Crow Point

Crow Point Paint Out Stage One

Early on a Sunday morning, I drove Route 3A to the Hingham Yacht Club which is located on Crow Point.   This unique peninsula location is isolated from the "through" traffic and congestion of the South Shore and yet Crow Point has the feel of a quaint old fashioned neighborhood.  I could see why the properties in this amazing location are so desirable.  

This section of Hingham is only ten linear miles (i.e.. as the crow flies) from downtown Boston.   The drive by car is probably twice that because the primary roads loop inland and snake through Weymouth and Quincy, then up through Dorchester. The Boston skyline was plainly visible from where I stood, and a regular stream of jets were using the approach corridor overhead to land at Logan International Airport.




Crow Point Paint Out Stage Two

I studied the options for my painting.   I wanted to include the city skyline, although the light was hitting it straight on.   That meant less shadows and less contrast.   The southeastern sun was behind me so everything was brightly illuminated, including my canvas.   I decided on a big summery August sky to emphasize that wide open expanse and the compressed horizontal lines of the land masses at the bottom.

To accomplish that I positioned the canvas portrait style.  Situated between the spot I painted from and the city, there were various Boston Harbor Islands (Peddocks, Long, Spectacle and Thompson's).   Toward the foreground, a private dock was built out into the bay, entering the scene from the left.  A neat, dazzling white speedboat was tied up to its dock at the end.



Crow Point Looking Northwest

During the course of the paint out, several beautiful boats sailed or motored by.   Selecting one to include was a difficult decision - because then they were quickly gone.   How did the old masters do it without photography?   In the end, I elected to omit the extra boats because they never did enter the framing of my scene, but rather were off to my right.  Instead,  I added a strong trio of seagulls to balance the composition which had been heavily weighted toward the bottom.