Floral at the Fair

Oil Paint

 

 

 

These paintings were done at the 2021 Marshfield Fair.   At noon, twelve floral designers set out to create a ribbon winning design.  At 2PM twelve painters were assigned an arrangement to capture in paint.

 

 

It was a fun experience and so interesting to see how different painters approached their floral creation.   The floral designers seemed to basically have the same flowers, so to me, the color schemes of each were so very similar.   But as you see,the painters' works were vastly different!

Acrylic

Watercolor

Scituate Light Vertical

 

 

This painting depicts early morning with unsettled skies at beautiful and historic Scituate Light.   This portrait style 12x6 inch canvas worked out well for this subject.   As I painted a nice couple came over and asked various questions about this painting and painting in general.   I forget exactly what statement informed me that they were a "new" couple.   He asked me how much I would take for the painting.  (The painting was not nearly done and not yet in a state I would want to own up to.)   

Now, if you sell paintings you know that an offer like this is a gift on a silver platter.   Seldom does a painting sale happen that way.   In retrospect, maybe he wanted to impress his new friend with an unusual on-the-spot gift.  What did I say?  "Let's exchange cards and I will email you."      Well you know the ending to that story!  hahaha...I probably could use a lesson in sales.

 Now on display at Framers' Edge in Braintree, MA. 

 

Summer Lilies Fading Glory

Water Lilies Fading Glory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do the topics of waterlilies and oil paintings bring impressionist painter Monet to mind for you?    I personally love those paintings and as many times as I've seen one of the many renditions of waterlilies by Monet I marvel.  Up close they seem like chaotic dots of color, but step back and the real thing emerges.  Did you know there are at least 250 known waterlily paintings by Monet?    Amazing!  

There is great freedom and fun in painting water and water lilies.   Monet's paintings have exactly what mine lack- a casual looseness and variety.  I wouldn't be able to paint the same subject dozens, never mind hundreds of times.   I wonder if Monet's free flowing brushwork comes from  his being so familiar with the subject that his psyche practically paints it without conscious thought?

These are not south-of-France waterlilies, but rather New England pond lilies done in a "zoomed in" stilllife style.  As the end of summer approaches, the pads start to change color with more read and gold, similar to our foliage.

Marsh Abutting North River

At the end of Damon Point Road in Marshfield, there is a dock and a picturesque overlook at the North River.  Abutting the road to the point is a pretty little marsh and a handy access to view it.   I thought, wow, there are so many gorgeous scenes of the river, but it was midday.  It would be too hot and I'd probably get sunburned if I tackled a scene on the shade free dock.   Instead I set up under some trees that bordered the marsh on the left.   As always with plein air, what seems like an ordinary subject can become special through the use of a loose and painterly application.   This was truly a warm shadow, cool light day.   See how red the shrub and underbrush are, and by contrast the sunlit marsh is lemony green (which is a cool shade).

Oh, and this cat kept me company.

Marsh at North River