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Old abandoned homes stop me everytime.  I want to know the stories locked behind the doors.  The many layers of paint...some faded with time but non the less beautiful, tell me this home was loved, enjoyed and cared for.  Then the doors were closed forever  and I wonder why!

My first reaction when viewing this door was "That is one awesome door".   Weathered in multi colors of rich blues with pops of red and green showing through.  It needed to be painted.

Anyone that is familiar with my work, knows I put a lot of thought into my titles.  This title was instant.

"One Awesome Door"  says it all. 

My latest weather door - I completed this painting after a lot of scraping back, adjusting colors, changing the storm door, adding daisies until finally I felt I could do no more. Off to Mario's for framing. It hung on my wall for weeks and I just wasn't liking it. Back on the easel, heaping puddles of paint on the palette, I picked up one of my magic knives and let it go to work. Heavy textured paint danced across the canvas. The windows transformed into purple jewels. The back door is now weathered in multi colors of blues and the storm door will hold all the secrets inside - "Daisies won't Tell" is a 16 x 20" knife painting.  Remember a faint line no matter how well placed is not art.

This is not the first time I have painted this piece. They are the doors of the "Vanwart Store and Hotel", Hampstead, N.B.  The building was abandoned and neglected for years.  However, you could still see and feel  the charm and importance it once possessed.  I passed by this building hundreds of times and the weathered red doors and tattered lace curtains kept beakoning to me.  Finally, I listened - stopped the car, reached for my camera and snapped the picture.   The grand old building was demolished in November, 2013.

 I hope my painting does the old doors justice and allows your imagination to hear the whispers of untold stories and secrets of this forgotten building.  

Early in my marriage a print hung on one of my walls.  A pretty little garden, leading to a cottage with  (of course) a red door.  My daughter, who was around two at the time, loved this print.  She was constantly asking to be picked up so she could look at it.  Was that a hint that  she would study architecture.  One day she studied the print very closely - turned to me and said "I want to go in that house" and I asked her a very silly question.  "How will you get in Kelly?  She didn't miss a beat, she looked at me with all the wonder and trust that only a child's eyes can hold and  simply said........".Just open the door -  and walk in".....Wow! if only we could find that child in us.  Open this door and hear the stories of laughter, tears, celebration and grief.

 Now that I have painted this old door, it will live forever - leaving us with a million untold stories.

I love painting old weathered doors, windows and boats.   It is a big part of the architecture that I see everyday.  The powerful salty winds that pound our waterfront  leave behind the beautiful peeling paint and bare warm woods that only these winds can produce.

 I leave you with a little hint for painting these weathered object.  Lay on your undercolor.....now lay the blade of your knife flat into a puddle of another color. ( example the undercolor could be a grey with the top color being a warm shade of white) .   Still holding your knife flat, with very little pressure let your knife slide very lightly over the undercolor....it should not be solid or mix with the undercolor...so use a very light touch.....peeling paint should be the results.

"Tell me a Story" is a 16" x 20" knife painting -