Spring Intervention

       The painting shown above, a still life involving roses in a violet glass vase, is typical of this painter's activity during periods of wintry weather.  The snowstorms and harsh cold discouraged my attempts at plein-air painting. Still life, however, represents the "etudes" of a painter, a real necessity in keeping observational skills sharp and technique honed.  This little sketch, 9x12, accomplished in a few hours, was done on linen.  In this setup, I used primarily back- lighting.

 Since the weather, for once, allowed me to

Travel safely to Providence, I was able to attend Kate Huntington's Portrait session.  She managed to get the locally famous Tish Adams, jazz singer and radio show host, to sit for us.  The portrait shown here, sketched in little more than two hours, was an oil on board, 16x20.  I was pleased with the design, but I think a few corrections are necessary before I consider this a finished portrait.  Next Monday I hope to interrupt these wonderful sessions at Kate's studio by showing up for a Figure Drawing session given at the Warwick Art Museum in Apponaug,RI.  The Museum offers figure drawing every third Monday of the month for a low $8 fee.

       The sketch above is a watercolor copy of a scene by John C. Pellew, a painter born in Cornwall, England, but resided in Connecticut.  The scene above was based on a scene Pellew painted at Rockport, MA.  Turning to watercolor (and pastel) is another strategy I use to avoid the "plein-air Blues". I have even fallen back on sharpening drawing skills.  Here's a self-portrait done in charcoal on gray paper heightened with white Conte crayon:

One day I was able to get to my Kingston studio on a sunny but bitterly cold day.

The rear window afforded a rather upbeat snow scene which I hastened to record in oil as the tree shadows lengthened.  The 9x12 sketch could seve as the basis of s larger format.  The result of my efforts :

The road to the house could use a couple of figures, but it was so cold outside, despite the sun, that I didn't have the heart to have even imaginary figures suffer on my canvas!

  Today (March 11), the temperature reached 50 degrees (F) and so I leaped outside, traveling to the Hummocks in North Kingstown to rapidly sketch in the 9x12 oil on canvas which upon finishing will be called March Thaw.  Although it is not yet officially Spring, today was a kind of intervention by the gentler forces soon to replace this memorable winter.

March Thaw, oil on canvas, 9x12

Perils of Winter Shows

    Kingston Rooftops, oil on linen, 18x24

           The image above is that of a painting now hanging at the Bill Krul Gallery in Narragansett.  I painted this late afternoon scene before my eastern-side studio window.  In s way, I wish I had waited for the roofs to wear some of the snow that has fallen over the last few weeks.  That same snow, I fear, has discouraged a number of visitors to the Krul Gallery exhibit.

    Early Winter Wickford, o/c, 6x8

   Kumquats and Lantern Blooms, oil on linen, 16x16

   A similar fate awaited my earlier January show (part of an Invitational Show) in the beautiful gallery space of the South County Art Association at the Helme House in Kingston, RI. The Opening was blessed by a cold but clear evening and was well attended. Within a week or two the Real Winter set in with a sequence of days that threatened both travel as well as parking.

   I was never keen on winter art exhibits and, perhaps, I will return to my usual hibernation mode next year.  If you are an artist, please let me know your opinions and/or experiences regarding January and February shows.

Training Never Ceases

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      The Hummocks, oil on board, 8x10

      This oil sketch, done a couple of days ago in North Kingstown, was done as the sun sank behind the tree and at low tide.  The spot is only a mile or two south of Wickford and, even in December , has it's quiet, wild beauty.  Such areas are wonderful for training the painter in observation.  Such oil sketches provide the kindling for larger studio paintings.

     The Hummocks (no.2) , oil on cardboard, 9x12

         The second oil sketch, done at the same location as the first, featured more of the foreground rocks.  To the left of center two figures were digging for shellfish.  Since the wind was gentle I was able to complete the two sketches in slightly less than two hours.

    The Meeting Place(Wickford), oil on board, 8x10

     A favorite meeting place for waterfowl is located behind what used to be Ryan's Market.  The bite of the breeze allowed me only little more than an hour to complete this sketch.

    Butterfly Vase with Yellow Roses, oil on canvas, 13x17

   Kumquats and Lantern Blooms, oil on canvas, 16x16

   The Cowpoke (Jim), oil on board, 14x18

      These last three images, two still life's and a portrait, show other painterly activities (done in the last few weeks) designed to keep up painting and drawing skills that tend to be neglected when the outdoor weather starts showing its New England character.  Thanks to Kate Huntington Studios, I am able to enjoy painting portraits from her wonderful selection of models on Monday nights.  I fancy myself primarily an outdoor (plein air) painter, but such training as portraiture and still life I find absolutely necessary in keeping artistic skills sharp.  As we begin a New Year, may we painters resolve to keep proficient in our painterly skill set!

As the Weather Changes

    Teapot and Turnips, Oil on Linen on Board, 11x14  

   When the outdoor enviironment becomes more challenging, I turn to the painting of still life and portraiture as a musician practices eludes.  With these subjects there is control of lighting and pose.  The limitations in the execution are solely those arising from the ability or lack thereof of the artist.  Portraiture has the additional advantage of allowing a more obvious two-way communication between subject and artist.  As a consequence, poses are reclaimed easier and the artist can pay attention to his own as well as the model's fatigue.

The Impressario, oil on board, 16x20

   Portrait Study, oil on board, 14x18

   Still Life:  Roses and Apples, oil on canvas, 14x18

The Fall Collection

  The feverish activity of summer plein- air events are now behind us.  The Blackstone Valley paint-out was a spectacular one since the weather offered the painter sun-drenched scenes of early autumn beauty.  As autumn progresses here I have been active in capturing the dramatic color in my local area.

       Narragansett Beach View (October), o/c, 12x12

      I have also sketched more inland areas to feast on the color afforded by local foliage.

     October Stream, o/c, 12x12

     October Stream (Morning), o/c, 12x12

    Below is a brief sketch I did yesterday in North Kingstown, just south of Wickford Village

    The Swampy Grove, o/c, 6x10

       Yes, a heron did stop by , seemingly to enjoy the scenery bathed in the late afternoon sun.

Paintings Hanging Now

  Currently my paintings are being exhibited in a few wonderful RI locations.  First, there is my more or less annual show at the East Greenwich Free Library (82 Peirce Street, East Greenwich, Rhode Island) Opening tomorrow (Thursday, 17 July)) from 5:30 - 7:30 PM.  In this show I have perhaps only a half-dozen works that are framed and ready for purchase.  As you enter the Gallery you will notice many smaller, unframed works hanging along the left wall.  These latter works represent "first takes", oil studies and sketches that are short on finish but hopefully long on charm.  They are first products of a plein-air painter and may or may not face further development in the studio.  They represent the basic anatomy of the scene and may also be the outcomes of subtle experimental technique .  For example, you will notice two small square-format boards with the same scene involving rocks and water.  One was painted on a dry pale pink-orange tone.  The other used a variation attempting to capture the mood of a grey day.  It involved covering the dry tonality with a wet tone of blue-orange.  The scene was then painted wet-into-wet over this nonuniform blue-orange tonality.  Can you tell which of the two similar paintings was more successful in capturing the overcast day?

  The second place that hosts two of my paintings is Spring Bull Gallery in Newport (on Bellevue Avenue) as part of their Small Works Show.  In this show I have a painting of Perkins Cove (Ogunquit) and another of a marsh in Barnstable (Cape Cod).

  Finally, There is a second Opening of interest this week Friday (18 July) at 6 PM at the Gilbert Stuart Museum newly remodeled Gallery in North Kingstown.  My two paintings hanging there include a Wickford view and one of Second Beach in Newport.

  If you happen to visit these locations and don't see one or both of the two paintings mentioned here for Spring Bull and Gilbert Stuart, it means I have been requested to provide another due to a sale.    I will gladly provide replacements as soon as possible!

Transitioning to Spring -- and Coastal Plein-air

Portrait of Kelli, Oil on Binder board, 15 x 20

The painting at left is another product of the three-hour portrait sessions hosted by the well-known Providence artist Kate Huntington on Monday nights.  The model, herself an artist, was amazing in both maintaining and recovering her pose for this session.  Most of the artists at this session end up with a credible likeness, but if you want more finish, more quality in the visual effect, it is probably advisable to bring supports (canvas) no larger than , say, 12x16.   That situation was evident here.  Whereas the likeness, in my opinion, was good, more time was needed to fine-tune hues and soften edges, particularly in shadow edges on and surrounding the face.  Incidentally, I find the binder board (actually made for book coverings) works find in accepting the paint provided it is first gessoed front and back -- preferably at least two coats.

Resting Boat, 8x10, Oil on Board

The oil sketch (8x10) shown here was done on a sunny but rather breezy day .   The fun here was capturing the light and its effect on the still-grey hues of early spring.  The boat itself is not very distinctly delineated and is off to the left.                   The next painting (to the right) was done on the very next day in the same spot .  Here the light was not as strong.  A little more of the shore is shown -- at low tide.        This last oil sketch was done on a 9x12  masonite board.