Sunset And Shell Hunting

 

Sunsets are probably what Saint Pete Beach is best known for, and from what I’ve observed, shell hunting is a close second. So that’s why the first two paintings I did while staying there this February capture those two topics.

Each evening people are drawn to Florida's west facing coastline to enjoy the show, no two ever the same.  This fiery sunset happened from our closest shoreline, which was the Pass-A-Grille Beach. The high contrails and low horizon clouds were lit up in a full spectrum of orange, peach and yellow. As the sun sunk lower, the sky was more vivid and the sand and vegetation became cooler and bluer.   My canvas was a black board to start with and I was able to carve the shape of the figure with my scrape out tool, essentially leaving the substrate unpainted.   I feel like this is exactly the type of painting that will remind me of my favorite part of this getaway.

 

 

Fiery February Sunset

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second painting was done at the 1st Ave Beach Access at the southernmost tip of the St Pete Beach barrier island.  A very popular spot for shell hunters, people wade in and out of tidal pools looking for the holy grail of the shell world (sand dollars and spotted junonia).   I'm more of a seaglass gal, but I can certainly understand the theraputic benefit of just wandering through sand and water looking for treasure.

  

Shell Hunting at the Sandbar

As for the painting, I was attracted by contrasting shapes of the barrel shaped palm, slabs of concrete and the humans on the sand. I probably applied 80% of the paint with palette knives leaving thick, barely blended strokes.   I intentionally left much more warmth in the undergrowth and vegetation to convey a tropical feel.

Snowy Stone Wall

Snowy Stone Wall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just before leaving for a warmer place, I painted this scene from a photo I took.    To me, the prettiest winter scenes happen right when the snow stops and the sun is starting to emerge.  That was the case here.  It was clean and bright with maximum snow and shadow contrast.   

Middleboro Paint Outs

 These three paintings capture scenes in Middleboro, MA, a mostly low lying area with ponds, lakes, streams and cranberry bogs.   True Grit Art Gallery holds an annual painting event where painters capture scenes from within the town boundaries for a month long exhibition of the masterpieces that result.

The first scene is from Lolans Farm in mid-October.   The displays are bursting with harvest bounty with every kind and color of pumpkin you can imagine.   It was a brisk and mostly cloudy day when this woman walks through scanning for the perfect pumpkin.

Scanning for the Perfect Pumpkin

 

 

 

 

 

The next painting was done along the Nemasket River next to the Oliver Mill.  This spectacular old stone bridge was first built in 1859 and was referred to as the Muttock.   It was repaired/rebuilt a number of times since but the structures' sturdy, rustic design remains true to the original.   The bridge was a visual  magnet for a painter like me - love of water and Irish roots.   The gorgeous reflections of the stonework and autumn color doubled the magnificence of scene.

The Muttock

The third and final plein air exhibition painting was done at an area called Betty's Neck.  It was a perfect day for enjoying the fall color.   I met a couple who were scoping out the spot from where they were going to watch the Northern Lights that evening.   They agreed my very spot was going the get the nod once it got dark.   For me, it was very much the bright sunshine, water and peak foliage getting the nod.

 

Causeway View - Betty's Neck

 

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. 

Winter in St Augustine

Windy Day in the Dunes

It's mid-August, and I find myself just posting paintings from February!   We spent some time in beautiful St. Augustine, FL and did several plein air paintings.    The ocean is a must for us and this destination had the ocean and much more... history, architecture, gorgeous beaches and of course a seemingly unlimited number of food options. It beat shoveling!   

To the east was the ocean; to the west, the Matanzas River.  We pretty much canvassed the whole area.  And always we returned to the beach for extensive walks and of course some paint outs.

The paths to the shore consisted of a very wide swathe of dunes.   So pretty!

St Augustine Beach Dunes

Pink Dunes

Matanzas Inlet

At the southernmost tip of St Augustine Island was the Matanzas Inlet.   This uprooted tree replanted itself on the river bank creating lots of shadows set off by the blinding light. 

 

 

 

Bridge of Lions

We frequented the historic downtown area often, touring, shopping and eating.  Of course, as the nation's oldest city, founded in 1565, there were forts, piers, shrines, quaint alleys and bridges all worth visiting.

St Augustine - plein air painter approved! 😊

Corner of Bridge and Avenida Menendez

Just Some Trees

Winter Trees from Deck

 

 

A warm day in February is much appreciated.   The snow that was still covering most surfaces had melted off the sunny back deck.   I grabbed my gear and conveniently stepped outside - easy version of plein air - no pack up!  

I decided to practice my tree structures with this loose and easy snowscape painting.   The oaks don't always drop all their leaves and they remain on the branches in orangy clusters.   In this case they offer a nice compliment for the blue snow shadows.

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. 

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

Stetson Woods River View

Stetson Woods River View

Less than two miles from home, we found a new set of trails that are "hidden" behind an old cemetery.  Thanks to online maps, we discovered that there are many woodland areas along the North River in Marshfield.  We've walked four trails so far, my favorite an area called the Stetson Woods.   It actually has a riverside beach (tire swing and all) and a large picnic area.   Of course since it was December, we didn't meet another soul, never mind swimmers or picnic people. 

This painting depicts the northernmost edge of the woods where the marsh opened up wide to reveal the North River snaking beyond.   The expansive marsh was bright gold, but the shadiest spots were dark and frozen.    Tall marsh grasses and cattails help the composition by bridging deep shadow and bright winter light.

This painting took a while as it measures 24" x 30".

Hanging Under the Apple Tree

Apple Tree

In the four short weeks since I painted this, the scene has changed dramatically!  The apple tree leaves are now dropping and the flowers' bright colors have faded.  At that point I was thinking, oh there is just so much green - too much.   The remedy was to scoop up pink flower pigment and mix it with the predominant greens.   The result was more varied reddish greens for alternating leaves.   This trick is handy for painters who want variation, but need a color that is consistent and harmonious with the rest of the painting. I even put some pink in the grass, just because it looked pretty.    I still may deemphasize the stone wall.   Did you spot that these stones look too blue?

Harbor Park - Willow and Ospreys

Willows and Ospreys - Harbor Park in Progress

More and more people are starting to use Harbor Park on Dribeck Road near Marshfield's Marina.   When the park was first completed, I could paint there and in two hours, never see anyone stop or stroll through.  Today, people steadily passed by, some taking a break under the gazebo and some asking about my painting.

Willows and Ospreys - Harbor Park

The scene is somewhat typical of a tidal river, cedar trees, willows, marshgrass, stone retaining walls and of course, seagrass.   I was most interested in the osprey nest built on a wooden platform on a tall pole in the middle of the inlet.  If I were to paint it to scale, the nest would be but a speck in the grand scheme of the painting, so I made it much larger.   The nest that sits out over the marsh grass was very active with two adult ospreys bringing fish for the two (large) chicks.   You can view my scene and a bit of drama when another osprey harassed the nest in the video.

Spring Blooms and Mailbox

Spring Blooms and Mailbox

The new studio is located at the end of a cul de sac with thick old woods all around.  With spring upon us, various trees and plants I hadn't noticed before, are announcing their presence with spring sprouts and blossoms.    White flowering trees and pink azalea shrubs are the highlight right now and they look bright and vivid against the oaks, which are still a dull pinkish-gray.

I set up my easel right behind my mailbox and tried to capture my first spring here while it was this pretty. 

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

Kayak Rack

Kayak Rack at the Pond

This pretty little spot along the pond offers many "painting-worthy" vistas.   I liked the late afternoon sun patterns on the various elements, trees, kayaks, and the bed of pine needles.  A simple vertical kayak rack was built by affixing wooden braces between two large trees near the water's edge.    Not only were the kayaks colorful, but the late October foliage added brightness to the scene as well.    Near the kayaks, a sitting area had been constructed, a platform with an overhead roof.  Nestled here were two Adirondack chairs and I'm picturing a peaceful afternoon nap for the owners.

SOLD

Boston Hatch Shell Reflections

Boston Hatch Shell Reflections - Stage One

I found a parking spot on Beacon Street in late morning as I was heading to the Copley Society to drop off some paintings.   This spot was just a few yards from Arlington Street and the intersection that leads to the Arthur Fiedler Footbridge over Storrow Drive.  I've wanted to paint along the Charles River for some time now, but I had myself convinced it was not really accessible, and would involve too much walking.   This was my chance though, and it did require some hiking. 

Boston Hatch Shell Reflections - Stage Two

I placed my gear on wheels and headed for the famous Hatch Shell, a half-moon shaped outdoor stage located on the Boston side of the Charles River.   The green space here is also known as the "Esplanade."  There were several little footbridges over the parallel waterways and I painted one that was bathed in sunlight.   I painted from the next footbridge over. 

Mounted State Police Unit Passing By

Although leafy trees largely obscured my direct view of the Hatch Shell stage, its golden sunlit reflection was visible in the water.  As is often the case with plein air, the scene was loaded with elements to the point of being chaotic.  As the painting progressed though, the wildness was tamed down by the rhythm of color mixing and palette knife strokes.  With reflections, they are best developed right in synch with their subjects and not as an after-thought.

Boston Hatch Shell Reflections

Stone Wall Amid the Meadow - World's End

Stone Wall Amid the Meadows

My second map assignment at the South Street Gallery paint out for Worlds End faced Hingham Harbor.  Of the two assignments, I expected this to be the nicer view scene, but unfortunately it was dead low tide.    There was virtually no water when it was time to set up, which helped with the decision to turn in the opposite direction.   I captured a gorgeous uphill view which included a nice old stone wall, large old maple trees and a puffy-cloud, fair-weather  sky.

Painting and Sketching in Tropical Paradise

In the beautiful island country of Jamaica, the delights were many: people, music, balmy breezes, cuisine and most of all, a rainbow of vibrant and colorful scenes.   I longed to paint with my oils, but this vacation was designed around the theme of "R&R."  Dealing with wet oil paintings in a beautiful hotel setting would have been too scary, and frankly stressful.    My fallback was watercolor and sketching, adequate substitutes and actually good for brushing up on different skills.    

There were many talented musicians strolling along the beach.  They periodically pausing to perform a few songs for tips.   They stayed long enough to be captured in pencil, which I share here.  Sketching on the fly was good practice, especially for a plein air painter like myself.

My favorite musician was Donnavan Darymple, who also performed some evenings at the hotel

We snorkeling along a reef about a mile from the hotel with local guides.   Back ashore, painting the underwater world with watercolor seemed pretty natural. Although I do find watercolor challenging, letting the wet colors run together was fun, as was playing with the masking fluid.      

Underwater I

Underwater II

Underwater III

Bullfrog

The frog is a New England "feller" painted from a photograph.   I actually painted this one first, as I was getting re-accustomed to watercolor.   As you can see, I approached it very much like an oil painting (covering the whole surface, layering, accentuating the darks).

Under the Shade Tree

One very nice aspect of the hotel's beach was that it had a large swathe of shade trees.    There was no problem shifting our chairs from shade to sunshine and back again.   This painting was done from under the tree where I spent most of my vacation.

Watercolor by Paul Thomas

 Last but not least is a painting done by Jamaican Watercolorist Paul Thomas.  He and I had a nice conversation at our beach where he was set up selling his beautiful depictions of the local scenes.   His hummingbird paintings were amazing - I wish I had taken a photo!    I gave him a block of watercolor paper as it had come to my attention that getting supplies on the island was not easy.   He most graciously painted the scene shown here.   He sure knows how to mix that beautiful turquoise that I was having a hard time achieving!  Thank you Paul!

Peonies at Sonnenberg

Peonies at Sonnenberg

Painting Six of the Finger Lakes Plein Air Competition was an afternoon experience with a 12x24 inch canvas panel.    I chose a long white arbor that divided the formal gardens and a fifty foot peony border at beautiful Sonnenberg Mansion and Gardens.  The dimensions of the canvas seemed just right.   Peony blooms are short lived, yet they happened to be peaking on this glorious June day.   The mild scent of the hundreds of pink and white blossoms occasionally drifted my way, an extra bonus beyond the beautiful visual.  A large painting at this point in the competition was a self-assigned stretch assignment.   If it turned out well, it would look nice in the pale silvery frame I had planned to use.

Peonies at Sonnenberg

This was the last day to paint for the main competition, and I would be turning in the best three paintings this evening.  I decided that this painting would be one of the three to be submitted for judging.   And although it wasn't selected for an award, I was satisfied that it was good and that I stayed true to how I paint.    Under time constraints a person's true signature style is probably more pronounced!

Midday at Granger

Midday at Granger - In Progress

This was Painting Four of the Finger Lakes Plein Air Competition and the second painting of the day. Painters were invited to the historic Granger Homestead and Carriage Museum to capture scenes that the "Friends of the Museum" may like to own.   The sun was already high in the sky by the time I got started on this painting.   A woman in 19th century garb was posing in an antique carriage and several painters worked on the scene from various angles.

The museum hosted a nice reception that night and several paintings were sold (including mine).

Chicken House

Hen House

A little crooked, but the chickens don't mind.  A wind swept farm scene done as a quick study.