Serene Harbor

Along the docks near Front Street in Scituate, MA the scenes are as picturesque as you will find anywhere.  This end of the waterfront has become a popular spot for people feeding the ducks and seagulls.    In fact, it is so popular - my own opinion - that the birds were only mildly interested with each new human duck feeder.  Perhaps they were full from this easy, all day eating?

Serene Harbor

So it was a very pleasant paint out.   My husband set up and painted as well - double bonus.  He tackled the view facing west, back toward the bank and church steeple, a fine painting with final touches still in the works.

My scene was comprised of the fishing boat docks along this southernmost end of the inner harbor.  There were several fishing boats here and the trees and houses in the distance you may recognize as Second Cliff.

Of course it wouldn't be authentic unless there were a handful of ducks wading around!

Yaz - Gate B

Yaz - Gate B

 

Summertime in the city - that usually means baseball, but it is 2020, the year of virus fears.   A Boston Red Sox fan favorite, Carl Yastremski played his entire 23-year Major League Baseball career with the team (1961-1983).   

After Carl's retirement, a beautiful bronze statue was created by Sculptor Toby Mendez.  Carl Yastremski,  fondly known as "Yaz", is depicted saluting his loyal fans on the day of his retirement.  The statue stands at the back entrance of Boston's beloved Fenway Park on Van Ness Street.  When we finally get back to Fenway, Yaz will be there at Gate B waiting!

Morning at Sea Street Bridge

Morning at Sea Street Bridge

Our closest beach is now Humarock, presenting variety of nice views for plein air painting.   The vantage point of this painting is from the ocean side of the Sea Street Bridge looking back across the South River.     The small buildings on my left provided deep foreground shadows on me and the beach roses at the base of the bridge.   I made sure these rosebushes were dark enough to contrast with the dazzling sunlit boats and buildings across the water.   Does it look hazy, hot and humid?  Because it was!

Soft Iris on Shiny Aluminum

White Iris

Iris's are so short lived in summer.   I took several photos of the few white irises that appeared in my garden recently.   It struck me that a hard, shiny aluminum surface could be an interesting contrast for a painting of the delicate translucent petals.  Also, depending on what the background is reflecting - dark or light - the painting has a whole different look.

Rocky Overlook House

The shoreline between the Esplanade and Bluefish Cove in Brant Rock is as rocky as can be.  Boats coming out of the harbor swing wide of this area, so I assume the rocks are just as plentiful out in the water as along the shore, as is depicted in this painting.   I can get creative with color and design with a subject like rocks.   As long as the big ones are in the front and the distant rocks diminish in size, they'll look real, no matter what colors I make them!   And why not make the sky match and turn the ocean green!

Rocky Overlook House

Dinghies at Town Pier

Dinghies at Town Pier - Phase One

It was a picture-perfect, glorious, early June day at the Town Pier, Brant Rock, Marshfield, MA.  Plein air painting was the goal, which is always plenty of enjoyment, but it was not my only entertainment at the busy dock.   As I was setting up, to my left there was a lobster fisherman loading traps onto his boat.   He was sliding the traps off of his truck trailer, to the retaining wall and onto the boat, which was nearly the same height because of the high tide.     He certainly demonstrated a great way to take advantage of the tide. 

Dinghies at Town Pier - Phase Two

To my right was a Mom who pulled in with her two girls.   The girls wore wet suits and life jackets and without hesitation, jumped into the water which was probably fifty degrees, and swam with glee for an hour.   (They paid me a visit after their swim.)  Right in front of me were two men fishing.   No bites - I don't think, but a fitting addition to the scene.

As for the painting, I framed out the composition with the pier itself, the Green Harbor houses across the water and in the foreground, the dock where several dinghies were tied up.   The blue dinghie sitting on the dock was to be the center of intere

Dinghies at Town Pier - Final

st of the painting, but it got demoted to second place once the white haired guy in the vintage wooden dinghie rowed right toward me.  

Haberdashery

Haberdashery

There were three big, exciting purchases that I made when I graduated from college.   A car was first; a Dodge Omni, (brand new and shiny forest green)  and, hard to believe - a mere $4800.   The second seems a little strange now that I think about it, but it was an Electrolux top-of-the-line vacuum.   I think I actually paid for that via installments.  I hardly remember, as it certainly wasn't as exciting as the automobile!   The third big purchase was a Singer sewing machine.   It was state-of-the art at the time and I remember the sales person convincing me that the embroidery wheels were so easy to use that I was going to want to use them often.    For the record, I have never used them.  :)

The car and the vacuum cleaner are long gone, but my sewing machine is as functional now as it ever was.  This truly was an investment - and still going strong.    It has been set up in my studio now for a couple of months as I worked on face masks for my loved ones.  I clustered together some of the sewing notions (a.k.a. haberdashery) attempting to arrange a pleasing composition.   My composition expert helped with it, and soon it was time to break out my paints.

Capri Meets Boston

The "Stay-At-Home" challenge was presented to artist members of the Copley Society in Boston recently.   During the long storied history of the Copley Society of Art, there have been dozens of famous artists who were connected to or displayed at this historic Society.   We were challenged to choose a painting by one of the historic artists of the past and pay tribute to their work with a new creation.

John Singer Sargent was born to American parents in Europe, where he trained, travelled and worked.  Though very active in Europe, he frequented the Boston area in the late 1800s.   Many of Sargent's murals are found in the Boston Public Library, the Museum of Fine Arts, and Harvard's Widener Library. Sargent's largest scale works are the mural decorations that grace the Boston Public Library depicting the history of religion and the gods of polytheism. He worked on the cycle for almost thirty years but never completed the final mural. Sargent drew on his extensive travels and museum visits to create a dense art collection.  The murals were restored in 2003–2004.

Rooftop

Perhaps I should have paid homage to a Boston-based work, but his paintings from Italy are my favorites.  They have a flair all their own.   I particularly like this painting by Sargent because of the fun mood and carefree summer feel.  

Little Dolls

Little Dolls

What is sweeter than a little toddler fresh out of the bath in her new pajamas and robe?   The day was a busy one for all the baby dolls and it was time to relax with a big book. 

I purposely subdued the colors and supporting elements (doll and carriage) which gave it a serene, tonalist feel.   Have you ever checked out tonalism?   The restful feel of the tonalist palette is a way of communicating emotion in a two dimensional painting.  

Pine Cone Branch

Scrub Pinecone

I love to look at all kinds of artwork and I receive some daily collections in my email.   A recent painting of a single apple grabbed my attention and reminded me that sometimes an ordinary object in thick oil paint can be so beautiful.   With a painterly touch, it can even rival a more complex or busy scene.  

During spring clean up, pine branches are everywhere - a very ordinary sight in New England.  Depicted in an oil painting, it seems much more than bland and ordinary.    This is especially true if the bright spots have pink and blue and mint and lavender!

Exit 11 at Sunset

Exit 11 Sunset

Thunderclouds were passing through at sunset as we were driving toward the highway.   I took an Iphone picture of the dramatic, dark blue band that was backlit by the sinking sun.    I forgot about the picture until a couple of weeks later while looking for something else.  Once I saw the photo, I knew it had potential for a nice painting.

Path Behind the House

Getting Started

Path Behind the House - In Progress

Natural beauty isn't a plane ride away, or even a car ride away.   On this day it was literally in my own backyard.  I confess that I had made the short jaunt to the shore for a paint-out, but my two "secret" parking spots were occupied, so I returned, resigning myself to setting up at home.

Path Behind the House

There is an abutting woodland behind our property and on this spring day, only the white fir trees cast deep shadows.   The deciduous trees were only just starting to bud so this path where we walk was bright and sunlit, a bed of pine needles.  That's it;  hanging out at home.  :)
 

Angelic Statue

Angelic Statue

Cherubs and angels are plentiful in fine art, especially in the Rennaisance era and they always attract my attention.   I remember on one visit to the Boston Museum of Fine Art, I took pictures of as many angels and cherubs (both obvious and obscure) within many paintings that I could find    They were more common than you would imagine.  In addition to 2D paintings, they are often depicted in sculpture, an ethereal addition to gardens and arbors.   My inspiration for this painting began with a photo of a beautiful angel statue in a Florida butterfly garden.

I've been particularly moved recently by the sacrifices made by the many medical professionals who are treating victims of the current pandemic.   Nurses in particular play a special role in healing patients, a role that has always had my greatest admiration.  

I dedicate this painting to the many nurses - pillars of healing - who despite fires all around, remain calm, tend to every basic need, and even convince their patient without a hint of visible doubt that they would be okay.

Daffodils

Daffodils

Swiftly moving through the supermarket, I spotted this bright, beautiful, yellow bouquet of classic daffodils.    Non-essential item, but yet kind of essential, at least psychologically!   They brightened the kitchen table and provided a great still life subject.    Here you are! 

Cheer up; great spring days are coming!

Anemone

White Anemone - Final

This series of paintings were done while building up to a commission for a client  This client had bought my paintings before and he noted that had a special friend who had a big birthday coming up - a centenarian.   He wanted to have a painting created of the birthday person's favorite flower, the anemone.   Most who are familiar with this flower are familiar with the variety that has the dark center, but there is a white variety that is bright green in the middle, almost chartreuse.   Happy Birthday!

White Anemone - Preview Sketch

White Anemone - Interim

Tropical Watercolors Jamaica

Beeline to Purple Spikes

I seriously thought about packing my oils for Jamaica, but elected to again bring watercolors.   They are so much cleaner, and lighter for packing, but as I've noted many times before, I'm not a watercolorist.   Watercolor experts are in a league of their own in my view.   I'll share a few amateur tries today. The colors look a little washed out - see?  I can't get good color! :)

Big Old Leaning Tree - Jamaica

Beach Huts at Dusk

View from my Chair

Stetson Woods River View

Stetson Woods River View

Less than two miles from home, we found a new set of trails that are "hidden" behind an old cemetery.  Thanks to online maps, we discovered that there are many woodland areas along the North River in Marshfield.  We've walked four trails so far, my favorite an area called the Stetson Woods.   It actually has a riverside beach (tire swing and all) and a large picnic area.   Of course since it was December, we didn't meet another soul, never mind swimmers or picnic people. 

This painting depicts the northernmost edge of the woods where the marsh opened up wide to reveal the North River snaking beyond.   The expansive marsh was bright gold, but the shadiest spots were dark and frozen.    Tall marsh grasses and cattails help the composition by bridging deep shadow and bright winter light.

This painting took a while as it measures 24" x 30".

Open Studio Figure Paintings

Night Float

Yoga in Yellow

Sunny Blue Bikini

Black Bandeau Beauty

Last winter, I participated in an open studio night with live models.   There really is no better way to improve figurative captures than with living and breathing humans.  Similar to landscape, the best way to observe and reproduce accurate color is from life.  Photography is useful for structural reminders, but simply can't deliver precise color.  

The other deficiency of working from photos for people is that the model's typical look or signature smile/expression may not come through in a few photos.   Once you spend three hours observing and talking with a person, there is a much better chance of identifying a feature that makes them unique - especially if the goal is to be true to a realistic rendering.

Phone Check

What is not realistic in the paintings is the addition of the bathing suits and some of the beachy backdrops.  The bathing suit theme provides some modesty for the sensitive readers, like my brother.

Mid-January is upon us - not bathing suit weather - I'm ready for it though!

Lounging