Brown Pelican

Brown Pelican

 

 

 

 

 

 

At Seawolf Park in Galveston, TX, there is an enormous boardwalk with WWII vessels, and several fishing piers that overlook the busy channel complete with oil tankers, auto ferries and cruise ships.    We chose this spot for the views and all the channel action.    I had plenty of visitors while I painted, military personnel, tourists, and fishermen.  The friendliest observer of all though was this (not shy) brown pelican.  He literally landed on this railing from a glide roughly two feet above my head.   If he wasn't in this painting, I'd be leaving out the most memorable part of the experience.

Jamaican Fisherman

Jamaican Fisherman

Where there is water, there is fishing.  On vacation in Jamaica we noticed that just like in New England, the fishermen are out early and most of the fishing we saw looked something like this scene.  There would be a small, crusty boat with one or two fishermen in the shallows working with nets.  

As for the painting, the vivid turquoise of the water was dazzling bright and it seemed to illuminate - even exaggerate the figure.  This painting was done over a bright orange undertone which was meant to compliment the flesh tones. 

Dinghies at Town Pier

Dinghies at Town Pier - Phase One

It was a picture-perfect, glorious, early June day at the Town Pier, Brant Rock, Marshfield, MA.  Plein air painting was the goal, which is always plenty of enjoyment, but it was not my only entertainment at the busy dock.   As I was setting up, to my left there was a lobster fisherman loading traps onto his boat.   He was sliding the traps off of his truck trailer, to the retaining wall and onto the boat, which was nearly the same height because of the high tide.     He certainly demonstrated a great way to take advantage of the tide. 

Dinghies at Town Pier - Phase Two

To my right was a Mom who pulled in with her two girls.   The girls wore wet suits and life jackets and without hesitation, jumped into the water which was probably fifty degrees, and swam with glee for an hour.   (They paid me a visit after their swim.)  Right in front of me were two men fishing.   No bites - I don't think, but a fitting addition to the scene.

As for the painting, I framed out the composition with the pier itself, the Green Harbor houses across the water and in the foreground, the dock where several dinghies were tied up.   The blue dinghie sitting on the dock was to be the center of intere

Dinghies at Town Pier - Final

st of the painting, but it got demoted to second place once the white haired guy in the vintage wooden dinghie rowed right toward me.  

Daily Catch - Alicia Out of Boston

Alicia Out of Boston

 This painting depicts a fishing crew docked at the fish pier.   With lockers full of the daily catch all around, there is barely room for the fishermen to maneuver.   They hoisted the containers via wenches up to the massive dockside set up.  Harbor seals were alert to the occasional fish that slipped off the conveyor.   It was a fascinating scene for all of us onlookers.

I liked the top-down angle of this photo and the steel on the boat prompted me to use a new substrate aluminum.  Anything new introduced to the usual process means it is an adjustment.   On the upside, it was immovable, smooth and solid, like a masonite panel.   The downside for me, using oil, was that the surface was slippery and did not absorb any paint.   Hence, it became a multi-step process - sketch, let dry, underpaint, let dry, top painting, let dry.    I also was mindful about letting the aluminum shine come through for various elements - water shimmer, and boat rails. 

If the painting doesn't look free and easy, it's because of all the extra thinking that was going on!! :)

Jacob's Pond

Fishing at Jacob's Pond - In Progress

Norwell is the next town over from us and they have a beautiful pond with open green space called Jacob's Pond.    A couple of weeks ago we took a long hike following a trail along the pond itself to the furthest northerly area and then back on a more wooded trail.   We loved this adventure and decided to come back the following week for a paint-out.

The day was delightful and there was a variety of scenes to choose from - and lots of shade.  Entire families were kayaking and people fished from the docks and shorelines taking full advantage of this very pretty spot.  

Fishing at Jacobs Pond

In my painting I decided on this small walking bridge that led to an island that sits in the middle of Jacob's Pond.   I included the young guy fishing from the bridge.  When he was done fishing, he walked by me and noted that he had just seen an otter, so I was watchful, but never saw him.   We did see snakes...
three sightings, or maybe I saw the same snake three times.     Nice spot to visit though!

Cape Cod Canal Sunset

Cape Cod Canal Sunset

It's seven miles long and was man-made just about one hundred years ago.  The Cape Cod Canal cut 62 miles off the water route between Boston and New York.   The previous route took mariners through treacherous waters around the tip of Provincetown to reach Buzzards Bay and Long Island Sound.

It was a modern day maritime marvel then, and it still is, but land lovers get to enjoy it as well.   Access to the shores of the
waterway has never been easier and people can walk, cycle, fish and of course, watch the scenic vistas.    This painting depicts an exceptional sunset with the Sagamore Bridge in the foreground and the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge in the distance.   

Fishing Off the Beach at Sunrise

Fishing from the Beach at Sunrise

Walking at the shore, it's common to see the little fish jumping out of the water in groups; bigger fish just behind them I assume - bluefish or stripers maybe.    This fisherman must have spotted the same dark swirl in the water.   He demonstrated just how beach fishing is done...wading into the surf, casting as far as possible with his long ocean rod, then walking up to the tideline to place it in the rod holder.   Yes, a beautiful scene for a painting!

The undertone for this painting was a pretty mid-value blue, sure to be a good complement for the reddish/orange sunrise.   At one point, this blue undertone had me thinking that I might not even have to paint the beach houses that receded into the distance.   Once the primary wave was painted though, its darkness created a problem with the darkness of the houses by contrast, ie that original blue undertone was too light.  So I added hints of shadow and rooflines.   The obvious center of interest rightfully gets its attention, but the beautiful beach at dawn is a perfectly colorful backdrop, even with a crashing, three foot surf.

Newport Lobster Shack

Newport Lobster Shack in Progress

I am now thoroughly familiar with the shape of those fryolater vents used by restaurants as this is the third one that I've painted in three weeks.   The setting for this painting is along Long Wharf in Newport, RI.    I posted Six Boats and a House that Floats a couple of weeks ago.   That painting was executed from the rooftop seven floors up. This painting was done closer to sea level, and actually from the same building.   Not only was it fun to watch the sailboats, charter fishing trips and lobster boats coming and going, but it was amazing to see the Lobster Shack crew processing hundreds of the bright steamed crustaceans for their open air restaurant.   I can attest that these people work hard!   Just a few yards away, folks lounged around the decks of their massive yachts, hardly working.  On vacation, I'm sure. :)

Newport Lobster Shack

As for the painting, the dark, moist pilings formed a solid base for both the pier and the painting composition.   It may be why the tangle of objects on the dock looks especially colorful.  I buttered on a thick hazy sky with the palette knife, and I carved out the dozens of boat masts, with my rubber tip tool. There were literally hundreds of masts, but I think if I had painted too many, oil paint chaos may have been the result.

The New Harbor Pier

Harbor Park View

On the town pier side of the Green Harbor River there is a new public space called Harbor Park.   A small pavilion with picnic tables and 270 degree views of the marinas, river and marshes make it an ideal spot for painting.   In addition to offering multiple subjects, it is ideal for birding.   Osprey fans take note - the osprey nest with occupants are plainly visible from here.

The view of the painting consisted of the Beach St. Bridge, some beach houses along Bay Ave, the closest town pier dock and of course, lobster boats.  I probably spent more time on the sky than anything else, since the clouds were particularly pretty on this day.    I really enjoyed this new painting location and will certainly return.

Menemsha Basin - Martha's Vineyard



Menemsha Fishing Village - Stage One

It was the second day in Martha's Vineyard and after a morning snow squall, the skies cleared and it warmed up to about 40 degrees.   We explored on foot in the morning, walking to the West Chop Lighthouse from our lodging.  We drove west both for touring and searching for a nice spot to paint.  




Menemsha Fishing Village - Stage Two

We eventually arrived at Menemsha Hills and stopped at the small fishing village. The Menemsha Basin was surrounded by a small fishing village with docks and fishing boats and all kinds of colorful piles of traps, ropes and barrels.   Although it was picturesque, absent was the typical marina activity since it was still "off season."    The fairly calm water created beautiful, reflective ripples of all the colors.  Clouds gave way to a beautiful blue sky and some solar warmth (not enough though).









Menemsha Basin - Martha's Vineyard

The scene for my painting was somewhat complex, but I tried to be more attentive to the major elements, the fishing boat, dock and fishing shack.



Iron Maiden from Liberty Wharf - Boston



Iron Maiden from Liberty Wharf - Stage One

Once a person is hooked on plein air, working in the studio just seems to fall short.   Half the allure of plein air is being outside in the fresh air and feasting on the full sensory experience. The absolutely frigid temperatures over the past week had kept me indoors so when temperatures hit the forties on this day I packed up and headed outside!





Iron Maiden from Liberty Wharf - Stage Two

On Northern Ave in Boston, a parking spot was waiting just for me, and it was a freebie to boot - meter was broken.   So far, so good!  This spot was directly across from the Liberty Wharf and it faced the eastern side of Boston's historic fish pier.   Numerous fishing boats were docked along the lengthy pier and they were bathed in winter sunlight.   A blue lobster boat named Iron Maiden was the closest to where I was standing.   Other boats behind her were mostly obscured.    Up next to the building dozens of trucks were tucked in underneath the overhang, presumably getting loaded up with a winter catch. 

Was it warm enough?  Yes, at first.   After an hour and a half I was freezing because of the moist east wind and growing shadows.  In summer we call this a "sea breeze."  I used plenty of thick paint and loosened it up with my new "go-to" medium, Gamblin gel.   The conditions demanded that the paint be put on directly (as one thick layer as opposed to building up multiple coats, or glazing that is common in the studio).   If I'm only painting this boat once, I want it to count, thus it called for a really thick layer of opaque paint.  



Iron Maiden - Boston Fish Pier

Plein air paintings have a very different feel from a studio painting and one I happen to love.   Part of that is the thick paint, but mostly it seems more vibrant and spontaneous than a piece I may have labored over.







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.

Unloading Lobster Traps

Unloading Lobster Traps - Stage One

On this sunny November day there was a midday high tide at the Marshfield, MA town pier. Apparently this was a good time to unload lobster traps from boats to trucks and trailers because there were several fishermen doing the same thing.  And it made sense.  The boats were high enough alongside the docks to toss traps over easily, rather than hoisting them up by hand or crane from a low tide boat.  




Lady Jane and Dock Disappeared

I set up facing a lobster boat named "Lady Jane" that was docked north of where I was standing.   In deciding on the composition, I placed the boat to the left with the two big squares of darkness (under dock) to the middle and right.   A red pick-up truck was up on the dock and, compositionally, did its job balancing the boat.  Most of the first pass of painting was done with the palette knife (i.e., sky, water and pilings).  The boat and truck were done mostly with a pointed watercolor brush.



Easel and Lobster Boat Coexisting

There was a lot going on and the changes happened quickly!   The silver railings of the floating dock visible in the first picture above soon disappeared, as the Harbormaster arrived in his skiff, untied the forty foot dock and towed it away to winter dry dock (a good change to my painting scene).  A few minutes later the "Lady Jane" suddenly disappeared and a long pickup truck parked up on the dock blocking my red truck (not-so-convenient changes).




Unloading Lobster Traps

The biggest impact came when the lobstering crew in the last photo pulled up right next to me.   They said that my easel was fine where it was, but that my car was in the way.    I decided that the painting was far enough along to pack it in - or risk getting splashed with the flying traps!






Two Megs - Boston Fish Pier

Two Megs - Boston Fish Pier In Progress

Today was the day;   I found a parking spot along Northern Avenue at the Boston Fish Pier!   I have often driven by this waterfront area looking for a metered space and until now haven't been able to score one.   Large fishing boats and trawlers are typically moored along the pier one after the other for the length of the 100 year old fish pier.   The sturdy working boats had all the signs of their age and hard work.   Far from pristine, they had a rustic look that lends itself to the (sometime) rustic look of plein air via palette knife.

Two Megs - Boston Fish Pier

On this day a "white" fishing boat called "Two Megs" was the closest to my painting location along the Boston Harborwalk.   It was early morning and the water was primarily deep green-gold, except for the reflections of the undersides of the boats.   The complex scene had me doing a visual scan for the simplest, biggest shapes.   Most of the scene was in shadow. The vanishing lines of the fish pier building were established, and then it was easy enough to rough in the entire bottom of the canvas with darks.   Sight sizing allowed me to get the right proportions for "Two Megs".   I then placed the most strategic dots of lit color over the thin dark base.    

It was a lot of fun to paint here with a steady stream of school aged children walking past with their camp counselors.  They had great comments and suggestions!  I thought about feeding the meter again and working longer on this one, but it is very easy to overdo (ie wreck

) a painting once it is two hours in.  

Summer Solstice at Marina

Stage One - Sky and Structure

The sun rose at 5:05 a.m. on this day (summer solstice) and I had all good intent the previous evening as I planned a paint out at dawn.  Ha!   At 6:30 a.m. I arrived at the dock - still early enough to see the long morning shadows.      It was surprisingly quiet, given that it was a perfect "10" weather wise.  





Stage Two - Treeline and Water

There was a fishing expedition that was getting underway.   I gathered from the dialogue that they were four college friends who were turning 40 this year and they had chartered a manned fishing boat.   I got a chuckle out of their chatter which included subjects such as how many layers of clothing to bring, cell phone reception and the difficulties of having school aged children.    What a great way for old friends to reconnect!

Stage Three - Lobster Boats

The few lobster fishermen who were starting out early hopped into their dinghy (foreground), rowed out to their boat on the mooring, tied the dinghy to the mooring, and then motored to the dock in the big boat, picking up gear and crew.   Yes, the marina can be challenging because of the ever changing scene especially if the boat chosen for the painting happens to disappear! 

Stage Four - Docks and Dinghies

The complexity of the visual elements: sky, tree line, buildings, boats, masts, water, docks, pilings begs for simplification - that is, without oversimplifying. The chattering splotches of color was what I liked about the scene in the first place.  Luckily it was early morning, and for me, that afforded the best chance of staying disciplined.  Abstraction was my friend here in that the myriad of elements on the far shore became bursting dots of color.  Painting fast was also very helpful in this situation, at least for those things that changed, specifically - the color of the water (it got darker), the shadows (they got shorter) and the height of the tide (it got lower). :)

The substrate for the painting was new to me, an umber toned gesso hardboard from Jack Richeson.     I loved it!  There was no drag a positive factor for thick, palette knife painting.

Summer Solstice at Marina


The paint on this one is especially thick and I didn't dare clamp it for the ride back. This was a thoroughly satisfying paint out - and I was back to the studio by 9 a.m.!

Creek Zen

Once in a while, everything seems just right, and a better painting happens.  It has only happened occasionally to me before; that is when things flow with minimal struggle and the end product looks just right.   Fortunately it happened during the Camp Hill competition, and the painting won an award.

I'm a morning person and for this painting, I was all set up by 7:30 and ready to paint.   The location was the Yellow Breeches Creek close to where I had painted the "Barn at Dusk" the evening before.   The light was - of course - completely different since it was twelve hours later.   

Creek Zen in Progress

The creek was crystal clear if you looked straight down to the colorful, rocky riverbed, but if you looked upstream the dark green underbrush on the far shore was reflected perfectly.   The dark bushes and their reflections were so perfectly matched that the shoreline was practically imperceptible.  Conversely on the right-hand shore, the shrubs and grasses were brightly lit by the full strength low morning sun.   Likewise the reflections of these bright yellows and green were just as bright and strong.   Bright on the right shore, dark on the left.    Nice contrast but they needed to be integrated.    To rectify this sharp imbalance, I added the vivid gold-green tree bow overhead with the thickest juiciest palette knife strokes.


Creek Zen

Okay and then?   A fisherman with red sleeves waded into the calm pool of water upstream and started to cast.   Perfect timing.   The painting needed it.   Distant figures are three or four dots of color.   The reflections are the same dots pulled down into the dark water in one, long careful stroke.





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.


Mild Maritime School Paint Out

View from the Duxbury Maritime School

What is a bustling place three seasons of the year was nearly deserted on this mid-February day.    The temperatures hit fifty and considering the harsh winter we have had, it was a heat wave.  The rear of the Duxbury Maritime School, overlooks Duxbury Bay, a gorgeous view with the Duxbury Beach barrier peninsula on the horizon and the low-tide mud flats along the immediate shorelines.   The only boats at moorings were oyster boats with their mini cranes for pulling up their weighty catch.  

It's amazing to discover how many shades of blue there can be in the water.   The furthest waters had a pale violet hue; the still waters along the layers of peat outcroppings reflected more of  a sky color.   A true marine blue was in the mid-distance and closest to the dock was a greenish gold.    I thought it was quite a boring painting until I added two interesting elements, namely the wispy fair weather clouds and an oyster boat that motored by with a dog at the bow and owner at the wheel.

 The next time I have my oysters-on-the-half-shell appetizer, I'll be thinking of the fishermen who have this tough, cold (and year round) job .

 

Busy Marina for January

First Subject Green Boat

On this grey mid-January day, it was about forty degrees and very windy.   I was dressed for ten below, so other than an issue of overly stiff paint, things were just fine.   I set up on a dock on the Brant Rock side of the Green Harbor River. I secured my field easel to a railing with a bungy cord and positioned it facing north.

Second Subject Red Boat

I was surprised at how much activity there was.   Some of the larger lobster boats were going to dry dock.  I'm surprised that these guys work all the way into January.   They must be finally conceding though, that the harsh New England winter is here.

I started painting a long green lobster boat (See first photo above), but roughly fifteen minutes into painting it, I realized it was about to get towed out of the water.  Next?  I turned a bit to the right. There was a bright red lobster boat (The Emily Rose) docked right next the parking lot.  The owner was taking advantage of high tide and unloading traps and stacking them directly onto the edge of the dock.  He finished in about twenty minutes, then drove the boat to its mooring, so - no more bright red lobster boat.

Meanwhile, I had been busy repainting the background to cover the green boat.  No red boat. Now what?

Turquoise Fishing Boat Named Underwing

The one remaining boat within the frame of my painting was a boat I have painted before.   It is the bright turquoise fishing boat that normally is moored in the middle of the Green Harbor River near the channel.    Thankfully it remained stationary, although further away in the distance than I would have liked.  It stayed for the rest of the paint out, and therefore comes out the winner as today's center of interest.

River Channel at the Jetty

Green Harbor Channel - Stage One

Green Harbor Channel - Stage Two

I returned to Burke's Beach and stood close to where I was a few days ago.   In that jetty painting I stood facing southeast looking into the sun.    For this painting, I turned 180 degrees, again including some of the jetty which buffers the river channel into Green Harbor.   There was a deck of alto-stratospheric clouds, meaning no brilliant blue sky on this day.  Wooden pilings ran parallel to the rocks which acted as a retaining wall for the (titanium) buff colored sand.   I much prefer the sun behind me illuminating my canvas and palette - much better for my retinas too!  The many boats which sit on land i winter at the marina are visible in the distant left. The larger fishing and lobster boats have continued to work, and account for most of the boats still in the water.  

 I almost added the Hamilton lobster boat which entered the river toward the end of the paint-out.   The boat sat very low in the water weighted down by a capacity load of lobster traps.   I may add it yet, but here is a photo of it and the painting fresh off the plein air field easel.

Hamilton Lobster Boat