A Fall Sale

Crisp bright fall days make good times for yard sales.  Some friends and I had a variation of that on Barbara's lovely screened back porch yesterday.  Our guests came by invitation, there was no sign or ad for our event in this intimate space.  Barbara and Jean had antiques to offer and I had my paintings and also a small table of Christmas things. Linda had a pretty display of her jewelry.  I would have liked to include photos with people, but after the sale started I never got back to taking pictures. So here is a taste of it.  

The tavern table with lovely turnings was from Maine.

A lucky person took home this wonderful comb back Windsor chair.

Barbara's homemade ginger cookies and pomegranate punch.

You can see some of the jewelry on etsy at

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PrairieRoseRanchwear?ref=l2-shopheader-name 

This was the first time I have shown my paintings this year and they were well received and I am much encouraged! Several friends came who are really interested in art and their comments are special.  And these four little ones sold!  

Bittersweet and Indian corn and pumpkins make a festive set up.

 All were priced and offered for sale except two large ones I may have giclee's made of.

One buyer said these paintings remind her of 17 century paintings and I was thrilled she recognized it. That is exactly what I am studying:  chiaroscuro, the play of light and shadow as mastered most famously by Rembrandt and taught today by David Leffel and his pupils of which my own instructor is one.   Leffel applies this technique to fine antique oriental porcelain and the like, while I am using it to paint the humble American pottery and less formal antiques Jack and I collected.  This gives my own paintings a personal voice.  Search Google images for David Leffel and see his amazing work!

Note, detail of the wooden doll above:

She came as just a carved wooden head and torso with a hole from shoulder to shoulder as on a Motschmann doll.  I made a tube of cloth holding the arms Jack carved. To give her legs, I sewed drawers with the legs and gathered the top edge around her waist. So no glue or other fastening mars the doll herself. There is no paper mache molded over the wooden base, she is a wooden doll with a very thin layer of gesso under the paint of her head. Worn spots tell the story.

Of course I had to buy some little treasures.

It was a great day, thank you Barbara.

PS If you would like to have a cupboard for your dolls like the one Jack made for mine, the pattern and instructions for it are in the new December Early American Life Magazine.  e