Graves Light

Stage 1 -Composition and Layers for Water

I have always been fascinated with the Boston Harbor Islands.   As a native Bostonian, there was always something mysterious about these land masses just off the shore from the city.   I've now visited several of them and have decided to start working them into some paintings.

This large, studio painting was developed from a photograph that I took in March. My late afternoon flight had swung out wide and to the east of Boston's Logan Airport affording amazing views of the Boston Harbor Islands.    The amount of snow cover was unprecedented well into spring, and was quite evident from the air.  (...just a distance memory now.)   Snow and ice clung to the harsh and rocky shore of Grave's Light and the lack of much color emphasized how barren and inaccessible this island is (now privately owned).


Stage 2 -More Water Layers and Foam

I played with the cropping of the photo to get a strong layout.   It is sometimes good to have the darks interconnect across the canvas.   Perhaps it gives a strong "groundedness" to the scene.   Is this true even though the subject is an island? Yes; I think so.  At least I hope so!

No excruciating detail on how this painting was developed because there was a lot to it.   I will just mention that the water was not painted in an "alla prima" or "direct manner."    Rather it was done using an indirect method of building up many layers of transparent darks over a few weeks.    The brushwork echoed the pattern of the ocean swells.  Within the swells there was chop which was handled in some of the subsequent layers.  By repeating the process of layering/glazing the water, the hope was that a complex undertone effect would be achieved, giving the effect of deep ocean water. 

The lack of light, except for the lighthouse, some seaspray and the tops of the rocks made it more dramatic, but it also means this has to be hung in a well lit location.   

Graves Light