Two Elderly Barns

When I first saw the barn in the first painting, an 8x10 oil on panel, back in April of last year, the vines had no leaves.  They wrapped the barn in a black net making it look very foreboding.  It looks just as scary in green.  It's actually the other end of the barn that I painted yesterday, which is vine free. The other 8x10 oil on panel is of the barn previously painted that has as much wood missing as present.  I did both paintings today on site, though again 'reviewed' them in the studio.

Another Old Barn

A few years ago I wrote how old barns reminded me of...old, and wise folks.  Some are falling down, some are in good shape, and they are always fascinating because of what they represent, what they have seen, and undergone.  Anyway, this painting is an 11x14 done yesterday at the site (with some slight changes later).  The field in front of the barn entrance had just been mowed allowing me to take this vantage point.  Previously the grass was about four feet high.  I worked on this thing for two hours.  I took a photo just before I started, and one right after I finished.   It's amazing how things change in two hours, as recorded by the photos.  God only knows where the painting fits in.  After a while, you realize that the only thing that counts is what is on the canvas. I'm not thrilled with it, but it was a good experience, in a long line going back and going forward.  Sort of like an old barn.

One Barn, Two Paintings

Two 11x14 oil paintings of an old barn at the homestead.  This barn is hanging on literally by one post or beam from collapsing.  When you look inside every piece of wood seems broken.   The close up painting I did on site yesterday, and the middle distance one I did today.  I did do a small bit of work at home on both.  The third photo shows my easel this morning.  I took it to show that this place really exists.

Hoosic River

Early this morning I went painting at the edge of the Hoosic River with John MacDonald, a fabulous painter who lives in Williamstown.  He's already done some beautiful paintings from this location.  The above is my 9x12 oil on panel.

On the Farm

The wagon, a 9x12 studio oil on canvas, I completed earlier today from yesterday's start.  Two large horses pull the wagon, which is used to give rides around Sweet Brook Farm.  The wagon maker informed me that the metal understructure once belonged to a Freihofer Bread wagon.

The old barn, a 9x12 oil on panel, I did later this morning at the homestead farm.  I'm planning on doing several paintings at this location since the barns are eventually going to be torn down, assuming they don't fall down first.

On the North Trail

Last October I walked this path on the North Trail at Field Farm and at this spot found a large bear scat filled with apple skins.  I was there painting yesterday, but only encountered one runner and one walker.  Neither were bears.  They carefully and studiously moved quickly around me.  Maybe I was the bear of the day.

A Country Landscape

A 9x12 oil on panel done this afternoon at a location near Stratton Road.   I've been experimenting with different panels.  I'm leaning towards the Gessobord so far as the best, though you must understand that money is an object, so my range is limited somewhat.   In this painting I wanted to include the barn to make it more interesting.  The dirt roadway also helps.  And the mountains, and the shadows, and the clouds.

A View at Sheep Hill

A 9x12 oil on panel of a view at Sheep Hill facing north.  I went late this morning and painted through the noon hour, a time when one is advised not to be painting outdoors.   I was situated in the shade under a group of trees, and the landscape remained pretty much the same.  It was the sky that kept changing, and influencing the light on the mountains.  

Early Morning Backyards

A 9x12 oil on canvas of some backyards in North Adams near the Hoosic River early in the morning.

Up and Down

This 9x12 oil on panel I started this afternoon on site and completed in the studio afterwards.   Bee Hill Road goes up on the right, and Sheep Hill goes up and down on the left.  I walked up to this point from below Sheep Hill, which wasn't fun hauling my stuff, but a kind lady on Bee Hill, who was curious about what I was doing, offered her driveway for parking next time, which probably won't happen until all the leaves are gone.

Way Above Stratton

This site I selected a while back, though I painted it this afternoon, since I knew I could paint in the shade while looking out into the sunlight.  It's located between a hay field and a cow pasture.  The painting is a 9x12 oil on an Ampersand Gessobord.  Great surface.

It's quite an amazing experience to paint in a place where the only thing happening is you painting a picture.

Stream in Late Afternoon

This is the companion painting to yesterday's early morning stream, except this is from late in the afternoon.  The same stream with the sun coming from  nearly the opposite direction.  For variety's sake, I opted to have stream at the lower left instead of the lower right, and put the existing sand and stones at each lower corner.  Both are studio paintings, which took me most of the day to complete, which is probably why they don't look as flat and simple as the plein air pieces.   How to do something in one hour that would normally take several hours?  Hmm....

Early Morning Stream

A 9x12 oil on canvas of a stream in nearby New Lebanon.  I keep searching for ways to deal with green.  This painting depicts the stream early in the morning.  It's a typical, often painted kind of scene, which is why I painted it.  Why restrict yourself to something that's never been painted before, and what would that be?

In the Green Landscape

The 9x12 oil on canvas covered panel that I did yesterday afternoon.  I have to try something else now, maybe brick walls.

Above Stratton

Yesterday morning I scouted the location with the 8x10 art stix drawing, and this morning I went back to paint the 9x12 oil on panel of the barn below a slope facing the Taconics in the background.  This location is above Stratton Road, which is out of sight.  The sketch was done from a point further away, but I decided to get closer for the painting.  Not sure why.  Maybe I liked the tree going over the edge of the mountain.  But I also like the tree below the mountain edge,  so I may do this one again sometime.  I went out again this afternoon, but will post the resulting painting tomorrow when it's supposed to rain.