The Wente Show

Yesterday's Artist's Reception at the Wente Estate Winery Tasting Room was very successful with a good turnout on a very rainy Sunday. Lots of family, friends, co-workers and strangers showed up to enjoy Mary Kay's vineyard paintings and she received favorable comments lots of people. The paintings looked like they really belonged in this setting and will remain there throughout November. To see more pictures click here.

Garage Door Chic

As the last of the paintings for the upcoming show have been framed, Mary Kay updated our garage door once again. This is by far the nicest looking garage door in town.

Autumn Pair

Reminiscent of the painting that was so popular at last year's Art Walk, Autumn Pair is a pair of 2x3 ft panels marking the passing of summer and the beginning of fall.

Announcement of upcoming show

Autumn Leaves

Appropriate to the suddenly changed season is Autumn Leaves, the latest painting intended for Mary Kay's November show.

Going Downhill

Here is the final version of Sentiero in Discesa or downward going path.

Work in Progress

Here is a painting in progress, yet unnamed.

End of Summer

End of Summer is a companion painting to the recent Changing Seasons.

Whitewater

Our parish fall festival is larger this year with several kinds of ethnic food, live entertainment and games. Mary Kay contributed a whitewater background for a racing game in which ping pong balls are advanced via water pistols.

Sunshine

The latest painting, Changing Seasons, will be donated to the St. Charles parish Fall Festival later this month.

Back to the future

While Kate and Kayla were visiting us, Mary Kay guided Kayla in making a tie dyed tee shirt.

Artistic garage door

We have had a distinctive garage door, with its grapevine theme, for several years, commented on by various friends, passers by and workmen. With our new roof, the resident artist decided the garage door should match and painted the door a darker hue.

where is the glass?

The artist made one final tweak to this painting. Mary Kay's friend Heather's mother had a liking of cobalt blue "beach glass". Your homework assignment is to find the beach glass in the painting.

Lake Michigan at Fayette park in the UP

Painted for friend Heather in memory of her mother.

Feiting the blues

One more for the November show - "The Blues". Makes you want to pop a juicy grape into your mouth.

it's never too late to tweak

Mary Kay tweaked her painting April from over a year ago, downplaying some of the reds and making the lighting more realistic.

life among the grapes

Mary Kay has been working devotedly the past couple days. The result is en la Viñas with its striking use of color. She says this is dedicated to all those who work the fields.

Sentier

The latest painting in preparation for the Wente show is the mysterious Sentier.

Back to the vineyard

Mary Kay completed one painting, called Dämmerung, for the Wente show and started work on another, yet untitled. This evening we took Rachel and her friend Erica to the Livermore Alehouse for dinner and a look at the six Mary Katherine vineyard paintings on display in their banquet room.

Sago Palms

Mary Kay completed the final version of Sago Palms. Now it is back to the grapevines she says.

The Creative Process

Visiting grandsons Johnny and Jordan watched Mary Kay paint a portrait of their beloved Boozer. Afterwards, on the way to play miniature golf, we stopped by the city library where an exhibit of abstract art included one of Mary Kay's paintings. Later on, Jordan made his own painting.

Sago Palms

Mary Kay is working on two paintings for her former supervisor who loves Sago palms and wants these for her office. She says they are not finished yet.

Vineyards in the Alehouse

The First Street Ale House in Livermore regularly displays work of local artists. Someone there saw Mary Kay's work on her website and asked the Livermore Art Association to arrange to display some of her vine and vineyard paintings as representative of the area. So seven of her paintings will be hanging in their banquet room for the next two months. These are "Vineyards in Spring", "Vineyards in Summer"," Veritas", "Solo", "September", "Sauvignon", and "Morning"

Abstract Art Show

The Livermore Art Association chose Mary Kay's "Flowers" as one of the paintings for their Abstract Art exhibition at the Livermore Library which will show during the month of June.

donation for a good cause

Mary Kay donated her painting "In Between" to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for their annual fundraiser held at the White Crane Winery . The fundraiser will be held Sunday April 25.

2010 Spring Art Show

The Livermore Art Association Spring Show will be next weekend, March 27 and 28. Mary Kay is showing her paintings Whimsy, Veritas, Solo and Grapes by Flashlight.

Rachel's window

Rachel R. found an apartment in San Francisco with both a view of the Bay and affordable rent. Her mom painted this possible sight from her window to add color to the new digs.

Morning

The latest painting for the upcoming show in November is "Morning", completed while Mary Kay is waiting for the Art Association Spring Show in March.

Pia

Remember Blinky? How about Cheepers? Who could be cuter? How about Pia?

grapes by flashlight

Here is the final version of the latest painting, called "grapes by flashlight".

work in progress

Mary Kay is working on a new painting with a grapevine seen at night theme. She isn't completely happy with it yet. This is for the Wente exhibit later this year.

Livermore Vineyard

The banner for the upcoming Art and Wine Crawl at the end of the month will feature art by Mary Kay - the Livermore Vineyard scene at John and Jenifer's house.

Cheepers

Remember Blinky? His master also had another love bird named Cheepers who died recently. The owner asked Mary Kay to paint a picture of Cheepers from photographs and she painted this triptych like panel of the beloved bird.

new showings

A new art gallery, the Ryan Fine Art Gallery, opened in Livermore toward the end of 2009. The owner asked Mary Kay to exhibit some of her paintings after Thanksgiving, but due to being ill at the time and the holiday bustle, Mary Kay declined. Now she has been asked again and is going to show five paintings until the end of the month. After that, she has been invited to show in the next Livermore Art and Wine Crawl. Working toward the Wente one man show later this year, she took four paintings to be framed.