Author Archives: Marguerite Bride

Events

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Summer – Fall 2026 Exhibit Schedule

Gallery Exhibits (originals, framed and unframed fine art reproductions, note cards, bookmarks:
     Artistic Roots, Plymouth NH – visit their website at Artistic Roots
     Squam Lake Artisans Gallery, Center Harbor, NH – visit their website at Squam Lake Artisans 

July 30 – Aug 30 –  Lakes Region 86th Annual Members Exhibit. I have 3 pieces in this show. The reception is July 31 from 6-8 pm. The Lakes Region Art Association Gallery is located at 120 Laconia Rd Spc 300, Tilton, NH. Gallery hours are Thurs – Sat 10 am – 8 pm, Sunday 10 am – 6 pm.

Aug 1 – Sept 30 –  Jazz paintings – duo exhibit at the Dam Brewhouse in Campton, NH. Molly Marshell and I will be exhibiting together. My pieces will be a subset of my Jazz Vision traveling show. Reception: Aug 3, from 5-6:30pm.

August 3 at 2pm – Newfound Lake Region Association Raffle drawing. Winners will be announced, not necessary to be present. I donated a custom watercolor house portrait to support the health and well-being of this stunning lake. I am very excited to find out whose property I will be painting!

August 16 – Rumney Village Arts Walk – from 12 noon – 4pm on the Rumney Common and about the town.

November – lobby of the Meredith Village Bank in Plymouth –  some of my Plymouth winter paintings of Plymouth will be on display.

 

Painting your Home or Inn

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Looking to create an heirloom? A cherished painting of your home or inn? Fond memories of growing up and or visiting a special place?
This is how I can make this happen…..

House Portrait Progression

My procedure for Painting a House Portrait

  • Photo Shoot – if property is local, I will walk the property with the home owner and take tons of reference photos. I will take photos close up and distant and even some of the abutting property. I like to encircle the home to get the “feel” of the home and the surroundings, even if I am only painting the front of the home. Sometimes I return to take additional photos if the exposure is not right during the initial photo shoot. I like to see how the shadows fall; they give life to a painting.
  • Things we discuss…
    • Possible perspectives for the painting. And “orientation”…such as a wide “landscape” view, or traditional shape. Often the homeowners know exactly what they want, others are open for ideas;
    • What to leave in, what to leave out, what to add (dogs, trucks, etc.) as well as trees to move, shrubbery to “grow” or trim;
    • Season of the painting, and if the home owner would like gardens in bloom and they are not during the photo shoot, it’s helpful to me to have some photos that were taken earlier. Same if the home owner wants a snowy scene and it’s not winter… client photos help, but I can also use my imagination and do some research as well if that is not possible;
    • Time of day – early evening paintings in winter are stunning, also, during any season the lighting is always more attractive in early morning or afternoon…just not when the sun is high.
  • Drawing – I then study all of the photos and do a drawing based on our discussion and the reference photos. It is often a rough sketch, sometimes more defined. The purpose is to make sure we are on the “same page” … also this is the time when you can change your mind about things…decide to move or remove some trees, make the barn look a little closer etc. Once all decisions have been made, including size of your painting, and you give me the “go-ahead”, I will proceed with the painting.
  • Painting – I scan the final version of the drawing. I then am able to resize it to the painting size and print it on large light-weight paper.  I use this as a template for the painting. Because watercolor paper is delicate, I do my original drawing on drawing paper. I then transfer the image by hand using graphite paper, and I try to transfer only the parts of the drawing that are critical to have correct (placement of windows, doors, driveway etc.).  Other things like the trees and shrubbery, I try to do freehand as much as possible.

Be sure to visit Commissioning a House Portrait and House Portrait Slideshow for more info….and be in touch !

Half-Price SPECIAL on Fine Art Reproductions

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I am holding a special half-price sale on fine art reproductions that I currently have in stock. I have both matted and unmatted. Those matted are in an off-white mat, standard size 16 x 20, ready for framing. Matted price is normally $125.  Many of the unmatted repros can actually be matted and framed to a larger size. Unmatted price is normally $90.

Most of those listed I have only one available, some I have a few. Click to see the image.

Matted 16×20 Berkshire Scenes – $62.50 plus tax and shipping
B003 – Barn Birds
B009 – Barn Light (Hancock Shaker Village)
B018 – Mill on the River,Lee –  Summer
B031 – Lee Farm I (Jersey Cow Farm)
B036 – Blue Moon Blues (Helsinki Café)
B039 – Harvest Moon
B042 – Straw Hat (Main Street, Lee)
B049 – Elm Street, Stockbridge
B052 – Rear Views, West Stockbridge
B058 – Watertower, Housatonic
B080- County Road, Becket
B141 – Park Street, Adams – Winter
B142 – Winterfest, North Adams
B160 – Porches, North Adams  (3)
B165 – Lenox Library
B176 – St. Marks, Pittsfield

Unmatted Berkshire Scenes –  $45 plus tax and shipping.
B004 – Mission House
B011 – Tyringham Wheel
B017 – Country Farm I
B025 – Greylock Orchard View (Rt 7)
B026 – Along the Housatonic (off Rt. 102)
B028 – Winter in Lee (Main Street, near fire station (2)
B036 – Blue Moon Blues (Helsinki Café)
B053 – Lenox, Main Street in Summer
B055 – Winter at Summer Hill, East Street, near Pittsfield town line
B056 – Herman Melville’s Back Yard (Arrowhead on Holmes Road)
B062 – Collins Diner, North Canaan, CT.
B064 – Sherburne Bridge, Shelburne Falls
B072 – Colonial Theatre (South Street, Pittsfield) (2)
B074 – Chapin Hall, Williams College (2)
B075 – The Common, Pittsfield| (3)
B083- Stockbridge Woods
B084- North County Farmstead, Charlemont
B089 – Ashmere Lake in Autumn
B099 – Looking South on North
B102 – Bucksteep Manor – Early Winter Evening, Washington
B103 – Court House and Old Athenaeum, Pittsfield

Fall 2023 Art Update

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Fall Art Sale – the July 22nd Art Sale in the back yard was wonderful…thank you all for attending, and for those who had to miss it, I plan another in late fall….a “Pre-Holiday” event. More details will be coming as soon as I figure them out. I will be pulling in a lot of paintings from venues afar, so you will have more original paintings to select from. 

A couple more exhibits are on the horizon, more details soon.

7th Annual Home Art Sale

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   Over 100 of my framed originals…some quite old, some pretty new and many never even seen before. Original watercolors on paper, canvas, all sizes from my Irish, Italian, Seacoast, Berkshires, New England, Shaker Village, Animals,  and more will be for sale. There will also be many unframed pieces as well.

     These days I find my focus is more on commission work and teaching, with far fewer shows and exhibits. I have decided it is time to seriously decrease my inventory and offer my art to you at significantly reduced prices. I will put out basically all the original works I have (framed and unframed) that are not ear-marked for gallery exhibitions in the near future.

     This sale will be held in my backyard, at 46 Glory Drive in Pittsfield, MA. There will be plenty of signage. Cash of course is encouraged, but I will also accept credit cards and Venmo.

     If it rains on Saturday, sale will be held on Sunday. If still raining I will have to come up with a different plan….probably the following weekend.

 

Here is a preview of some of the paintings that will be available…these are photos of the framed pieces so the quality is not so great, but you will get the idea of what will be available:

Berkshire Scenes at 51 Park in Lee

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     As of late January 2023, there will be a whole new array of my paintings on display at 51 Park Restaurant and Tavern in Lee, Massachusetts. You will see a variety of iconic Berkshire scenes and some non-iconic Berkshire scenes that are just plain fun. Eighteen pieces will occupy both floors of the tavern, so be sure to go upstairs and take a look there as well. Some are seasonal and will be swapped out as the weather warms up. 
     These pieces may be purchased right there and then…go out to eat, and come home with a painting…what could be more fun! Many are the original watercolors, others are framed fine art reproductions on paper and on stretched canvas. Ask your server for the price list….I will bring many.

     You will see these, and a lot more as pieces get swapped out….. 

PRE-HOLIDAY SALES

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Pre Holiday Art Sale
November 15 – 25, 2022

Since I did not have my annual “Home Art Sale” this past summer, I thought I would create some weekly sales with the normal prices temporarily and significantly reduced for a limited time. So come back each week! I will try to keep this going for about 5 weeks with new and fun items each week.

The following ORIGINAL WATERCOLORS are matted to standard size 11×14, ready for you to frame. 

Regular price is $150, sale price THIS WEEK $75 each. Not all have letters, but I can add if you request. 

These are one of a kind, and once they are gone, well…they are gone. Be in touch …. first come, first serve.