Revisiting PA - Cows at the Creek

Cows at the Creek

I really enjoyed my trip to Pennsylvania and remember thinking that I would try to do some paintings from my photos once I got back home.   When I reviewed the countryside photos I remembered just how radiant and unspoiled it was.    It was a novelty for me to see a stunning hillside farm beside a crystal clear stream;  the vibrancy of buttery oil color would be the way to best capture the memory of it.

I am no cow expert but did observe that once a cow decided it would make a move, others would follow and in this case the move I saw was a slow trek to the edge of the stream.   This was the same stream as was in my painting "Creek Zen" - only further on down the road.   Colorful kayaks were also passing through, somewhat contradicting the iconic farm scene but enjoyable to watch the cows and kayakers observing each other.

As for the painting, I began with an underpainting of a pasture, in other words, a previous painting done "en plein air."  This practice of using an old painting is not only economical and environmentally friendly, but often results in textural complexity and color that is interesting and unplanned.   The small patch of black and white cows were depicted with what amounted to warm white dots, shadowy white dots, and dark patches for their coats, and no one cow painted in its totality.  I would love to walk that area again!

Daylilies at Memorial Park

First Grist Mill

The Furnace Brook and Watershed flows through Marshfield, MA, eventually merging with the South River just west of Veteran's Memorial Park.   On this sunny, clear day the river was reflecting all the lush June greenery.  A historical marker indicated that this was the site of the first grist mill back in the 1650's.  (Subsequently more mills and an iron furnace were here as well.)    It's a nice local spot to visit located  at the intersection of Routes 3A and 139.   A remarkable team of veterans keep the park looking its best and obviously their commitment to country did not stop with their service years!






Daylilies at Memorial Park
Mid-Stage

Daylilies at Memorial Park

For my painting I chose a vantage that faced northwest and looked up the river.  A stone wall and rustic shed framed either side of the scene.  What caught my eye more than anything else were the warm spots of light - the rim lit stones and the fresh, new daylilies lit up against the background darks.     In addition to being reminded of the sacrifices of our wonderful veterans I enjoyed the fruits of their labor at this lovely spot.

Once I got this one back in the studio I further refined the warm sunlight spots, especially on the shed, the rocks and the grass.