Monday, December 22, 2008

Before the Next Storm


This pc is approx 30" x 30" which is bigger then what I normally do and was done yesterday morning, before the latest storm covered us with about 2 ft of snow. The sun came out for about 45 mins and it was nice to see warm colors again even if it was on snow. This morning I could not even get my Wife's Jeep out of its parking spot never mind the yard. I plan on doing more snow paintings with all the new feet of snow we received, but I'm afraid my plow guy is not coming and I have a few tons of snow to shovel. Quote:"In Art, the hardest skill to learn is to be simple" Sergei Bongart This is my last post before Christmas so Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Crazy Kwanzaa to all !!...(sorry if spelling wrong on holidays)

Friday, December 19, 2008

The Best Christmas Song EVER

This really has no explanation. Enjoy! Quote: Merry Christmas ! anonymous

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Big Thaw


This is another one from my window after all the Ice melted from our big freeze, the temps got up around 50 but its supposed to snow again tomorrow . I would have liked to get out and paint but I was busy readying my home studio for a very small home class that is starting soon. I am still teaching at River Arts and have a class scheduled to begin sometime mid late January. Quote:"Painting from nature is not copying the object, it is realizing one's sensations" Paul Cezanne

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Still life, very still and extremely cold


This pc was painted while we were frozen solid here in Maine. We got quite a covering, almost like a big glazed donut landscape outside, when we were chiseling out the cars most areas were about 3/8" - 1/2" thick. When the Ice is that thick you kind of have to use your scraper like a hammer first then as a scraper. I have been really inspired lately by my fellow painters and my 30th reading of Hawthorne on Painting, I hope it shows. Quote:" You don't have to think of planes if you think of color; note a spot of color, and then the plane will take care of itself" Charles Hawthorne. I don't usually advertise this but you can click the painting and see a close up , might be interesting?

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Just a Sketch


Sometimes when I'm out painting I have no idea what I'm looking for I just know I want to paint. I end up doing a bunch of small paintings that are an idea but not really a thought. This pc is from one of those days, the light was moving pretty fast and I left this as I left it the other day. Anytime after noon time now in Maine seems to be sunset the plus is the shadows are really long and colorful, the minus is sunset is soon after 3 . If your wondering the building in this is Muscongus Bay Co-Op in Round Pond, fresh lobster and BYOB. welcome to Maine. Quote: "If the wind doesn't blow...row row row" sorry unknown.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

First Snow


Finally we got some snow today, I got this pc done early this morning just as the snow was starting to stick. This is a view from out my window so its not really plein air, but if it matters my feet were cold.?...... Quote:"Take the ugliest object or subject and make it beautiful. Do not look for pictures in nature, get a problem." CW Hawthorne..

Monday, December 1, 2008

Queen of Round Pond


This painting shown is from a few weeks ago, and is currently hanging in the juried show at River Arts in Damariscotta ME. My recent trip to Round Pond was two days ago and wasn't a painting success. I wasn't getting to far with my sketches and I think at least 7 people stopped and carried lengthy conversations with me . I generally don't mind although when paintings aren't working out, it can get old really quick. (I won't include the names of the Innocent) One of the people that stopped and talked to me I found extremely interesting, this person had me not paying attention to my sketch, and had me picking my jaw up off the ground with his experience's with the paint world. This person has studied with Henry Hensche in Provincetown MA. Then later studied under David Leffel at Art Students League, and If that wasn't enough this persons father was a famous portrait instructor also at the students league. He told me some interesting quick anecdotes about his experience with these teachers and had me enthralled. I found this to be quite a day maker and had to tell somebody of this chance encounter, I guess that's what a blog is for !?.. Quote: A man with his belly full of the classics is an enemy of the human race." Henry Miller (1891-1980)