Daniel Corey

This piece titled "Harpswell Harmony" 12x16" was one of my favorites that made it thru the winter, is now available and for sale. If your interested please contact me and I will let you know where it is and the details. This is one of only a hand full that I kept from this past winter, a lot of pieces just didn't cut the mustard.. So I am just putting the finishing touches on setting up some teaching for this year. Yes I know I probably should have had this set last years end but what can I say.. I'm the real deal folks, a bonafide, unorganized, right brained painter... Ill let you know exactly when and where ASAP just in case you want to experience the madness.. Ha! I'm kidding! I'm shooting for one workshop out in Wisconsin and one right here in Maine, should be a blast and also some lessons and angles on painting nobody else considers. I'll talk a little bit more about those angles here soon.

Ever since I started painting outside (many moons ago) I have been in search of a great hat for painting while under the sun. Well finally I have found one! This hat is lightweight, cheap and the XL is big enough to fit my squash (that's hard to find). Just as a reference for you, my fitted baseball cap size is 7 5/8 and the XL Sun Hat is about the same size. There are four size choices. Here is the link to the SUN HAT

Oh yeah kids... this is NO REPLACEMENT FOR SUNSCREEN. Yes this means you. Protect ya neck! And everywhere else exposed.

I have a fun task for you all today... The painting above "Trap Day" 30x24" is part of a show called "Choice" in Kennebunk Maine at Maine Art Gallery. What I would ask you to do (time and enthusiasm permitting) is click on this Link and do some voting. Now this is not a "vote for me please" type thing this is selecting which one of each artists work will be displayed at this show. The link is quick and navigates well, just click, click and you move on to another artist. Nothing to fill out. I promise.

Ok, since writing this I clicked too check the voting and it turns out you do have to leave your email... I think you will be notified of winners for each artist. It's a close race on my page.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for voting if you do!

So this week was started with a pleasant surprise. I was notified that I was the featured artist on the Judson's Plein Air Journal. Here is the link:

http://www.judsonsart.com/blog/uncategorized/daniel-corey/

Can you believe it? I really like the fact that they used more obscure (personal favs) pieces in the article and even quoted me. Thank you Judsons! My Very first pochade was a Guerilla Box, (9x12" if you're a gear nerd.)
Just incase someone wants more info in those pieces you can find them hanging at Maine Art Gallery in Kennebunk Maine. The link to them is in the upper right hand corner of the blog.

The Piece above is a studio piece titled "Last Light" and is an odd 29x20"

Thanks for stopping by

Just a quote today but it's a good one. I chew on this one a lot. Please feel free to comment/chime in and let me know what you think of it or the painting(untititled, 9x12").


"To become truly immortal, a work of art must escape all human limits: logic and common sense will only interfere. But once these barriers are broken, it will enter the realms of childhood visions and dreams."
Giorgio de Chirico

 Ok, I'm back. My off season abuse of the Blog is about over. I promise! This is a recent painting (Sun Bleached 24x30")  from near my new home area in Brunswick. I saw this pattern of darks, some great color and had to paint it. I actually didn't make it off my street while searching for a muse this day.

 As I write this, Maine is in the early stages of possibly a foot of snow, it is really coming down and looks beautiful. I wish we could move the holidays a little so the snow here would match up a little more with Christmas... Who's with me?  Lets move Christmas!!

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures"
 Henry Ward Beecher 1813-1887

"Each painting has its own way of evolving... When the painting is finished, the subject reveals itself"
William Baziotes

Sometimes I'm into the blog and sometimes Im not. Lately I have been caught up in the preseason routine of deep thought and land snorkeling. This routine is something I try to escape all the time but it finds me, puts me in a head lock and takes my lunch money every once in a while. I'm finding the more I do this the deeper the level of "what I'm saying" in my paintings is apparent. At first I swore that "saying something" in a painting was for the rich kids in art school. Well, I'm admitting it here..I get it now.. Sorry rich kids! Nothing personal.

Speaking of personal, in case you didn't see the post I finally started a website www.danielcorey.com to abuse and ignore. On that website under "Candids in Instagram" will let you see images like the one above on my Instagram account without having to have an Apple product such as an IPhone. IPhones are usually the only way you can see instagram.

The Snow fall this year has been far below what I like to see for a solid snow painting season... I really feel like the snow is a great change in abstract shapes to paint and love how everything gets silhouetted by the snow also composition can become a fun game of connect the dots. The subtle color and value shifts of sunlit snow and getting to really use my cold pthalo colors in the shadows get me so fired up to paint snow.. I'm gonna have to cut this post short to go do a snow dance out in the street.

The piece above is at the moment untitled, 16x20" and from Weber and Son Lobster CO in (I think) Harpswell Maine.

This morning when we woke up (at around 3am) I checked to the thermometer like usual to see if I need to go chisel the ice off my wife's car before she heads off to work. The temp was 41 degrees Fahrenheit! I'm not sure if fall is hanging around too long or spring is coming early something isn't right..?.

This piece Above( @ Camden Falls gallery) is a painting that makes me drift away into spring thoughts everything I see it so I thought I would share it here in mid January. Thanks for stopping by.

This is a sketch on newsprint I did recently at the figure/life drawing group at the Boothbay Regional Art Foundation. I think it was a 15 min pose. Not sure. Ether way, I liked it enough to share and prove that I am trying to draw more (which was my failed goal last year).

Something that I have been pushing for finally happened.. My wife Raquele has started a blog including her original photography. Here is a link to Raquele's Blog . Her use of abstract shapes in the composition are lesson for most of us and worth checking out. Also I know that if you comment there, like me, she will respond to all. Worth checking it out!

Ok, I might be done with the BRAF Fund Raiser Sale but they are still chugging along til about the end of the first week in January. This piece above "Chubby Frosty" 12x12 is (I think) still for sale. Now I'm not shipping it but if you want it talk to them about shipping to you. I have just mailed out 99% of the pieces (one international left ) and the large free one and I am fresh out of time for the post office. Sorry. Here is the phone number for the BRAF 1 (207) 633 2703. They have about 9 pieces left of mine.

Recently I have been drawing more and more so I naturally started looking at what is available for sketchbooks out there and found Stillman & Birn.. These are not your average sketchbook, archival quality and the particular ones in the above image (Beta Series) are 180# natural white with enhanced wet media strength.

Oh yeah, they are bound in the USA so I like that it's helping some employment here. We could use it.

So the post title "I Won, I Won!!" is because I did win. I "liked" the Stillman & Birn Facebook page and noticed they do a giveaway every once in a while. Well, I'm not sure how often to be honest but it seems pretty regularly. So a while back I signed up for one (just an email for notification) and lost. That didnt surprise me cause i always lose raffle type contests. So I noticed a new contest near Christmas time, I entered and won!! This image is what I saw when I opened the box. A nice presentation and very generous prize, a 7x7 and 7x10 Beta Series Sketchbook. Thank you Stillman & Birn!!

Here is a link to their site: http://www.stillmanandbirn.com/

I will share some sketches soon. Incase I don't post again before Christmas.. Happy Holidays!

Here's the rules.. I always wanted to say that. Seriously though, here's the rules. The first person to answer the three questions right and be a signed up "follower" of this blog wins this 24x30" painting of Murry's Hill Landing. I will pay shipping in US. You pay if outside US. Fair? Fair.

Here's your three questions.reminder all answers are on this blog some old some new...

1. How many posts did I make on this blog in the year 2009?

2. What is my wife Raquele's Birthday? (this one is very important, she is a great woman.)

3. How many Fund Raiser Paintings are currently left for sale ? (As of the time of me asking this)

Good Luck! I Love you all equally!

So I just noticed recently that the announcement was posted on their website so I know it's ok to say it here.. I found out that I was invited to participate in this coming years Door County Plein Air event! This is great news, if you remember from past posts, I drove all the way there, painted and painted then didn't win the invite... Well I think either the work or determination paid off and I got someone's attention cause I'm going.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy painting!

This piece is from my recent travels and exploring of Brunswick and Harpswell. "Last Legs" 16x20".

Well, since the last black and white post seemed to help a few be inspired to put in some B&W work. I thought I would share one of my favorite value studies (6"x8") of recent. This is my attempt to organize values and see what I can get out of a simple scene. I really like it when brushstrokes seem to be cruising at about 90mph and missed their exit. And while focusing on composition and values, what I think is OK brushwork has crept in.

With all the value studying I have been doing lately I have also developed an admiration for less intense color harmonies. I am guessing we all go through wandering influences but it is no easy task being influenced by Russian impressionists and the likes of Fairfield Porter.. They are always arm wresting in my head.

Fun surprise planned for the blog and coming very soon so stay tuned!! !

Last thing, I stumbled upon a pretty cool app on iTunes called "Right Brain Price" this app will quiz you in its own strange way and measure the amount of your thought that is (I guess) controlled by right brain. Now the cool thing about this is when you think your doing really well you will find out that you should get certain ones wrong and in a certain way. Don't ask me?? Check it out, it's free.

This is a quick Umber and White demo I did for a family member the other day. I thought I would share it here and prove that I practice what I preach about doing value studies. They are worth so much to me and I enjoy the shift in focus. If you don't already practice these then get going. Get off the computer and go move some values around.


"Art is not a study of positive reality, it is the seeking for ideal truth." George Sand

This photo is a palette of colors that would satisfy most painters from strict black and white tonalist to wild colorist. The best part of this palette is that it's only three pigments! I know there are plenty of three color palette out there with mostly three comparatively weak colors and they cause a supposed color harmony. I believe that a color harmony should be found and related from what's viewed in nature not be bound by what pigments are used. Just sayin.

To me this is the limited palette that is usable and you can breath with, Cadmium Yellow, Quinacridone Red/Rose and Prussian Blue. Incase your wondering these in the photo are all RGH oils. I don't use them as much as I used to cause there prices went up.

Incase your wondering why I'm posting this info. In my classes which I'm hoping to get going again (now that summer has ended and locals have a little time to themselves ) these are the colors I recommend if people are buying for the first time or just want to stop carrying twelve too thirty tubes. Now I don't use just these three colors alone but I do usually use them as the base for my palette which I add a couple pthalos, ,an orange for convenience and yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the same reason. I think if you try these three you will see what I'm talking about and if you just add a color or two of your liking you would be all set in most all cases.

So do you remember my piece "Morning in Friendship"(24x30") from a few posts back? It was featured by Maine Art Gallery in a full page ad in this months (October) Maine Magazine. I am really excited by this as it's my first full page ad and Maine Magazine is my favorite of all the magazines about Maine and life here.

Yes, if you noticed in the pic, I bought two copies.... One for my Mom.

Incase you are wondering this piece is still (as far as I know) available at Maine Art Gallery in Kennebunk ME.

Last topic today, I am enjoying the change to my blog color scheme. I was never able to frame my pieces with white before so something has changed..?. I mean in my work not the blog.
Also on the top right, above the gallery links is my Facebook page, if you join it by clicking "like" you will see a bunch of photos/paintings (soon) that I don't put on the blog.

This is a piece I didn't get to post over the summer and it was off to a collector in Switzerland right after delivery to Camden Falls Gallery. "In Line" 24x30" was an early morning light piece that I think conveys that light better then I have done in the past. I just thought I would share it here.

I will be trying to get my classes at Boothbay Regional Art Foundation going again now that fall is here and people have a little time for themselves. If you are interested please feel fee to email me (email can be found in my blog profile, I'm hiding it from the spam people) for info. Will also be doing a few posts related to the class so check back soon if that interests you. Thanks for stopping by, Dan

Recently while scouting out a Painting location I spotted this 49 Chevy and had to paint it. The only problem was the best location to stand was either on someone's lawn or in the street. So I asked the owners of the lawn if they would mind if I set up my easel and they were great about the whole thing and to my surprise when I was close to done they inquired about purchasing this piece. So when they invited me in to discuss the particulars I was shocked to see paintings by some of my absolute favorite Maine artists on the walls. Besides the obvious positive of being able to sell my work I am still blown away with to be part of this collection and all by chance...

I won't say who the collectors are or the location but I will say that in there collection was Connie Hayes, Tollef Runquist and my main man Colin Page. I would say that's good Taste.

This piece "Cribstone at Lands End" (24x30") has a bridge in the background with an interesting story. Well to me anyway.. Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia.

"For many years, the residents of Bailey Island, Maine advocated that a bridge be built to connect their island with Orr's Island. The town of Harpswell, Maine, which encompasses both islands, turned down the request. However, when the Maine Legislature drafted a law allowing the state and counties to fund bridge construction, a plan emerged to build such a bridge. A contract was signed in 1926, with construction beginning on the Bailey Island Bridge in 1927 and finishing in 1928. The engineer for the project was Llewelyn N. Edwards, bridge engineer for the Maine State Highway Commission."

If you would like to see this painting in person it is in Camden Falls Gallery, Camden ME. Thanks for stopping by.