N Anderson

The Side Eye (almost finished)

I’ve been avoiding the studio (or, going to the studio but not really accomplishing anything). I have this commission that must be finished tonight so that I can hang it at Christopher’s in the morning, to replace one there that is being delivered to its home in NY. As I’ve written before, the music fromContinue reading “The Side Eye (almost finished)”

The Side Eye, on the Easel

A bit of a departure from my usual type of subject, but her expression made me laugh. Sometimes with commissions, it takes a while to find (or take) just the right photo; but not so, with Lucy. The side-eye is an expression that she is known and loved for. Just need to do all thatContinue reading “The Side Eye, on the Easel”

Clay and the Swissy Snooze

Christopher’s on Mass Ave in Cambridge is one of my favorite restaurants; not just because the food is always local and great, but because the artwork they exhibit on the walls is always local and great. So, I was happy to have my work among those accepted for a 6-week stint, there. I needed toContinue reading “Clay and the Swissy Snooze”

Knock Knock

When I received the email inviting me to participate in a show at Blue Mountain Gallery in NYC, I was a little perplexed. I work almost exclusively on canvases sized 36″ and up, and here was an invitation to a small works show with a maximum size of 12 x 12 inches. To be perfectlyContinue reading “Knock Knock”

What Exactly Do I Do?

As Somerville artists ramp up to Somerville Open Studios, promotions go out, studios are scrubbed, and websites are updated. Aaaah, Spring in Somerville. It was an email from my studio building that got me thinking. Building maps are going in for their annual update, and we need to make sure our info is correct, includingContinue reading “What Exactly Do I Do?”

Red, White, and Blue

This is not what it was supposed to look like. I was having fun with an expression of lightheartedness. Mapping out the lines & colors, it took on a more serious expression of shock, but I thought that when I started in on the more refined brushwork, the true spirit of it would emerge. Wrinkles inContinue reading “Red, White, and Blue”

On Vulnerability

Last week, I attended a conversation between Krista Tippett (many know her from NPR’s On Being) and poet David Whyte which centered around the theme of vulnerability. With Tippett’s recent Civil Conversations project, vulnerability was approached more as an experience of engaging in political discussions with those whose choice we don’t understand, but the wordContinue reading “On Vulnerability”

Baxter, sketch

Once a painting of Baxter was commissioned, I started following his goofy and lovable expressions online, to get a better feel for his personality. A true snow dog, he is happiest when surrounded by the white stuff, and this painting will show him in his true glory, snow capping his head and muzzle. Now that the basic outline isContinue reading “Baxter, sketch”

Newman, done

One of the things I love most about painting time in the studio is the aural input. I’m a podcast person because it offers an endless supply of options for someone with many different — OK, scattered — interests, allowing my brain to receive all kinds of information while my eyes and hands are busy withContinue reading “Newman, done”

Newman, on the Easel

Newman is one of the funniest dogs that I know. He’s got that dopey complacency that I so love in the big, houndy boys. Newman is the type of dog that doesn’t understand the physics of leashes and legs, and will get himself completely tangled up, but just keep walking, anyway, unfazed. So, when hisContinue reading “Newman, on the Easel”