Not all those who wander are lost...

The art of wandering is not lost on me, it’s something I’ve mastered over the years. Truth be told, there's a bit of the gypsy in my restless soul. This year has been a deliciously long journey and artistically I’ve made some big breakthroughs in the way I see and think about painting.

Waterhouse Gallery celebrates it's 30th anniversary and I'll be heading to Santa Barbara for "The Great American Figurative Exhibition" on November 22. This is a hugely popular event for participating artists and collectors alike and I have several paintings represented in the show and I’m honored be a part of this event. I hope you'll join me at the reception.
For more info visit Waterhouse Gallery online.

The Pour House, 14x11 Oil on linen

McSorley's 14x11 Oil on linen

Mixologist, 16x12 Oil on linen

Why I never want to leave Gloucester!

I'm playing catch-up here with my blogging... the plan was to write about my experience in Gloucester every day but I've been swept up by the beauty of this place. There is little time to blog, since living here for the past month has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I'll try to post photos and write about my journey in chronological order once I catch my breath!  I'll be opening my Rocky Neck studio on Madfish Wharf to the public from 5 to 7pm this Saturday September 27th. Come, enjoy wine & refreshments and see some of the work produced during my residency.

I was selected by the Cape Ann Museum and Copley Society as artist in residence in Gloucester for the month of September. 2014 marks the inaugural year of the residency which was created and generously provided by the Charles Family Foundation of Gloucester as a dedication to and promotion of the North Shore and Boston art communities. I'm pictured below with Jan and Ted Charles at their home in Gloucester.

Why must all good things come to an end?

"Shimmer" by Eli Cedrone 2014

As autumn approaches I feel as though I'm about to go over the cliff’s edge. This isn’t quite as ominous as it sounds – I like autumn, I just despise winter. Nothing endures quite like the seasons in New England, so once I accept the inevitable I embrace what lies ahead. 

I'm honored to have been chosen for the Artist in Residence by The Cape Ann Museum of Art and the Copley Society, Boston. I'll be spending the month of September painting and studying in the Rocky Nect area where my studio and apartment is located. 

The Cape Ann Museum tells multiple stories, from its earliest days as a fishing and shipping port to its mid-19th century role in the granite industry, to its charms of light and sea that have attracted countless artists from the 19th century to the present, Cape Ann boasts a rich and varied culture of historical and artistic achievement.

On the heels of my residency is my workshop in Tuscany, October 13-20, 2014. Believe it or not there is still time to join us if you happen to be the spontaneous type! The weeklong workshop includes villa accommodations, breakfasts and dinners, airport transfers, ground transportation, instruction and food, all for the cost of  $2850, double occupancy. The single supplement is $600. Airfare and lunches are not included. A detailed, but tentative itinerary will be sent to you upon registration.  

Visit Tuscany Arts Vacations or contact Joan Hill at 508-255-7907 for details.

Tuscany: http://www.tuscanyartsvacation.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=38

If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air...

So go the lyrics to the Patty Page song, "Old Cape Cod". As the years go by I grow to love this place more and more. On July 12th my solo show "Outside the Lines" opened at Gallery Antonia in the heart of historic Chatham village. About two months before the show, I was driving back from painting in CT and I got a call from the owner, Domonic Boreffi. Apparently my work was going to be featured in the July issue of American Art Collector magazine (that was the good news) and I had about 3 weeks to get images to the publisher (that was the bad). So my emotions went something like this... excitement, apprehension, fear, dread, and sheer panic.

I thought, "I can handle this". So I hit the studio bright and early and made a bold start with some new work only to find that painting on demand is a sure path to failure. I wasted yards of canvas and piles of paint. After a few days of feeling like a complete failure I began to revisit paintings that I had allowed to languish thinking I'd had all the time in the world to finish. In the end I managed to meet my deadline. Maybe not in the way I'd intended but more importantly I had a revelation about ambition, failure and the meaning of success. "In creating, the only hard thing is to begin; a grass-blade's no easier to make than an oak." - James Russel Lowell

The only journey is the one within...

I'm a little behind in writing about what's been happening but the month of June was insanely busy. I was painting for my July solo show on Cape Cod when I got the news that I'd been selected for a residency on Nantucket, the first week of June. What a way to start the season!

So I'm sitting in the living room of my guest house on Nantucket, surrounded by art, listening to soothing, classical music and thinking to myself... "is this real?" Each day my artist friend Laureen and I were treated to a beautiful breakfast before heading out to paint. We weren't able to reserve a spot on the ferry for the car and walking is not a great way to get around with all your gear so by the third day we rented a car.  The weather the entire week was perfect - which is unusual in New England. We even managed to save enough energy to do a nocturne one night in the town. I"ll be sure to post some of the paintings from my studies very soon. If you have an interest in seeing the paintings which were created from this magical week contact the studio at: artfulhand@comcast.net

Travels Near & Far

Bermuda Painting Retreat

I just returned from a great week of painting with friends in Bermuda. Some of the artists that study with me at the South Shore Art Center in Cohasset, MA asked me to plan a painting trip to the island. It was a great way to prepare for an upcoming workshop for May, 2015.


On the first day we set off for St. George's, where we sketched in the harbor and later painted overlooking Fort St. Catherine.
On day two we went to the opposite end of the island and painted in Somerset. On the third day we began painting at Flatt's Inlet and finished the day sketching at the Botanical Gardens.

My friends on the island own the DNA Creative Shoppe in Hamilton and they hosted me for a two hour, portrait demo on one of the evenings. It was great to meet some of the local artists and talk about the process of painting. While in Dockyard we visited the studio of local painter, Chris Grimes. Chris is a full-time artist and paints a variety of subjects from the local scenes to historic, nautical themes.

If you would like more info on the 2015 Bermuda Workshop please visit my website at www.elicedrone.com or contact the studio at artfulhand@comcast.net

Vezina Art: West Harwich Riverview

Vezina Art: West Harwich Riverview

You can go to heaven...

Me and Rolly at Achilles Bay

...I'd rather stay in Bermuda."
Mark Twain uttered these words upon his first visit to the island of Bermuda. I must say I share his sentiments. I had the pleasure to live and work here in the 1980's and return often to paint and visit friends. 

Recently I visited the island in preparation for my upcoming Bermuda Workshop taking place May 9-12, 2014.  I explored the hidden side of the island while scouting out locations with my friend Roland Skinner, a well-known, local photographer. The workshop will encompass  landscape, the figure and portrait painting. Visit my website for more info or if you'd like to join us!

In her calm look...

When I'm in Bermuda, I always make it a point to visit Woody's, a local favorite for fish sandwiches. While enjoying a "Dark n' Stormy" in the bar, I noticed an old, black & white photo of a Bermudian woman hanging on the wall. It reminded me of a line from a poem; "In her calm look how wisdom's light is shed. I was inspired to paint this portrait. Her identity remains a mystery...

Lexy & Dion

I had to extend my trip due to weather conditions in Boston (I know how awful) but I'm glad I did because I met Bermudian artist Lexy Coreia and her husband Deon, owners of the DNA Creative Shoppe. They carry a full inventory of art supplies. Lexy recently had the honor of having her work accepted into the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibit. Her painting of Déjon Simmons, who survived a horrific traffic accident in 2004 sustaining burns over 90 per cent of his body, is titled The Phoenix.

Check out this feel-good, video on youtube featuring the faces and places of Bermuda - song by Pharrell William's "Happy"

I hope you'll join me soon in Bermuda and as they say on the rock, have a Bermudaful Day!