Wooden Wonder - Powder Point Bridge

 

Wooden Wonder - Powder Point Bridge

 

 Red sky at night, sailors' delight...

It's not quite red but the thick overcast was giving way to clearer skies, and setting sun was catching the underside of the cloud bank at the Powder Point Bridge.   This marvelous bridge is special to many on the South Shore of Massachusetts.  It's unique length and structure has made it into documentaries and movies over the years, and of course, it is a favorite of photographers and painters.

The bridge is, in fact, the longest wooden bridge in the United States at 2,200 feet.  When the original bridge was built in 1892 it subtracted seven hours of travel from the trip from Duxbury Center to the Gurnet which is at the furthest tip of Duxbury Beach.  The bridge has been a topic in this blog several times if you'd like to know more and see my past paintings of it.

This painting is large at 18x36 which makes it the perfect living room piece for "over the couch."

Pumphouse

Pumphouse - Duxbury Bogs

Unless you are a person who hikes local trails regularly or studies maps, you could never imagine how many cranberry bogs dot the Southeastern portion of Massachusetts.   Many bogs are no longer active, and slowly they become bird paradise.   Those that are actively worked and harvested resemble neat weed free crimson carpets.

I love spending time there painting and if you search this blog's labels for cranberry, you will find many paintings that feature local bogs.  The reasons are many - wide open space with lots of light, nice deep red color even in winter, and the high likelihood of spotting wildlife.

This pump house sits between two bogs in Duxbury and on this December day - post cranberry harvest- there were still plenty of fruits piled up along the edges of the bog, in contrast to the deep blue sky.

Cranberry Bog Snow Melt

Cranberry Bog Snow Melt

One of my favorite cranberry bog scenes is located in Duxbury, MA and is called Plucky Bog.   This bog is situated right alongside Route 3 in South Duxbury.   I've painted here on other occasions, and on this mild, mid-February the last of the shaded snow was still visible.   The shaded snow was blue, much bluer than you would think.   The cobalt sky had wispy clouds and jet contrails that happened to be angling opposite of the bog channels.   The linear elements seemed to point to the irrigation pump house on the far embankment, a good compositional feature.

At this spot in the past, a fox ran across the bog, some deer emerged from the far trees and red tailed hawks put on a swooping show.   Today, there were no sightings, other than the observation of a perfect winter day out of the studio!

 

Powder Point Bridge Winter Winds

Powder Point Winter Winds

Although for winter, it was a relatively mild forty degrees, the raw winter wind made it feel much colder at the Powder Point Bridge in Duxbury, MA. Bracing against the chill, I didn't spend time on long admiring gazes at the always beautiful Duxbury Bay.   Instead I got right down to the business of mixing the cold,  molasses texture paint.    The color scheme this time of year is greatly influenced by the low angle of the sun, and that translates to gray-blue water, gray-brown bridge, gray-gold grasses, gray-pink sky.   In spite of the lack of chroma, the resulting painting and gray palette seemed especially nice, almost serene.  Morning walkers were not deterred by the cold, moist winds so I had plenty of choices as to who would be painted.   I decided on this couple, a tall man and short woman, kinda' like my husband and me.

BUY NOW

Duxbury Beach Day for 100th Anniversary DAA

Duxbury Beach Day

The Duxbury Art Association is celebrating their 100th birthday this year.  The organization has a number of commemorative activities in motion, one of which is a travelling exhibit of donated 10x10" works of art.   The painting in this post is my donation to the event, so it may appear in a local venue sometime soon.     The scene is a long view of Duxbury Beach Reservation from the end of the beachhouses.   On this day there were dozens of people along the shoreline, their colorful beach attire and umbrellas illuminated in the bright July sunshine.

Blakeman's at Sunset II

Sunset at Blakeman's II

At the Duxbury Beach Reservation in Duxbury, Massachusetts, there is a seasonal fish shack called Blakeman's.   The place is just about as casual a restaurant as you'll find, a perfect dinner option for tired and hungry (even barefoot) beachgoers.     With the right timing, you may get to enjoy a gorgeous sunset over Duxbury Bay like the one that inspired this painting, as you consume your fish and chips.

The south facing side of the pavillion building is covered with colorful lobster buoys and in this scene, they are bathed in shadowy blue.   Non-shadows had an orangey glow that spilled onto the roof peaks, sandy gravel and seagrasses.   This blue/orange harmony is one of my favorites, especially for sunsets.  I pumped up the color by using the more extreme tinting power of Prussian Blue, contrasted with a cadmium red and yellow blend.

This painting was created for the Duxbury Art Association 2017 Exhibition commemorating its 100th year.  If selected, it would be part of a larger panel exhibit and/or auctioned to raise money for the DAA community programs.    Alternately, it could be auctioned off or put
on display by DAA, so I will keep you posted!

Maritime School Dock

Maritime School Dock

Photo of Scene

At the Duxbury Bay Maritime School in Duxbury, MA, things were hopping.   It was mid-June and school was out for summer -judging from the number of young people engaging in crew related activities and other boat preparations.    I found a little niche against a dock railing where I was not in anyone's way.   This spot was also behind a small shed only steps from my vehicle that overlooked the boat ramp and dock.   A fine young 18 year old assured me that the spot I had chosen would not impede him or the others as they worked.   It was a fun scene to watch and it became obvious from the chatter that this boating program and many new summer jobs had just started.

Maritime School Dock

As for the scene, it is always a little chancy when it's a beautiful day at a busy dock.  One minute the scene is intact and the next thing you know, the center of interest can be moved or gone.    Luckily, on this day, the pretty blue sailboat docked closest to me was not moved, (that is, with the exception of the tide's vertical drop) even though the skiffs behind it did come and go.

The angular elements and the shadowy contrast of the steel supports of the pier beyond seemed to form a strong composition.   There wasn't a lot of color but I liked the gray, blue and brown scheme.   All of those colors made their way into the water and the dock.

(Note to other painters: on this painting I wore sunglasses the entire time!  I've preached no sunglasses for true color matching, but after last week's marathon plein air competition, my fatigued eyes were feeling extra "light sensitive."     I'm trying to assess objectively if this painting looks too light because of the sunglasses, and I think it seems okay. I would be curious if the painting seems too light to anyone, because if it doesn't, my eyes would be happy to know it.

Front Fence and Lilacs

Large lilac shrubs mark the property line between two old antique homes in Duxbury.  I was set up across the road in a little park.  The ornate white fence on the left led to the old granite retaining wall of the property on the right.    It was an ordinary scene but once something becomes the subject of an oil painting, it doesn't seem as ordinary.

Front Fence and Lilacs

Pond Coming to Life

Pond Inhabitants

Today's painting location was a pond which was quite typical of the landscape of Southeastern Massachusetts.  This body of water was immediately surrounded by thick underbrush and beyond that, tall pine and deciduous trees.   It's spring and much of the greenery is just past the flowering stage and now sprouting emerald green leaf sets.

Pond Coming to Life

The pond was really coming to life.  Over the course of two hours, I saw a pair of bright orange orioles, cardinals, chickadees, a red tailed hawk and the young family of geese shown in the photo - multiple facets of enjoyment via plein air!

Pond Coming to Life

Rooster Comb Red

Rooster Comb Red

The Historic O'Neil Farm is the last remaining working dairy farm in Duxbury, Massachusetts.  The 145 acre property has been in continuous agricultural use since the early 1700s and is permanently protected as one of the oldest and last working farms on the South Shore of Massachusetts.

The trail alongside the farm was an easy one mile hike and at times it felt more like a rural trail in Pennsylvania than a seaside town in Massachusetts.

There were several scenes that I thought would make interesting paintings, cows in the fields, cows at the water trough, and cows in the woods.   Barn cats were lolling about in the sun and a group of turkeys pecked away at the front lawn of the old farmhouse.  I hope to return to the farm for an on site paint-out but meanwhile, this painting was created from a photo I took on this first visit.  The rooster in the photo paused at the entrance of the chicken house just prior to stepping out into the sunlight.  The rooster's red crest caught my eye because it looked nearly fluorescent against the darkness of the hen house.

I have more work to do on this one.  The wood looks too white, the rooster breast is too dark and I'd like to brighten up the red comb even more.   I'll post it to my website when it is done.

King Caesar House View

King Caesar House View - Stage One

Historic Marker

In Duxbury, MA there is an antique mansion called the "King Caesar House" that has a varied history.   It was initially the residence of one of the most successful ship builders an owners in America, Ezra Weston and descendants.   His enormous success led to the nickname "King Caesar."    The Weston family eventually sold the mansion and it became a prep school for boys in the early nineteen hundreds.   It was then home to Austrian born painter, Elizabeth Weber-Fulop and eventually it was purchased by the community and converted into a museum in 1967.  The museum commemorates the busy shipbuilding days of Duxbury and is even open for tours and special events.   I considered painting the mansion itself, but decided that an elaborate architectural drawing would not be as much fun on this particular day as the pretty distant shoreline and interesting wind bent trees in the park.  There was a nice green space in front of the museum which faces Kingston Bay, with Plymouth in the far distance where I set up.


King Caesar House View - Stage Two

 
I seldom underpaint these days but I did cover the white line with transparent red oxide for a change.   It brought some life to the spring greens, but was too harsh for my liking for the more distant areas.  For these distant planes, I made sure I covered it up.


https://youtu.be/y4kTlj5v1s8

Here is a nearly complete painting from this early Spring paint out.

King Caesar Mansion View

Gray Winter Bog

Inaugural Paint-Out with "Vanna"

The site of this paint-out was the Duxbury Bogs along East Street in Duxbury, MA.  The map and description in the previous blue link describes the three distinct types of landscape here, namely the "upland", the "transition area" and of course, the "cranberry bogs."  The forecast was "rain by noon," and I did finish by noon without ever seeing a drop - despite looking like it may rain at any minute.   I enjoyed swirling some pink, blue and lavender into my very gray-day sky.

Initial Set-up

Gray Winter Bog - Stage One

Cranberry bogs turn a deep rich purple color in late autumn.   I scooped up some alizarin crimson, held it up to the bog, and did a direct comparison.   The color was nearly exact, and the value of the bog was slightly lighter than the "out of the tube" color.  The intensity of the paint color was stronger and more vivid than the actual bog.   I decided I liked this pumped up chroma, so I used it "as is".

Bogs generally have a cool, moist and quiet feel to them, but substract the "quiet" part if it is 10 a.m., which was when I started painting.This bog is very popular for dog walking, giving me options for including a human/canine center of interest.   The pairs of Golden Retrievers were particularly colorful against the muted early winter colors.  The bright red hat of the owner also stood out against the dark pines.

Two Goldens and Red Hat

Two Trees at the Landing

Howland's Landing - Stage One

We returned to Howland's Landing in Duxbury, MA on this hot, sunny day. The variety of subjects here make it a perfect plein air painting location.  There are wooded areas on the uphill side, the ocean inlet with a wide (low tide) sandbar, and of course plenty of shorebirds, boats and people.  




Two Trees at the Landing - Stage Two

I set up under a very old cedar, its thick evergreen habit providing a dense, shady location.   The trees in front of me were very dark, in stark contrast with the bright sunny water and boats beyond.  The warm gold grasses in front of me had that sun dappled look that is so pretty.   I staged the background first in order to avoid contaminating the bright sky and water with the inevitable super-darks.   I sight-sized the trees from about five steps back; see Stage Three photo and the size matching of the trees can be seen at the top...  


Two Trees at the Landing - Stage Three

Two Trees at the Landing

Like most paint-outs, the fun is as much about the sensory experience of a unique place and time, as it is about turning out a painting.  I do like how this turned out though!

Myles Standish Homestead View

Miles Standish Historical Marker

I stumbled onto this piece of history as I looked for a beachy type spot to paint.  The location of this paint out was on the southern tip of a peninsula in Duxbury, MA where Plymouth Colony Military Leader, Myles Standish lived until his death in 1656.    The historical farmland is preserved as a small park and has a fantastic view of Kingston Bay and Clarks Island.   We are so fortunate to live in an area rich in history, and not to mention its diverse beauty.

It was windy when I started this painting and it got even windier as I painted.   It was so gusty that I placed my palette on the ground instead of risking it tipping over with the easel.  The sun gave way to clouds eventually and since the conditions were changing dramatically, it was essential that the painting get "locked in" to the original concept, rather than "chasing" the current circumstances.



Miles Standish Homestead View

The tide was dead low and the sand bars were visible through the shallow waters.   Directly below my spot, bordering the shoreline, there were a number of tidal pools filled with water and surrounded by seagrasses.    At the edge of the bluff right in front of me, there were various bushes and vines growing (and blowing) wildly.   This painting was a good exercise in creating greens in a cool light situation.    As you'll see, I introduced a bit of warmth in the foreground vegetation to help the depth.  The final element added was the old dock, essentially in ruins, making me wonder just how old those pilings were - also who built it and when - given that this was such a historic spot!


Meeting House on Hardin Hill Road Duxbury MA

Harden Hill Center

Perfect temperatures and a great day for plein air.   This location is about a 400 feet from Duxbury Bay and I could hear the seagulls and boat horns, but not see them.   I liked the matching cupolas on the rooflines as well as the lush pine tree out in front.  My adjustments to this one would be to add more warm yellow to the roof planes which were brightly sunlit, as well as the lawn.

Horse Barn Harrison St Duxbury

Stage One

Last year I noticed a beautiful farm on Harrison Street in Duxbury where two horses were enjoying a large grassy area that was located just below an old farmhouse and barn.   On this day I set up hoping that the horses would appear at some point (they never did - unfortunately).  

It is the first week of May and there is no green brighter than the initial buds and blades this time of year.  In fact it was so green that I hesitated to paint it as (fluorescent) green as it was;  it would not even seem quite right -I think. 



Stage Two

Another thing I did today was to time myself (executing a typical 9x12 painting) in preparation for the "quick draw" competition I'll be doing in a couple of weeks.  I seldom think about time when I paint; in fact everything drops away while in the trance. :)



Stage Three

For the quick draw I'll have 120 minutes to paint and frame my painting.  This painting took between 90 and 100 minutes to get it to a presentable point.




Here are the times in case anyone is interested:

Unload gear and set up easel:                                         4 Min
Line sketch:                                                                  10 Min
Refine Drawing (paper towel wipe out                              11 Min
First layer  (cover sky, treeline, barn, foreground)            42 Min
Second Layer (thick lights, middle tree, grassy brushwork)  26 Min

The total time then was 92 minutes.  That leaves 28 minutes for framing so I am more comfortable than I was!   I spent another ten minutes on it in the studio.

Horse Barn Harrison St Duxubury



Christmas Still Life with Antique Key, Mister and Holly

This year at the Duxbury Art Association Craft Showcase, I participated by both shopping (great merchandise) and painting.   My favorite booth was that of Marlene, an expert in handknits.  I could not resist her selection of adorable children's sweater sets.   She is a master at her craft!

I did settle down and concentrate on my painting demonstration.  I had been tempted to paint something from a photograph; it would have been much lighter and less bulky than bringing all the items needed for a still life set up.    My good painting conscious saved me and I assembled, packed and hauled the necessary gear.     That list included a spotlight, fabric, assorted ceramic, holly leaves, holly berries, ribbon, and antique key.  Yes, painting from life always yields a better result so it was worth a little extra effort.

I had numerous visitors, young and old, curious about the paint, the painting, and the process.    One four year old boy (actually he clarified that he was "four and three-quarters") insisted to his Dad that he didn't want to leave this spot, and wanted to watch me paint.    He suggested to me that instead of red holly berries, I should paint blueberries, since blue was his favorite color.  I obliged, of course..who could resist this adorable little guy.

It is interesting that the easel and paint draw some children like a strong magnet.   Little children are still attuned to what they really want and like - years before their natural tendencies are - perhaps -realigned. taking on the parental "ought to" slant.

Here is the 2014 Christmas Still Life antique key, purple plant mister, pine cones, holly leaves/berries and teacups with red ribbon woven through.

Merry Christmas to All!

Powder Point Bridge at Dawn

Powder Point Bridge at Dawn

Amazing Powder Point Bridge is a local icon here on the South Shore of Massachusetts.  It is not only functionally vital for barrier island access to Saquish and the Gurnett, but it is a beautiful testament to old fashion wooden construction.   I've painted it before and I know I'll paint it again, but today's post depicts the bridge at dawn.   The angle of the painting is from the northern side of the bridge looking east across Duxbury Bay.   The Atlantic is just beyond the distant neck of land, which is Duxbury Beach.

In this painting, the sun has just burst over the horizon. The low angle of the sun is casting long bluish shadows.   The pink morning light influenced the sky, the sand, the sea grasses, and the bridge. I exaggerated the color a bit and made the lightsest areas thick and oily.   Once the grasses dried, I  made another pass using my palette knife to scumble some final peachy lights over the tips.   I was trying for a bit of shine and highlight.

The challenge with this scene was to determine how much bridge detail was too much.   There were lots of wooden pilings and cross supports - more than are depicted in my painting.    Paintings can appear tedious and overworked if they appea too realistic (in my opinion :))    I am hoping I hit the right balance and I'm still too involved to be objective.  Its time to take a rest from it.  

So here it is.  The canvas size is 12 x 24 inches, perfect for depicting the longest wooden bridge in the United States*   I would love to get feedback on anything that may not read quite right.

Oh, and if you are interested, here are links to two other posts of Powder Point paintings.

http://maureen-vezina.blogspot.com/2012/11/powder-point-bridge.html
http://maureen-vezina.blogspot.com/2013/08/back-to-powder-point-bridge.html

*2200 feet

Hicks Point from Bay Road, Duxbury

Cedars on the Marsh

In South Duxbury, Massachusetts, the coastline turns inward and faces Kingston Bay.   There are several marshy areas that border Kingston Bay forming pretty inlets.     The inlet in front of me in this painting is Island Creek, and presumably it passes under the road I was on (Bay Road).     According to the map I checked, the neck of land on the left is called Hicks Point.   Wouldn't that house make a great painting location (or home for that matter)!   I had to settle for a long view of it for this painting.

The tide was rising and it was an astronomically extra-high tide.   The marsh quickly turned watery and what really caught my attention were the two huge clusters of dark cedars.   Although I loved the composition through my viewfinder, once I captured in on the canvas, it was quite ordinary. I was somewhat disappointed with the result from the actual paint out.

Hicks Point, South Duxbury, MA

I guess you could say that "ordinary" was the theme of this paint out.   No unusual stories to report; it was just a peaceful, serene session of matching marshy golds and cloudy skies.   Okay, I think what I'm saying is this post is dull, #pleinair painting is always exciting!

Duxbury Beach in August

Duxbury Beach August Afternoon - Stage One

For this afternoon paint out, I set up on the first crossover to the left after entering Duxbury Beach Reservation from Gurnett Road.    It was one hour until high tide, which was perfect for a painting session of two hours.   There were lots of people enjoying the beach, most of them clustered further down the beach near the bathhouse building.




Duxbury Beach August Afternoon - Stage Two

Duxbury Beach August Afternoon Stage Three

This canvas had a peachy underpainting which turned out to be a good color to let show through for the sand and grasses.  I began though, with the pretty summer sky, pthalo blue and titanium white with small cottonball clouds.  I learned from my Naval defense circles that the deep water vessels are called "blue water" vessels and shallow water, and more maneuverable watercraft are called "green water" vessels and it is no wonder looking at today's water.    The deeper sea horizon line was dark ultramarine blue, gradually lightening and turning more green toward the sandy shore.   The sand was peachy taupe and I added some pink for the fun of it.   The mature dune grasses were tall and leaning toward the beach from the westerly wind off the marsh.   The grass colors were beginning to turn yellowish gold (a mix of raw sienna, naples yellow, and various greens).  

The long beach was fairly populated, and it seemed that they were mostly in clusters.   I added some of the groups of people and also added few swimmers.    I began the people groups with a slender horizontal shadow line on the sand.   I then pulled skinny strands of paint up from the horizontal shadow to create the individuals.   The snow fence posts, large to small, walk the viewer down the beach to the bathhouse.