Kowloon - Small Acrylic Painting Neon Sign Route 1 Saugus, Massachusetts

Kowloon

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

It's the Kowloon!
Another great neon sign on Route 1 in Saugus, Massachusetts. Gone are the days of neon sign after neon sign on Route 1. Only a few are left! And I am trying to capture as many as I can while they still stand.
It always amazes me how I can paint just one letter from this sign and people immediately recognize it as the Kowloon!

This painting is also available at the North Shore Makers Mart in Topsfield, Massachusetts.

"The Best" - Happy New Year!

The Best

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

available at Pop Gallery

Happy New Year! Here's hoping that 2016 will be "The Best" for you!

Hard to believe that 2015 is over. I'm trying to think of 2016 as a clean slate - I've got lots of big things planned!

2015 was a pretty big year - I was hoping to have the chance to put together a retrospective post about all the things that happened (or a great video like my friend Linda Germain!), however 2016 is really starting off with a bang and I am not sure that I will get a chance to do it in detail.....

But in a nutshell -
-October of 2015 was the end of over 18 straight months of small venue solo exhibitions. I exhibited in libraries, banks, community centers, stores and the like for over 18 months, one show right after the next. I painted larger than I have for a long time. And I learned a lot about exhibiting, hanging, and promoting these little shows - so it was really a great experience for me. And hopefully good preparation for bigger things.
-I also won awards - 3 in juried shows at the Newburyport Art Association, 1 in a Greater Haverhill Arts Association show, and a ribbon in the Professional Art Division at the Topsfield Fair,
-I did 2 online interviews and a published magazine interview (with pictures!) - kind of a big deal for a total introvert like me!
-I helped (with 4 other local artists) start up a new monthly venue for artists on the northshore of Massachusetts - the Haverhill Art Market
-I did more exhibitions, shows and markets then I care to count right now  ;-)
-And I painted more than 150 paintings! Being that many of them were much larger than the 6x6 (and smaller) pieces I had been doing in the past, I am quite pleased with that number!

And many sincere thanks to YOU for following me and keeping up with the craziness! You all are truly "The Best" and I wish for a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year for everyone. Here's to a wonderful 2016!

Salem Arc - Small Acrylic Painting of Neon Sign

Salem Arc

(Salem, Massachusetss)

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

Small sign and buildings are also in demand by my local shops...this one is small at 8 x 6 inches,  however it is just screaming to me that it wants to be a BIG painting when it grows up!

Mai Tai - Acrylic Painting of Kowloon Sign by Debbie Shirley

Mai Tai

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

Getting back to doing some of the signs on small panels for local shops. This one is available at Zenobia in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

I am using some of my "postcard" paintings from my Fun-A-Day project for ideas. I will probably be re-working some of these, changing compositions slightly and cropping differently as I eventually make my way to some larger paintings of these signs.

Benson's - Small Acrylic Painting, Boxford, Massachusetts

Benson's

6 x 8 inches

acrylic on 3/4" cradled panel

Yes, you've seen this scene many times in my work. A favorite local haunt, this ice cream shop has been run by the same family for generations. They make all their own ice cream including special seasonal fruit flavors as the local fruit comes available. Their ice cream is amazing! And I felt I couldn't do a local exhibit without including a scene from Benson's.

This painting, along with 13 others from my "Along the Way" series are now hanging at the Boxford Town Library though September 17, 2014. There will be an artist reception on August 26 from 6-7;30 pm for those of you who are local to Massachusetts. It seems like this series will be going "on tour" over the next year, so stay tuned for details for more venues where it can be seen!

West Village Provisions - Small Landscape Painting of a Local Building in Boxford

West Village Provisions

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on 3/4" cradled panel

I started this little painting of a local business during their anniversary open house a few months ago. I didn't quite finish it that day, so I let it sit and recently decided to finish it up to hang in the show at my local library.

West Village Provisions is one of my favorite places in town. From it's historical beginnings as a general store, it is now THE place to get a yummy and healthy breakfast or lunch, the best coffee around, and some specialty groceries and gifts. The owners are very friendly and the food is great. They really support local farmers and businesses, and did I mention that they sell some of my paintings there as well?!!

This painting, along with 13 others from my "Along the Way" series are now hanging at the Boxford Town Library though September 17, 2014. There will be an artist reception on August 26 from 6-7;30 pm for those of you who are local to Massachusetts. It seems like this series will be going "on tour" over the next year, so stay tuned for details for more venues where it can be seen!

Small Still Life Floral Painting SOLD

Commission

6 x 8 inches

acrylic on canvas

SOLD

Just finished a special commission for a customer who sent me a photo she had taken. It is always interesting to see what my clients will challenge me with next! (Photo is hidden until recipient receives her surprise!)

Have an idea that you would like to see come to life on canvas? Contact me! I am now booking commission slots for fall.

Supreme - Small Acrylic Painting of a Diner, Gloucester

Supreme

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on 3/4" cradled panel

Love the retro diners! I need to find some more of them to paint. This one is in the heart of downtown Gloucester - seems to be more of a pizza/roast beef joint than a true diner, but it still has the look!

I have spent some time updating my website today. It is getting closer to the look I want for it - but it is still a work in progress. Check it out at www.DebbieShirley.com and let me know what you think!

This painting is now available at Pop Gallery in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Summer Taste - Cityscape Landscape Painting of Clam Box in Ipswich, Massachusetts

Summer Taste

6 x 8 inches

acrylic on 3/4" cradled board

Been painting like crazy! Posting? Not so much  ;-)
Lots going on with family stuff, kids winding up the school year, and the start of the outdoor festival season. Busy is good, right?

The Topsfield Strawberry Festival was great. Started out as a rainy day, but ended up  being just mostly gray, no downpours. Here is a (not so great) picture of my set up. Not the best angle! I really needed a back wall this time, but had used my walls on the sides because of the rain. Thanks to everyone who came out! It was great to see some familiar faces.

The painting at the top of the post is the Clam Box in Ipswich, Massachusetts. You will be seeing a lot of my "location" paintings over the next month or so. A bunch of gallery requests - and some exciting shows - to tell you about soon.

This painting will be going to Pop Gallery in Gloucester, Massachusetts in the next few days.

H.R. - Small Acrylic Painting Cityscape Landscape Haverhill, Massachusetts

H.R. 

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on 3/4" cradled panel

Another Haverhill piece. This one is a little larger than the ACEOs I have been working with. I have been toying with  the idea of taking this one even larger - there are some compositional things that I like about this, but I'm not sure that I will do it again.

The H.R. part of the sign is no longer on the actual building. What was the "H.R. Sawyer Schwinn Bicyclery" is now "Riverside Cycles". The last time I drove by, it still said "Schwinn Bicyclery" - I hope they keep that part up!

Off to varnish a bunch of these pieces....they will be available at Positive Images Gallery in Haverhill  by next week.

Shawsheen Luncheonette - Comissioned Acrylic Landscape Painting

Helloooo!! Anybody still out there?!

I am finishing out 2013 - and gearing up for the New Year.
Once again - sorry for the lack of posts.... lots of ornaments and many commissions made for some not very exciting posting, so I decided to just hold off on it.

But now I am back.

One last commission for 2013:

Shawsheen Luncheonette

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled board

SOLD

Look familiar? I did a very similar one earlier this year for the owner of the diner. She liked it so  much, that she wanted to give it as a special holiday gift to the former owner of the restaurant, and then she commissioned another one for her self! Do you have a local business for which you would like a little custom piece done? Contact me! I will be open for new commissions in the new year.

I am painting away on a few pieces for the first Newburyport Art Association show of the new year - plus I am taking part in a fun little project I will share in my next post. Stay tuned!

Shawsheen Luncheonette - Custom Painting, Building Cityscape

Shawsheen Luncheonette

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on 3/4" cradled board

Just finishing up this commission. I will be taking only a few more commissions for the holidays....please be sure to contact me asap if you are interested in any custom work for gift giving.....

Old Agawam - Landscape Cityscape Painting, Old Building in Massachusetts SOLD

Old Agawam

8 x 6 inches

acrylic on cradled board

SOLD

I have painted this old building before.....but I had a client who wanted a similar painting  slightly larger and on a cradled panel. The sign is from the old Agawam Hardware in Ipswich, Massachusetts. They actually totally remodeled the building weeks after I visited it and the sign is now gone.

It was fun to revisit this subject for this custom order...please feel free to contact me if you are interested in a custom painting of your own!  ;-)