Giant Rock

A 24x24 studio oil on canvas of an early morning view from the Marginal Way in Ogunquit, Maine.  If you have walked the Marginal Way, you have seen and may remember this giant rock.

Another Drawing

Here's a second figure drawing, also on a sheet approximately 14x11 inches.

Drawing Session

A charcoal drawing, 11x14 inches, from a recent life drawing session.

Brook

Nothing happened this morning except that I carried my stuff back to the cow pasture with the stream running through it, and I painted a 12x16 oil on panel painting.

Brook and Paw Spans

This time I painted from a small wooden bridge that spans the brook.  Sections of the bridge planks are pitched at different angles and not level at all.  Also early in the morning the planks are wet and slippery.  This morning I noticed something new, large scratch marks, from a creature crossing the bridge with difficulty requiring the use of claws to maintain balance.  The claw marks were as wide as my hand, so I suspect that a bear uses the same bridge, fortunately, at a different time of day.

Nudes, Tree, and Cows

Today after I saw the exhibition "Splendor; Myth and Vision: Nudes from the Prado," I climbed the hill behind the Clark, and yes, the cows were there eating that much nicer grass.  Actually, it looks nicer too, full of flowers, not as high, and lighter in appearance, but I'm just guessing.   I saw a beautifully lit tree, which I proceeded to draw as quickly as I could before the light changed too much.

On the Rocks

Recently, I saw on FB a photo of painter Cynthia Rosen climbing over rocks in a stream in the Adirondacks to reach a better place to paint.  I can do that, I thought, and not even leave home.  So this morning I climbed down to some rocks in the middle of the Hitchcock Brook to paint.  I had to build a small cairn to hold my umbrella.  I dispersed the stones afterwards to keep the natural look.  This is a place where the cows do roam, but none were in sight.  Actually, the cows are the same that sometimes occupy the  hill behind the Clark Art Institute.  That's presumably where they are now.

No Cows

This morning I visited a stream in a cow pasture.  It was hot, and there were no cows.  How lucky can you get?  The farmer told me that the grass is too high now, and the cows won't eat it.  There was a path of padded grass so I could get through easily.   The cows were in a location where the grass was much nicer for eating.

Gallery-Sitting

This is an 10x8 painting that I did this morning while gallery-sitting at Gallery 4.  I discovered that time went by quickly as I concentrated on flowers in a vase and a small canvas panel.  Next time I will paint again.  There were several breaks when people came in, but that was ok.  The light is fairly constant on an interior still life, and people were amused.

At Bog Pond

A couple weeks ago I scouted out Bog Pond in Savoy.  I was able to visit again this morning with my paints.  The 12x16 oil on panel is the result.  I set up on an embankment that has a boat launch.  A woman kayaker was exiting the pond when I arrived.  She proceeded to dismantle her kayak, and fold it up into a small package which fit neatly into her hatchback.  There are a few other good spots to paint  from at Bog Pond, so I will return.  The state literature indicates that Bog Pond is one of the best places to see a moose in the area.  I haven't seen one yet.

Plein Air Corner

This morning I got out and painted at Haley Farm at the end of Hopper Road.  This 9x12 oil on panel looks towards the woods at the base of a mountain which are fronted by a small tree and the foundation remains for a house or a barn.  Plenty of activity at the farm this morning with mowing and haying happening all around me.  I picked a corner where I wasn't in anybody's way.  When I finished I was surprised that only an hour had elapsed.

Simple Venetian

Another Venetian painting, 18x20 oil on canvas like the previous one.  I am trying to paint easily and simply, and it seems to be working.

Venice Vision

It's not possible to paint a picture of Venice and not having it look like something one might not want it to look like.  I'm reminded of Andrew Wyeth's comment that he refused to travel to Europe because it was too picturesque for him.  But sometimes, I want to have fun, push paint around on a canvas, see what happens, and besides any attempt to re-invent painting is out of my control.

Still Trucking

Every time I think I have this truck out of my system, I get another attack.  It's a lot of fun to paint this truck.  It's colored the way it is because someone else painted it before, probably more than once.

Sketchbook Page

The painting that I'm working on is not ready, so here's another roadside tree from my sketchbook.  It shows a view down Blair Road from Stratton Road in Williamstown, MA.

Iconic Truck

This truck has appealed to me from the first time I saw it, which I can't remember when that was.  I've discovered that I'm not the only one who likes it.  Anyway here's a new painting of it, 24x24 oil on canvas.  It's an old farm truck, which has had parts removed to fix other trucks.  Fortunately this one has been left in a good, approachable place, where it has become an icon for all who have seen it.

Asymmetree

Another roadside tree from my walk and draw sketchbook.  The subject is symmetry and asymmetry, or should I write symmetree amd asymmetree?

Montparnasse

A view of Montparnasse in Paris looking northeast late in the day: a 14x18 oil on canvas.  The famous tower is far far to the left out of the picture.

Charcoal Tree

A drawing of a tree in charcoal made while sitting in its shade.

From the Pasture

Last year I was out painting in April, but this is my first of this year.  It's a 9x12 oil on canvas panel of two trees immediately behind the barn at Haley Farm at the end of Hopper Road.  The view is from within the cow pasture.  The cows were away on holiday in the other pasture.  That's Prospect Mountain in the background.

Lit Tree

Another tree in my sketchbook from the walk the other day.  I looked down the embankment, and the sun momentarily was highlighting this small tree against a dark mass of shadowy trees.