debschradieck's blog

It's been a productive winter. I dove right in to painting after the boating season ended and produced close to one painting every week. Armed with plenty of my own photos, I started with the yellow dories and some nice reflections. With my inventory building, I started thinking about getting some additional gallery space lined up. My first lucky break was running into Mona Fahery at the Pier 7 Christmas Party. She offered me space in her office at the Rocky Neck Accommodations! I'm looking forward to setting that up as a gallery soon.

Won "Best in Show" for my piece titled "Gannett".

I've been busy at the drawing table for the past three months since the end of the boating (and photography) season. Commissioned work includes two watercolors and whole bunch of pen-and-ink home portraits. My favorite subject matter continues to be boats and their reflections. I've developed a particular fascination with the yellow Gloucester dories. To me they are nearly as iconic as the Fisherman himself, or Gloucester's "motif", the old paint factory.

This is a huge accomplishment! The NSAA receives many applicants for Artist Membership but only six of us were accepted. The jurying is a two-step process. Submission of five photographs of your work is the first step; if you pass that, you are invited to bring in the originals. Getting the phone call that I was accepted was very exciting! They requested my piece titled "Holy Mackerel" for the first show in the Spring.

My painting "Gannett" won the North Shore Arts Association Award! Two shows, two prizes-very pleased.

The North Shore Arts Association is on Pirate's Lane in East Gloucester. It has three large galleries and sits on Smith Cove with a beautiful view of the harbor. I decided to join to network with other artists and possibly try for Artist Membership. Their gallery has high-quality work of many local artists with six or so exhibits throughout the summer.

I am pleased to announce that my watercolor painting titled "East Gloucester Morning" was awarded first prize at the annual Shrewsbury Artist's Guild Show held at Tatnuck Bookseller in Westborough. This was the first show I have ever entered so this was a very encouraging start!