Monhegan Legacy

  Here is a 20"x24" titled "Legacy". This piece along with a couple others are the result of taking some of my plein air pieces and living with them for a while, digesting whats going on. Hopefully learning from it then cleaning up the composition with a studio piece.

  I am seeing the benefits of this practice in my plein air regularly but in a different way then you might think. Instead of seeing problems before they happen I think I am noticing them quicker as they are arising and starting  fresh on a new piece, with the composition change on the front of my mind. The 30x40 "Fishermans Memorial"  from a couple posts ago is an example of this practice that I am particularly proud of. I would love to hear your thoughts. Is this something you practice or would consider trying? Thanks for stopping by. Dan

Quote "It's all in how you arrange the thing... the careful balance of the design is the motion." (Andrew Wyeth)

Lady in Waiting

    Here is another piece including local lobster boat "Russ Ann". I really enjoy this boat, the colors (especially in the sun) the proud stance it takes on the stands and I imagine in the water she is the perfect balance of handling and stability. I cant wait to see her covered in snow.. 
 Speaking of snow, I just purchased a Subaru Forester (well the bank did, but they have my signature :)  )  and look forward to being able to really get out and paint in the harsh Winter weather. So if you have been on the fence about buying one of my pieces, now would be a great time. Subaru cars are not cheap but are pretty much a necessity to live and work here.


Quote: "I get letters from people about my work. The thing that pleases me most is that my work touches their feelings. In fact, they don't talk about the paintings. They end up telling me the story of their life or how their father died. " (Andrew Wyeth)

Country Road

 Here is a 16x20 I painted in South Bristol during the recent heatwave we had here in the N East. When coming home to have a small break i would see my thermometer consistently above 115 in the sun, highest was 119. I know those are not the "real" temps but when you work in the sun they are !
 This piece is available at Coco Vivo Fine Art right around the corner in Boothbay. I just had my first opening with Coco Vivo, and had a great time. A big THANK YOU to everyone there for welcoming me and making me feel at home.

Quote:  "The painter must enclose himself within his work ; he must respond not with words; but with paintings." Cezanne

Fishermans Memorial on Monhegan Island

Here is a 30"x40" piece I painted recently of the Fishermans Memorial on Monhegan Island. Right about now the waves at this location are pretty good for painting and can be heard all the way on the other side of the island. About one mile away. At this time last year, while I was there, a workshop group was set up in this area painting. My guess is the students trusted their teacher to know better then the warnings of the locals and common sense... Well an extra large "rogue" wave came up and over this memorial, almost washing the class away.. One person had their entire Open Box M setup washed out to sea, they found the stainless steel brushwasher later and it was completely pitted and rusted from 45 mins in the ocean.. 

  The photo is a pretty big let down...sorry.

 Quote: "The best art amazes us because of what the artist left out, not because of what he or she put in. If everything is included, why not photograph the subject instead? " Sergei Bongart

Life from Paint @ Coco Vivo Friday Sept 3rd

   Here are a couple more pieces that will be part of my show at Coco Vivo in Boothbay ME. the top one is of of one of my favorite local ladies,the Russ Ann. I have driven by this boat for about 4 years an finally stopped to paint it. I am not sure what happened to the image, maybe blogger messes with it..?. Either way travel down east to see this and about 10 other new pieces in person cause photos don't cut it. Especially when I'm holding he camera.
 The second piece is a 18x24 of Atlantic Avenue in Boothbay. When it was painted I was surrounded by a church, a memorial statue, boats, a beautiful harbor with working fishing docks but i couldnt fight it, I was attracted to the dynamic movement of the quiet street, which is usually loaded with people this time of year. I can't even picture people in this scene, it would get too busy with this composition.

 The opening is this Friday (tomorrow Sept 3rd. I will be there unless we get hit by a hurricane.........?

Quote "Instead of trying to reproduce exactly what I see before me, I make more arbitrary use of color to express myself more forcefully."

(Letter to Theo van Gogh, 11 August 1888)