San Francisco-cable cars, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate bridge

 This 16 X 20 oil painting preserves a memory from our July trip to San Francisco for our daughter's and new son-in-law's wedding reception. We stayed at the Mark Hopkins hotel right up the street from this intersection.  From here we took the cable car to the waterfront. The view includes the bay, the bridge, Alcatrz, the hill and the cable cars. I knew this was a spot I wanted to paint! When there were 2 cars I quickly snapped a photo (hoping not to get run over). The cars were always stuffed with passengers and it took several coming to the stop to get up in line far enough to board. I wanted to give the sense of overflowing cars, beautiful weather and the feel of the city. I eliminated a buiding and some of the complex details on them to keep the focus on the cars and to make the composition work. The flags on the building add  color help lead the viewer into the scene. Given the dark days we are experiencing in 2025, I chose a high key palette to brighten up the painting and the mood. Our family time together on this trip is a memory I want to preserve.  I love San Francisco.

Cousins

 James and Emerson are cousins, born 2 months apart. They are inseparable. I did a painting of the two of them running by the Lake in Dillon, Colorado. ( see my April, 2024 post). With both boys in the painting I couldn't decide who should have it so I gave the painting to my brother who is their grandfather. My brother and his wife care for them while the parents work. The family is incredibly close both in proximity and relationships. Then I realized I should probably do a painting of each of the boys for my neice and my nephew. On the right is James out with his parents on a hike in the Rockies. Below is Emerson. His parents opened their restaurant, Wildflower BBQ last year, so I decided to put Emerson in the wildflowers. He loves to help my brother in the gardens. Each setting was chosen to reflect the boys in their natural settings. 

The paintings now reside in Colorado.

These Martha Washington peonies grow outside my back door. Peonies are one of my favorite flowers and over the years I have added different varities to my gardens. To me, this variety is one of the most bautiful. During Covid most of my painting was done outside in my yard. This is one of those paintings. The beautiful centers contrasting with the pink petals is part of what I love about these flowers; so I decided to focus on them close up and detailed rather than in a big bunch. The rich red green color harmony and the beautiful texture of the petals stand out against the neutral negative spaces. This painting was recently selected for the Norwood Art association cover photo for their facebook page. The painting sold immediately after I painted it. I set up some paintings on easels in my yard for one of my collectors who was missing coming to the gallery while we were closed for Covid. She immediately picked out this one. She told me my paintings brought her happiness.

I'll Always be by your side

This 16x20 oil painting is dedicated to my brother, Ken, who was always there for me. We grew up with a beach house in Marshfield MA that our grandfather built. Growing up, we spent every summer and most weekends there. When we arrived on the weekends we woud walk to the beach to see what changes happened since our last visit. Walking through the dunes to get to the beach always brought anticipation of what lay just ahead. We never know what lies ahead. We had a shared childhood and he was the only one who knew me since birth after our parents died. I hoped he would get to see this painting, but unfortunately we lost him before that happened. The painting was to be a beacon of optimism. In a way it still is. We had so many great years together and this is a tribute to that now. The path being traveled is symbolic in this painting. We never know what lies ahead.

A Ripple in TIme

At the Hill Lifesaving Museum Juried Show

"A Ripple in Time" 11x14 Oil

 Each year I paint my granddaughter. I love watching her grow and try to preserve a special moment as well as create an interesting painting. We spend a week together on the Cape each summer. She spends most of her days alternating between the ocean and the pool and playing in the sand. The water can sometimes be full of seaweed and she's not a big fan; But on this day the water was crystal clear.

I was drawn to the transparency that exposed the ripples in the sand created by the movement of the water. This was complemented by ripples created by Elouise as she moved through the water. The sunlight was strong and provided perfect lighting. I used many layers and transparent glazes to create the effect that I wanted. 

It will be a gift to her.  Before gifting it, I submitted it to the juried "Sea and Sky" show at  the Hull Lifesaving  Museum. It is one of my favorite venues as it is all about the ocean. The title was suggested by my husband. I loved his title idea because it really expresses the ephemeral quality of such a moment.

The Long Goodbye

"Outbound" 11x14 Oil

Walpole, MA has a beautiful old train station. I have been meaning to paint it for years. That plan somehow kept getting pushed back on my to do list. One day while standing on the platform and watching the train approach, it was the ah-hah moment. I decided I would paint it including the train instead of focusing on just the station This meant viewing it from the platform instead of approaching it as I came up the hill. I may still do that view at some point, but I wanted to include my daughter hugging her friend one last time.  We never know when we may never see someone again and we should always savor any time we have with our friends and family. This hug was one of those moments. I think it is important to keep precious memories alive.
I combined several photographic images to create the composition I wanted. I had to take a picture as the train was moving as it never actually stops with this view. I liked the strong verticals and diagonals that seem to complement the station's angular appearance. The viewer's eye is led to the strong vertical of the figures that is slightly off center. The lines seem to encompass them like an additional hug. 

 

Seacliff Beach Birds Gather together

"The Gathering"
24 X 30 oil painting
Seacliff Beach, Aptos, CA

The brilliant colors that dance across the water and beach  at sunset are tantalizing. The hues vary as the sun gets lower in the sky and finally disappears below the horizon. Once it disappears the afterglow continues to paint a beautiful scene for anyone who lingers. One thing I love is the gathering of seabirds that seem to come out for sunset each evening. In the painting above using a blue orange harmony, I wanted to create a warm and inviting aura with the birds bathed in the warmth of the setting sun. Their casual meandering is calm and unhurried representing a  sense of another day's satisfactory completion.  

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" Seabirds at Sunset"
24x36 oil painting
Aptos, CA

In this version of birds gathering on the beach at dusk, I was drawn to the color harmonies and repetition of the skies  colors in the wet sand. The zig zag diagonals in the wet sand leading to the pounding surf  echo the sounds and energy that I felt in this scene. A large gathering of birds scurried about in the last lit section of the beach taking in the final rays of the January sun. I used a limited palette on a very large canvas. My goal is to achieve a painting that reflects the  multiple senses that are being bombarded at the time; The harmonious colors, the salty spray, the tumultuous surf, the fading sunlight and the wet sand.
 

Walpole's Iconic Dog Rock

                                                                                                                  

DOG ROCK   8X8".   oil painting

For many years a resident has been painting the rock at the bend in the road by the Neponset river. As you come across the bridge, the smiling face greets you. Whenever the paint starts to fade, the resident returns to repaint the rock. During covid, he painted a mask on the dog and this resulted in great controversy as someone took it upon themselves to paint over the mask. This played out over and over during the pandemic as people followed the painting skirmish on social media. One of our gallery artists painted mini masked dog rocks to raise money for the original artist to buy paint to repaint the mask each time.  I brought my grand daughter down to visit the rock as I explained to her the controversy and the rocks historic roots.

The dog now has it's original smile as life returns to pre pandemic levels. I will be taking part in the town's annual Uncommon Art on the Common and  in selecting Walpole scenes to paint, I thought Dog Rock deserved a place on the Common this year.

 

JB's Bench/Bird Park

 Plein Air painting at Bird Park usually means being watched while I work. Passerby often stop to chat,  comment or just watch.  Today was one of those days

“JB’s bench”is a  5x7 oil done Plein air painting at Bird Park this morning. I went with Lisa to grab a bit of the first sort of cool morning in a while after weeks of oppressive heat. As we were painting, a gentleman stopped by, excited to see us painting. It turns out he grew up in Walpole and that the bench I was about to paint is his father’s bench. I went over after finishing and took a photo of the plaque. It felt like serendipity that we picked that spot today. Love to make people smile.

Having spent years visiting the park when I was a child in the1950's & 60's, it is like a magnet for me when it comes to subject matter. I have painted the bridges, gates, pathways and music court. I have painted the old cement benches that were there when I was a child. The trustees have been replacing them with these more modern benches and this is my first  attempt at the new benches. The landscape design with it's meandering paths,  sloping  hills and contrasting mowed and wild areas creates many compositional possibilities. Mature trees, ponds and wild life offer a plethora of choices. Scenes that are primarily greens I find challenging to paint. The red tree on the upper left and the reddish sidewalks helped create a nice color harmony and influenced me when choosing this spot. The water level in the pond was quite low as it  had dried up from the drought. I chose to paint it as I remembered it with the water level up and duckweed floating on the surface picking up the light values in the birch branches further down the path.

I hope you like it!

A Peaceful Oasis

                                                       "A Peaceful Oasis". 16x20 Oil-2022

Summer on Cape Cod can be hectic. There are a lot of tourists and a hum of activity most places. I often go out to catch a good sunset or sunrise and there are many others doing the same thing, cameras in hand and children and dogs in tow. 

There is a little park along Bass River that we walk to where peaceful contemplation is a break from the frenzied tourist scene. In this painting, I wanted to convey a sense of calm and peacefulness that I experience there.  Benches are located at the top of the steps from this little beach. Here one can sit, relax and watch the boats coming in and out from a day on the ocean. Once in a while children come and dig in the sand looking for treasures in the sand. A 1700's Windmill is adjacent to  the benches. If you are so inclined, you can make an appointment to tour the Windmill. This scene is from late August. Orange seed pods have replaced the once aromatic pink beach roses. The horizontal bands in the overcast sky create a sense of calm. The little boats are lined up as though resting and awaiting another day and another outing.

The dinghies are resting. I used subdued colors to enhance the restful feeling. A single boat in the middle ground contrasts with the usual summer congestion. The rocks, boats, waterline and seaweed are used to move the viewer's eye in to the scene.

My Little beachcomber buddy

"My beachcomber buddy"-16x20 oil

We have our morning walks as well as our evening walks to round out each day. This particular morning we were heading back towards the Ocean Club and Elo was hunting for shells. The sun was starting to bring a sparkle to the water and a glowing aura to her little figure.
I use the repeating diagonal to bring the viewer through the painting and to establish a sense that there is much more before and after what is seen. I purposely omitted any horizon line or distant figures or landmarks. In addition the diagonal brings us right to the subject. The perspective of the viewer, looking down on the child's head,and shoulders reinforces that this is a small child. She is absorbed in the ritual of seeking the ocean's treasures; a universal appeal shared by those fortunate enough to experience ocean beaches.
I used a blue orange harmony which works to create the warmth of the early morning sun and the sparkling effects the sun creates on the water's surface. The long shadow also hints at the time of day.

Contemplating Cape Cod

Our evening walk- 12x16 oil

Each summer we vacation on Cape Cod with family. My granddaughter provides me with unending inspiration as she discovers and contemplates the wonders of the ocean. During this particular evening walk, she went and stood in the water gazing out at the diminishing light and gently rolling waves. The scene was so serene and peaceful, I wanted to capture the feeling to share with viewers.
Dusk creates a much subtler light effect than strong sunlight. My goal was to give her that effect with soft transitions of color and value when moving from warm to cool as I modeled the figure and her clothing. Attention to detail in the figure is juxtaposed to a looser feeling in the water as it flows and swirls around her. I wanted the water to be "quiet" so it's movement would reflect the soft sounds of the lapping waves and the peaceful mood I wished to create.

A surfer's dream

What a ride! 24X36 oil

12x16 oil

12x16 oil

In January 2019, the waves at Ocean Beach near San Francisco reached 40 to 50 feet. My daughter's boyfriend, who is a life long surfer, headed down with some buddies to take advantage of the amazing surf. I asked her to send me some photos so I could do a series of surfer paintings. I was not disappointed. These are my first 3. For color and water patterns I referenced the photos loosely punching up the color and simplifying the spindrift somewhat. I did need the photos for the position of the surfers in the various phases of their rides. The spray and size contrast make for a dramatic image. I look forward to doing more in this series and am grateful to my west coast photo accomplice. The 2 smaller ones went in my suitcase to CA so they could each have one.

A Little Beach Babe

8x10 oil

I recently attended a 1/2 day workshop where we began with an acrylic underpainting.

I had not tried acrylic as an underpainting before, but was pleased with the fast drying quality and the ability to quickly lay down the drawing and values without the colors then mixing with the oils. This underpainting was done with transparent red oxide. The scene was kept simple so it could be accomplished in one brief session. I was pleased with the results and plan to explore this further.

A CHAMPAGNE TOAST

TO LAURIE 6X6

My daughter went through a rough patch recently and was fortunate to have a great friend by her side. Her friend recently had some tough times too. I was going to visit and it was her friend's birthday. I painted her this little champagne toast as a birthday/thank you and a reminder that brighter days were ahead.  Paintings can be more personal, I think, than something purchased in a gift shop. Laurie had been admiring my  paintings so it made my decision easy. She was thrilled.

Santa Cruz Harbor: Same scene, Different Light

Santa Cruz Harbor sunset  6x12 oil

12x24 Oil Santa Cruz Harbor at sunset

Nature's palette is constantly changing. As the sun sets or rises at Santa Cruz harbor the sight is breathtaking. The effects of the sun setting creates a dramatic, ephemeral image. The water's movement echoes the vibrant colors in the sky. The backlit land forms become silhouetted against nature's canvas.
The lighthouse provides an identifying element to the scene.
Working first in a blue orange harmony, I created the small 6x12 sunset painting. The light on the horizon and overlapping land forms  provide calming horizontals creating a peaceful mood for the painting. The small vertical lighthouse brings the viewer toward the sky and provides a feeling of strength and permanence. This feeling of permanence is repeated  in the land and the repetitive motion of the waves. I liked the contrast of the fleeting light and the permanent elements. The diagonals in the water and the diagonal created by the overlapping forms bring the eye back through the landscape. The 12x24  painting, while similar to the smaller version, adds one more layer of overlapping.  The composition is so naturally created that I plan to paint it again. Next I'll try a different format rather than the panoramic view with more sky lowering the horizon to the lower third level now occupied by the cresting wave. Close ups of the backlit lighthouse are also on my radar. Stay tuned!

Painting sunlight

"Falling Water" 18x24 Oil

Every season our family spends time in New Hampshire. As a child it was summers at the lake with friends and skiing on vacations and weekends. In 1978, I bought a timeshare and we now go up in the fall and spring as well. Activities have expanded over the years with painting becoming a favorite. Hiking the woods and White Mountains I have encountered so many new painting spots that I couldn't possibly paint them all. The one thing that always captures my attention is the light. It changes the landscape by the minute as it filters in in the morning, dances through the trees and across the snow, hills and water during the day,  creates dramatic skies at dusk and a calming darkness at night. Consistent in the woodland streams are rocky paths cut through the land by rushing water, downed branches that gather along the edges and transparent pools that reveal the bed of the streams concealed elsewhere by white foam and deep dark pools of water.
What attracted me here was the serpentine curve of the stream that created rhythmic patterns of light and dark. The reddish tone of the rocks, pine needles and reflected light compliments the greens of the lush woods. The birches are quintessential NH. This painting represents the feeling I get when walking through the wooded landscape of NH.

I began with an underpainting of transparent red oxide to establish values and  composition. I wanted  to give a warmth that could show through in the final painting. I used underpainting white to establish the flow of the water. After that dried, I blocked in large areas using local color establishing some dark transparent layers first. The painting was built up with a number of layers finding areas to suggest rock forms under the rushing water and illuminating other areas with bright light to bring the viewers eye through the woods and down the stream.

Romancing Capitola

Taking a break in Capitola 30x40 oil painting

After a co worker of my daughter's saw my paintings at her house in Aptos, she asked if I would create a painting of her with her husband as a surprise for their anniversary. I said I would. She texted me a photo to use.
At first I thought the shadows on the rocks were off, but when I enlarged the area I realized they were mussels, not shadows. The photo wasn't too clear, so I enlarged it and then delved into my photos of Capitola so I could get the background area as accurate as possible. The pastel colored homes along the beachfront are iconic as well as the pier and stream. The stream cuts through the beach to flow under a bridge between the yellow restaurant on the right and the pastel homes to it's left. Although the bridge isn't in the photo or painting, I  know it's an important landmark for the downtown. The small stream leading back toward that area is put in to ensure the bridge is acknowledged, although not seen.
I had never painted with florescent colors so had to order the paint. Creating shadows with the new paint were a challenge.  I tested out colors on a canvas pad trying shadows with blues and violets and until I determined what looked right.  Initially I was going to omit the bike on the lower right, but in the end decided to put it in. First, it confirms there are two riders, and second, it leads the viewer into the painting with a diagonal.  Eliminating most of the bicycle's detail prevents the  viewer from lingering there. Since the canvas was so large, I made the birds on the beach in the far left and the mussels prominent details. They are a big part of the sensory experience when visiting this beach. The gulls are always present, moving about in large groups, soaring, then resting and repeating the cycle all day long. The outgoing tide exposes the rocks many treasures then hides them again until the next tide cycle.
When I felt the painting was complete, I texted a photo for approval before shipping. She texted me back:
"IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! I keep getting my phone to look at your artwork. Honestly, I've looked at about 20 times since you texted. It's breathtaking!"
The painting was challenging. It was large and both a landscape and informal portrait all in one. My daughter visited while I was working on it and told me the figures looked just like them.  I was encouraged. When I got the text, I was both relieved and very happy. The painting now resides in CA.

Remembering special moments

Grandfather's precious Moment 18x24 Oil

A friend of a friend referred Sarah to me. Sarah lives in Manhatten and was looking to commemorate a special moment between her father in law and her new baby. The grandfather met his new grandson at the family's vacation home in VT. Sarah had a photo of the two and wanted a painting setting it in their back yard at their VT home. Shortly after the photo was taken, the grandfather passed away. Sarah wanted to preserve the moment for her husband and son. She asked if I could combine some photos to set them in the yard with the family Burmese mountain dog. I looked forward to the challenge.  I did some preliminary sketches for her approval and she was excited with the ideas I showed her. 

The most difficult part was establishing a perspective that looked like the figures belonged in the setting; establishing the perspective and the light source. I removed boxes from the photos that were in the yard from unpacking adirondack chairs and included 2 chairs in the setting to give a sense of the scene she had described to me. Spending 24 years visiting my daughter and son when they lived in VT gave me a solid sense of what it felt like to sit surrounded by mountains and expansive views. I positioned the red leash to make a connection between the family and the landscape. The adirondack chairs provided a nice sunlit focal point to lead the viewer back into the landscape after pausing to take in the figures. The green expanse is warmed up to emphasize the feeling of the midday sun.
Update:
Just received this message from NYC-where this painting now resides, 
"Hi Ellen,
I gave the painting to my husband a bit early, and it brought him to tears. It is a very special piece that will hang in our home for a lifetime. Thank you for perfectly bringing the vision to life. It means so much to us.
Happy Holidays-"
I wondered if it would make it til Christmas.🥰

Surf's Up!

Roar of the Surf 30x40 Oil

     Visiting my daughter in CA always leads to a new painting. Her home at Seacliff in Aptos gives me constant access to the beautiful beach and surf. She works and I paint. When I get back to MA,  I use my photos and sketches to paint big. In this painting I wanted to portray a sense of the power of the waves as they crashed onto the shore. The surf, with it's multiple layers of waves and criss crossing currents, are fascinating to watch and they command a respect for the force they unleash. The sunlight provides a sculptural effect to the ephemeral forms as they roar in and transform into spindrift and then wash out again.  I used a limited palette with a cloudless sky so that the viewer would focus on the surf and the myriad subtleties of colors within the blues. I hope it evokes a sense of sound as one imagines the senses at this place and time.