Boston Long Wharf View

Walking Boston Long Wharf

It was Fresh Paint Day in Boston!   With Boston Harbor behind me, I set up on the far end of Long Wharf and looked straight up State Street positioning the Old State House in the far distance.  The Boston Harbor Islands ferry docked here and I was able to hear the tour guide's script several times.   "Boston is built on 75% man made land..." - one factoid that stuck with me.  It was a great day all around, though not an easy painting experience.  Most of my energy was spend trying to "de-complicate" the scene. 
There was a mix of old and new buildings but I concentrated on blunt shapes.   It is hard to stay out of the details, but with limited time, there is no choice.    I used a board with a grey undertone.   Once the sky was carved in, the furthest buildings seemed done given the nice grey that conveyed distance.   The figures came and went, so the walkers here were done as an assimilation of the features of several people over the course of two hours.

As the in-progress photo shows, I had pre-framed the canvas and used painters' blue tape to mask the edges.   Once I finished, I peeled off and headed back to CoSo to the artists' party and drop off.    This is a nice auction for anyone who would like a painting of a Boston scene.  Forty painters participated and you could get a great deal!

Bids taken now through May 3, 2018 at the Copley Society of Art.

Roses in the Oval Format

Pink Roses in Oval Format

I have reworked this oval a number of times.

I now have a beautiful oval frame for it in a modern antique style.   Once I get it framed up, I'll show you.   Since I love bees, I decided to add a busy one on the right.

Rocks and Seals - Take Two

Brant Rock Seals

There is a section of rocky coastline between the Green Harbor River and the Brant Rock neck section of Marshfield, MA that has become home for a small seal population.   At low tide, the seals can be seen sunning themselves on the more distant rocks.  They actually looked like rocks themselves, except that the shape was a little different - two pointed ends (head and tail :)).

The seals were the highlight of this paint out, along with the mild temperatures and calm seas.  As for the painting, there were challenges.  I've been painting a lot of rocks and surf lately so I mistakenly thought it would go smoothly.  I set up on the (sinking) sand, near the (rising) water line, just down from the (windy) opening along Ocean Street.   I began sketching the myriad of rocks and boulders connecting the abstract dark shapes across the scene.   Fast forward one hour...the easel blew over and I couldn't seem to get set up the same way again.   I painted for a few more minutes holding the board in my hand, working around the sand and gravel on my palette.  Arrggrrhhh!  I remind myself that a bad day painting on the beach beats a great day in an office every time!

The painting was only about 60% complete when I packed up.  That was a year ago.   I just found this painting again and with fresh eyes, saw what it needed.   So this is "Take Two" with a few improvements - I think.

Here's a paint-out bonus...a short clip of the seals.

https://youtu.be/-sd13uJa2gw