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!

 

 

 

 

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!

Beach Painter

Maureen Painting at Wollaston Beach

It's June and that means people want to be outside.   People were out in droves along the boardwalk at Wollaston Beach and were able to observe the first in a plein air series put on by The Quincy Art Association in collaboration with "Better Beaches", "Save the Harbor, Save the Bay", and Massachusetts DCR.   

This was my painting done while also watching a demo by Vincent Crotty.   The conditions were a little tough because of the gusty winds.   My gear was sufficiently weighted down to combat the wind which helped enormously.

Here is my painting of Vincent in action as he appears to pause, and contemplate his next stroke.  

Beach Painter

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

Stormy Beach in Winter

 

Stormy Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several of the initial days we spent in Galveston this past winter were somewhat stormy.   Galveston's winter colors were not as gray as New England, but the water and greenery were certainly not tropical looking!   During the scene in this painting, the clouds were threatening rain and it did rain eventually, but there was time enough to capture what amounts to a color study.

Rocky Overlook House

The shoreline between the Esplanade and Bluefish Cove in Brant Rock is as rocky as can be.  Boats coming out of the harbor swing wide of this area, so I assume the rocks are just as plentiful out in the water as along the shore, as is depicted in this painting.   I can get creative with color and design with a subject like rocks.   As long as the big ones are in the front and the distant rocks diminish in size, they'll look real, no matter what colors I make them!   And why not make the sky match and turn the ocean green!

Rocky Overlook House

Exit 11 at Sunset

Exit 11 Sunset

Thunderclouds were passing through at sunset as we were driving toward the highway.   I took an Iphone picture of the dramatic, dark blue band that was backlit by the sinking sun.    I forgot about the picture until a couple of weeks later while looking for something else.  Once I saw the photo, I knew it had potential for a nice painting.

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

Brant Rock Union Chapel

Union Chapel

The Brant Rock Union Chapel is a pretty little church on the edge of the Brant Rock esplanade.   Did the "fieldstone" walls come from the fields or the shore - which is just a stone's throw away?   It is a picturesque scene, even when the sea water inundates it.  It is enjoyed by all denominations and is open during the summer months.

Brant Rock Market

Brant Rock Market

This sweet "little market," is a family owned business in the Brant Rock section of Marshfield, MA.   It is a bakery, a butcher shop, a convenience store, sub shop and lottery outlet - but really so much more.  It has an old fashioned feel, staffed by super nice family and locals who serve and enjoy all of the "regulars."     The aroma of fresh bread hits you at the door, usually resulting in me getting much more than I had planned.   I even get my Thanksgiving turkey there.     The exterior is not exactly beautiful, but those who frequent this place no doubt, have a fondness for this scene. 

The market is only a street way from the open ocean and in the painting, the summer morning sky is moist and tropical looking.   Always there seems to be a steady stream of cars and customers; we love supporting this small local business!

Windy Day at Driftway

Stage One - Matching Color

It's warming up outside and the colors all around are taking on summery hues.    The "high in the sky" sunlight is most responsible.    The wind, however was also a factor on this day when I set up at the Driftway walking paths in Scituate, MA, a local treasure along the North River.

The only downside to painting at the Driftway is the number of dogs running around and exploring.    It's not that I don't love dogs, because I do, but it's not a good situation if one becomes interested in a fully loaded paint palette (bad for him) or worse, sniffing my gear sitting on the ground (bad for me).   The vantage I decided on - down river - could be seen from the long fishing pier.    No humans or canines, seemed motivated to walk all the way to where I was, so there were no mishaps. 

Stage Two - Windy Day at Driftway

The views were gorgeous, and because of the wind, the water was dark and rushing.   That was the effect I tried to paint for the water.   I guess I could call this one, Rushing Water.  Let me know your thoughts on these titles, or otherwise.

Windy Day at Driftway

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.

Sweetness of Summer

Sweetness of  Summer

What a fun and enjoyable project.   Painting children as I've said many times before can be challenging.  It's a fine line between the soft and sweet expression and achieving an adequate likeness.  Tots have neither wrinkles or angular features, like adults and painters use these as convenient facial landmarks.   Tots have faces with airbrushed angelic-like perfection.    So the painting process of them may involve painting, wiping out, and repeating - until the soft likeness is achieved.

A good reference photo can make a positive difference when creating a painted portrait, and this was a good one.   The challenges in this project, besides the likeness, were 1) transforming the greenish-yellow tones in the photo into a more summery color scheme, (making it lighter and brighter), and secondly, realigning the rectangular photo onto a square format while maintaining the balance of the landscape, parasol and figure.

Warm summer sunlight on young, healthy figures in back-lighting often have a bright red glow, especially in the ears, hands and feet.   I intentionally pumped up the warm flesh color to contrast with the nice summery blue - its complement. The toddler's shadow is stretched to the right bottom corner, balanced by the shoreline entering from the left, leading to the figure. The loop of the parasol handle is a good compositional element for leading the viewer's eye back up to the sweet smiling face.

This painting will hopefully turn a simple summer-day photo into a permanent family heirloom.

Cavern in the Japanese Garden - Revisited

Cavern at Japanese Garden

This painting was begun in Canandaigua, New York, and it never quite grabbed me.   It was a gray, overcast day, and true to plein air, it was an accurate representation of the bleak feel.  I put it back on the easel and took a look at the pictures from that original day.   Fortunately, I found a sunny shot of the same scene.   There was significantly more yellow and deep red undertones.   Within an hour, the gray day was transformed into a sunny June day.   The waterfall was now visible pouring over the cavern boulders.    I believe the gloom is gone, replaced with a scene that is almost sparkly.

Rexhame Winter Crossover

Rexhame Winter Crossover In Progress

A mild day in mid-February would be appreciated by any plein air painter.  This year February was relatively storm free; of course a fierce March followed with four Nor'easters in a row.

The scene I chose was a sandy path that crosses over to Rexhame Beach.   The forecaster called for some sunshine and looking at the skies, I was hopeful.   In the end it was false hope, and rather than getting brighter, things devolved into sprinkles.   I did get the bones of the painting far enough along that I had a good base for finishing in the studio.


This one is not complete, but I'm not anxious to get back to it, given the glum color scheme.   I'd rather paint the riot of May color outside right now.

Under, At & Over Water (Aka - The Span of Angels)

Folded Sections of 7 foot canvas

This piece is a fairly ambitious undertaking at 84 by 36 inches.   I plan to hang vertically, envisioning a wall with a cathedral ceiling.   I was breaking my own norms and truly making it up as I went.   (What?  Not the usual formula?)

I'll be in a much larger studio soon and it will be a real treat.   In my current studio I worked on sections of the canvas, unfurling each section and clipping up the folded parts.  I worked the elements in succession, the sky, the far distant mountains, the mid-ground meadow, the shrubs on the shoreline, a sandy beach, the chop, and finally, the underwater world.  

The Span of Angels

The angelic cherub in the clouds is fishing (of course :)) and the fishing line spans all the elevations down into the tropical reef, where an angel fish is deciding whether to bite.     Well I've told you too much already, but there is much left to do on this one - mainly making the elements more harmonious with one another.  

Stay tuned for the final product in a few weeks.

Raising the Flag II

Raising the Flag II

These Marines carefully raised this large American flag on a massive flagpole supported by steel girders.   No part of the flag ever touches the ground and it immediately balloons out and up, catching the first breezes of the day.   As it unfurled I thought about how beautiful and symbolic a brand new flag is, especially in the yellowish-pink morning light.

BUY NOW

Mid-June Morning in Green Harbor (aka Summer Serenity)

Summer Serenity - Green Harbor

Dawn occurs when the sun breaks the horizon; everyone knows this.   What dawned on me a couple of years after moving to Green Harbor was that the location of daybreak is vastly different between early summer and six months later - early winter.    In June, it seems like the sun is practically rising in the north and similarly in winter, the sun breaks the horizon line far to the south over Duxbury Beach.  This painting depicts a mid-June morning in which the sun has been up for a couple of hours, yet still hovers due east from our beach.   The colors in the clouds and water are tinged with spectacular pinks, turquoise and lavender, and the darker water to the right and left is a grey-blue.   The sun is poking through clouds and rays of light cast extra sparkles and glare,  but yet is not quite high enough to fully illuminate the boulders and sandy shore.  

I've heard it said that the French Riviera has similar light to Green Harbor.   And let's face it, if they said it, it must be true!

BUY NOW

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!

 

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.