A Bird Watcher or An Artist

It was threatening to rain, and I had just stopped working on this drawing while on my favorite dirt road when a car slowed down and stopped behind me.  The woman at the wheel said that she and the other women in the car wanted to know if I was bird watching or an artist?  I said I was watching the tree ahead, and then showed them the drawing.  I guess it looked good from a distance of ten feet from the reaction.  The driver said she was not good with her hands, except with a gun (!).  She explained that she had been a police person "80 pounds ago".  I guess they were from the area since not everyone knows about this dirt road, often used as a shortcut by speeding cars, to a pedestrian's lament.  I was happy that they were so polite.

The River Is Unseen

Just beyond this mound and trees is the Green River, but I thought I would try painting in the deep shade, so the river is unseen.  9x12 oil on panel.

Facing Northeast

In the afternoon, I painted from the cow pasture facing northeast.  The farmer was busy "tedding" the hay in the adjoining field to offset the previous night's rain.  9x12 oil on panel.

A Deep Shadow in Brooklyn

A small Brooklyn, another in a continuing series.  This one is based on the corner of Classon Avenue and Park Place, a corner I've done before.  The late afternoon sun creates a deep shadow on Classon.  6x8 oil on gessobord.

It Must Be True!

Late this afternoon I went out to paint at the farm at the end of Hopper Road in Williamstown, MA.  The farmer arrived shortly thereafter to mow another hay field.  He said to me that he can make it rain by just going out to mow, even though the weather forecast said there was a 30% chance for rain later today.  I'm writing and posting now when it's pouring rain outside.  Alas, it must be true!  And it will take him longer to get the hay dried and into the barn.  This is a view down Hopper Road facing west from the front of the barn.  8x10 oil on panel.

Oakes Cove Again

Another view of Oakes Cove on Rocky Neck in Gloucester, MA.   12x16 oil on panel.

Jumping at the Chance Without Cows

This afternoon, while the sun was still shining, I jumped at the chance to paint in the cow yard,  without the cows.  This single tree has a lot of character, which is more obvious from within the cow yard than outside.  Behind me the farmer and his helpers were busy filling the second floor of the barn with bales of hay.  They left the pasture gates open to move the tractor and hay wagons in and out, which was one reason why the cows were in the other pasture.  8x10 oil on panel.

Flying Dove

When I first saw this small boat outlined against the larger dark boat, it reminded me of a dove, flying above the water.  I painted this ten days ago on a dock a bit sturdier than the one that is visible at the bottom of the painting at the Gloucester Marine Railways in Gloucester, MA. 9x12 oil on panel.

Slice of Time

Whenever I visit Rocky Neck at some point I check on the view behind the John Nesta Gallery.  It represents a slice of time that has disappeared from most places like Rocky Neck.  The tide comes and goes, raising and lowering the dock, no matter what.  12x16 oil on panel.

Nexus in Gloucester

The combination of these two boats, pointed in different directions, at the end of the Gloucester Marine Railways at Rocky Neck was fascinating.  The changing light kept re-adjusting the relationship that they had to each other and their surroundings.  12x16 oil on panel.

Two Worlds

Gloucester Marine Railways. 12x16 oil on panel.

Gloucester Boats

When painting boats in the harbor, not only does the light change, but the water level goes up or down, not to mention that the wind may shift the position of the boats.  I setup at the next to last pier at the Gloucester Marine Railways on Rocky Neck to paint these two boats. I kept very still.  9x12 oil on panel.

An Unstudy

This small 8x10 painting is not a study, but more like an "unstudy" in which I'm trying to unlearn something, though I'm not sure what that is yet.  I started the painting this weekend.  I set up my easel besides that of Thor Wickstrom, who was working on a nice painting.  What I saw was the messy entrance to a parking lot on Route 8 in North Adams, MA, outside the studio building.  Maybe I was trying to see something else.

Boat and Ladder

At the tip of Rocky Neck in Gloucester, MA I painted at the Gloucester Marine Railways.  Early on I asked if it was ok to paint there, and the gentleman said "ok as long as I didn't fall into the harbor."  I agreed with those conditions.  This boat is the "Rose," which was located at the back of the lot, where I had little chance of falling into the water.  9x12 oil on panel.

Oakes Cove

At Rocky Neck in Gloucester, MA there's a public access path leading to Oakes Cove.  The short wide path is lined on both sides with small boats, stacked upside down and seemingly undisturbed for years.   This is a morning view of the end of the path.  I stood amidst the boats on the left side to make this painting.  9x12 oil on panel.

On the Dog Bar Breakwater

This is the largest of the twelve paintings that I did in Gloucester last week.  I ventured out on the jetty, otherwise known as the Dog Bar Breakwater, for this iconic view of the Eastern Point Lighthouse.   Fortunately it wasn't very windy.  When I was there last year, I walked the entire half mile fighting a fierce breeze.  12x16 oil on panel.

An Antique View

Mowing has started at the farm at the end of Hopper Road.  Here's one of the ancient fields with The Hopper in the distance.  It's a simple and abstract scene, which I painted this afternoon.  While there, I met up with the farmer who was doing today's mowing.  He calls himself an "antique farmer," though at age 77 he is probably younger than some of the tractors that he uses.  He had stopped to fuss with one of the tractors that was misbehaving.  9x12 oil on aluminum panel.

Painting Anywhere

Recently I started a series of suburban backyard paintings, because I would have access to a particular backyard a number of times this year, and I wanted to show that one can paint anywhere.  It's fun trying to develop interesting compositions in the backyard, even though  I may not be making very sellable paintings.  But you never know.  This one I did on Monday morning this week in the backyard, with a couple touches later.  12x16 oil on panel.