Plymouth Harbor Dinghies

Plymouth Harbor Dinghies in Progress

Prior to my open studio session in Plymouth, I walked over to the waterfront where I enjoyed this gorgeous scene.  It was "golden hour," when the late light is so warm and dramatic.  It was low tide and glow from the low angle - an orangey-gold glow on everything.    In the far distance under the footbridge (left), was the water of the Kingston Bay.  The footbridge leads to the very long granite breakwater that protects Plymouth Harbor.

Plymouth Harbor Dinghies

There you have the geographical backdrop, but the real center of interest for the painting was the cluster of dinghies tied up at this dock.  Where I was standing, the water below me was starting to darken, and that exaggerated the brightness of the warm light on the boats.  What a fun scene to capture!

Spooner Swans

Gulls, Ducks and Swans

Spooner Pond often catches my eye when travelling along Route 3A toward Plymouth, MA.   A stoplight across from the water sometimes allows time to see the swans that live there.  It was late in the afternoon on this cloudy November day when I decided to pull into a parking area along side the pond and get a better look.





Spooner Swans - In Progress

There were water fowl everywhere so there must have been plenty of fish.  There were probably 100 seagulls sitting on the roof of a small office structure next to me, and a few dozen ducks were quacking in circles below where I stood. 
Swans were also swimming around - more swans than I have ever seen at one time (ten).   They say swans mate for life and before this, I had only seen one adult pair per pond.   So it seemed amazing to see such a large group in one place.  This had to become a painting.   I set up and worked on the "post-peak" foliage and reflections all the while enjoying the interactions of seagulls, ducks and swans.   The swans were the last element to be added, seven in all.  You know, so that I have the option to give the painting a very obvious title!

August Mayflower II

August Mayflower II

Another painting of the Mayflower II you say?   Well yes, because I love painting at the Plymouth waterfront in summer.   It is not just a pleasant and comfortable location on a hot day, but it is truly and international cultural experience.  I talked with people from Canada, China, Great Britain, and Turkey.  Interest in the arts is truly universal and like music, it is a way to find common ground.

I did consider other scenes, but I liked the high tide reflections of the warm yellow Mayflower II and the trees.  
I credit the picture below to a fine emerging photographer who was kind enough to take pictures and allow me to use them.   His photography is beautiful and if you are interested in seeing more, visit his website:

http://www.photography-mg.com/Clients/Maureen-Vezina/n-h9dTjM/

Maureen Painting Mayflower II Scene

Muggy Morning Painting the Mayflower II



Muggy Morning Painting the Mayflower II

The clouds were the highlight today - changing and moving quickly as if a shower could break out at any time.  With a rising tide, and bright backlighting, the Plymouth, MA waterfront was swimming in direct and reflected light.   From this angle along Water Street the Mayflower II masts were visible over the pier and were echoed in the water.

There were dozens of onlookers and many international visitors strolling the waterfront.   Interest in art is universal even if there is a language barrier.   A smile and a nod - translation? - I see what you are doing and I like it!


Muggy Morning at Mayflower II

Two hours of high humidity and I was looking forward to my vehicle's AC.  Shortly before I finished, one very nice gentleman shot the following video of my paint-out.


Manomet Chapel Park

Manomet Chapel Park Stage One

During a scenic drive through South Plymouth we stumbled upon Saint Catherine’s Chapel Park in Manomet.   This green space was created through the benevolent efforts of a local resident and gifted to the Simes House Foundation; they encourage the public and their pets to enjoy the paths, green fields and wild flower gardens.  




Manomet Chapel Park

We enjoyed the open space as painters on this holiday weekend.    My husband and I painted the same house - funny - without having discussed our subjects ahead of time.   We got a visit from a local photographer who put our paint-out into the local newspaper The Manomet Current.





Engagement with Nature

Engagement with Nature - Stage One

Plymouth’s Town Brook is an amazing green oasis this time of year.  Every April tens of thousands of herring enter through Plymouth Harbor heading upstream to lay their eggs in freshwater. Most of the herring that migrate through Town Brook are a variety known as alewives, which Native Wampanoag have been using as food and fertilizer for centuries. Back in 1621 the Wampanoag people shared this knowledge with the Pilgrims.   The Town of Plymouth has done a great job weaving in this natural wonder for the enjoyment of all.  

Engagement with Nature - Stage Two

There are walking paths that run parallel with the brook that flow to Plymouth Harbor.   The roadways that surround the brook are up above the slopes on either side and as this scene shows, a main thoroughfare sits upon a beautiful old stone bridge.   It was perfect for painting with a potential scene in every direction.  I talked with at least a dozen people, walkers, tourists and workers also enjoying this gem.   As always time melted away and given that I talked to as many people as I did, it was no wonder that three and a half hours had transpired once I finished up.

I set up facing downstream looking at the large stone overpass with the winding paths and a small foot bridge in the foreground.      The transparent darks typically are applied thinly, but I thought the darks should be very dark so they are thickly painted.   Of course the greens and yellows are thick - like soft spread butter.  Oh so much green, but that coupled with the sound of running water made for heavenly experience.

Just Engaged

The most memorable encounter of the day was meeting a young woman who was there to take pictures of her friends getting engaged, a surprise to the bride.   She asked if she could hang out next to me as if taking landscape pictures so as to be unnoticed.  Of course! :)  The groom had arranged the whole thing (obviously a special guy).  At 10:30 the couple would be at the top of the brook at the Grist Mill, an exquisite spot for the special moment.  The woman taking photos was ready and to be honest I kept painting and didn't realize they had come.   A few minutes later they all came down to say hi,

very happy and emotional, and proudly showing me the ring.   How very special to have been - slightly - involved with this life changing moment.   Pictures of the couple and their lovely picture-taking friend to the right.

Oh and my painting is here too :)

The Shallop

The Shallop

The Plymouth Harbor waterfront is a fine plein air location for many reasons including the endless variety of subjects, pleasant bay breezes, prime parking and lots of foot traffic.   I started this painting back in September en plein air but I recall this being my second painting that day and I had run out of time.   I was happy to have captured the sky, water and the shape of the boats before packing up.   Every pastel shade of grey seemed to have been bouncing around that day.  

Being somewhat snowbound this week, I got back to the painting using a photograph.  I'm happy to work on this scene because who knows when the Mayflower II will be back on the waterfront.   It was put into dry dock for repairs this past fall.

Although the Mayflower is the famous element, it is the "shallop" that is the painting's center of interest.  In the 1600s, the word “shallop” referred to an open wooden workboat such as a barge, dory, or rowboat. Shallops were small enough to row but also had one or two sails.   This shallop looked like it was about 30 feet long and 8 feet wide and was used to shuttle passengers to shore.   The shallop actually sat aboard the Mayflower en route and was even used as sleeping space for some passengers. 

My favorite part of the scene was the colorful ripples reflecting the colors of the shallop, the pilings and the pastel sky.   I've included a close up of the ripples to the left.  I'm wondering if the shallop accompanied the Mayflower to dry dock for repairs or if it will be on display in the Spring.


Ripples with All the Colors

Along Water Street in Plymouth

Water Street Shops

Gift shops opened their doors - literally - to tourists and locals on this warm, sunny September day.
Along Water Street there was a steady stream of walkers and many were interested enough to stop and chat about and/or observe the painting process.   The palette knife seems to be of particular interest.  I explained that I liked doing skies with wispy clouds with the palette knife, after which I usually switch to a brush. 



Many people stopped: a couple from Orleans who were spending the day on the "mainland."  two French speaking women with palette knife technique questions, a retired Cinncinati couple, lovely ladies Ellie and Christine, a female National Parks Ranger and a young mother who wondered, could that neck of land out there (Long Beach) possibly be Cape Cod?  A young lawyer from China even bought a painting of the Mayflower that I had done last year. 



Brewster Street Afternoon

I got two paintings done from virtually the same spot.   One painting captured the block of shops between Water Street and Winslow Street.  Racks of clothing, colorful souvenir shirts and bags hang along the windows.  The second painting is the scene looking up Brewster Street, the 1820 Courthouse and The Spire Theater at the top of the street.   For this second painting, I was looking directly into the sun, so the values are simplified to bright and dark.   The "black top" of the street actually appeared white. :)

Mayflower II on Columbus Day

Mayflower II on Columbus Day Stage 1

Plymouth continues to buzz with tourists now even into the Autumn.    On Columbus Day Monday I decided to paint out before dropping paintings off for the upcoming Plymouth Center for the Arts exhibit.    I've painted the Mayflower II before, but I'm learning that repeating subjects can really produce good results.   In subsequent efforts, the learnings from prior attempts kick in and painting what you know is always a good thing.

Mayflower II on Columbus Day Stage 2

At the start of the paint-out, the entire Mayflower was illuminated equally, specifically both the rear plane and the side planes, but by the time I was finishing up, the sun had moved.   It had shifted sufficiently west that the rear plane was brightly lit, but the side was more in shadow.   This change better defined the boat's shape.   I generally preach "locking in" the scene and not chasing changing elements, like the light.   In this case, the light was better at the end, so I used it instead.  One of the changes I still may make is to subdue the foreground grass.

Plymouth Harbor

Plymouth Harbor - Stage 1

Autumn is a popular time for travel to New England, and judging by today's scene in Plymouth, this year is no different.   Busses full of visitors unloaded and the glorious weather allowed locals and tourists alike to enjoy the waterfront.

It started out quite cool and breezy, and I had to rethink where I set up.   I moved to a spot where there was a boulder and some shrubs that blocked the wind.   In my viewfinder, there were multiple interesting planes looking east from the furthest shoreline (Duxbury), to mid-distance (Clark Island and Long Beach) and closer (Plymouth Jetty).

Plymouth Harbor - Stage 2

I marked where the three boats I planned on including would be placed.    The closest boat was a sharp looking white boat with dual outboard motors.   The next was a smaller pleasure boat equipped with fishing gear.  The furthest of the trio was a green lobster boat.

The sky was pale blue, a strong contrast with the deep blue of the harbor and outer bay.   A realistic use of blue can really distinguish a painting.   Blue out of the tube is seldom, if ever, a perfect match.   I like to start with some cobalt and ultramarine blue for deep blue color water like today's scheme.   I got a generous amount on my palette knife or brush, then held it up to compare against the water's color.   I gradually added a transparent brown oxide to the blue combo until the color on my brush was a good match. I am always surprised at how grey the color becomes before it is close in color to the blue water in front of me.    I started with a darker value than the actual value.   That was because when I topped off the water's ripples with a scumble, I could use a lighter blue over it for better choppy texture and contrast.

Plymouth Harbor - Stage 3

Finally, I squinted at the many boats that were moored along the harbor toward the jetty.   My squinting at it reduced the detail to a random series of white marks which I attempted to reproduce in front of my painting's jetty.

So here is the effort so far.   Before I put it on my website, I will let it sit for a few days.   It may be a little too gray.

Plymouth Harbor Southern Coastline

 

It was a gorgeous dry day in August.   A waterfront festival was ongoing along Water Street in Plymouth and the street was closed to cars and opened to pedestrians.   As result we couldn't easily gain access to our usual spots.   Instead we traveled a little further south along Route 3A and stopped at a public park on Plymouth Harbor called Stephen's Field.



Windy & Sunny Day Set Up



Plymouth Harbor South Coast in Progress

I have been fine tuning my plein air set up over the past few months.   Today I was able to take advantage of my big umbrella and the back of my vehicle to avoid the wind.   I left the side opening rear door open and placed the umbrella base just below the far left side.   I used a bungy cord to connect the leftmost umbrella spoke (wind facing) to the rear car door.  I wound a long bungy from the top of the umbrella to the base.   This may seem like overkill, but for me, when things are rocking and rolling, I can't concentrate.




Plymouth Harbor South

With the wind issue under control, I rescanned the scene.  It was low tide which revealed some sandbars, salt march grasses and boulders.   As tide was rising, these interesting elements started to be submerged.   I reminded myself that it was important to stay locked into the original composition, because the additional water was not improving it by covering the variety of things that made it attractive at the beginning.

Although it was not a complicated painting, I was happy with the result.   I felt that the sky and water were an exact match to what I saw, even though, per usual, in the in-progress photo they may seem not to match.






Return of the Mayflower II

Return of the Mayflower II - Stage One

It was a great day in Plymouth, "America's Hometown" with the return of the Mayflower II.   The historic ship left the Fairhaven Shipyard early Wednesday morning pulled by a tugboat, arriving in Plymouth Harbor around 12:30 p.m.

For the past seven months, Mayflower II has been undergoing extensive repairs in dry-dock, a restoration and preservation project that began this past winter.  

 

The waterfront had a parade type atmosphere, with locals and tourists alike enjoying the perfect 75 degree summer temperatures.  As for the impressive event that brought me, it seemed like there were as many people who did not know in advance about the ship's arrival as who did.  

 

Return of the Mayflower II - Stage Two

My painting plan was to paint in the entire scene (I used a black gessoed canvas) and decide at the last moment if I would add the ship in.   The painting of Plymouth Harbor and the Mayflower II's dock progressed over a couple of hours and I had numerous interested viewers, some of whom visited multiple times checking on the progress. 

 

See the Stage One photo for the painting's backdrop - still shipless.  I even painted in the many boats moored in the harbor although I knew some would be painted over by the Mayflower.

 

As word spread that the historic ship had entered the harbor and was approaching, I started to mix up the warm wood color (raw sienna, cadmium red, naples yellow) that I remembered from painting the ship last year.   My dark would be Gamblin's Fastmatte Ultramarine with some burnt sienna.   I grabbed a medium sized straight edge soft brush.   I had added a utility pole on the left;  it proved useful in comparing the relative height of the masts with crow's nests on the fly.   The rendering isn't perfect, but I loved the immediacy of doing a quick draw with a minimum of strokes.   I believe it looks really fresh, as is often the case when it is done in real time.

 

Maureen at Mayflower II Return

Thank you to all my new friends who offered encouragement along the way.   Thanks to one fellow, a Massachusetts transplant to California, and back for a visit, the decision to paint the ship on the fly was clinched.   We agreed, I had to go for it.  He also took the following picture of me at the paint-out's conclusion.

 

Watch for the final painting on my website (www.vezinart.com) within a week or so.

Plymouth Clock Tower

Plymouth Clock Tower

The heat has been brutal for several days with the dew points in the high sixties and even hitting seventy one day.   We headed out for the second day in a row to paint and bake.   We figured if there was going to be a cooler spot, it would be along the water, turns out we picked Water Street in Plymouth.

Again a dream parking spot - closest to Plymouth Rock and free!   There were people strolling the waterfront and many seemed like tourists based on their accents, maps/cameras in hand and their need for directions.   Plymouth's nickname is "America's Hometown."   It was a lively spot to enjoy a paint-out while people from all over the world explored the area around us.

Plymouth Clock Tower from Water Street

Plymouth has a number of interesting buildings with a variety of steeples and rooftops.  While my painting partner tackled the complex Plymouth Rock Memorial, I set up with my back to the water looking toward the grassy embankment that leads up to the center of town and all the rooftops and steeples.   I chose to eliminate the cars at the base of the hill and start the scene just above them.  The castle looking building is actually the Salvation Army Church on Carver Street. The clock tower is atop the US Postal Service Building.   I vowed to be really loose on the large areas of sky, trees and grass, and I was.   The grass was done with a two inch brush with wide diagonal strokes that I didn't go back to - that was hard.  Trees were done with thick dark paint via palette knife.  Sky was also palette knife.   Since the size is large at 16"x20," I used a lot of paint!

I'm calling this one Plymouth Clock Tower with the notion that its gold dome and four sided clock face was the center of interest.   Competing for top billing however is the castle, especially with its warm red and gold stone façade.  I will revisit this one and decide whether to play down the color on the castle so that it is more subdued as a supporting element. 

Meanwhile, feel free to weigh in on it - as always your comments are welcome.