, buried for someone else to find. We are all grateful he made it home, so many did not.
Thanks for passing this on to me Dad, I'll take good care of it.
6"X6" Oil on hardboard.
Lindamccoyart@live.com

The Little Dog oil painting by Linda McCoy

So cute, but so very naughty while I was painting him. 4"x4" Oil on hardboard

Peony, watercolor. Back lit. 10"X10" Sennelier Paper

Sunlit Geranium, Oil Painting by Linda McCoy

Sold 6"X6" Oil on panel
Lindamccoyart@live.com

The Little Gambler, Oil painting by Linda McCoy

Here's another little person. This is a small painting, 4"X4."

lindamccoyart@live.com

Geranium Shot, Oil painting by Linda McCoy

 You can register to win this painting free go to http://www.dailypainters.com/ and leave a comment

Just a little 6"X6" to get back into the swing of things. I rejoined the Daily Painters Gallery, and I'm glad to be back with such a talented group of artists. Oil on Hardboard