Impossible to Draw

Brook in the Woods. 9x12 inches, vine charcoal, charcoal pencil and pastel on paper.  During a walk in the woods today at Field Farm, Williamstown, MA., I drew the view from a foot bridge, a view probably impossible to draw.

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.

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.

A Drawing

In the last few days I have only had enough time to walk about with my sketchpad and pencil.  Above is one 9x12 drawing.

Two Landscapes

These two landscapes are different, and also similar. I am trying to work at making marks, suggestive marks. It was Richard Schmid who wrote that it's a mistake "Trying to paint things instead of color shapes." The bottom is an oil, and the top a pastel on acrylic wash.

More Bending of Brook

The earlier, as in earlier in the morning, version of the bend in the brook.

Bend in Brook in Color

Another version of this may be coming, when the sun hasn't quite come over the hill on the right. The hill is not visible in the painting.

Bend in Brook

Only have time for the drawing. Rest to come tomorrow.

Early Morning Brook

I remember passing by the brooks last year and wondering if I could ever paint them. My neighbor told me this morning that they are known as branches of Steele Run. I like that name.

I went walking in the woods following the stream. Actually there are several streams that meet up and flow into the Delaware. This is a great time to walk in the woods. The leaf canopy hasn't yet appeared, the trails are starting to dry out, and the forest floor is bursting with green.

Streaming

I was standing on the little bridge crossing the stream this morning, and I had to get out of the way, while a dozen mountain bikers went by. At least they were polite. In the morning, a stream is like the sky rushing through the earth. Mountain bikers break the reverie.

Brook in Woods

Not simple enough. There's tomorrow.

Morning's Work

After making this drawing, I am not sure if I will make a color version in pastel. If I do, it will be simpler. Later today.

Swollen Brook

Same brook as yesterday. But more water. Late afternoon today.

Brook Looking North

This is the brook looking north.

Brook on Other Side

If I pivot on the foot bridge, and face the opposite direction, North, this is the view of the brook.

Brook II

This is a pastel painting of a brook.

Brook

This is a brook. There's a painting in here somewhere.