Everybody In

Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air ~  Ralph Waldo Emerson


After the quiet sparkling morning on the beach,  the day is filled with the carnival of colorful umbrellas and the chairs of the day revelers. The edge of the sea seems to bring out a universal joy in human beings as if they feel at home at last.


$125.00

SUN AND SHADOWS IN NEW ORLEANS

SUN AND SHADOWS IN NEW ORLEANS

Nancy Herman

8" x 6"

oil on canvas

Off to New Orleans for a brief excursion via Google maps for the Virtual Paint out, I was drawn to these colorful shadows on Bourbon Street.

  

If this scene seems a bit cheery, considering all the hardship that New Orleans has suffered in the past several years, it isn't that I don't appreciate that sadness.  I have to admit to looking for the sunny side of life if possible when I paint.  I figure if I'm going to spend several hours painting something I might as well experience pleasure in imagining or remembering the scene depicted.  Painting for me is a way to spend a few hours in solitary pursuit of a pleasant memory and trying to bring that experience to others.  The one exception to that in recent years was my painting of the nursery school in Saito Japan .  It was very hard to paint this as the city was completely destroyed in the tsunami.

$125.00

KOHR BROTHERS

KOHR BROTHERS

Nancy Herman

8" x 6"

oil on canvas board

What a treat, a trip to the boardwalk topped off by a delicious cone of frozen custard.  I don't think I will ever be too old to get a kick out of that. Going for a walk "on the boards" as my grandparents would say was the "icing on the cake" of the shore experience. The smell of salt air, mixed with cotton candy and pop corn still summons up waves of nostalgia for the days when I was one of those kids filled with awe, waiting to grab the brass ring.

$125.00

EYE TO EYE WITH A SEAGULL

EYE TO EYE WITH A SEAGULL

Nancy Herman

6" x 8"

oil on canvas board

One day at the beach in the very early morning I stood watching the birds for quite a while.  I saw one seagull who seemed actually to be crashing into the waves the way many of us do when first jumping into the ocean.  It finally flew away but it was very heavy with water at first and flew low for a while, I guess until it dried off a bit.  Then it soared off. I found this very amusing. I never thought about the possibility that birds might actually play in the ocean..but why not?   Suddenly I found there were some eyes on me. Another seagull was standing very near looking straight at me, as if to say, "What's so funny".

$125.00

Plugs

Newest painting not quite dry, but my stars must be lined up in a favorable pattern this week as there is another unsolicited plug for my blog appearing today on line.

http://ardmore.patch.com/

LAST TO LEAVE

LAST TO LEAVE

Nancy Herman

8" x 6"

oil on canvas board

This is the time of day to sit on the beach, after the crowds have dissappeared and the sun is low and golden.

This subject reminds me of the postcards I used to send from the seashore.  How rarely I get or send a postcard anymore.  Part of the reason I named my blog "Postcards from Merion" was because I always loved getting and sending postcards.  The idea of a little colored card sailing out through so many hands to reach a friend seemed so wonderful to me as a child ...and still does.  I only hope we keep using the mail so no more post offices have to close.

$125.00

Following the Light

I just "stumbled" upon this article about my work.  It is well written and extremely flattering so naturally I love it.  Not sure why the author didn't let me know about it so I could circulate it when it came out but I sure do appreciate the kind words.

http://emptyeasel.com/2011/03/23/nancy-herman-following-the-light/

WHITES

WHITES

Nancy Herman

8" x 6"

oil on canvas board

Every summer when I was growing up we went to the seashore to my grandparents house across from the bay in Ocean City for a month or so.  Various combinations of aunts, uncles and cousins sat on the big, wide porch for hours.  It was on the second floor of the house looking over at the bay.   When the awning was up and we could see the sky my grandfather would comment on the weather.  Such gems as, "If there is enough blue in the sky to make a pair of pants for a Dutchman it will clear."  

When the awning was down the adults would comment on the people who lived across the street and the boats that went by.  Sometimes my grandmother would play Go Fish with me, but otherwise it was an adult world.  The most exciting thing that happened was if I was allowed to put the awning up or down.  There was generally a calm controlled feeling to these lazy days for me.  Who knows what was going on in the hearts of the adults assembled there, with all of their passions held carefully in check in order to preserve the required decorum for the oldest generation.

$125.00

RISING SUN

RISING SUN

Nancy Herman

6" x 8"

oil on canvas board

The best time to swim in the ocean is in the very early morning when the sun is just rising out of the water.  It feels as if you are swimming in liquid sunshine. What a way to start the day!

$125.00

SOLD

AFTER THE STORM

AFTER THE STORM

Nancy Herman

8" x 6"

oil on canvas

ocean city vacation 2011:

It really is an ecstatic experience to walk on the beach in the very early morning and watch the sun come up.  So much untouched space with nothing but the birds and the sea creatures and that great rolling ocean.  It reminds me of this stanza from Byron's poem, memorized in high school.

Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean – roll!
Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain;
Man marks the earth with ruin – his control
Stops with the shore; -- upon the watery plain
The wrecks are all thy deed, not does remain
A shadow of man’s ravage, save his own,
When for a moment, like a drop of rain,
He sinks into thy depths with bubbling groan,
Without a grave, unknell’d, uncoffin’d, and unknown.








SOLD
$125.00

ONE WAY

ONE WAY

Nancy Herman

oil on canvas board

8" x 6"

This painting is from a photo taken by Luke Herrine.  I was drawn to it because of the contrast between the three light sources.  The traffic lights, the sky and the very small moon.

Sungolds

SUNGOLDS

Nancy Herman

8" x 6"

oil on canvas

The sweetest tomato you'll ever have, the Sungold, not only tastes delicious but, as they ripen on the vine, look like jewels, selected for their carefully modulated color.

SOLD

Sunset at the Beach House

SUNSET AT THE BEACH HOUSE

Nancy Herman

8" x 6"

oil on canvas

Stroll down the boardwalk in the last painting at dusk and turn to your right and this light display is yours.  One of the great joys of any seaside retreat is the big open sky.

BEACH HOUSE

BEACH HOUSE

Nancy Herman

8" x 6"

oil on canvas board

A short walk down some wooden boards to a quiet bay with nothing but sailboats in the distance.  A dip in the shallow sea before breakfast in the flickering morning sun and a  swim from the beach accross the street on the other side of the island in the sunset...ah summer in this very quiet part of East Hampton, what could be more idylic?

A Quiet Spot

While waiting for paintings to dry, here is a painting from last year at this time.

A lovely spot at the Appleford Estate.

Butterfly Bush and Bee Balm

BUTTERFLY BUSH AND BEE BALM

Nancy Herman

12" x 9"

oil on canvas board

Summer is in its full glory in my garden at the moment.  Unfortunately it is so hot that it is hard to really enjoy it.  Luckily I can still paint in my air conditioned studio and enjoy the colors and textures at a remove from the actual garden, which is steaming and full of insects who are out for blood.

Nature is beautiful and treacherous.  The human race has gone overboard to surpress and control nature for our own pleasure and safety.  We do whatever we can to change things to suit ourselves without suffient reflection about what the chain reaction of these changes will mean to ourselves and other creatures in the long run.  As a result there is very often not a 'long run' for many species and it may be our own survival will go the way of so many other forms of life.

In the meantime we have art and music to feed our spirit when nature is too harsh and we want to sit back and pretend all is well.

$200.00

Framed or not

Unframed $200.00 Framed $250.00

Farm Borders

FARM BORDERS

Nancy Herman

6" x 8"

oil on canvas board

While painting this I got to thinking about Robert Frost's poem MENDING WALL that contains the phrase, "good fences make good neighbors".  In the poem Frost is pondering whether that old proverb is indeed true and wondering what good it does to rebuild the stone wall between he and his neighbor every year.  

While searching for an attractive version of the poem on line, I found this article about how, in fact, good fences do actually make people more comfortable with their differences.  Very interesting.  

See Dailypaintworks auction

OLD BARN

OLD BARN

Nancy Herman

8" x 6"

oil on canvas board

This beautiful old barn was the last property I visited  in the PAINT IN THE GARDEN series sponsored by the Wayne art center.  It is very near the center of Wayne yet when you are there it feels as if you are in the deep country.

$125.00

LETTUCE

LETTUCE

Nancy Herman

8"x 6"

oil on canvas board

I would like to sing the praises of growing lettuce.  I have been having a big salad for lunch every day for 3 months from my small garden of lettuce.  I think this is "Red Gem" ( I threw away the seed packet), which is not only delicious but beautiful.  If you haven't tried growing these tasty treats, give it a whirl.   All lettuce is easy to grow - plant it in the shade in this weather.  It doesn't like the heat.  I still have some that is quite tasty however as it is shaded by some large squash plants.  Lettuce from the garden is much more tender than what comes from the super market.  The varieties needed to withstand packing and long sessions waiting for customers are not what you can plant in your home garden and the difference is delicious.

There was a festive wedding in the family the week before last, so I was not in the studio. Thus no paintings this week.

But I have not been idle this week and will be posting paintings next week again. 

In the meantime here is something to take your mind off the heat.  In the middle of last winter I would never have thought I would look back on that cold with a certain bit of nostalgia but I was wrong.

Remember?

WINTER

HOLLYHOCKS #2

HOLLYHOCKS #2

Nancy Herman

8" x 6"

oil on canvas

These Hollyhocks look almost completely black until the sun comes around to the west and seeps through in the dappled shade.  Then they turn a rich shade of red wine.  The garden is an ever changing marvel of lighting effects for the patient eye.

$125.00 

HOLLYHOCK #1

HOLLYHOCK #1

Nancy Herman

8" x 6"

oil on canvas board

Hollyhocks or Alcea are very old plants.  The remains of them have been found in the Neanderthal caves of Shanidar in Iran.  This unusual one popped up in my wild flower garden.  Perhaps it is a lovely gift from some ancient corner of Asia.

$125.00

ROUNDUP

Some second thoughts about Roundup.  

FIRST RAYS

FIRST RAYS

Nancy Herman

8" x 6"

oil on canvas board

The first rays of the morning sun, no matter where they land, seem to say, "it's a new day and anything is possible".  When they hit a treasured part of the garden it is especially lovely and, because the flowers are so ephemeral, a little poignant at the same time.

$125.00

LARKSPUR

You can't beat the beautiful Larkspur for color in June.  I have a bed of these lovely delicate flowers that reseed on their own, crowd out competitors and in general are a reliable joy.  If you live in the area and want seeds from them let me know.

Life's Weeds

Since I have been dealing with the weeds in my garden I have been thinking about the "weeds" that are an inexorable part of life.  I would define them as the forces that are always trying to take over our existence.  These are the forces we keep at bay but never really get rid of.  

I suppose the gradual deterioration of our body has to top the list ending as it must in death.  I think we have to fight the fear of death before we can actually take what steps are necessary to keep it at bay as long as possible.  We have to take the measure of it in some rational way and do battle. 

Our main tool is our will to act, which we have to carry around at the ready like the garden fork.  It is so easy to sink back in the chair and say, "I'll exercise tomorrow" or  "I'll get that checkup next year".   If we don't exercise regularly gravity will pull us down, our muscles will wither and we will be feeble before we have to be.  If we don't find out the cause of what is going wrong with our bodies we will give them over to whatever weed /disease is on the attack without finding the root of it and digging it out or using the bag of weed killers at our disposal to kill it or simply changing our planting patterns to optimize our survival.  We have to use the love we have for ourselves and others to cover us very much like the mulch we put on our gardens to keep in the moisture and keep out the weeds. 

So I guess I feel if we want as much order and beauty in our life as we can get, we must treat it as a garden, keeping our will at the ready to help us fight the natural disorder that is constantly pushing at the borders.

THE GREEN DRAGON JOUST

While waiting for paintings to dry, check out my post on the Ardmore/Merion/Wynnewood Patch to find how I came to blows with the Green Dragon or Pinellia weed.

Weeds

I have no paintings for a while as I have been busy weeding.  If you are interested in my experiences fighting Gout Weed.  Check out my blog on the Ardmore/Merion/ Wynnewood Patch.

FOLLY

Folly is a word we don't use much anymore except to describe these structures with no other purpose than to decorate the landscape or as in this case define the vista and make elegant shadows.   Perhaps it is because so much of what we do is 'foolish and lacking in good sense' that the word has lost its defining power.  This Folly at Chanticleer provides a welcome oasis of shade in the midst of the lovely gardens, so in the real sense of the word it is not "folly" at all.

See auction at DailyPaintworks for purchase

ALLIUM AND SPIREA

This meadow at Chanticleer filled with Allium and this unusual yellow orange Spirea that positively glows, is an unusual combination of colors that really knocks my socks off.   It required a larger canvas than usual. This one is 9" x 12".

Where does the expression "knock your socks off" come from?  It originally meant to hit someone so hard that not only their shoes but their socks were knocked off.  Now of course it simply means to be suddenly amazed.
To quote the Word Detective where I found this info, " if it seems surprising that a very violent metaphor should end up as an expression of critical acclaim, keep in mind that the term "blown away," now routinely found in book and movie rave reviews, originally meant "to be killed by gunfire."

Framed or not

Unframed $200.00 Framed $250.00

Poppies and Lettuce Garden

The delightful, delicate dance of Poppies through the saucy salad of lively lettuce is just one of the eye pleasers at Chanticleer.  (If you think I went overboard with the alliteration please appreciate that I did show some restraint by not making it "pretty" poppies).

Seriously all the many gardens at Chanticleer are filled with surprising color and unusual combinations of plants.  There is a living art work everywhere you look. 

Chanticleer Lettuce Garden #1

The next few days will be devoted to the beautiful gardens at Chanticleer.  Here is the area imediately behind the entrance where several varieties of lettuce create lovely patterns in May and June. Chanticleer has a tantalizing combination of textures and colors everywhere you wander.

HOUSE IN THE FOG

This is the last painting from this particular fog series, though I'm sure I will find myself in a fog again.   Before the fog lifts and the sun comes out, here is the lovely little poem by Carl Sandburg.

                                                          

THE FOG

The fog comes

on little cat feet.

It sits looking

over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

SOLD