Just Some Trees

Winter Trees from Deck

 

 

A warm day in February is much appreciated.   The snow that was still covering most surfaces had melted off the sunny back deck.   I grabbed my gear and conveniently stepped outside - easy version of plein air - no pack up!  

I decided to practice my tree structures with this loose and easy snowscape painting.   The oaks don't always drop all their leaves and they remain on the branches in orangy clusters.   In this case they offer a nice compliment for the blue snow shadows.

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!

Homestead Ruins & Pasture - Isle of Doagh Ireland

McColgan Farmhouse

In the late 1800’s, two brothers and their respective families lived and worked two side-by-side farms on the Isle of Doagh, County Donegal, Ireland.    One brother’s name was John McColgan and the other’s name was Edward McColgan. 

    

John and his wife Grace had fourteen children.  They lived in the “larger” farmhouse which was also the house where the two brothers had been born and raised.    Edward and his wife Bridget acquired the land next to this original homestead and had eight children of their own.    In late 1898, Edward contracted consumption, a contagious disease that reached epidemic levels in Ireland and Britain at that time.   Today, the disease is known as tuberculosis.  Sadly, his wife Bridget soon contracted the disease as well.   They died within a month of each other in the winter of 1899.  

Four of their daughters and one son, ages 10, 14, 16, 19 and 21 were orphaned.   Their two oldest daughters had emigrated to Boston years earlier, when they had turned eighteen.   Their son Michael Joseph (my grandfather) had also emigrated one year earlier.

  

There was discussion of the siblings staying in Ireland under the supervision of their aunt and uncle next door, but with fourteen children of their own, John and Grace were likely unable to support five more.  Hence in 1900, the five siblings travelled together to Boston and settled in with their older siblings. The younger daughters moved in with their older sisters, each of whom were married at that point.  One daughter enrolled in nursing school at Massachusetts General Hospital.

As for the property owned by Edward and Bridget, it was sold to a cousin who continued to farm the fields but let the house fall to ruin.   The original farmhouse still stands and is in good condition.   In fact, it was getting a new thatched roof during our visit.   If you Watch The Video, it is the neat little white farmhouse with the red doors.

Donegal Homestead

Maybe you can imagine the feeling I had as I stood on the cart path just above the two homesteads, one farmhouse still standing and the other, barely recognizable ruins.  I had a tingly feeling to think that this was the land of my ancestors, where they lived, worked and died.  The sheep and cattle were probably of the same lineage through the years. Why, even the wild raspberries I sampled were probably the same as those eaten by the family.     Spirits of the past!   This visit and paint-out may have been the most gratifying of all.   I’m hoping the deep rich crimson darks and vivid green lights of the land shine through.

Westport Cove View - Ireland

Westport Cove - Color Study Final

The waterfront at Westport was one of my favorite spots for scenery in Ireland and we visited three times.  I chose a scene with this rustic boathouse on an beautiful inlet.  I later learned that what Motif #1 is to Rockport, MA, this painting scene is to Westport Harbor.   I got down in the mucky low tide to capture the scene I wanted.   The boathouse was stunning, especially its red roof, but the decrepit turquoise boat in the foreground was my favorite element.  It's great when an element is so decayed that a rough stroke with a palette knife is just the thing that makes it come alive.

Croagh Patrick from Murrisk Island - Westport Ireland

Westport River Channel

Our next stop in Western Ireland was Westport.   Similar to previous days, it started out sunny, but the clouds eventually took over, producing rain, then the sun came out again.   The town itself was beautiful with the river channel passing through the middle. There were arched stone bridges that crossed the river in several places, and these were adorned with lush flower boxes and blooms hanging down nearly to the water.  I didn't actually paint in town, but these scenes were gorgeous and I hope to paint a scene or two from the photos as I build up the Ireland painting collection. 

Croagh Patrick from Murrisk Island

Climbing Croagh Patrick, about 5 miles from us was on the agenda, and I will state right up front, it didn't happen (for various reasons, one of which was the rainy forecast).   The peak is one of the larger mountains in Ireland and is most well known because pilgrims (some barefoot) climb to the summit Chapel as an act of penance.  Historical accounts describe this sacred place as the mountain where Saint Patrick fasted and prayed for forty days in the year 441 A.D..  The peak is clearly visible from most of the Westport area and since we didn't actually climb it, I figures it would be wholly appropriate to pay homage via this painting.

We set up to paint about a mile from the trailhead on a small connected island, home of the fishing village called Murrisk.   Careful observation of the mountain revealed figures of climbers - small specs - silhouetted on left side of the slope.   It was very windy on this day.   My husband wisely chose a spot behind a wall and benefited from his wind blocker.  I chose a higher vantage point and paid a price, my biggest obstacle being my inability to keep my brush steady.     What colors!  Every shade of green, but also, reds, purples, golds, yellows...and even better when the sun peaked out!

Click here to see my view while I painted.

Dingle Harbor View - Ireland

Dingle Valley Greens

We had planned a whole day of exploring the Dingle Peninsula.  We left sunny Killorgen early and as we made our way toward Dingle Bay and drove through the valley, I saw the greenest greens I have ever seen!  It was a classic vista of green pastures and easily one of the ten most beautiful spots I have ever seen in person.   Yes, it would have been great to paint there, but due to the narrow, busy road, it was not conducive to safety or quiet.  We settled for stopping and getting a nice long look; perhaps a future studio painting!

Dingle Harbor View - Painting and Scene

When we arrived in Dingle Harbor, we walked around a bit both for touring and for deciding on a place to paint.   There were lots of choices and the bustle of the town area with its colorful buildings was enticing. 

Dingle Harbor

We noticed a long walking path and green space from with the whole span of the colorful town was visible, and that was where we set up.    This scene was an ambitious undertaking and as it turned out, actually took nearly three hours instead of the usual two hours.

"Painterly" is a word that describes a painting style in which the paint is applied in a way that is not realistic, but gives the essence of a scene through the colors and brushstrokes.   This painting is an example of a more painterly approach.   An honest, untrained eye might call it messy! :))

Silver Birch - Molls Gap

Silver Birch - Molls Gap

More spectacular scenery on our next sojourn from Kenmare to Killorgen.  We passed through the mountains and a particularly beautiful mountain pass called Molls Gap.   It is so well known that dozens of tour busses stop here daily.  


We set up our easels well out of the way of the tourist paths, although several people were curious enough to trek to where we were and take a look.  I chose the birch since it framed the long view of the lakes and yet more gorgeous mountains in the distance.  Again the goal was to capture the colors live and in person.  The valley was copper colored but the photos depict it as beige....hence the value of plein air painting.

Healy Pass Panorama - Beara Penninsula Ireland

Painting at Healy Pass

Outward bound toward Beara Penninsula, we drove the road that parallels the coastline.   After painting in the rain (see Rainy Country Road), we arrived in Castletownbere where we enjoyed expertly made coffees, served with unbounded warmth and friendliness.   (Can we bottle that and bring it home, we thought?  Not the coffee, the cordiality:))    This nice stop in the Southwestern region of Ireland re-energized us in preparation for the return trip.  It was my driving day, a deliberate plan because of the hair-raising nature of this leg of the sojourn.  (It is less terrifying for the greater neurotic to be in control.. lol)  In fact, why don't I share a snippet of it here.

Healy Pass - Beara Penninsula

As you saw, once we were just beyond the highest elevation, we pulled over.   What a spectacular panorama!  I just had to do a quick sketch.   The colors of the mountains, slopes and valley were indescribable.   The color match was what I was after, and in the end I was glad I did.   The river bed was literally golden and copper colored in person, yet the photos depict that same area as a murky dark tan.  The small mountain on the right looked like a peachy color, similar to salmon, breaking the rule about the blue in receding mountains.   So pretty!  True color matching can't be achieved from a photo - my strong personal opinion!

Rainy Country Road - Beara Penninsula Ireland

Rainy Country Road - Beara Penninsula

The sky in Kenmare was bright and sunny when we began our scenic drive through the expansive Beara Penninsula in Southwestern Ireland.   We hoped to find a great spot to paint near Allihies, the region where my husband's ancestors originated.   Intermittent rain and drizzle had begun, but we remained hopeful that it was temporary.   The drizzle did let up when we pulled over near a scenic spot east of Allihies.    The long and winding road snaked its way down a valley and the Atlantic Ocean bordered the land to the east.  The moisture gave the scene a misty feel and it made the distant cliffs look pale gray.

WET Painting

 We started painting with vigor, and the thing about painting is, its hard to stop halfway, and before long, it was raining again.   We had raindrops dripping from our hoods, paintings, and palettes.  We kept painting; were we in a trance?    I felt like the two colors I most wanted to color-capture were the stones of the wall and the grasses just above it, so once that was done, I started to pack up.   I blotted my painting with a dry paper towel and wiped down my palette.  We left our paintings and palettes out to "dry" in the rear of the vehicle.   Its a good thing it is oil color!

Rainy Country Road - Beara Penninsula Ireland - Color Study Final

I can't share much about my painting process on this day.   I was on autopilot and on a mission to finish a painted sketch...here it is.    It will serve as a color study for a larger painting in the coming weeks.   This one was hard earned!

Hayfield Harvest at Dusk- Ireland

Hayfield Harvest at Dusk

It was late afternoon of the day we arrived in Kenmare, Ireland.  The plan was to paint the following day somewhere along our drive of the Beara Pennisula, so I decided to go to our vehicle and get ready.  As I was squeezing out fresh color onto the palette and organizing my gear I took a good look around.   I was surrounded by picturesque scenes in every direction.   There were lovely flower gardens, tall stone walls with an arched, embedded gate, and a water fountain.   These subjects were tempting but they were already mostly in shade and daylight was waning.  

A tractor had been noisily harvesting and baling the next property over, and with perfect timing, and maybe the luck of the Irish, he finished as the sun broke out.   It lit up the field, the green pastures and the mountains with almost magical golden light.  I broke out my easel and the result is this (very rapid) color study.  For me, speed means palette knife and very thick, bold paint application. 

It was a good thing this was toward the beginning of the trip given the amount of paint that was applied.   What a memorable experience and the color study will be useful in the future for a large studio painting.

Summer Pond Impression

Summer Pond Impression

My son lives on a gorgeous little pond in southeastern MA, made all the more pristine because motorized watercraft aren't allowed.   On this very hot day, I worked on this summer color study - just for the fun of it.   The vast patches of lilypads were covered with pretty white flowers.  I was tempted to paint them as any Monet lover would, but decided to paint a long view instead.  Just like all the color studies I've produced over the years, it turned out better than a "planned and finished" painting.  I like the choppiness of the color, giving it a painterly quality.

Much of the paint was applied with a palette knife with the color barely blended.   A closer view shows the ribbons of color in a single stroke.   The only hint of sky is in the reflections in the water just beyond the rocks.   Looking downward at the sky reflections made them appear darker and almost murky blue. 

Kayak Rack

Kayak Rack at the Pond

This pretty little spot along the pond offers many "painting-worthy" vistas.   I liked the late afternoon sun patterns on the various elements, trees, kayaks, and the bed of pine needles.  A simple vertical kayak rack was built by affixing wooden braces between two large trees near the water's edge.    Not only were the kayaks colorful, but the late October foliage added brightness to the scene as well.    Near the kayaks, a sitting area had been constructed, a platform with an overhead roof.  Nestled here were two Adirondack chairs and I'm picturing a peaceful afternoon nap for the owners.

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Boston Guild at Public Garden

Painting with the Boston Guild

Today a number of painters gathered at the Boston Public Garden to share easels and supplies with anyone who wanted to give painting a try.    It was a gorgeous October day so in addition to interested painters, lots of tourists and walkers were enjoying the demonstrations.

Footbridge in Progress

My painting depicts a classic Boston scene, namely the footbridge over the duck pond.  I don't mind painting a scene that I've painted before, in fact, it seems easier.    Perhaps being familiar with the lines and angles from a previous paint out frees up the mind to inject some creative flair.  In this case it was using multi-colored piles of paint (unblended), applied in a thick layer for the high key bridge supports, and the darkest transparents under the bridge.   And although it was October, few trees had peak autumn colors.  That didn't deter me (and other painters) from pumping up the greens with yellow, gold and red.   The many trees were reflected in the duck pond, broken up by the surface ripples.  

Engagement

I noticed several couples pausing on the bridge, enjoying their romantic moment.   Hugs, selfies and even engagements happen here.   This famous spot is a beloved Boston scene, and a perfect scene to share with your beloved.


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Pre-Winter Marina

Pre-Winter Marina In Progress

I returned to the town pier on another unseasonably mild December day.   The post-foliage, "pre-snow" landscape has been quite dreary, yet at the marina, the boat and water colors were as bright and vivid as any other time of the year.  This painting was intended to be a color study, an attempt to match the sky, grasses, water and dock as accurately as possible.   I think it was very close in person, although the photo may not seem that way.

This painting scene was very similar to the painting "Unloading Lobster Traps," completed just a couple of weeks ago.    The unloading of lobster traps continues.  Just how many traps do each fisherman work each season I wondered?  Given the constant flow of returning lobster boats, all weighed down to capacity with traps, and the Massachusetts Commercial Fishing Policy, a maximum of 800.

Pre-Winter Marina

The dark blue Four Sons lobster boat was returning to the dock.   It sat very low in the water due to the weight of the traps.     The bright orange coveralls of the two lobstermen contrasted well against the complementary ocean blue.   One lobsterman was steering to the dock while the other sat on the pile of traps in the back smoking a cigarette.    The Cygnet was docked alongside the pier to the far right, also busily unloading traps.

Gray Marina

Silvery Dock

It was December, two days before Winter Solstice and the gray, misty look of the beach got me thinking it would be a good day to paint at the marina.   Strangely, there was barely a wisp of wind for such a cloudy day.  There were even mirror-like reflections on the silvery surface unlike the usual ocean chop.   At the town pier, the usual dock bustle of the warmer months was gone. Most of the moorings were empty and only a few fishing boats remained. 
Things don't always flow while painting, especially when painting outside; this was one of those days.   It seemed like I was struggling at every stage from set-up (my palette scraped against the pier railing leaving a pile of purple paint that I had to scrape off) to mixing colors (stiff paint and everything looked too green) to packing up (a wingnut on my field easel wouldn't loosen with cold fingers).   I should have settled for a color study, but I continued to torture myself by trying to salvage the session and come out with a whole painting.  
The cloud shielded Sun is featured in the painting since it was so low!   In Massachusetts, the Sun's highest angle is only 24 degrees above the horizon on December 21st, the Winter Solstice, compared to a 71 degree midday angle at Summer Solstice.    The sun doesn't get to be featured in June - unless its a sky painting!
Only 75% of this painting was done on site, but it was the most important part, which was the nice silvery light.  I finished the last 25% in the studio, specifically the foreground pilings and railings.  The houses along Beach Street along with the Beach Street bridge can be seen in the background.   Overall, I am happier with it now, and I am really loving the grey day paint outs!

South River View - Studio

South River Color Study

It was time to work on the large canvas version of the South River View.   In the previous blog post, I described the color study done "en plein air" for my color reference.  The large canvas was 24 x 36 inches which I underpainted with a warm cadmium red light, raw sienna and a sky undertone of Naples Yellow.   I knew that using these warm tones as a base would help give the painting a warm golden glow.




South River Underpainting - Stage One

The 9x12 color study came in handy back in the studio for color reference, although the key of the painting was one value darker since it was painted outside.   Photographs do not register color as well as the human eye.  I took photographs too, but mostly for composition purposes - cropping, drawing and element placement.

The elongated horizontal nature of the scene would make a nice addition to a large wall.  As for the color, this was probably the perfect time to paint the salt marsh.   The "extreme greens" of summer were being slowly replaced with hints of autumn red and gold.  



South River - Stage Two

I began by carefully sketching in my scene with dark transparent oxide brown.   A good likeness to the scene was very important so I took relative measurements - several times.   The composition had a pleasing variety of elements that helped balance the overall lights and darks.   For example the dark trees on the far shore were balanced by the darks of the foreground underbrush.
The larger canvas required mixing large piles of pigment. I began with a pthalo blue and white sky knowing that I would be building up the layers of sky prior to adding the summery clouds.   Next I mixed the distant marsh greens which were cool pale yellowish green, gradually getting warmer and greener as they got closer to the foreground.   The long rustic dock out to the tidal river was an iconic element adding angularity amid the surrounding soft marsh grasses.



South River

I took liberties with the foreground shrubbery, introducing some vivid green and red sumac, and I pumped up the grey-blue of windblown Juneberries.   And no September landscape would be complete without bright yellow goldenrod.

Finally I added the summer afternoon cloud pattern echoing the lines of the river and drawing their lights down into the river. 

This large painting was created for Catherine with happy birthday wishes from her daughter Leslie.   This spectacular view is special to Catherine and certainly it is looking its best on a sunny, pristine September day.   Happy Birthday to Catherine!

South River View - Color Study

South River View - Color Study Paint Out

Color studies are sometimes used by painters to create a record of a scene when the ultimate goal is to paint a large scale or particularly complicated scene back in the studio.   This great reference tool is far superior to a photograph, supplying more accurate hues and other memorable aspects of the scene.   The goal is to match the fresh direct color from the plein air experience and then apply it to the large canvas. 

When I arrived at the painting location I was very pleasantly surprised!  Sometimes the suggestion of a particular view may or may not make a nice painting, but in this case, the view was just stunning! The vantage from the nicely elevated deck revealed an 180 degree expanse of the South River and surrounding marshes in Marshfield.    By looking east, (the direction of the painting), the southernmost section of Humarock, the northerly parts of Rexhame, and Rexhame Beach sandwiched in between, were visible.

South River View - Color Study in Progress

As for the color, this was probably the perfect time of year to paint the salt marsh.   The "extreme greens" of summer were now supplemented with the toned-down hints of red and gold that signaled September.   I wished it was sunnier, but the sun was occasionally peaking through enough to allow a good study.



South River Color Study

The paint mixing was done exclusively with a palette knife, as was the paint application.   I wanted to be sure that the color study had a generous amount of paint so that back in the studio, it would be clear which colors I was going after for the larger work.  After all it was not necessarily to come up with an accurate drawing for the color study.   The accuracy of drawing and placement would be important for the larger work though, and for that, a photograph would make a perfect reference.

The color study has its own (very loose) feel and was not only ready to serve its purpose, but a nice enough painting in its own right.  

Coming up soon, the large scale painting...