Fishing from the Beach

Fishing from the Beach

Today's painting was done at the base of the Powder Point Bridge in Duxbury, MA.   I arrived at this spot ahead of the summer beach crowd and actually painted right out of the back of my parked vehicle which overlooks a little beach on Duxbury Bay.   Before long, the summer bustle picked up with lots of pedestrians and cars crossing this remarkable bridge.  Multiple people were fishing about halfway across the bridge, where there is a stronger current and a boat underpass.   Power para-gliders put on a show as well!

As the tide got higher, one fisherwoman in boots and waders came over to the beach just below my painting location and began casting.  I decided to make her figure and the bridge the two primary focal points of the painting.

First Cliff from Scituate Light

Scituate Lighthouse is wonderfully accessible with free public parking, always a valuable feature for plein air painters.   I've painted the lighthouse on multiple occasions in the past so on this day I framed a different scene.  This composition is south facing across the Scituate Harbor inlet toward what is called the "First Cliff".   There are jetties on either side of the inlet which are depicted.  The "cliff" on the far shore is encircled by some amazing oceanfront properties.  There was so much going on in this scene between all the people and various boats that I found it hard not to include at least a few of these elements in the painting.  What I liked most about the day was the fair weather clouds. :)

 

First Cliff from Scituate Light

 

Peachy at the Beachy

Peachy at the Beachy

It was a delightfully warm summer day - not too humid with a midday tide.   After my winter beach painting experience in Florida, I wanted to practice some of the color-work that I had learned.  Specifically, warm peachy colored sand looks magical when contrasted with deep cornflower blue shadows.  

The scene was facing south and included the shoreline houses of Marshfield's Fieldston area and a wide expanse of Rexhame Beach.   I wanted to include the lifeguard stand and and myriad of beach parasols that dotted the shoreline.   I worked from the top and soon discovered that I had a lot of canvas at the bottom with little interest.   This was composition issue that I wanted to correct, not by including more beachgoers or the rocks, but by way of bolder brushstrokes that would offer shapes and shadows typical of a dunes beach.  Perhaps even more bold strokes are needed!?  What do you think?

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.

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

Quincy 400 Marina Bay Festival Plein Air

On July Fourth weekend, I was invited along with other painters to create some live works of art of along the boardwalk at beautiful Marina Bay in Quincy, MA.   Quincy was founded in 1625, a mere five years after Plymouth, so its 400th anniversary is here and it was celebrated in grand style.   There was a full three days of programming including great music, patriotic parades, children's events and even John Adams made an appearance in vintage garb.  

The heat was a factor and remembering to drink while immersed in a plein air painting is always a challenge.   The event company who invited us took very good care of us though, and we were even treated to a gourmet lunch (albeit in a box).  I created two paintings that day which were part of a mini competition on Sunday.   Amazing artist Morgan Davis took the top prize with her painting of the clock tower.   (far left in the picture)  That's me with my eyes closed :).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The complex dock scenes below would have terrified me not too long ago.  I have since learned to let the details go and concentrate on the big shapes and concentrate on painting a few key elements well.   The viewers' eyes and brain do the rest as they digest the painting!   All the American flags were done with my palette knife with one very loose, long stroke.  

 

Marina Bay Boardwalk - West Q400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marina Bay Boardwalk - North Q400

Wollaston Yacht Club Plein Air

The Quincy Art Association organized and hosted this paint out and yours truly was the instructor/demo painter.   We arrived plenty early to get set up and it was a good thing.   We quickly realized (like boaters before a storm) that we needed more ropes (aka bungies).    The wind was gusting to 25-30 mph and it was the first lesson that was discussed regarding successful plein air painting.  The large tent next to me where the painting participants were working actually flipped over.  Equipment must be weighted down to the point were it will not budge!   In every photo, I'm gripping my easel out of habit, even though I was securely tied down.  The bright sun and warm temperatures (low 90s) were also challenging but the participants stuck with it and all came away with a work of art they should be proud of!

This is my painting from the demo, a depiction of the Wollaston Yacht Club and dock with Quincy Bay and some Boston Harbor Islands in the distance. 

Wollaston Yacht Club and Dock

 

 

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!

Beach Painter

Maureen Painting at Wollaston Beach

It's June and that means people want to be outside.   People were out in droves along the boardwalk at Wollaston Beach and were able to observe the first in a plein air series put on by The Quincy Art Association in collaboration with "Better Beaches", "Save the Harbor, Save the Bay", and Massachusetts DCR.   

This was my painting done while also watching a demo by Vincent Crotty.   The conditions were a little tough because of the gusty winds.   My gear was sufficiently weighted down to combat the wind which helped enormously.

Here is my painting of Vincent in action as he appears to pause, and contemplate his next stroke.  

Beach Painter

Garden Tour Paint Out

Side Garden Dogwood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was that time of year again.   June means garden tours in some places.  Painters are often invited to set up in the gardens for an added cultural dimension.   I love participating in them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, this is a redwood tree.  I was lucky enough to score a painting location on a spectacular pond with shade from a WWII era redwood tree.   The gardens at this home on the Cliff Rodgers Library Garden Tour were just beautiful, and truly, the star of the show was this unique tree.  They are rare in Southeastern Massachusetts.  In fact, the property owner shared that she believed there were only two others in the area, one in Braintree, MA and one at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, MA.    

Funny thing is, I did not paint it.  How could a 11x14 canvas convey its size and majesty.   I am including a picture with human figures so you get an idea of the mass.  As for what I did paint, it was a peaceful garden vignette from the side of the home.   The Koosa Dogwood was in bloom and had the maximum contrast against the shadow side of trees along the road beyond.

As always, the experience was so pleasant with dozens of garden tour participants, and unsurprisingly, a fair number who painted as well. 

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

Shimmery Silk

Shimmery Silk

 It was literally 95 degrees and humid when a group of painters gathered in Adams Common in Quincy, MA for a live model paintout.    We had two hours which was enough with that heat.   Our wonderful model wore a pure silk skirt that gathered at the waist and of course only enhanced her perfect physique.

I used sight sizing to capture the drawing and once I switched to color paint I "wiped off" my extra paint repeatedly on the background which started to build up an abstract and harmonious wallpaper.  The added bonus was a multi-cultural concert going on.   It was a happening place!

Driftway Overlook

Set up

 

What a location!  This "little" North River is a tributary to the "big" part of the North River that separates Scituate, MA from Marshfield, MA.   The tidal flow causes the river levels to rise and fall along with the ocean tides.   At the start of my painting, the riverbanks were expansive yet by the time I finished up, the silty borders had started to diminish.   The stream of kayaks never diminished so I included a few in the painting.    

Stage One

 

This, for me, was also a good example of how distorted color can be in a photograph.  I had held up scoops of paint against each of the major local colors while I was painting. By my judgement, I had achieved  pretty precise color matches. Yet when I printed my reference photo back in the studio, the blues were oh so blue, the lightest shades of sand were white and the reddish undertones of the pilings on the left were black.  The reference was useful then only to check the drawing - not color.

Stage Two

Always let your eyes guide you on color. :)

 

 

 

 

 

Driftway Overlook

Summer Lilies Fading Glory

Water Lilies Fading Glory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do the topics of waterlilies and oil paintings bring impressionist painter Monet to mind for you?    I personally love those paintings and as many times as I've seen one of the many renditions of waterlilies by Monet I marvel.  Up close they seem like chaotic dots of color, but step back and the real thing emerges.  Did you know there are at least 250 known waterlily paintings by Monet?    Amazing!  

There is great freedom and fun in painting water and water lilies.   Monet's paintings have exactly what mine lack- a casual looseness and variety.  I wouldn't be able to paint the same subject dozens, never mind hundreds of times.   I wonder if Monet's free flowing brushwork comes from  his being so familiar with the subject that his psyche practically paints it without conscious thought?

These are not south-of-France waterlilies, but rather New England pond lilies done in a "zoomed in" stilllife style.  As the end of summer approaches, the pads start to change color with more read and gold, similar to our foliage.

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. 

Wooden Wonder - Powder Point Bridge

 

Wooden Wonder - Powder Point Bridge

 

 Red sky at night, sailors' delight...

It's not quite red but the thick overcast was giving way to clearer skies, and setting sun was catching the underside of the cloud bank at the Powder Point Bridge.   This marvelous bridge is special to many on the South Shore of Massachusetts.  It's unique length and structure has made it into documentaries and movies over the years, and of course, it is a favorite of photographers and painters.

The bridge is, in fact, the longest wooden bridge in the United States at 2,200 feet.  When the original bridge was built in 1892 it subtracted seven hours of travel from the trip from Duxbury Center to the Gurnet which is at the furthest tip of Duxbury Beach.  The bridge has been a topic in this blog several times if you'd like to know more and see my past paintings of it.

This painting is large at 18x36 which makes it the perfect living room piece for "over the couch."

Yaz - Gate B

Yaz - Gate B

 

Summertime in the city - that usually means baseball, but it is 2020, the year of virus fears.   A Boston Red Sox fan favorite, Carl Yastremski played his entire 23-year Major League Baseball career with the team (1961-1983).   

After Carl's retirement, a beautiful bronze statue was created by Sculptor Toby Mendez.  Carl Yastremski,  fondly known as "Yaz", is depicted saluting his loyal fans on the day of his retirement.  The statue stands at the back entrance of Boston's beloved Fenway Park on Van Ness Street.  When we finally get back to Fenway, Yaz will be there at Gate B waiting!

Morning at Sea Street Bridge

Morning at Sea Street Bridge

Our closest beach is now Humarock, presenting variety of nice views for plein air painting.   The vantage point of this painting is from the ocean side of the Sea Street Bridge looking back across the South River.     The small buildings on my left provided deep foreground shadows on me and the beach roses at the base of the bridge.   I made sure these rosebushes were dark enough to contrast with the dazzling sunlit boats and buildings across the water.   Does it look hazy, hot and humid?  Because it was!

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.