Peachy at the Beachy

Peachy at the Beachy

It was a delightfully warm summer day - not too humid with a midday tide.   After my winter beach painting experience in Florida, I wanted to practice some of the color-work that I had learned.  Specifically, warm peachy colored sand looks magical when contrasted with deep cornflower blue shadows.  

The scene was facing south and included the shoreline houses of Marshfield's Fieldston area and a wide expanse of Rexhame Beach.   I wanted to include the lifeguard stand and and myriad of beach parasols that dotted the shoreline.   I worked from the top and soon discovered that I had a lot of canvas at the bottom with little interest.   This was composition issue that I wanted to correct, not by including more beachgoers or the rocks, but by way of bolder brushstrokes that would offer shapes and shadows typical of a dunes beach.  Perhaps even more bold strokes are needed!?  What do you think?

Garden Tour Along South River

Garden of an Expert

One of my favorite paint outs of the year is the annual Cliff Rogers Garden Tour.   On the third Tuesday of each June, I get to paint at one of the many stellar Marshfield home gardens that are literally 5-10 minutes away from me.   

This year I painted at a very special garden just a few yards from the South River.  The home is situated just across the water from Humarock.   The master gardener who lives here was as welcoming and gracious as could be, and not just to me, but to all those who walked through.   I heard her answer dozens of gardening questions, from very basic to impressively advanced.  She took the time and energy to explain, and her love of gardening came shining through.   

As I set up, I looked for shade and fortunately there was a good source of continuous shade  spot under some thick, old thick cedars.  I began painting in all the dark areas, holding of on the vivid blossoms. Most people who came through on the earlier side were probably wondering how in the world this canvas was going to turn into a colorful lush garden scene.    If only we could somehow capture  moist air, floral fragrances and constant movement of bees, butterflies and birds.  I decided to include the garden's creator in the painting as she was just as integral and constant part of the garden as the anchoring shrubs.  I feel like this painting does not do justice to this lovely gardener's botanical work of art.   My thanks to her for hosting all of us.

Special Olympic Park

Special Olympic Park - First Cliff

 After crossing the bridge on Edward Foster Road, there is a small triangular traffic island as you enter the First Cliff area.    There is a sign that names this lovely spot, Special Olympic Park.   It's part of the "Adopt a Lot" program where citizens or organizations take responsibility for a public land parcel.   I had trouble uncovering who is tending to this particular spot, but the person(s) is doing a fantastic job.   I set up under the big old apple tree which has two benches and beds of flowers under it.  One purple iris bed was in spectacular full bloom.  In the course of the two hours I was painting, two groups of people came along and sat for a few minutes, no doubt enjoying the view of Scituate inner harbor, and the cool comfort of an old shade tree adorned with surrounding flower beds.   I was doing the same!

Fishing Friends at Dusk

 

Fishing Friends at Dusk

Have you noticed how often I paint the water?   I can't resist the colorful movement of the waves, the moist air.  I like watching and painting other people enjoy the water too.   This is the view from Buoys Restaurant, where we we enjoyed a Valentines Day dinner at sunset.   We had a great table right at the water's edge.  These fishermen were set up across the inlet at the southernmost tip of Treasure Island, a part of St Petersburg, FL.   I snapped this photo because I loved the poses of the men and most of all, the egret that stood watch behind them.  I had plenty of this year's gulf sunset paintings to use for color references too.

Cool Greenish Morning - St Pete Beach

There is a main thoroughfare that runs north/south along the interior shore (east side) of the St Pete Beach barrier island called Pass-A-Grille Way.   Conveniently, the parking and the sidewalk are right along the inlet where I saw dolphins, pelicans and all kinds of egrets.  It was early when I set up to paint and the shore of the "mainland" was barely visible because of the mist.   

A walker who lives nearby told me that the foreground dock that I was painting had just been completed when Hurricane Milton hit.   There was enough damage (and more pressing repairs on the island,) that it remains unusable - that is - unless you are painting it. haha  The dock beyond the closest pier is the functioning Merry Dock and that is where the Miss Pass-A-Grille fishing boat was docked.   Luckily that boat did not move while I painted.   

As for the painting process, I tried to stay true to the misty morning, making sure that everything had a greenish tinge to it.   If I had had chromium green with me, it would have been useful, but instead I made do with Sap Green, Viridian, and Emerald.   The seagulls and pelicans were also very cooperative!

Merry Dock

Memorable Day - St Pete Beach

 

Beach in High Key

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunset Over the Gulf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our winter getaway to Florida this year, we routinely took a long but leisurely bike ride each morning .  On this particular day we decided to walk the beach instead and what happened next made me so happy we did!

Along the shore there was a large group of plein air painters.  We stopped to observe and started chatting with one of the students.  She pointed out the teacher's painting, and I instantly commented to my husband that it looked just like Roos Schuring’s work.  Roos (pronounced Rose) is a painter from the Netherlands who I have followed for years.  In my dreams I thought maybe someday we would travel to the Netherlands and participate in one of her plein air workshops.  (Additionally I envisioned us visiting the homeland of Dutch masters like Rembrandt and Vermeer whom I admire so much.) 

Yellow Beach Umbrella Morning

Well here we were in Florida, and there was Roos in the flesh!   I was so excited that I had to approach and introduce myself.  Fast forward..we hit it off immediately and she generously invited me to paint alongside the class.  

I was mesmerized by her setup, process, colors and results.   It was truly a God-given gift to stumble upon the group and observe Roos and her students.   Although I was not an official class participant, I was welcomed by all and got to connect with my favorite "celebrity artist" who I now consider my friend.  It was an experience I'll never forget!

 

 

 

 

Favorite Hangout Area

 On St Pete Beach, there is a fun and funky place right on the beach that draws a big sunset crowd each evening.   It's an informal fish fry type place called Paradise Grill where you order at the walk up window then sit to dine at picnic tables or on the many colorful Adirondack chairs that are at the edge of the beach.   Both of the paintings in this post were done at this spot.   The first was an afternoon capture of the pretty tropical water as a backdrop for the two rescue surfboards that lean on a tall rack.   Fortunately they never moved as far as I could tell during the trip.    The orange life jacket popped out against the turquiose water which caught my eye immediately.   The board was actually a black underpainting and maybe that is why the colors look extra bright.    

Rescue Boards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The small but colorful sunset painting has a high key chroma for me and I'm going to say it took less than an hour.   My husband and expert consultant came over and implored me to stop right there and leave it as loose and colorful as it was.    I actually listened this time.  hahaha.   I do like the wild strokes and it has a nice tropical feel.   Hope you like it too!

Fans of the Sunset

 

Sunset And Shell Hunting

 

Sunsets are probably what Saint Pete Beach is best known for, and from what I’ve observed, shell hunting is a close second. So that’s why the first two paintings I did while staying there this February capture those two topics.

Each evening people are drawn to Florida's west facing coastline to enjoy the show, no two ever the same.  This fiery sunset happened from our closest shoreline, which was the Pass-A-Grille Beach. The high contrails and low horizon clouds were lit up in a full spectrum of orange, peach and yellow. As the sun sunk lower, the sky was more vivid and the sand and vegetation became cooler and bluer.   My canvas was a black board to start with and I was able to carve the shape of the figure with my scrape out tool, essentially leaving the substrate unpainted.   I feel like this is exactly the type of painting that will remind me of my favorite part of this getaway.

 

 

Fiery February Sunset

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second painting was done at the 1st Ave Beach Access at the southernmost tip of the St Pete Beach barrier island.  A very popular spot for shell hunters, people wade in and out of tidal pools looking for the holy grail of the shell world (sand dollars and spotted junonia).   I'm more of a seaglass gal, but I can certainly understand the theraputic benefit of just wandering through sand and water looking for treasure.

  

Shell Hunting at the Sandbar

As for the painting, I was attracted by contrasting shapes of the barrel shaped palm, slabs of concrete and the humans on the sand. I probably applied 80% of the paint with palette knives leaving thick, barely blended strokes.   I intentionally left much more warmth in the undergrowth and vegetation to convey a tropical feel.

Snowy Stone Wall

Snowy Stone Wall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just before leaving for a warmer place, I painted this scene from a photo I took.    To me, the prettiest winter scenes happen right when the snow stops and the sun is starting to emerge.  That was the case here.  It was clean and bright with maximum snow and shadow contrast.   

Bzzzz

I took a beekeeping class a few years ago and came away just astonished by the amazing societal world of bees.  Since then I can't help but watch them closely and study which garden flowers attract the most activity.  This past growing season, ornamental allium and coneflowers seemed to be their favorite pollen sources.    With the winter temperatures plummeting, I decided a floral painting would just the topic that would give me a break from the winter, black, brown, gray and white palette outside.  My color temperatures mimic a midday cool skyblue light and warm shadow undertones.

Bzzzz

Catskill Mountains Paint Outs

I've always been fascinated with the Hudson River School Painters and although their painting style was only "in vogue" for a generation and a half, the epic works of Fredrick Church and Thomas Cole still hang in the country's finest museums, many of which are works of epic proportions.   These two painters along with a group of painters known as "The Ten," made pivotal contributions to the American painting movement. 

This fall, we drove to the Hudson Valley, traveling through the picturesque hills, ravines and riversides that inspired Thomas Cole and Fredrick Church.  The Cole Homestead was modest but beautifully situated on a hillside where his veranda had sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains - inspiring scenes he had painted.  

We toured the home, the grounds and his studio.  Here we got to see the four 1840 studies he executed in preparation for the renown paintings at the National Gallery in Washington, DC that comprise the "Voyage of Life" series.

Thomas Cole Voyage of Life Studies in Cole Studio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

There is something special about standing in the same physical spot as a historical figure who lived, worked and touched the very work you are looking at!  

Thomas Cole's protege, Fredrick Church built his homestead nearby.   Not modest!  It was a hilltop mansion across the Hudson from Cole that was enormous by comparison. Church was a wealthy world traveler and collector.   The emphasis of his estate tour was more his status and lifestyle, but there were many beautiful paintings to see as well.   We painted from the location of Church's studio, a west facing vantage with views of his property leading down to the Hudson River.   

These two painters made their mark on the entire area.  When we hiked at the Kaaterskill Falls some of the trail markers had images of their paintings.   One Cole painting spot in particular was at the very lofty (scary!) overlook where we stood.  Great trip and of course, when we get to paint - even better!

  

Catskills View

Fredrick Church Studio View

Middleboro Paint Outs

 These three paintings capture scenes in Middleboro, MA, a mostly low lying area with ponds, lakes, streams and cranberry bogs.   True Grit Art Gallery holds an annual painting event where painters capture scenes from within the town boundaries for a month long exhibition of the masterpieces that result.

The first scene is from Lolans Farm in mid-October.   The displays are bursting with harvest bounty with every kind and color of pumpkin you can imagine.   It was a brisk and mostly cloudy day when this woman walks through scanning for the perfect pumpkin.

Scanning for the Perfect Pumpkin

 

 

 

 

 

The next painting was done along the Nemasket River next to the Oliver Mill.  This spectacular old stone bridge was first built in 1859 and was referred to as the Muttock.   It was repaired/rebuilt a number of times since but the structures' sturdy, rustic design remains true to the original.   The bridge was a visual  magnet for a painter like me - love of water and Irish roots.   The gorgeous reflections of the stonework and autumn color doubled the magnificence of scene.

The Muttock

The third and final plein air exhibition painting was done at an area called Betty's Neck.  It was a perfect day for enjoying the fall color.   I met a couple who were scoping out the spot from where they were going to watch the Northern Lights that evening.   They agreed my very spot was going the get the nod once it got dark.   For me, it was very much the bright sunshine, water and peak foliage getting the nod.

 

Causeway View - Betty's Neck

 

Tybee Island Getaway

Last winter we visited Tybee Island, a barrier island between the Atlantic and Savannah, GA.    We drove from New England to this winter adventure. Traveling by car means we bring the "stuff" that would not make the cut if flying was involved.   For us, that meant our full complement of painting gear came along too.

I've procrastinated in posting these five paintings so I've decided to just share all the images in this one post, sparing you the details.     Potentially I would be making things up about the paint outs - since I can't remember a lot of details now that it is months later.

The exception is the painting with the angry looking clouds which was done from a photo I took.  We had taken a beach walk and we received alerts on our phones that there was a tornado watch (warning? see, I forget...the worser of the two).   It was so dark and stormy looking, and being from New England, we didn't know if it was something to be alarmed about.  I took a photo of the swirling clouds and dark water as we raced back to our VRBO - quite a vivid memory!   I felt it was worthy of a painting as the photo shot captured the beach, the sky and the water in various "unnatural" shades of green and gray.

 

Tybee Dawn from Deck

Tybee Pavilion Pier

Tybee Tornado Watch

Tybee Boathouse Tidal River

 

Tybee Lighthouse

 

 

 

Quincy 400 Marina Bay Festival Plein Air

On July Fourth weekend, I was invited along with other painters to create some live works of art of along the boardwalk at beautiful Marina Bay in Quincy, MA.   Quincy was founded in 1625, a mere five years after Plymouth, so its 400th anniversary is here and it was celebrated in grand style.   There was a full three days of programming including great music, patriotic parades, children's events and even John Adams made an appearance in vintage garb.  

The heat was a factor and remembering to drink while immersed in a plein air painting is always a challenge.   The event company who invited us took very good care of us though, and we were even treated to a gourmet lunch (albeit in a box).  I created two paintings that day which were part of a mini competition on Sunday.   Amazing artist Morgan Davis took the top prize with her painting of the clock tower.   (far left in the picture)  That's me with my eyes closed :).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The complex dock scenes below would have terrified me not too long ago.  I have since learned to let the details go and concentrate on the big shapes and concentrate on painting a few key elements well.   The viewers' eyes and brain do the rest as they digest the painting!   All the American flags were done with my palette knife with one very loose, long stroke.  

 

Marina Bay Boardwalk - West Q400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marina Bay Boardwalk - North Q400

Garden Tour - North River

Each year I am invited to paint at a property on the Garden Tour organized by the Cliff Rogers Library.   It is their biggest fundraiser and it draws an impressive number of people.   Who wouldn't want to stroll through the very prettiest gardens in the local area and support this lovely small independent library as well.    I look forward to tour day each year and getting to capture the beauty of these gardens. 

I was assigned an expansive garden in North Marshfield that abuts the North River.   The mature plantings were perfectly balanced with many of the specimens in full bloom.   I chose a border planting that had a black wrought iron fence and gate as a backdrop.   I included this lovely woman as she admired a very unusual clementis that had purple bell shaped flowers.  As for the painting, the thick paint application that I like works particularly well for lush and vibrant garden scenes like this one.

Garden Border Bells

Wollaston Yacht Club Plein Air

The Quincy Art Association organized and hosted this paint out and yours truly was the instructor/demo painter.   We arrived plenty early to get set up and it was a good thing.   We quickly realized (like boaters before a storm) that we needed more ropes (aka bungies).    The wind was gusting to 25-30 mph and it was the first lesson that was discussed regarding successful plein air painting.  The large tent next to me where the painting participants were working actually flipped over.  Equipment must be weighted down to the point were it will not budge!   In every photo, I'm gripping my easel out of habit, even though I was securely tied down.  The bright sun and warm temperatures (low 90s) were also challenging but the participants stuck with it and all came away with a work of art they should be proud of!

This is my painting from the demo, a depiction of the Wollaston Yacht Club and dock with Quincy Bay and some Boston Harbor Islands in the distance. 

Wollaston Yacht Club and Dock

 

 

Evening Paint Out After Rain

Evening Paint Out After Rain

 I recently painted en plein air along Littles Creek which is behind the JPH Organization in Marshfield.   It had been a very rainy day and it really did look doubtful that this paint out would happen at all.   As I set up it started getting brighter and brighter.   Clouds did dominant as you can see in the whitish sky.   The sun broke thru a bit however!   

It is interesting to note that when everything outside is wet, the dark values like shadows and underbrush are
very dark so that the value range just about covers the whole spectrum.   The wild June roses were spectacular so I pumped up the color in the painting.   Enjoy!

Beach Painter

Maureen Painting at Wollaston Beach

It's June and that means people want to be outside.   People were out in droves along the boardwalk at Wollaston Beach and were able to observe the first in a plein air series put on by The Quincy Art Association in collaboration with "Better Beaches", "Save the Harbor, Save the Bay", and Massachusetts DCR.   

This was my painting done while also watching a demo by Vincent Crotty.   The conditions were a little tough because of the gusty winds.   My gear was sufficiently weighted down to combat the wind which helped enormously.

Here is my painting of Vincent in action as he appears to pause, and contemplate his next stroke.  

Beach Painter

Cranberry Bogs Along Fuller St in Middleboro

Early Autumn Bog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gorgeous autumn tree colors, and the calendar say October, but the daytime temperatures would have you thinking May or September - warm and dry.   This is perfect weather for plein air painting.   The cranberry bogs are particularly pretty just before the flooding and harvest.  They get a distinctly crimson chroma, contrasting beautifully with the green bog fringe.   Of course the surrounding trees are often wildly colored and even clashy with the cranberry red color scheme.   But that's where a painter can even out the disharmony with a touch of cranberry color throughout.  See if you can spot where crimson brushwork softens the greens!

Golden Light at the Bog

Soule Farm Community Gardens

The True Grit Art Gallery Annual Plein Air Event is officially in progress!   For the event painters capture Middleboro scenes during the month of October for their November show. 

Meadow at Soule Farm

A painting friend suggested Soule Farm in Middleboro, MA.  This town treasure was the perfect setting for autumn plein air and there were several scenes that attracted us here.  From the grassy meadows, the antique farmhouse, various barns and farm storage, to sheep fields, community gardens, and of course their two very friendly resident goats, each vantage had a beauty all its own.

For my first painting, this Irish girl couldn't resist the sheep in the meadow.   They were quite a distance away, but that probably helped my composition by widening my view (and options).  At one point the "shepherd" with his border collie moved the herd to an adjacent field which was a bit closer.  It was fascinating to watch!  In this fast paced world; stopping and witnessing that simple farm scene felt like a modern day pause, a transport back in time.  It was a gift really.

My second painting depicts a portion of the community garden amid a wide patchwork of individual garden squares.  A rustic corral was build around the space, an obviously a labor of love.  It was labelled "Green Acres."  Although most of the flowers were a bit spent, I took liberty with my colors and pumped up the blossoms.  This painting was loose and so much wilder than the pasture.  In fact there is so much paint on there that it will probably be wet for the show!

And speaking of the show, these paintings and many more will be on display in November 2024. Thanks to theTrue Grit Art Gallery for coordinating such a fun event!