Perilously Close

Hoosic River, Williamstown, MA. 11x14 inches, oil on canvas panel.  The river flows perilously close to the old footpath's edge, which is caving in at some places.  But it's a great view.

At the River Bend

Bend in the Hoosic River, Williamstown, MA. 11x14 inches, oil on canvas panel. I went out earlier today. I was surprised when a walker asked if I was "Robert".  She said she's seen my paintings on FB.  Thank you, Lisa.

Never the Same

Hoosic River, Williamstown, MA. 11x14 inches, oil on canvas panel.  There aren't too many spots where the river is easily accessible for painting like this one right now, so pardon me for returning to a familiar site.  As the greenery expands and the water goes down, other views will become available for painting.  But even the same place is never the same.

 

On Top of the River

Hoosic River, Williamstown, MA. 8x10 inches, oil on linen panel.  Trees leaning over the river are on top of the river in a painting so they tend to blend together.  I did this plein air painting this afternoon.

Study of a Tree

Study of a Tree at Field Farm, Williamstown, MA. 12x16 inches, oil on canvas panel.  I've been working on this one for a while. It's a real study in the sense that I am trying to do something different and learn from it. When I first saw the tree three weeks ago, it was like Annie Dillard's tree with the lights in it. Time will tell what I've learned.

Up Close and Moving

Hoosic River, Williamstown, MA. 9x12 inches, oil on linen canvas.  Today, I painted at the river.  The river always has more visual drama than a mountain view.  You are up close and it's moving quickly.  Also, exotic ducks fly by.

Painting Away

Mount Greylock from Sheep Hill, Williamstown, MA. 9x12 inches, oil on linen panel.  This beautiful afternoon the faint sound of the traffic on Route 7 drifted up to where I stood high on the hill painting away.

The Dome from Stone Hill

Stone Hill View, Williamstown, MA. 9x12 inches, oil on linen panel.  From this vantage point on Stone Hill, the horizontalness of the Clark constrasts nicely with the beautiful arch of The Dome in Vermont.  I once climbed The Dome.  The exact top was glacier-scoured stone, but the trees around it were so tall that no view was available.

Spring at Sheep Hill

Mount Greylock from Sheep Hill, Williamstown, MA. 11x14 inches, oil on canvas panel. Yesterday afternoon I painted at the top of Sheep Hill.  The mud conditions are gone, but Bee Hill Road is still rough. Trees are starting to leaf out.

Drawing in Grafton

Pond, Grafton, MA. 9x12 inches, pencil on paper.  When there's no opportunity to paint, one can always draw.  

A Lively Tree

Tree on North Trail, Field Farm, Williamstown, MA. 8x10 inches, oil on linen panel.  I saw this lively tree the other day and came back to paint it on site this afternoon before the clouds appeared.

Ahead of the Rain

Hoosic River from Stone Beach, Williamstown, MA. 9x12 inches, oil on canvas panel.  Rain is coming so I ventured out to paint before it arrives.  

A Landscape

Mount Greylock from Field Farm, Williamstown, MA. 6x8 inches, oil on linen panel.  A landscape that really happened.

Green Into Hoosic

Hoosic and Green Rivers, Williamstown, MA. 8x10 inches, oil on canvas panel.  Yesterday I went to the same spot as the day before but looked right instead of left. Here the Green River flows from the right into the Hoosic.

Swirling Hoosic

Hoosic River, Williamstown, MA. 8x10 inches, oil on canvas panel.  Yesterday afternoon, looking upriver from the little beach where the Green River intersects with the Hoosic River, I painted this view of the swirling water.   

Coming Soon

Looking South from Field Farm, Williamstown, MA. 6x8 inches, oil on linen panel.  Summer will be here soon.  

A Little Reminder

Greylock from Field Farm, Williamstown, MA. 6x8 inches, oil on linen panel.  A little painting of a high summer view as a reminder of what's coming.

Transitioning

Hoosic River, Williamstown, MA. 11x14 inches, oil on canvas panel.  The transition of going from painting in the studio to painting outdoors, just like going from winter to spring, can be immobilizing when the weather hesitates. Today it wasn't raining and it wasn't cold, so I ventured out for whatever I could achieve.

Painting in Early Spring

Hoosic River, Williamstown, MA. 11x14 inches, oil on canvas panel.  When everything is still kinda dull in early spring, sunshine and moving water can make painting outside worthwhile.  This view is located off the Mohican Recreational Path.

Tracery of Tree Limbs

Hoosic River, Williamstown, MA. 9x12 inches, conte crayon and pastel on paper.  I went down to the river to draw some water (pun intended). Actually, I was scouting out a place to paint when the weather improves. It's not meant to be a great drawing, but a study of the tracery of tree limbs against the river flow.

Wild and Rocky

Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas. The east facing Atlantic coast side of the island can be disorienting in its wild rocky robustness.

Slowly Awakening

Trees at Field Farm, Williamstown, MA.  9x12 inches, conte crayon on paper.  I went walking yesterday and made this drawing. I realized later that I drew some Ents slowly awakening.

Monhegan Boat

Boat on Light House Hill, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas. The sea is tucked into the upper left.

Monhegan Path

Walking the Path, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas. Life is a journey on a small island in a big ocean.  

D. T. Sheridan

Remnants, Monhegan Island, ME 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  The remains of the tugboat, D.T. Sheridan.

Backyard Pleinair

Backyard Melt, Williamstown, MA. 9x12 inches, oil on canvas panel.  I painted outside today, albeit from the deck.  It's warm and sunny but the ground is sopping wet.  

Monhegan Paintings

Monhegan Paintings.  Each 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas. Completed in the two months from early January to early March.  

Clothesline

Hanging Clothes, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  For most people today, an active clothesline is a pleasant memento of the past.

An Arrangement

Alley and Ramp, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  An arrangement of island forms.

Monhegan View

Hill Top View, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  The view from Lighthouse Hill.  Shall we sit here for a while?

Monhegan Evening

 Monhegan Evening, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas. 

No Clothes

Clothesline, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas. This time the line is empty: no clothes. 
 

Confrontation

The Seascapist, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  A long time ago I found her sitting calmly at her easel atop the threatening rocks at the south of the island. She was painting the diagonal edge where the water and shore confront each other.

Snow Tracks

Tractor Tracks, Williamstown, MA. 6x8 inches, gouache on mixed media paper.  I like examining tracks in the snow to see if I can identify the creature that made them.  Here we have the domestic tractor.

Fish Beachcombers

Beachcombers, Monhegan Island, ME.  16x20 inches, oil on linen panel. A painting I did five years ago which I revised today.

From Horns Hill

 From Horns Hill, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  

Monhegan Fence

Wooden Fence, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  A house with a view of an island named Inner Duck Rock.

On Exhibition

These two paintings, Hopkins Forest Winter, 6x8 gouache, and At North Pond, 8x10 oil, I am delighted to report, will be part of the exhibition, Small Works: Winter Stillness, to be held at the Monument Arts & Cultural Center, Bennington, VT, from February 12 to April 19, 2026.
 

The Red House

Red House, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  This house always stands out for some reason. 

Unkempt Tree

Wild Tree in Winter, Williamstown, MA. 6x8 inches, gouache on mixed media paper.  On Luce Road next to the old milk shed, there's an unkempt tree, which looks imposing with snow around it and the sun upon it.

Beautiful and Brutal

Hopkins Forest, Williamstown, MA. 6x8 inches, gouache on multimedia paper. What amazed me during my visit to the forest was how extensive were the areas of snow dug up by deer looking for acorns. The forest in winter can be beautiful but also brutal.

Hopkins Forest Contrast

Hopkins Forest, Williamstown, MA. 8x10 inches, gouache on mixed media paper.  The weather was nice enough to walk in Hopkins Forest yesterday.  This is a view on the lower loop, looking down into the ravine. I love the contrast between the snowbank and the trees on the stream banks below.

Monhegan Inspiration

View from Fish Beach Lane, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  My inspiration for this painting of these two structures is the great version of the same buildings by Charles Movalli, which he did from a slightly different angle.  

Monhegan Viewers

Viewers, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas. Sometimes you have to stop and look.

An Ocean View

An Ocean View, Monhegan Island, ME.  12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  A view from Horns Hill. 

Privilege To See It

Southwest View, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  I remember thinking while looking at this view that it was a rare privilege to see it.

Monhegan Lighthouse

Lighthouse, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  A seascape with no sea.

The Painter

The Painter, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  The painter is set up at the southern tip of the island near the remnants of the Sheridan.

Swim Beach

Swim Beach at Dusk, Monhegan Island, ME. 12x16 inches, oil on linen canvas.  Boats in and out of the water.  The seventh in this series.