Garden Tour Along South River

Garden of an Expert

One of my favorite paint outs of the year is the annual Cliff Rogers Garden Tour.   On the third Tuesday of each June, I get to paint at one of the many stellar Marshfield home gardens that are literally 5-10 minutes away from me.   

This year I painted at a very special garden just a few yards from the South River.  The home is situated just across the water from Humarock.   The master gardener who lives here was as welcoming and gracious as could be, and not just to me, but to all those who walked through.   I heard her answer dozens of gardening questions, from very basic to impressively advanced.  She took the time and energy to explain, and her love of gardening came shining through.   

As I set up, I looked for shade and fortunately there was a good source of continuous shade  spot under some thick, old thick cedars.  I began painting in all the dark areas, holding of on the vivid blossoms. Most people who came through on the earlier side were probably wondering how in the world this canvas was going to turn into a colorful lush garden scene.    If only we could somehow capture  moist air, floral fragrances and constant movement of bees, butterflies and birds.  I decided to include the garden's creator in the painting as she was just as integral and constant part of the garden as the anchoring shrubs.  I feel like this painting does not do justice to this lovely gardener's botanical work of art.   My thanks to her for hosting all of us.

Special Olympic Park

Special Olympic Park - First Cliff

 After crossing the bridge on Edward Foster Road, there is a small triangular traffic island as you enter the First Cliff area.    There is a sign that names this lovely spot, Special Olympic Park.   It's part of the "Adopt a Lot" program where citizens or organizations take responsibility for a public land parcel.   I had trouble uncovering who is tending to this particular spot, but the person(s) is doing a fantastic job.   I set up under the big old apple tree which has two benches and beds of flowers under it.  One purple iris bed was in spectacular full bloom.  In the course of the two hours I was painting, two groups of people came along and sat for a few minutes, no doubt enjoying the view of Scituate inner harbor, and the cool comfort of an old shade tree adorned with surrounding flower beds.   I was doing the same!

Bzzzz

I took a beekeeping class a few years ago and came away just astonished by the amazing societal world of bees.  Since then I can't help but watch them closely and study which garden flowers attract the most activity.  This past growing season, ornamental allium and coneflowers seemed to be their favorite pollen sources.    With the winter temperatures plummeting, I decided a floral painting would just the topic that would give me a break from the winter, black, brown, gray and white palette outside.  My color temperatures mimic a midday cool skyblue light and warm shadow undertones.

Bzzzz

Garden Tour - North River

Each year I am invited to paint at a property on the Garden Tour organized by the Cliff Rogers Library.   It is their biggest fundraiser and it draws an impressive number of people.   Who wouldn't want to stroll through the very prettiest gardens in the local area and support this lovely small independent library as well.    I look forward to tour day each year and getting to capture the beauty of these gardens. 

I was assigned an expansive garden in North Marshfield that abuts the North River.   The mature plantings were perfectly balanced with many of the specimens in full bloom.   I chose a border planting that had a black wrought iron fence and gate as a backdrop.   I included this lovely woman as she admired a very unusual clementis that had purple bell shaped flowers.  As for the painting, the thick paint application that I like works particularly well for lush and vibrant garden scenes like this one.

Garden Border Bells

Soule Farm Community Gardens

The True Grit Art Gallery Annual Plein Air Event is officially in progress!   For the event painters capture Middleboro scenes during the month of October for their November show. 

Meadow at Soule Farm

A painting friend suggested Soule Farm in Middleboro, MA.  This town treasure was the perfect setting for autumn plein air and there were several scenes that attracted us here.  From the grassy meadows, the antique farmhouse, various barns and farm storage, to sheep fields, community gardens, and of course their two very friendly resident goats, each vantage had a beauty all its own.

For my first painting, this Irish girl couldn't resist the sheep in the meadow.   They were quite a distance away, but that probably helped my composition by widening my view (and options).  At one point the "shepherd" with his border collie moved the herd to an adjacent field which was a bit closer.  It was fascinating to watch!  In this fast paced world; stopping and witnessing that simple farm scene felt like a modern day pause, a transport back in time.  It was a gift really.

My second painting depicts a portion of the community garden amid a wide patchwork of individual garden squares.  A rustic corral was build around the space, an obviously a labor of love.  It was labelled "Green Acres."  Although most of the flowers were a bit spent, I took liberty with my colors and pumped up the blossoms.  This painting was loose and so much wilder than the pasture.  In fact there is so much paint on there that it will probably be wet for the show!

And speaking of the show, these paintings and many more will be on display in November 2024. Thanks to theTrue Grit Art Gallery for coordinating such a fun event!

Roses Oval

While I was working on garden paintings this spring, I was inspired to tackle "the oval" yet again.  I have pulled this canvas out and worked it at least 4 or 5 times and then put it away again.   I've never been quite happy with this oval floral.

The pink roses version shown was the first try.   Ironically, this was probably the best one.  The roses sit nicely within the curved shape - but I didn't recognize that back then.  The subsequent versions (which I didn't take pictures of) gradually filled up the space and the roses got bigger.  This white roses version is finally the rendering I have settled on.   I do like the addition of the bees and the warm translucent shadows of the white rose petals.

And to prove that I'm done, I'm showing it framed. :)

White Roses Oval

Pink Rose Oval - Painted Over

Frontage

 I recently painted the frontage view of my house.   It served as a warm up for the Garden Tour paint out that was taking place the following week.   I was most interested with mixing up the best greens for late June and I figured the nearby garden where I would paint was be similar.    The color of the greens was where the similarity stopped!   It was a glorious expansive garden.

This is a kidney shaped bed that has an old (not visible) tree stump in the middle of it.   We created this planting bed after the tree fell in a storm.   We opted to be lazy and just build up the soil around it and plant some shrubs.   My lamppost and planter frame the entrance to the driveway and it will always be that way.  :)

Frontage

Garden Tour Splendor

 

 

 

 

 

Words cannot describe the beauty of the gorgeous garden where I painted recently.   It was part of a garden tour and deservedly so.   The garden lovers, myself included could not get over the many stunning scenes at this riverside oasis.   Peonies were the star as it was the third week of June and there were hundreds of blooms decorating every square foot of garden space.  I stood along a small pathway that led to the backdoor of this cedar shingle antique (circa 1740).  The underbrush mulch was dark and warm, yet the walkway was also bright and warm - sort of breaking the color temperature rules of painting.  I wanted the garden to dominate, but the house was so enticing that I gave it a bit of attention too.

Garden Tour Splendor

Flowering Woodland Shrub

Daphne

                                                                                                                                                                                               We were deep into autumn and the temperatures were dropping.   I (suddenly?) realized that I hadn't been outside painting enough.   Soon it would be so cold that I would think twice about venturing out ...brrrr.   This was a good incentive for painting out now!  
This painting depicts a beautiful woodland shrub that is not as well known as our common azaleas and rhododendrons.   I loved the variegated leaves and the cruciferous blossoms of this shrub called Daphne.   Its cool bright/warm dark scheme results in a lively depiction of a day of full blue skies.

Floral at the Fair

Oil Paint

 

 

 

These paintings were done at the 2021 Marshfield Fair.   At noon, twelve floral designers set out to create a ribbon winning design.  At 2PM twelve painters were assigned an arrangement to capture in paint.

 

 

It was a fun experience and so interesting to see how different painters approached their floral creation.   The floral designers seemed to basically have the same flowers, so to me, the color schemes of each were so very similar.   But as you see,the painters' works were vastly different!

Acrylic

Watercolor

Crock on the Path

Roughing in the Scene

Walking the wooded, stone lined path in this painting put me in and out of sunlight on this early morning in June.   During the set up, the long morning shadows were somewhat horizontal which presented a mundane light/dark pattern. I roughed in a sketch of the scene nevertheless, and as time went by, the change in the sunlight and shadows I had hoped for did come.   The first tree's shadow was now at a more dynamic angle. and the big crock of geraniums was fully lit.  

This "fresh paint" work of art is much more colorful and vivid in person than in the photo image and the painting is much more colorful than the real scene.

 

Crock on the Path

 

This painting is my Copley Society of Art "Fresh Paint" entry for 2021. 

Soft Iris on Shiny Aluminum

White Iris

Iris's are so short lived in summer.   I took several photos of the few white irises that appeared in my garden recently.   It struck me that a hard, shiny aluminum surface could be an interesting contrast for a painting of the delicate translucent petals.  Also, depending on what the background is reflecting - dark or light - the painting has a whole different look.

Daffodils

Daffodils

Swiftly moving through the supermarket, I spotted this bright, beautiful, yellow bouquet of classic daffodils.    Non-essential item, but yet kind of essential, at least psychologically!   They brightened the kitchen table and provided a great still life subject.    Here you are! 

Cheer up; great spring days are coming!

Anemone

White Anemone - Final

This series of paintings were done while building up to a commission for a client  This client had bought my paintings before and he noted that had a special friend who had a big birthday coming up - a centenarian.   He wanted to have a painting created of the birthday person's favorite flower, the anemone.   Most who are familiar with this flower are familiar with the variety that has the dark center, but there is a white variety that is bright green in the middle, almost chartreuse.   Happy Birthday!

White Anemone - Preview Sketch

White Anemone - Interim

Tropical Watercolors Jamaica

Beeline to Purple Spikes

I seriously thought about packing my oils for Jamaica, but elected to again bring watercolors.   They are so much cleaner, and lighter for packing, but as I've noted many times before, I'm not a watercolorist.   Watercolor experts are in a league of their own in my view.   I'll share a few amateur tries today. The colors look a little washed out - see?  I can't get good color! :)

Big Old Leaning Tree - Jamaica

Beach Huts at Dusk

View from my Chair

Doorways on Marlborough St

Marlborough Street 18

The doorways in the Back Bay of Boston shine with style and finesse all year long, but in late summer the flowers are peaking and the frontages are especially pretty.   For capturing city scenes in paint, I gravitate to Marlborough Street because it is quieter than Boylston or Commonwealth, which are just as grand.   Even the less manicured frontages have the elegance of mid-1800 architecture.

Farmstand

Summer Farmstand

A local farm stand has been supplying me with some spectacular produce this year.   They provide the usual summer specialties: lettuce, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and eggs.  I've been stopping there at least three times per week all summer.   The fruit (especially the peaches and plums) have been so good that I am lucky if my purchases make it to the destination without being eaten en route.  And never mind my plan to use this fine looking bounty for still life paintings!  

In this scene, Drew, the attendant is helping a customer pick out her treasures.  Their figures are mostly shaded, although there is rim light here and there.  Two other elements that I included were the red wheelbarrow full of corn (half sunny, half shady) and the A-frame street sign. I took liberty with the placement of these rearranged for the sake of balancing the painting.   
Alas, this week the mums and pumpkins made their appearance, which means the farmstand will be closing soon.   Oh, sweet summer, don't go!

Pink Freesia with White Roses

Although tiny, this little crystal vase is my new favorite.   It is perfectly shaped and looks lovely with miniature blooms from the garden.   I placed it on a small pedestal in a sunny, studio window and prepared to paint.    Shadows from the window grids were cast onto the set up and I was trying to decide if they added or subtracted from the composition.

Pink Freesia with White Roses

"Is there a term for the window grid things?" I asked my husband.   Without hesitation, he blurted "mullion bars."  He said it with an intonation that implied this was common knowledge.    He spotted my doubt immediately and he proceeded to look up the phrase.  Now to me, "mullion bars" is some vague, unknown term.  But expert carpenter/renovator that he is, he further added more terms that also mean window grids, "muntin bar, stiles, grids."     Haha, whatever they are called, they were casting shadows on my still life and the question remained was this good or bad?

I began painting.  The backlit still life had two white rose buds and a small freesia stem.   There was an interesting vase shadow, and within that, a bright refraction from the crystal.    The verdict of those other shadows came easily once I saw how much was going on in this small painting - no extra shadows from the mullion, muntin,stiles, grids or whatever you call them! :)

Birthplace John Adams

John Adams Birthplace

I've painted the John Adams grand manor of "Peacefield" many times, so I thought it was time to check out our second president's earlier roots.  This small, antique, saltbox-colonial, Adams's birthplace, is also located in Quincy, MA on Franklin Street.   It was built in 1681 and purchased by Deacon John Adams, President John Adams’ father, in 1720.  We learned on a guided tour that it still stands in its original location, at that time, a 188 acre farm.

The 21st century noise and traffic on this street was a stark contrast to the bucolic setting I imagined when hearing the Guide's story of the property back in the colonial era. Well, the painting looks as rural as the original description of the Homestead, surrounded by trees, fieldstone walls and wild flowers.  This 11x14 inch painting will be on display at the Annual Quincy Art Festival Exhibit called "Best of Quincy."

Garden Bunny

Garden Bunny

I found this garden ornament when I was cutting back the grossly overgrown landscaping at our new house.   Apparently it doesn't take very long for things in the garden to become buried and forgotten, but this guy now has a new life.   I sat him next to a pot of flowers near a nice stone wall in the back.   Not only does it now see the light of day, but it gets to have his portrait done. :)