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!

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

Soaring Back from Minot

Soaring Back from Minot

This spot probably takes as bad a beating from Nor'easters as any coastal spot along Massachusetts.   It faces due northeast, directly in the line of fire when the coastal storms hit.   Hints of past house damage was evidenced by mismatched roof shingles and/or fresh/new wood supports.  Yet it was a different story on the mild and clear Sunday afternoon that this paint out took place.   The water was calm and frequent walkers passed along the loop to Scituate Light.  Despite the distance, Minot Light was clearly visible at the horizon line.   The scene was complete when this aerial glider motored past; his route seemed to skirt the shoreline and presumably he got a view of Minot Light that few of us can hope to ever take in!

Plymouth Harbor Dinghies

Plymouth Harbor Dinghies in Progress

Prior to my open studio session in Plymouth, I walked over to the waterfront where I enjoyed this gorgeous scene.  It was "golden hour," when the late light is so warm and dramatic.  It was low tide and glow from the low angle - an orangey-gold glow on everything.    In the far distance under the footbridge (left), was the water of the Kingston Bay.  The footbridge leads to the very long granite breakwater that protects Plymouth Harbor.

Plymouth Harbor Dinghies

There you have the geographical backdrop, but the real center of interest for the painting was the cluster of dinghies tied up at this dock.  Where I was standing, the water below me was starting to darken, and that exaggerated the brightness of the warm light on the boats.  What a fun scene to capture!

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.

Blue Crab Circle

Blue Crab Ring

This painting was an imaginary design.   I positioned my crabs in a circle, trying to inject some variety in both shapes and color.   Crabs typically sink down into the sand and the swirling water around them can create sandy ripples.   In this painting the mounds of sand emphasize this curved armature.   The canvas itself was an odd, almost square shape and I thought having a circular design was a suitable offset.

It's summer and I love having Cadmium Orange on my palette .... it is a good color for mixing summer light, and of course blue is its complementary color. 

Lonesome Cedar

Lonesome Cedar - Stage One

Cedar trees are a common sight on the South Shore of Massachusetts.   If you have ever been in a Cedar Grove, you know that their dense habit creates a natural noise cancelling effect; it is almost magical how they deaden the sounds.

Lonesome Cedar - Stage Two

There aren't too many Cedar Groves left,  but often there will be a lone cedar at the edge of a field, marsh or river.   They usually look very dark and bushy against any sunlit backdrop, as in this painting done along the North River, looking toward Marshfield, MA.

Lonesome Cedar - Final

Rocks and Seals - Take Two

Brant Rock Seals

There is a section of rocky coastline between the Green Harbor River and the Brant Rock neck section of Marshfield, MA that has become home for a small seal population.   At low tide, the seals can be seen sunning themselves on the more distant rocks.  They actually looked like rocks themselves, except that the shape was a little different - two pointed ends (head and tail :)).

The seals were the highlight of this paint out, along with the mild temperatures and calm seas.  As for the painting, there were challenges.  I've been painting a lot of rocks and surf lately so I mistakenly thought it would go smoothly.  I set up on the (sinking) sand, near the (rising) water line, just down from the (windy) opening along Ocean Street.   I began sketching the myriad of rocks and boulders connecting the abstract dark shapes across the scene.   Fast forward one hour...the easel blew over and I couldn't seem to get set up the same way again.   I painted for a few more minutes holding the board in my hand, working around the sand and gravel on my palette.  Arrggrrhhh!  I remind myself that a bad day painting on the beach beats a great day in an office every time!

The painting was only about 60% complete when I packed up.  That was a year ago.   I just found this painting again and with fresh eyes, saw what it needed.   So this is "Take Two" with a few improvements - I think.

Here's a paint-out bonus...a short clip of the seals.

https://youtu.be/-sd13uJa2gw

Ocean Bluff Jetty

Along Ocean St - In Progress

The coastline varies quite a bit along the South Shore of Massachusetts.    White sandy beaches turn into rocky areas, and in one high elevation area near me, you could call it a bluff.    The beach houses in this scene appeared to be built on rocky ledges and a man-made jetty juts out from the shore.


Access to this spot is easy as Ocean St parallels the shore along this stretch and even affords parking with this beautiful view. 

This painting may serve as a reminder of how beautiful the shoreline is - usually.   In the past few days, the ocean has served up one flooding tide after another.   It will be nice to have calm seas again.

Ocean Bluff Jetty

Cliff Walk Newport - Gazebo Framed by Foreground Rocks

Maureen Painting at Cliff Walk

Cliff Walk View - In Progress

This year we drove to Newport, RI in late June for a weekend getaway and painting trip.  There are hundreds of scenes worth painting and settling on a location is tough.   Our love of walking invariably pays off in that we often spot on foot places to park and set up that would be easily missed while driving.    This spot was at the halfway point of Cliff Walk at a dead end street.

Cliff Walk Newport - Final

The day was glorious - bright and sunny and just warm enough.  This scene faces northeast, so the sun and water glare was to my right.   It did get easier to see as the sun moved, but my eyes did take a beating.   I remember stopping to look around and thinking, what an amazing world, and how lucky are we to be surrounded by all the elements of nature we revere - sun, ocean, breezes, roses.   After painting, we followed the trail to the southern terminus before looping back to take a more unbiased look at our freshly painted works.

Overcast Brant Rock

Overcast Brant Rock - Stage Two

My gear was packed and ready.   I took a spin around town, looking for inspiration, almost stopping along the river.  The beautiful "Spring greens" view of the South River from the rear of a local restaurant caught my attention, but the large dumpster turned me off.    Wouldn't a misty sea breeze be better?  Of course it would.

Overcast Brant Rock - Stage One

The painting location I settled on is a personal favorite, and one that I have painted in the past. The super low tide exposed the rocky shoreline and created many tidal pools.   Comerants crowded together on the actual "Brant Rock"as I painted and the rain held off until the very minute - literally - that I started back to the studio.

Overcast Brant Rock

Rocky Outcropping - World's End

Hull Harbor Overlook - Stage One

Hull Harbor Overlook - Stage Two

The South Street Gallery in Hingham invited me to participate in a paint-out event at World's End in Hingham, MA, a beautiful penninsula that is a part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Park. The paintings are part of a silent auction taking place this June (2017) and a portion of the proceeds benefit The Trustees of World's End.

Painters drew lottery numbers which corresponded to several scenic locations on the World's End map.    I picked two numbers, leading to the discovery of a deer gathering spot along the shore.   How did I know that?   Well after trekking down a steep grassy slope, following a very narrow deer-sized opening in the tall grass, I came to a flat spot where the grass was freshly flattened, as if something had been lying there.  

Rocky Outcropping - World's End

Further evidence was the fact that during my post-paint-out visit, Opie, my grandpuppy, was a bit crazed as he apparently caught a scent on my boots.     This view faced the long neck of land that comprises Hull, MA, although there were rocky outcroppings between me and Hull.  Spring Worlds End facing the Hull Side.

Osher Ledges - Minot

Osher Ledges - Stage One

The location of this scene is the northernmost section of Scituate, MA, known as Minot.   Minot is only 15 miles across the water from Boston Harbor.  The Boston skyline was in fact visible in the far distance across Cohasset Harbor, if I turned 180 degrees from this easterly facing scene.

Osher Ledges - Stage Two

It was cold!   I had the layers; I was in the sun.  However, the wind was blowing from behind me and eventually, I had to wrap things up.    In quick paint mode, as discussed in the past, the result can be fresher, unfussy and more vivid.   I'd like to think that surrendering to the cold on this day, has resulted in one of those kinds of paintings.

Osher Ledge - Minot

As for the colors, the dark winter blue ocean was a stark contrast against the sun bleached ledges.    It was low tide and some of the boulders that spend most of the day submerged were dark and moss covered.   The angle of sun is so low that there is not much yellow influence, thus there is a distinct lack of green in the water. In fact, the ocean blue was leaning more toward purple than green.

Brant Rock Oceanfront

Brant Rock Oceanfront

Low tide enabled me to get down amid the largest boulders along Ocean Street in the Brant Rock section of Marshfield, MA.   I've painted this scene before so the lines, angles and landmarks were very familiar.   It was a picture perfect day, warm, dry and breezy, certainly conducive for a good creative flow!

The 12x16" canvas had been toned in a middle value blue, a good complement for the warm, orangy light of the day.   The two foot waves rolled onto a stretch of beach in front of me in a four second rhythm, a most relaxing white noise.   Many people walked along the sidewalk above, but very few ventured down to where I was.

As for the painting, the darkest darks were first, then the lightest lights.   Next was the greenish blue water, followed by thick white waves, mostly painted with my palette knife.    Where the water met the sand, I interwove the two color masses creating the shoreline.   At the conclusion of the paint out, I hadn't even touched the blue areas.  Since the blue was a middle value, it served as the half tone without having to paint over it.   It amounted to a painting done with three basic colors, the simplicity of which I really liked.

Perfectly Colorful Reflections

Brant Rock Boats - In Progress

It was early morning at the dock behind Taylor Marine in Brant Rock, MA  The humidity was noticeably lower than that of the past few days and the sun was brightly shining - a perfect morning.   There were boats in every slip since it was mid-July and although colorful and shimmery, it was chaos.   The job of a plein air painter is as much about what to not include as it is about what makes it into the painting.

Brant Rock Boats

A blue lobster boat with a red stripe at the water line looked dazzling in the direct sunlight, so it was to be the center of interest.    A row of  boats on the left included two bright yellow Sea Tow boats and their yellow reflections - all of which created some strong geometric shapes, although somewhat jagged.  The background boats were painted as dabs of color and done very loosely so as not to draw much attention.

The color matching of the water went well, although in the side-by-side shot, the scene is very dark.   (That's what cameras do in bright situations.)   I still have work to do on this one, mostly making sure the reflections line up with their objects.

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.



River Channel from Bay Ave

River Channel from Bay Ave

This painting depicts a favorite scene not far from our house, with the marina situated on one side and the beach and dunes on the other.   It is the outlet of the Green Harbor River into the Atlantic Ocean.    The grasses were brown, the sand was beige, the water was grey and the rocks were dark shades of all those colors - a February color scheme!  The only non-drab area in the scene was a stack of newer looking lobster traps that were bright yellow and orange, sitting amid hundreds of older seaweed enveloped traps.

Cold Front that Ended Paint-Out

The challenge given this day's mostly gray skies was to capture the winter grayness but also depict "the moment" when rays of sun illuminated that the area around the new yellow lobster traps.

A downpour ended this paint out abruptly.   The clouds were quite ominous and the wind gusts may have been in the gale range as it actually blew the back doors of my van shut.   Amazingly, I had just stowed my palette and the painting fell to the ground right sideup.  It's the little things!  :))

Rocks and Seals

There is a section of rocky coastline between the Green Harbor River and the Brant Rock neck section of Marshfield, MA that has become home for a small seal population.   At low tide, the seals can be seen sunning themselves on the more distant rocks.  They actually looked like rocks themselves, except that the shape was a little different - two pointed ends (head and tail :)).

The seals were the highlight of this paint out, along with the mild temperatures and calm seas.  As for the painting, there were challenges.  I've been painting a lot of rocks and surf lately so I mistakenly thought it would go smoothly.  I set up on the (sinking) sand, near the (rising) water line, just down from the (windy) opening along Ocean Street.   I began sketching the myriad of rocks and boulders connecting the abstract dark shapes across the scene.   Fast forward one hour...the easel blew over and I couldn't seem to get set up the same way again.   I painted for a few more minutes holding the board in my hand, working around the sand and gravel on my palette.  Arrggrrhhh!  I remind myself that a bad day painting on the beach beats a great day in an office every time!

The painting was only about 60% complete when I packed up.  The remainder was done in the studio - and it still isn't quite done.   I'm sharing it now, but I think it needs something.   Maybe a unifying toned glaze to tone down the bright areas on the rocks.   I welcome your critiques as always. 

Here's a paint out bonus...
a short clip of the seals.

https://youtu.be/-sd13uJa2gw

Rocky Shores

Rocky Shores

A rocky shoreline on a perfect summer day - it is never the same and never boring.   When we set up (about 3 hours before low tide), the rocks were barely visible at.  Gradually, the water pulled away revealing the rocky shoreline.   Seagulls and cormorants selected their favorite rocks, and some foraged through the seaweed. 

I mostly used my palette knife to capture the full sun and full pink glare off the water.   The extra brights formed a stark contrast with the dark rocks.