Two Boston Skylines from the South Shore

Along several locations on the South Shore, there are over-water vistas of the Boston skyline.  These two scenes were both done plein air - one from Quincy and one from Hingham.   

The Logan Airport approach corridor (presumably depending on the winds) crosses overland just to the west of the Atlantic shoreline, thus the jet and hints of colorful gas tank from Quincy.

Pink Boston Skyline

 

The second skyline is from a vantage a bit further south at Crow Point in Hingham.  This is a gorgeous spot in which many waterfront homes, are graced with their own docks.  

Boston Skyline from Crow Point

 

The paint mixing and application for the sky and water were done thickly via palette knife.   The buildings and hard-scape elements were done with brush - thick nonetheless.   These are the summer colors of New England; we seldom see turquoise!

Two Megs - 2

I like all things "fish."  I'm a Pisces; I truly am "that" in a lot of ways. Ha ha. I eat fish often - usually 3-4 times a week.  I love to swim.   I crave being at the ocean, yet I am enthralled with all water related scenes.   

A favorite painting subject is fishing and fishing boats.  Does it stem from my being a Pisces or is it my ancestral Newfoundland fishing family roots?  Maybe both together?

Anyhow, I painted this exact scene a couple of years ago en plein air, and it sold right away so I decided to enjoy it again, this time from the photo.  The historic and enormous Boston Fish pier is the backdrop and the fishing boat called "Two Megs" in the foreground is picking up the sunshine.

Two Megs II

Boston Fishing Fleet

We have occasionally enjoyed taking the commuter ferry out of Hingham, MA, disembarking in Boston for a day of touring (and eating).     The views and photos taken from the water offer perspectives that just can't be matched, especially those of the city skyline.    This isn't the first painting, and will not be the last of the paintings I've done from these ferry trip photos.

As we passed by the Boston Fish Pier, this row of large commercial fishing boats caught my eye.   They were so colorful, as was the row of international flags mounted atop the Boston World Trade Center.  I liked that the rustic weather beaten boats and dock become transformed into something beautiful just by being painted.

Boston Fishing Fleet

Tall Ships In - Boston Seaport

Tall Ships In - Boston Seaport

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's exciting for seaports around the world when tall ship events and races draw many the many vessels to their harbors.  For people with strong ties to the ocean, it is mesmerizing to see these spectacular marvels carve their way through the water.     Just as amazing is watching crew climbing the rigging to stow sails, a truly coordinated effort.

This painting depicts a three masted full-rigged ship moored at the harbor end of the Boston Fish Pier. The colorful flags of the Boston World Trade Center are visible, which is the next northerly pier, and of course the familiar Boston skyline in the far distance.  

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!

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.  

Boston Harbor Grand View

This painting was a very large undertaking and now, after working on it for three years, it is "critique-ready".

The expansive scene depicts Boston Harbor from the fifth floor of the Boston Harbor Hotel.   This venue is a personal favorite, but not a place where we, or most, can often afford.   The painting depicts a busy summer vista; you name it - it's happening. On the water, along the shore and even overhead there is movement and action.   At water level, there are ferries, schooners, sailboats, tugs and tankers.   Along the water's edge the World Trade Center, several hotels, the Moakley Federal Courthouse, and lavish waterfront residences are visible.  In the distance is Logan Airport with jets lifting off every two minutes.   

"I really ought to tackle this scene in paint," I had declared on more than one occasion.  I remember being mesmerized at the hotel window trying to take it all in. It would have to be a large painting and in my old studio, I barely had room to work on it.  When I did put it on the easel, there wasn't space to work on anything else - how mundane.   In the new, larger studio, I have the space and I was able to dedicate a corner for this project and still be able to work on other creations.

The most challenging part of this project was assembling all the reference material.  I used several pictures of the harbor, covering this wide expanse.   The dome-topped pavilion became my measuring unit for sizing the many pictures involved.

The lighting scheme is late afternoon and there were tropical shower clouds drifting in from the northwest.   I am open to feedback, good, bad or otherwise!

Boston Harbor Grand View

Doorways on Marlborough St

Marlborough Street 18

The doorways in the Back Bay of Boston shine with style and finesse all year long, but in late summer the flowers are peaking and the frontages are especially pretty.   For capturing city scenes in paint, I gravitate to Marlborough Street because it is quieter than Boylston or Commonwealth, which are just as grand.   Even the less manicured frontages have the elegance of mid-1800 architecture.

Daily Catch - Alicia Out of Boston

Alicia Out of Boston

 This painting depicts a fishing crew docked at the fish pier.   With lockers full of the daily catch all around, there is barely room for the fishermen to maneuver.   They hoisted the containers via wenches up to the massive dockside set up.  Harbor seals were alert to the occasional fish that slipped off the conveyor.   It was a fascinating scene for all of us onlookers.

I liked the top-down angle of this photo and the steel on the boat prompted me to use a new substrate aluminum.  Anything new introduced to the usual process means it is an adjustment.   On the upside, it was immovable, smooth and solid, like a masonite panel.   The downside for me, using oil, was that the surface was slippery and did not absorb any paint.   Hence, it became a multi-step process - sketch, let dry, underpaint, let dry, top painting, let dry.    I also was mindful about letting the aluminum shine come through for various elements - water shimmer, and boat rails. 

If the painting doesn't look free and easy, it's because of all the extra thinking that was going on!! :)

Lunch Along Boston Harborwalk

Family Lunch

These lucky folks are enjoying lunch at the Boston Harbor Hotel along the Harborwalk.     The two parents, a son, and a daughter are vacationing in Boston.   The daughter is slated to start school in the Fall.  In anticipation, there are lots of nerves, judging by their faces, but they are enjoying this, the last pre-college family trip.

What attracted me to the scene was the curviness of the bright iron tables and chairs.   The family of four, was encircled with all the lines.   Also the dark red brick really set off the white furniture and dinner napkins on the laps of the diners.   With this many shapes and colors, the painting should keep the viewer interested for more than a few seconds.  At least that is the goal.

The truth is, I painted this from a reference photo taken from five floors up while I was on vacation.   It was a wide angle shot that included a band that was playing, almost panoramic.  This family was incidental to the photo, but I cropped it and zeroed in on this snippet.  Also, I made up the whole first paragraph.  I have no idea who these people are!   :)

Sunset Along Snowy Boulevard

Sunset Along Snowy Boulevard

This painting is a repeat, although I'd like to think it is better than the first one.   Winter sunsets are so pretty especially when there is a break in the cloud cover at the horizon.   The pink and purple are prevalent because of the lack of yellow light in winter.   People familiar with Day Boulevard in South Boston should recognize the beach, bathhouse and tree lined walkways.

Fenway Farms

Fenway Farms

Over the past few years, venerable Fenway Park in Boston has been improved, expanded and modernized in many ways - at least to the extent it can be.   Its tiny footprint in the middle of the city of Boston may be a drawback, but the special character and electric atmosphere at Fenway more than makes up for its old-fashioned aspects - for example, seat size!

One fascinating upgrade is the addition of a rooftop garden which supplies some of the produce for the wide variety of nice cuisine now available.    Here is a pre-game scene, an hour before sunset, depicting the long rows of mixed greens. What an unlikely location, all surrounded by brick and concrete.  Why the produce is as green
as the dazzling Fenway Park turf!

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.

Duck House with Pigeons

This painting was started on a perfect 75 degree August day last year in Boston.  I just came across it during my studio clean up.   It was so close to being done that I set about adding the final touches.

Beautiful Boston Public Garden (BPG) is a popular spot for locals and tourists.  People stroll about, some enjoying the swan boats that slowly paddle around the pond.  One look at the green scene and I reached for a linen panel undertoned with burnt sienna.   I knew this reddish base coat would help relieve the myriad of greens.  It also allowed me to skip painting the brick buildings in the background altogether - at least for the paint-out portion.

Duck House with Pigeon - BPG

Duck House with Pigeons

The pond was essentially green, not because of dirty water, but because it was reflecting the green willows and beeches on the far side.   Out in the middle of the pond was a duck house, my center of interest.   Apparently nobody had told the pigeons that this was a duck house because there were dozens of pigeons sunning themselves on its pale gray roof.   This is a city after all!

So please excuse the insertion of a painting from August while in the middle of February!

Full Moon Over Zakim Bridge

Full Moon Over Zakim Bridge

It was zero degrees and we were walking (half running actually) to the TD Garden for a New Year's Eve Basketball game.   Despite the biting cold and winds, the spectacular scene of the moon splitting the space between the Zakim Bridge and the TD Garden called for a picture.   I was so glad we stopped to snap it, as it turned out to be a great photo reference for this painting.  There were no people because we were the only crazy ones walking in the brutal temperatures.  The long horizontal aspect was perfect for the 12x24 inch canvas.  The city lights and neon signs were bright and colorful.   Even the North Station trains and the turquoise supports were visible beyond the city snowbanks.  This is going to be a good over the sofa addition for a Boston sports fan I think!

BUY NOW

Frozen Boston Skyline

Frozen Charles River at Dusk

New Year's Eve 2018 we celebrated along the banks of the Charles River just behind Boston's Science Museum.  What a view of the city from inside our room at the Sonesta Hotel!  The John Hancock building and the Prudential Tower were the tallest and most recognizable buildings from here.  The historic Longfellow bridge with its "salt and pepper" shaker shaped central towers was visible as well.    The whole scene was breathtaking and especially spectacular at dusk.

In the painting, the Charles River reflections may look watery, but it was ice that was picking up the reflections. People in the Boston area may remember that this was an absolutely frigid weekend, with temperatures well below zero.     The only water was a very small patch at Charles River boat club moorings. Around some shrink-wrapped boats, water pumps were running, presumably designed to keep the icy from forming around these fancy boats.  This dark watery area had attracted several geese that were huddled together at the edge, literally not moving for hours.

Northern Ave Gray Day

Northern Ave Gray Day - Stage One

On this May morning, the outside temperature was 51 degrees, but there with heavy overcast and rain on the way, it felt quite chilly along Northern Ave on the Boston waterfront.   My thought was, capture the scene quickly and finish in the studio if necessary.  The clouds were very pretty in a stormy kind of way.   I used my round palette knife to swirl the cloudy sky.    Everything had a gray tinge to it, even the one "vivid" part of the scene, which was the long row of international flags lining the top of the World Trade Center.

Dots of color on palette for flags

Gray Day Northern Ave

I tried to loosen up and just render an impression, with an emphasis on the right colors and values.  There was lavender leaning blue in every color. In the photo of my palette, I demonstrate how I painted the international flags.   I created a row of bright colorful dots of paint comprised of the colors in the flags.   Using my palette knife I scraped up the line of paint dots onto the straight edge, then applied the straight edge of the palette knife with all the colorful dabs of paint making a short vertical stroke upward.   The knife was wiped clean and the remainder of the colorful dots were scooped up with the opposite edge of the palette knife and short vertical strokes down so that the row of flags were completed.  This produced an impressionistic rendering of the flags

Fenway Park - Behind Bleachers View

Night Game at Fenway

This Fenway Park scene depicts the view from the tunnel between Bleacher Sections 40 and 41.    It's always a thrill to emerge from the darkish concession area to the mesmerizing and colorful buzz of Boston's Fenway Park, especially at night.    The energy of the crowd is contageous and the setting is like no other in Major League Baseball. The classic Fenway Park sign with its vintage red lettering is boldly emblazoned over the homeplate area. 

The painting has some strong angular lines but also rounded and fuzzy areas such as the figures and the crowd.  The warm orange lighting from the concession area under the stadium seating contrasts nicely with the cool day-toned type of stadium lights.   The World Series just ended, but finishing this painting has got me looking forward to spring training already!

BUY NOW

Boston Hatch Shell Reflections

Boston Hatch Shell Reflections - Stage One

I found a parking spot on Beacon Street in late morning as I was heading to the Copley Society to drop off some paintings.   This spot was just a few yards from Arlington Street and the intersection that leads to the Arthur Fiedler Footbridge over Storrow Drive.  I've wanted to paint along the Charles River for some time now, but I had myself convinced it was not really accessible, and would involve too much walking.   This was my chance though, and it did require some hiking. 

Boston Hatch Shell Reflections - Stage Two

I placed my gear on wheels and headed for the famous Hatch Shell, a half-moon shaped outdoor stage located on the Boston side of the Charles River.   The green space here is also known as the "Esplanade."  There were several little footbridges over the parallel waterways and I painted one that was bathed in sunlight.   I painted from the next footbridge over. 

Mounted State Police Unit Passing By

Although leafy trees largely obscured my direct view of the Hatch Shell stage, its golden sunlit reflection was visible in the water.  As is often the case with plein air, the scene was loaded with elements to the point of being chaotic.  As the painting progressed though, the wildness was tamed down by the rhythm of color mixing and palette knife strokes.  With reflections, they are best developed right in synch with their subjects and not as an after-thought.

Boston Hatch Shell Reflections

Tulips Peaking - Boston Public Garden with Spring Bulbs

Tulips Peaking - Phase One

It was the first week of May and finally it is starting to warm up - and green up.    Tulips beds line the many walkways in Boston Public Garden and even from a distance, the bright colors are a delight after a cold grey winter.  

This creation is comprised of two 8x8 squares that were positioned side by side.   I used "sight sizing", a technique in which the scene and the painting are developed in duplicate (when standing a particular distance from the canvas) such that the eye can move from subject to canvas and the scene looks identical (in theory:)).

Maureen Painting at BPG

It was pleasant and sunny at the start but as the clouds moved in, the light changed, which is as always, a primary challenge of plein air painting.  I wanted to be sure that the peaking tulips were included, but as I often do, I didn't get close enough for them to make a big statement in the painting.     Instead, the old granite steps, walkers and ducks became the more important elements.   The swan boats had just started running so that was a nice backdrop, although they didn't make it into the painting.

Tulips Peaking

Lots of people stopped to watch the progress.   A young Emerson College senior named Marshall stopped by and we had a somewhat philosophical discussion about paint application and impressionism.  He was strolling through the BPG after having just taken the last test of his college days!   I congratulated him heartily and wished him success.   Old enough to be his grandmother, I could fully appreciate this huge accomplishment in the grand scheme of life.  That he was taking time to savor the day in a place where nature and city collide was so nice.. joining lots of others who were taking time to "just be."

Well beyond the two hour mark, I checked the time and realized that my parking meter had expired!   I packed up and headed for my vehicle.   I could see orange tickets on several windshields, including all the adjacent cars!?    No ticket for me! Great day all around!!