Myles Standish Homestead View

Miles Standish Historical Marker

I stumbled onto this piece of history as I looked for a beachy type spot to paint.  The location of this paint out was on the southern tip of a peninsula in Duxbury, MA where Plymouth Colony Military Leader, Myles Standish lived until his death in 1656.    The historical farmland is preserved as a small park and has a fantastic view of Kingston Bay and Clarks Island.   We are so fortunate to live in an area rich in history, and not to mention its diverse beauty.

It was windy when I started this painting and it got even windier as I painted.   It was so gusty that I placed my palette on the ground instead of risking it tipping over with the easel.  The sun gave way to clouds eventually and since the conditions were changing dramatically, it was essential that the painting get "locked in" to the original concept, rather than "chasing" the current circumstances.



Miles Standish Homestead View

The tide was dead low and the sand bars were visible through the shallow waters.   Directly below my spot, bordering the shoreline, there were a number of tidal pools filled with water and surrounded by seagrasses.    At the edge of the bluff right in front of me, there were various bushes and vines growing (and blowing) wildly.   This painting was a good exercise in creating greens in a cool light situation.    As you'll see, I introduced a bit of warmth in the foreground vegetation to help the depth.  The final element added was the old dock, essentially in ruins, making me wonder just how old those pilings were - also who built it and when - given that this was such a historic spot!