Googan"s Island , wolf neck. Maine

 

I am spending a week in Maine at MECA. my goal is a plein air  painting a day. The trick is finding what I want to paint. I drove to Freeport(and turned right for a couple of miles)  to find this island view.  oil 10x10in.

Bear Rock on Phelps Brook

  I love painting rocks and moving water as well as finding bright color in the landscape. On Phelps Brook I found both. I build up the colors and textures gradually with many layers of slightly different shades of color.  18x24in pastel  on blue sanded paper

Dog Day

 Iv'e painted this house in Keene Valley many times. I keep coming back to it because of the incredible morning light and I like painting white houses with shadows.   On this particular morning the owners had their dog staked out in the yard. It reminded me of Fairfield Porter's painting "Island Farmhouse". oil 16x20in   

Spring Thaw -- Honorable Mention Southeast Pastel Society show

 I just got word that I received an Honorable Mention at the Southeastern Pastel Society show at the Olglethorpe Museum in Atlanta GA. This was my first entry into this juried show and I was honored just to be included. 

Contemplating Diebekorn

On a horrible, rainy day was captivated by the Phillips Collection show of American Art, "Made in the USA"  Wasn't prepared for the vast collection of American . Hopper,Bellows, Henri, O'Keefe, Weston, Pollack, Sloan, Homer, Marin, Kent and more.  

Grandfather Beech

 Behind my school there is a small forgotten tract of forest surrounded by development where some very old beautiful Silver Beech trees can be found.  My purpose was to play around  with a complimentary palette of purples and yellows.  11x14in pastel   

Chilly Peppers

 Finished drawing. While a snowstorm was raging outside I kept warm by working on this large pastel of chili peppers from photographs I took at the Bel Air farmers market last year. I worked on black sanded paper and purposely kept it loose and squiggly up close but seemingly realistic when observed from a distance. While I greatly admire the virtuosity of pastel artists who get in there and blend into hyper- realism, I prefer to let the colors mix optically by layering marks. 18x26in. pastel