When the Drifter came to town

When the drifter came to town everyone was suspicious. He simply appeared, like sky magic. Menacing. Large. Dark and looming.  So many questions. Why?  To suck the sunlight from the sky? To wreak havoc? Could they make it to their homes in time?

 Danger exists.  The possibility of danger can take your breath away. So they held their collective breath for fear of drawing his attention and would not look him in the eye.  A small prayer was said, "Please just let him drift on to some other place and leave us in peace".

 That night more than one woman in town made a wishful entry in her diary.

When the drifter came to town
a short short story
©Maggie Ruley 2013


When the drifter came to town
oil on canvas
6" x 12"
©Maggie Ruley 2013

Pleasant surprise for me and some photos to share for you.

 

I had a pleasant surprise during the April Walk on White (WOW) which is an open studios and gallery event that happens monthly in Key West. This month's was last Thursday, April 18.  It is always the third Thursday of the month.  This was my first WOW in my new studio so I was excited to show it off.  When I was doing my framing and varnishing and getting my pieces ready I decided to varnish this oil painting which was finished but I had never shown because even though I love it (I'll tell you why in a minute) it is very different than the kind of painting I am most known for, the brighter colors with the topical feel.  Well wouldn't you know that this little painting got the most attention of all my new pieces.  Go figure.  I love it because the brush work is very evident, and the colors are dark and moody and it has a very soggy feel to it.  I think most of my paintings have evident emotion, but it is usually exuberance that I am going for.

Well anyway,

Clouds Rolling In
11 x 14
oil on canvas

sold to someone who visited my new studio and that evening.  Maybe I should go mix up some grays and start working from my stormy cloud photos for awhile.  I thought I might like to share some cloud photos with you.  Feel free to use these as references if you like to paint clouds as much as I do. I take photos from my car so they aren't as focused as they could be, but it is kind of like squinting when you paint from a fuzzy photo.

 

 

New made in Key West Margaritaville items.

Margaritaville in Key West asked me to do some items that would be exclusively for their stores.  They wanted some coasters and/or plaques with snippets of Buffet lyrics on them.  I did some samples, they made their selections and these are the items. 

I just delivered them the other day and I am not sure if they are going into their retail shop on Duval St. or on the web site, or maybe both.  But you can't get them from me.  You will have to visit Key West or go to www.Margaritavillekeywest.com and in the gifts section look under "made in Key West"

First studio Work

 

First finished painting from the new studio.  I think I'll call it "light as air"  because that is how my studio feels.

 

 

 

All photos of me hard at work taken by fellow TSKW artist Pam Hobbs.

Muted Monday (OOPS)

 

Muted Monday means I'm not going to talk a lot, I'll let the photos do most of the work.

 

I made the move last weekend and this is where I hang my studio hat now.

To visit come to:

The Studios of Key West

600 White St.

Key West, FL 33040

 

upstairs, last door on the left and on 'til morning (to paraphrase Peter Pan).

Everyone have a great Monday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post Script:  After I posted this I realized I screwed up the dates.  For some reason I had been thinking it was Sunday when I wrote this and that you would be seeing it on Monday.  Oh well, mea culpa.