Audubon Sanctuary

Close to Paradise   16x20 oil

Near home the Audubon Sanctuary in Norfolk, MA provides a beautiful setting year round for plein air painting. The water, boardwalks and foliage are spectacular in all seasons and the wildlife is abundant. During the fall I went walking with a friend and came upon a pair of swans who had moved into the habitat. I knew from national seashore tours that swans are very territorial and drive out other birds. The swans were the only birds visible that day. The bright green duckweed provided a stunning diagonal leading back to the dense  grove of trees ablaze with color. The wind rippling across the water in the distance provided a bold cobalt blue accent to the dark water and a perfect backdrop for the swans. The blue/orange harmony brought a unity  and contrast to the scene that seemed to tie it up in one beautiful package-all it needed was to be painted. The layering of the water, reflections and duckweed floating on the surface had to be done over a number of sessions, but the time was well worth it to get the special effects I wanted. I hope you like it.

The Music Court at Bird Park

The music court at Bird Park is a painting spot I've enjoyed over the years from many different perspectives. I first painted it back in 1980 during a concert. I was working in watercolor and trying to capture the many people and the varied activites that took place as families enjoyed music and a day's outing with balloons and picnics and pets. Since there's been Shakespeare in the Park and many other concerts, but recently my paintings are just about the architecture itself. In this one I was interested in the play of light as it danced across the open areas of the structure. The play of light and shadow creates patterns  that seem to dance and have a rhythm all their own. The painting is 6"X12" to accentuate the length of the music court as it stretches out along the pathway at the edge of the large field. The warmth of the sunlight is dramatized by the vibrant red tree being directly hit by the sunlight.

Cheers to Holiday Traditions!

Bird Park beckons once again!

While working on another painting at the opposite end of the park, I decided to take a break. I walked through the park to enjoy the great fall weather and the park's beauty when I came across this little girl who was captivated by the migrating geese that had just landed. I was hooked when I saw her classic "sandbox squat". The concrete bench and distant bridge are included to give the painting a sense of place. Focusing on strong sunlit areas,  meandering edges and bright green patterns reflecting in the water lead the viewer to the young girl communing with the lone goose at the edge. The red of the girl's shirt repeats in the trees, reflections and turning grasses  to hint at autumn's arrival.

Masterpiece Masquerade

The Art Gallery and Studio at Patriot Place in Foxboro, MA hosted a "Masterpiece Masquerade" this month. Artists from 5 area art associations were invited to create a painting based on a famous favorite artist, but to give it a "twist" of some kind. My love affair with water and Monet made this choice appealing for me. I call it "Frog's Dilemma". In recreating Monet's painting, I realized the more spontaneous and abstracted the work is, the more difficult it is to re-create. In the end , it was a lot of fun working the many layers and glazing between some to create a watery effect. I loved using the frog that visits our fountain on the patio as a model for the "twist".

Sunlit Pears

On Friday I went to Jonathan Fairbanks for our first painting session in several months. He arrived with an armload of fruits, vegetables and some wild weeds, plopped them on a table and said, "What are you planning to paint today?" I looked at the bounty before me and instantly made up my mind. Instead of a park bench I had planned on, I selected 3 pears and a weed and found a sunny window. I arranged the purple cloth and then the pears and weeds until I got a composition I liked and felt I could complete in a couple hours before the sun completely disappeared from that window. I enjoy the challenge of working quickly and spontaneously. I always like the freshness of the painting and the honest quality it imparts. I decided to simplify the scene outside the window giving just  enough information for the viewer to get what was going on and stay focused on the pears. In the end I was pleased with my choice.

Another early morning walk...another painting opportunity

"Pres du Lac"  16x20  oil

While vacationing in Provence in 2008, I woke up while my 7 travel companions were still sleeping. The villa we rented was called "Pres du Lac", which means "near the lake". There was no lake visible in any direction. From the villa's name,  I knew there must be one somewhere nearby, so I decided my early morning mission was to find the lake. I walked for about an hour deep into woods on a long dirt road and eventually came to this hill just as the sun was rising over "les Alpilles'. The landscape was instantly illuminated and it was a very spiritual moment. Moments later, I found the lake on the other side of the hill. The scene is forever in my memory and one of these days I will paint that lake. It was incredibly beautiful. The locals were very upset to learn an "outsider" had found their hidden gem. Their secret is safe with me. I did bring the others that evening and we left it prisitne as we found it. We may have enjoyed some good wine there on a few evenings watching the sun set over the lake. After returning home, I painted this scene while it was fresh in my mind. However, I never finished it until this week. My early start left me with all the information I needed about the scene, but 5 years ago I was transitioning from watercolor to oil painting and lacked the experience at the time to get the effect that I wanted. It felt great to finish it up this summer. It stirs up a desire return to Provence.