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!! :)

Plein Air Painting in Chatham

 

Chatham Dunes

Beautiful Chatham, MA is only a little over an hour from us, yet once we crossed over the Cape Cod Canal, it felt like a distant getaway.   This was a short end-of-summer vacation trip complete with lots of walking, touring, shopping, eating out, and - the bonus, plein air painting.     I painted three paintings over the three days, all of which are shown below.

On the first day after settling in, we sat on the beach for a while watching the incoming fishing boats being chased by seals and swirling seagulls.   The late summer colors were beautiful and subtle and I hadn't planned on painting.  I  figured though, if I gave myself one hour before dinner, I could get a color study done.  The thought was irresistable. The color match was pretty accurate and it may look nicer in person because of all the thick paint.  Chatham Dunes.

Chatham Boat Launch

On day two, we discovered the boat launch scene by using Google Earth.   I could see the kayaks stacked up on the sand and no houses nearby on this bird's eye view.  Sure enough we were able to drive right down to the shore and we had the place to ourselves.   Technology is occasionally great!   We both painted this pristine vista and you can probably make out my husband's figure on the left of the in-progress photo.

Boat Launch with Sand

I had just finished and stepped sway noting with satisfaction that it was just the way I wanted it, when the wind took my whole easel down.    The good news is that the painting landed face up.  The bad news is that - well - see photo. I was not happy and it took me a while to get over it.  I scrapped off the sky completely and decided that a little sand in the sand and grasses was okay!  True plein air after all.

Chatham Silhouettes at Dawn

The third and final painting was done the next morning about an hour past dawn.   The silhouettes of the veranda, chairs and beach house were dark and dramatic against the soft bright sky.    Luckily I worked the sky, ocean and far barrier island first.   I say "luckily" because these elements soon disappeared in the mist.    The up sloping lawn was very green and not a look that I wanted to emphasize.  I left that decision for the studio, and in fact, it soon started to rain.   I was very happy to have gotten a paint-out in at all!