For Starters

View from Stratton Road, Williamstown, MA. 8x10 inches, watercolor, acrylic wash, and ink on mixed media paper.  I thought I would make a simple drawing for starters.  May we all have a Happy and Healthy and Fulfilling New Year!

A Season Yet To Arrive

On the eve of a snowstorm, I painted a tree, which no longer exists on Stratton Road in Williamstown, MA, in a past season yet to arrive.  18x24 inches, oil on linen canvas.

Stratton Blair

At the top of Stratton Road where it meets Blair Road in Williamstown, MA.  The tree is now gone, but I think the painting needs it to be there. 12x16 inches, oil on canvas panel.

A Sudden View

A recent view of Williamstown, MA from the top of Stratton Road.  It's actually a "sudden" view with the sun making a momentary appearance to highlight the mud conditions of this part of Stratton Road, as well as the steeple in the distance. 16x20 inches, oil on linen panel.

Susceptible

This stretch of Stratton Road in Williamstown, MA is unpaved and always susceptible to mud conditions. 6x8 inches, gouache on mixed media paper.

In Between

This is Stratton Road in Williamstown, MA after the snow has disappeared and before the snow will reappear tomorrow.  The poet Seamus Heaney wrote, " Here is the great paradox of poetry and of the imaginative arts in general. Faced with the brutality of the historical onslaught, they are practically useless. Yet they verify our singularity, they strike and stake out the ore of self which lies at the base of every individuated life.  In one sense the efficacy of poetry is nil--no lyric has ever stopped a tank.  In another sense, it is unlimited.  It is like the writing in the sand in the face of which accusers and accused are left speechless and renewed."   Doesn't sound like much, but I'll keep painting despite the brutality.  6x8 inches, gouache and watercolor on multimedia paper.  

Gouache Challenge

This is a view from the road of the ravine a little further down from the guardrail on Stratton Road in Williamstown, MA.  While not as exciting as a guardrail, the looking toward the light source, known as contre-jour, does spice it up, and offered another gouache challenge.  6x8 inches, gouache on multimedia paper.

Guardrail Gouache

This guardrail separates the warm and cool colors and keeps people and cars from falling into a ravine off of the dirt section of Stratton Road in Williamstown, MA.  6x8 inches, gouache on multimedia paper.

Wild-Looking

When I saw this wild-looking landscape the other day, it reminded me of a Jacob van Ruisdael painting.  I had to paint it. 8x10 inches, oil on panel.

I Went Drawing

Yesterday before I went painting, I went drawing, walking along the dirt road near where I live.  9x12 inches, charcoal pencil on paper.

Walking Up The Road

Walking up the road this afternoon, I took time to draw a few trees by the side of the road.  8x10, pencil on paper.

Drawing Apart

Today I went for a walk up the dirt road.   Few people and plenty of space to keep apart.  Of course, I brought along my sketch pad. 

Follow Up

The on site drawing, which I posted yesterday, of the irregular rows of round hay bales,  I followed up with a plein air painting of the same subject.    The site is at the top of Stratton and Blair Roads in Williamstown, MA.  9x12 oil on panel.

Late Day Drawing

All I have for the moment is a late day drawing from walking to the hay fields yesterday.

An Edging of Round Hay Bales

Here's a field in Williamstown, MA with an edging of round hay bales.  I did a drawing of this view a couple days ago, so I wanted to return at about the same time (mid-afternoon) to follow through with a painting.  9x12 oil on panel.

Tip of The Bales

The haphazardly lined up hay bales at the edge of the large field at the top of Stratton and Blair Roads in Williamstown, MA were the subjects of my painting this morning.  This place is the juncture of two dirt roads.  I was amazed how much traffic goes by.  8x10 oil on panel.

A Larger View

Later I studiously avoided the hay bales below and walked up to the upper hay field to paint a larger view.  12x16 oil on panel.

As I Was Painting In The Hay Field

In case you were wondering about it, Monet did 25 grain stack paintings.  His motivations were different than mine (don't laugh).  My round hay bales probably won't be around for some winter views, at least not where they are located now.  Yesterday, as I was painting in the hay field (in Williamstown, MA), the farmer was already removing hay bales with a pronged tractor.  However, if he only takes away two at a time, like yesterday, it will take him a while.  9x12 oil on panel.

Late Day Bale

This is the last bale I painted on Wednesday when the sun shone late in the afternoon.  The view looks south from what I call the upper hay field.  There's another hay field even higher up.  Williamstown, MA.  9x12 oil on panel.

They Don't Roll

The first of three hay bale paintings from yesterday.  There's a nearby field where the farmer was making even more of them all randomly left there.  These fields by the way are not flat, but rolling.  Fortunately the bales don't roll.  9x12 oil on panel.