Cunningham Falls

Road Knights Show

Another hot June day found me  at the Road Knights Car, Truck and Bike show June 27, 2010 with my camera. The event was held in a field and parking lot on the grounds of Maranatha Church of God in beautiful Frederick, Md. The following show board measures approximately 16 x 20 inches and includes photos of all the first place winners.  If you'd like to purchase one let me know.

Golden Gears "Home Run" Car Show

I designed a show board collage of some of the cars that were displayed
at the Frederick Keys parking lot for the Golden Gears "Home Run" Car Show.
The event was held June 19, 2010. It was a very hot day with beautiful blue sky
and gorgeous cars, trucks and bikes.

The board measures approximately 10.5 x 16.5. If you'd like to purchase one let me know. Please include the words show card in the e-mail header.  mclay217@yahoo.com 

Updating website soon - film style photography

 

Okay I promise to update my website this week. I know it is a currently a total disaster. Meanwhile, Saturday I met a very nice lady who still shoots film and promised her this URL:  http://www.freestylephoto.biz/c_about.php One of the few locations that still have a great selection of film and chemistry. 

 

Homerun car show

 

Marvin's Graphic Design had a table at the flea-market during the Home run car show at Frederick Key's Stadium parking lot last Saturday 6/19/20. The event was hosted by the Golden Gears car club. Our main goal was a coming out event for Marvin's Graphic Designs. I designed a show card for my brother in law, Bobby Eckenrode, that we displayed by our table. A lot of fine folks took business cards and looked at our samples. It was HOT, but at least it didn't rain. 

 

 

E-mail me if you are interested in a show card for your car\truck\bike. Please include the words show card in the header. mclay217@yahoo.com

 

This sweet special edition Ford Maverick caught my eye because my wife's first car was a light blue 1972 two door Maverick. I drove it around New England on our wedding trip. My first car was a 1975 dark blue 4 door Maverick. It cost me $4,200 brand new, the payment was less than $100 a month. 

 

Pa. Covered Bridge 73

This is an 11x14 inch watercolor that I experimented with a paint splattering technique. The actual splattering, using my thumb and an old tooth brush, wasn't as much fun as I thought it might be. I suppose I should try it again sometime.

Distlefink

I came across these stylized birds in New Market Maryland last month. They were (are) used by the Pennsylvania Dutch to supposedly bring good fortune to those who display them. I really like the shadows cast across them in the photo. You can read more about distlefinks here if your are interested http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distelfink

something different

 

The painting of the day is a little different for me. I actually painted this a couple of years ago while I was taking elements of design at FCC. BTW the elements of design are line, value, color, texture and shape (it was a question on every quiz).

 

Two roses

I sketched these two peace roses at the breakfast table this morning. I thought they might make a lovely painting sometime.

camping recipe

 This is a wonderful recipe for camping or a picnic or anytime.

Camping/Travel Food

Combine in a large heavy pan:    

    One cup molasses

    ½ cup sugar

    ¼ cup butter or margarine
    
    one package (10 ounces) Jet-Puffed Marshmallows    

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to boil and

the marshmallows are mostly melted.  Remove from heat and add:

    one cup chunky peanut butter

    one teaspoon vanilla

    one large box (14-16 cups) of Rice Krispy cereal or cereal of choice.

    (may also stir in a cup of chocolate chips, M&M’s nuts or raisins)

Press into two 9x9 cake pans.  Cut into squares.  Enjoy!

  

Applying gesso to hard board.

I just received a package of hard board paint support panels from dickblick.com . I am currently sanding and applying gesso so I can paint on them. In the mean time I added another painting to my art site. The single rose.

I know that Solomon in all his wisdom declared that there is nothing new under the sun, but it is still depressing to open the newspaper and discover a large color photo of someone else painting a local scene that I was planning to paint. I have decided that I will just have to do it better. Who said there was no pressure?

Romeo

Another ink drawing. This one is of Romeo a sheep that I used to have. He was a gentle giant. Sadly he is no longer with us, but his memory lives on.

new self portrait

Okay so maybe it is vanity, but I am posting another self portrait. This one is also done in ink with some light cleaning up in Photo shop.

Self portrait

Today the post is a self portrait in ink.

the river

Todays entry is a photo that I took late last summer on the south fork of the Shenandoah river while visiting the state of Virginia. I used a light sepia tone filter in photo-shop.

wolf rock

Okay, I really need to add something and I am feeling lazy so here is a photo of Wolf Rock near Thurmont Maryland. When I was there a gentleman with a small dog told me to watch out for the rattlesnakes. Apparently he and his dog had agitated a den of the critters. I heard the rattling down in the rocks but I did not go close enough to see them.

spring

My tribute to spring. Digitally manipulated daffodils.

Brewster Mill, Cape Cod Mass.

A sketch of Brewster Mill. It was raining lightly when I visited.

church sketches

This post contains pencil sketches created in 1983 at Goshen Mennonote Church in Laytonsville, Maryland. The church, currently used by Mennonites, was built by Methodist before the war between the states. The old hand pump is not used but still stands on the same property. There was no indoor plumbing until this century when an addition was built onto the back of the church. Hope you enjoy the sketches

Calebs barn

North Rome Pennsylvania dairy barn.

How much time does it take to finish a painting?

Tree sketch

This is a sketch of some trees in my neighbors yard.

 

Working on a new oil painting

I'm working on a new 16" x 20" oil painting that is loosely based on a painting I did a long time ago. It's not exactly the same of course. I am happy that warmer weather is finally here. Is it just me or was it a long winter?  Now I can get out into my unheated studio where toxic fumes are less of a problem. It is so good to be painting in oil again, there is nothing like it. I hope to post a photo of the new painting soon.

Tractor

Sometimes picking a name for a painting can be tough, but sometimes the title is so obvious it seems silly. Of course if all else fails I'll go with "Untitled #9."

Pa. Covered Bridge

"Pennsylvania Covered Bridge" 11" x 14" pen and ink 

Copyright M. C. Clay 2010

mountain lake

"Mountain Lake" is a complete fabrication of my imagination. Inspired by a bit of daydreaming it is Acrylic painted on acid free paper 11" x 14". I hope you enjoy the view as much as I did. 

 copyright by M. C. Clay 2010 All images on this blog

Eastern Shore

"Eastern Shore" is inspired by a visit to Maryland's Eastern Shore several years ago. Acrylic 11" x 14" on acid free paper.

Digital art

The digitally enhanced  photo of the day is "Worman's Mill". The future of this beautiful stone building is in doubt. Developers plan to build a large housing development and a shopping center across the street to the left. I'm hoping that someone with a lot of money will renovate it. It would be perfect for small shops. Half of the windows are actually missing. In the photo I repaired them by cloning from the ones that remain.  Too bad it is not that easy in real life. I hate to think that it may someday be torn down by people who have no appreciation for history.

 

Fine art marketing aspirations

I have begun to entertain the notion of marketing my paintings for fun and profit, because I could use a lot more of both. In the early 80's I sold a few oil paintings at a local consignment shop but they went out of business and took three of my paintings with them. My fine art marketing skills are limited to say the least. I have an opportunity to rent 10' x 10' sidewalk space in early May. For $50 they provide the space and hopefully paying customers, but nothing else. I have some homework to do.

Two more paintings

"Pennsylvania Mill" acrylic on acid free watercolor paper 11x14

"Fishing Creek" acrylic on stretched canvas 11x14

more artwork

A fishing trip with a friend to Virginia's Shenandoah River inspired this 11"x14" painting titled "South Branch". The medium is acrylic paint on stretched canvas. 

I painted "Sunlit Meadow" 18"x24" several years ago and just got around to signing it after a few minor touch-ups. Are paintings ever really finished? This one is also acrylic on stretched canvas.

My latest painting

My latest painting "Detrick Farm", acrylic on canvas, measures 16 x 20. I completed it during our blizzard in February 2010. 

"New Market Church" watercolor on acid free paper (11x14) was completed last summer.

Dis-organized

Okay, I need to get organized. I need to unpack the boxes and loose the clutter. My problem is I seem to have a love-hate relationship with clutter. I must be the original pack rat. If I am going to ever get ahead I need to determine what is important and leave the rest behind. So I'm off... clutter beware :)

I'm back!!!

My New Year resolution is to post to my blog more often. Considering the fact that this is March I think I am making progress. Stay tuned ;-)