Siblings of Mine

My Brother

I get to call these wonderful, loving, mature adults my brother and sister.   One is older; one is younger.  Happily, I'm in the middle. (See?  That explains it!)   

I think within families, resemblances aren't obvious.   Other people will say "you and your sister look a lot alike."  Perhaps the mustache precludes hearing that as much with my brother. (haha)  However, as I painted a feature-at-a-time, it became much more apparent. We do have similar eyes, similar noses, and some wrinkles/furrows in the same places.    I am blessed with the most "expression lines."

It's no wonder then, that these are very good looking people.

My Sister

Christmas Tea Pot

Christmas Teapot

With Christmas decorations all around, setting up a still life was relatively easy.    My Christmas teapot, given to me a long time ago by my mother usually gets a lot of use during this season, but this year it remains on display for painting reference purposes.  It sits next to my shell angel, gumdrop sticks and ornaments.

I hope you are enjoying all of your traditional decor in your homes, and the fond memories that they bring!

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!

Lunch Along Boston Harborwalk

Family Lunch

These lucky folks are enjoying lunch at the Boston Harbor Hotel along the Harborwalk.     The two parents, a son, and a daughter are vacationing in Boston.   The daughter is slated to start school in the Fall.  In anticipation, there are lots of nerves, judging by their faces, but they are enjoying this, the last pre-college family trip.

What attracted me to the scene was the curviness of the bright iron tables and chairs.   The family of four, was encircled with all the lines.   Also the dark red brick really set off the white furniture and dinner napkins on the laps of the diners.   With this many shapes and colors, the painting should keep the viewer interested for more than a few seconds.  At least that is the goal.

The truth is, I painted this from a reference photo taken from five floors up while I was on vacation.   It was a wide angle shot that included a band that was playing, almost panoramic.  This family was incidental to the photo, but I cropped it and zeroed in on this snippet.  Also, I made up the whole first paragraph.  I have no idea who these people are!   :)

Biking to the Scoop

Painting at Brant Rock Esplanade

It is so nice to drive or bike to The Scoop or The Hop for summer treats.   I'm imagining those days again and hope it warms up soon.   I set up for this paint-out the day before the recent rash of storms.  The ocean was so churned up that it threw sand, wood, debris, and of course, sea water onto the Brant Rock Esplanade.

You would never know it by looking at this depiction of the that the bike family shown in the painting would be up to their waists in ocean water.   I have used artists' license and inserted this family into the painting and in additionally, I am declaring it July! 

Biking to the Scoop

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Paddleboarders

Paddleboarders

Paddleboarding is quickly becoming one of the most popular water sports.   I'm told that paddleboarding is a great workout because it exercises the core, and anything these days that works the core, is good!   (Don't forget the other trendy health nugget, get your protein!)  Well several neighbors have paddleboards and I've received multiple offers to borrow one and try it anytime, and I think I will.   That is sure to be entertaining for the summer beach crowd!

This painting depicts my neighbors, a little girl and her aunt, who as you can tell, are very active and fit. For this family, the definition of going to the beach does not just involve plunking down and tanning from a beachchair, but rather it invariably includes some form of fun, physical activity -sailing, kayaking, paddle games etc..  Like most people who choose to live here, they love the ocean!

Sandbox Play

I have always found it fascinating to watch children engaged in free play.    Pail and shovel, sand and water....that's as good as it gets for a little tike, right?   (I hoping so, given the rash of babies playing with PDA's that I have observed lately.  :))  



Sandbox Play

This painting depicts three little people who were busy with sand, cups and buckets while Dad did his own digging.

Painting design was on my mind for this scene because this canvas measured 12x24 inches.    The center of interest was the group of children who were placed to the left of the center line.   As soon as they were added, the horizontal balance was off, automatically weighed to the left.   Once Dad was inserted, he not only added to the story, but he balanced the total composition.  As a background "element" however, he would have to be smaller and less defined.  Further, his placement would have to balance the group of children.    I was imagining a fulcrum between the children and the Dad that would equalize their weight as it related to the whole canvas.

I don't like that my warm transparent darks were contaminated with opaque tones....Before I post this to the shop, I'll have to fix it.   Any other comments?






Everson Island from Dyke Road

The Green Harbor River separates Green Harbor from Brant Rock in the southern section of Marshfield.   Dyke Road connects the two sub-villages of Marshfield just beyond the Green Harbor Marina.  If you look upriver, you can see Everson Island in the middle.



Everson Island- Stage One

We drive by this stretch often and it is always a scenic spot, especially at sunset.  The land in the middle of the river is called Everson Island, named after a soldier from Marshfield who served in the Civil War.  According to a memoir I found online, Erastus Everson was granted ownership of the island as a reward for his Civil War service.  He, and subsequently his family members used their island paradise as a summer camp. 

<History lovers might enjoy the following (somewhat lengthy but personal and nostalgic) description of Everson Island back in the early 1900's.>
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze3nm2c/greenharborimages/id10.html



Everson Island - Stage Two

It was late morning in July when I decided to paint this pretty scene that I admire so often.  Although the scene looks serene and picturesque, in reality there were commercial trucks and tow boat trailers rumbling by almost constantly.   Maybe out on the island there was a degree of quiet and solitude?    I stood on the river side of the guardrail and it took some unorthodox adjusting of the gear to get set up to paint.  



Everson Island - Stage Three

I sight sized the scene standing quite close to the canvas.   (I didn't have much room to step back.)  The summery sky was bright with high clouds, and that meant that the water was not reflecting clear blue, but a grayed down indigo.   The river water just below where I stood was quite green, probably from the sandy bottom.

I'll still probably make some adjustments to this one, but I like that it captures the color of the sky and water.   I'll probably tone down the island grasses as they look too light.     Does anyone have any other suggestions for me?



 

 

Fishing from the Jetty

The jetties that trim the mouth of the Green Harbor River are both picturesque and functional.   They are meant to preserve boat access from the inner harbor to the ocean by keeping sand and silt from clogging the mouth of the river.    The huge boulders are fitted together to form a wave barrier during harsh ocean storms that hit the area each year.   Although the jetties are initially set in place on a level, straight configuration, powerful storms gradually shift even the largest boulders into nature's configuration, and that is not straight and level.   It is deceiving just how huge these boulders are, and it is truly amazing that powerful Nor'easters can toss them about, such that a few of them change position from year to year.

The jetties also function as fishing piers and are very popular for teens and children who like to traverse the rip-rap style surface.   The two children in this scene were fishing from the furthest end of the jetty where the boulders were strewn about.  I was thinking that judging from their body language, these two children were brother and sister.  They had one rod between them and the girl who was older seemed to be in charge.   The little brother was squatting against a rock waiting, somewhat hopelessly, for his turn.



Fishing Off the Jetty

There are many things I like about this scene.    First of all, it includes figures which continue to be a favorite of mine to paint.  Another thing I like about it is that the subject of fishing is universal and timeless.   The scene could be any locale and it very well could be 1940, 1980 or 2014.   The composition itself was also varied and interesting. The angular forms of the rocks really appealed to me.   Hints of red and gold rocks looked stunning against the blue water and sky, and their dark values seemed to ground the children.


One Word and A Twenty Inch Square

Canvas Stretched onto Cradleboard

This year's challenge for the North River Arts Society event is to transform a twenty inch wooden cradle board into a work of art - and - somehow integrate a word into the creation.  Signing up for these challenges is exciting because it really makes one push out creations that otherwise would never have been conceived.

Staring at this nice cradleboard square of sturdy wood, it did cross my mind that it could serve as the base for a three dimensional creation.   3D has never been part of my repertoire - and call me cautious - but I didn't want to risk doing failed experiment with a creation that would benefit the organization.  So my first step was to cover it with gesso'd canvas.

Thumbnail charcoal

I don't typically work on squares and every time I do, I really enjoy it.   Composition "rules" that are generally followed for rectangular canvases, aren't necessarily in play for squares.   For example the widely accepted guidance of not placing the center of interest in the middle of a rectangular canvas, can usually be ignored for squares.   Symmetry works just fine on a square.



Once Upon a Storybook - Stage One

In the spirit of the "people" work I've been concentrating on lately, I sketched out some scenes with small children playing.  I have been experimenting with unusual head placement/angles and one of my latest favorites is the head down angle. I composed a scene in which small children are gathered around a checkerboard - see thumbnail to left.    


After completing stage one, I swapped out the checkerboard for a large picture book - with, of course, a word.

I first positioned their heads within a circle drawn within the square.   Additionally I roughed in two tangents, the calf/shoe of the boy on the left, and the arm/hand of the boy on the right.   The book forms a strong quadrilateral shape to balance the square and circle.

Important:   If you are interested in the painting, it will be auctioned off Memorial Day Weekend at the North River Arts Society Festival of the Arts in Marshfield Hills, MA.





Once Upon a Storybook

Dad 1945

Dad 1945

The handsome strapping young sailor in this pencil/charcoal drawing is my Dad.  Dozens of vintage photographs were with his things.  He had taken the time to label each photo with names of those in the pictures.  That is, except for this one photo - of himself.  

I began with a two value drawing with pencil.  I expanded my value range to five, but was not satisfied with my darkest value until I introduced soft vine charcoal over the pencil for the darkest dark.  I used a stump to soften each value.

The familiar features (literally) common to the clan include the high arching eyebrows, straight full nose and prominent lower lip.  I see these features in myself and my boys.   I think it helped the flow of the drawing to know that these were the features that needed to be right.




Baby Love



Baby Love - Stage One

Throughout time, painters and sculptors have sought to capture tender moments of mother and child.   The appeal of the mother/baby image is universal and timeless.   I'm thinking there are few, if any people in the world that can't connect with the classic 'mother holding child' image.    I personally have always loved the intimate Mary Cassatt scenes, chubby babies staring into their mother's eyes, maybe placing fleshy fingers on her face as babies often do.

Our family's babies tend to have perfect faces and I really don't think I am exaggerating. :)   When I saw this photo, I thought it looked like my niece was in a near state of reverie as she held her precious baby.   He had grabbed a tangle of her hair around his chubby fingers to pull her face closer.

Baby Love Final

As you know, I have generally been too cautious with respect to including babies in my paintings.   It really is hard to do justice to their flawless little faces.   I continue to work at it because it has turned out to be very challenging and rewarding.

In Stage One, I was working at getting an accurate drawing.  I wanted to make the baby be perfectly in focus and blur Mom somewhat.  Everything else would be underdeveloped.   Then I started on the hand which I loved because it leads you into the painting.  

My own assessment at this point is that the baby looks like my grandnephew, but his mom, my niece, not so good a resemblance.   I do think the feeling of a mother's love comes through.

This is one of my two entries in the March Boldbrush Competition.   You can help boost its rating by clicking on the following link and then hitting the Facebook "Like."

http://faso.com/boldbrush/painting/63035 

Little Person Perspective

Little Person Perspective

I love artwork that depicts little children or babies (because I love little children and babies!).  Unfortunately it is very difficult to capture the beautifully-formed, young faces well.    I include myself on the list of painters who has struggled to create a rendering that is sweet and innocent, versus, odd and somewhat alien-looking:. Whereas adults mostly have prominent, sharp features and at least a few wrinkles that make it easier to define the face and achieve a good likeness, children and babies have features that are soft and subtle - perfect really.  The slightest asymmetry or flaw seems much more pronounced and certainly unacceptable.

I would love to be painting cherubs regularly, but for the aforementioned reasons (excuses?), I have not.  So that sets the stage for the painting described in this post.  I challenged myself with this effort to not just include a little one but to make her face the center of interest.  The rest of the painting is intentionally underdeveloped and subordinate to the perfect toddler expression.   She is looking up in all her cuteness at the people who tower over her at a large family party.   The viewers' line of sight in the painting was designed to be eye level with the toddler.   I welcome comments....

Little Person Perspective Stage Two

Auntie

Auntie - Stage One

I continue to work on developing my portraiture skills, and the human figure and portraits have become my favorite painting subjects.   People are so much more interesting than even the most strikingly beautiful landscape (in my opinion).

I used a photograph to develop this painting of my Aunt Theresa.   She is turning 87 in a couple of weeks, now the matriarch of the family, outliving all of her family of the same generation.   When asked for her longevity secret, she said, "Eat good food, and do what you are supposed to do."  Of course she means "healthy" food, and the other part sounds pretty simple, right?

I worked this portrait from a recent photo.   I undertoned the canvas with a pale, Irish fleshtone.   Transparent brown oxide was used to sketch in the features.  I set the dots for the pupils first.   Once I established the spot between the eyes, all other features were measured from that spot.   This method gave me a consistent way to measure from that dot to other landmarks,  and observe the angle between the two to build the facial structure more accurately. 

Once the whole face was sketched, I re-measured, and per my usual mistake, the tip of the nose was too long.  It is critically important to the success of the likeness to go back and make a second pass in measuring, tweaking the drawing until it looks just like the person.   Aunt Theresa's trademark white blouse and pastel colored mock neck makes it authentic and personal.   I felt that the typical dark portrait background would be too drastic a contrast, so I stayed with the pastel theme.

I positioned Auntie's head to the left because I was considering adding her hands somehow.   Elderly hands have so much character and perhaps she is reaching for her visor or diamond studded pink sunglasses.   Or perhaps someone has another interesting suggestion.   If so, don't hesitate to let me know.  I still may add them, as this is still in-progress.