Grand Town Hall

It's mid October and the Nemasket Plein Air Festival is in full swing in Middleborough, MA.  

Their town hall is such a beautiful old building.   There are many ornate features that would be deserving of a painting, but I focused on the tower so as to include the sky and folliage.  I set up in the far side of the parking lot next to a row of gloriously yellow maples.   The sky started out cloudless, then milky clouds drifted in.   By the end of the painting session it was completely overcast, ahhh, the fun of plein air.  Luckily, I locked the sky down about 40 minutes in.  The trick with the tower was to simplify with the shadow patterns and a few highlights.  Not perfect, but definitely plein air!

Grand Town Hall

Nemasket Water Station

Nemasket Water Station

The Nemasket River weaves its way through Middleborough, MA and because of how densely populated the area is, there are several roadways that pass over the water and afford some very scenic river views.  One such place is an area known as The Herring Run on Wareham Street. 

I set up my gear right on the sidewalk next to this little brick building that apparently serves, or served, some purpose related to water. The pristine photo of the bubbling water and autumn colors and reflections belies the actual experience.   There was no Zen.  hahaha.  I could not have picked a worse spot.   There was an active construction site to the left with a constant roar of backhoes and tractors.  As a main town thoroughfare, there were trucks, busses and cars screaming around the curve where I was, a little nervewracking.    I liked the visuals though and I tried to concentrate and paint quickly.

 

Nemasket Water Station

The little brick building was a puzzle.  I guessed it could house equipment, or a water gate/dam, work or assist somehow in the herring run system just 100 yards to the south of it.   I just liked it because the shape and red brick of the structure was an interesting contrast to the autumn trees and rushing water!

 

 

 

Low Tide Cove

Along the stretch of shoreline between Scituate, MA and Plymouth, MA there are many tidal rivers and streams.  The many inlets created by this natural topography provide safe places to tie up and launch boats.   The bordering salt marshes are a natural buffer between the water and the uplands.  This little cove in Duxbury was as picturesque as can be on this warm, summer morning.

I framed my scene so that the beached boats dotted the inlet side and the old house on stilts sat on the wooded side.  In the foreground, the (very common) greenhead fly box sat amid the bright green seagrasses.  These boxes really do work by reducing the numbers of aggressive, biting "greenies".    I can attest to the fact that I only saw one!

 

Low Tide Cove

Fishing from the Beach

Fishing from the Beach

Today's painting was done at the base of the Powder Point Bridge in Duxbury, MA.   I arrived at this spot ahead of the summer beach crowd and actually painted right out of the back of my parked vehicle which overlooks a little beach on Duxbury Bay.   Before long, the summer bustle picked up with lots of pedestrians and cars crossing this remarkable bridge.  Multiple people were fishing about halfway across the bridge, where there is a stronger current and a boat underpass.   Power para-gliders put on a show as well!

As the tide got higher, one fisherwoman in boots and waders came over to the beach just below my painting location and began casting.  I decided to make her figure and the bridge the two primary focal points of the painting.

First Cliff from Scituate Light

Scituate Lighthouse is wonderfully accessible with free public parking, always a valuable feature for plein air painters.   I've painted the lighthouse on multiple occasions in the past so on this day I framed a different scene.  This composition is south facing across the Scituate Harbor inlet toward what is called the "First Cliff".   There are jetties on either side of the inlet which are depicted.  The "cliff" on the far shore is encircled by some amazing oceanfront properties.  There was so much going on in this scene between all the people and various boats that I found it hard not to include at least a few of these elements in the painting.  What I liked most about the day was the fair weather clouds. :)

 

First Cliff from Scituate Light

 

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!

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!

 

 

 

 

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

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

 

 

 

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

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!

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

Winter in St Augustine

Windy Day in the Dunes

It's mid-August, and I find myself just posting paintings from February!   We spent some time in beautiful St. Augustine, FL and did several plein air paintings.    The ocean is a must for us and this destination had the ocean and much more... history, architecture, gorgeous beaches and of course a seemingly unlimited number of food options. It beat shoveling!   

To the east was the ocean; to the west, the Matanzas River.  We pretty much canvassed the whole area.  And always we returned to the beach for extensive walks and of course some paint outs.

The paths to the shore consisted of a very wide swathe of dunes.   So pretty!

St Augustine Beach Dunes

Pink Dunes

Matanzas Inlet

At the southernmost tip of St Augustine Island was the Matanzas Inlet.   This uprooted tree replanted itself on the river bank creating lots of shadows set off by the blinding light. 

 

 

 

Bridge of Lions

We frequented the historic downtown area often, touring, shopping and eating.  Of course, as the nation's oldest city, founded in 1565, there were forts, piers, shrines, quaint alleys and bridges all worth visiting.

St Augustine - plein air painter approved! 😊

Corner of Bridge and Avenida Menendez

Frontage

 I recently painted the frontage view of my house.   It served as a warm up for the Garden Tour paint out that was taking place the following week.   I was most interested with mixing up the best greens for late June and I figured the nearby garden where I would paint was be similar.    The color of the greens was where the similarity stopped!   It was a glorious expansive garden.

This is a kidney shaped bed that has an old (not visible) tree stump in the middle of it.   We created this planting bed after the tree fell in a storm.   We opted to be lazy and just build up the soil around it and plant some shrubs.   My lamppost and planter frame the entrance to the driveway and it will always be that way.  :)

Frontage

Garden Tour Splendor

 

 

 

 

 

Words cannot describe the beauty of the gorgeous garden where I painted recently.   It was part of a garden tour and deservedly so.   The garden lovers, myself included could not get over the many stunning scenes at this riverside oasis.   Peonies were the star as it was the third week of June and there were hundreds of blooms decorating every square foot of garden space.  I stood along a small pathway that led to the backdoor of this cedar shingle antique (circa 1740).  The underbrush mulch was dark and warm, yet the walkway was also bright and warm - sort of breaking the color temperature rules of painting.  I wanted the garden to dominate, but the house was so enticing that I gave it a bit of attention too.

Garden Tour Splendor

Brushy Texas Tidal Stream

At the East Beach salt march, things were surprisingly "non-green".  It had a tan/pink look to it.   I guess I was not expecting that a place like Galveston, known for its warm weather would have "winter" where growth turns brown and gusty winds blow.   

The days still were relatively mild for us New Englanders.   We set up for painting along the access road to East Beach where the shipping lanes for Houston parallel the shore.   I faced a tidal inlet with the large, public bathhouse in the far distance.  To the left,  there was a constant flow of large colorful oil tankers.   We also spotted plenty of natural elements like egrets and shore birds, presumably wintering from our areas in the north.

Brushy Texas Tidal Stream

Wild Primrose

Is this the yellow rose of Texas?   That was the question in my head as I set up to paint.   It was the sole blossom I saw at a marshy beach-bordering area on the easternmost point of Galveston Island.   I do know it was a primrose, because there was a nature trail display describing the natural elements here.   I loved that there was also winter clover everywhere I looked, lush and green.   New friends, Galveston neighbors, said that once the heat of spring, summer and fall arrives, things dry out and no there is no sign of such moist greenery.

Wild Primrose