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Showing posts from August, 2017

Sargent Watercolors

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I saw a major show of John Singer Sargent's many years ago at the Boston Musuem of Art.  It included portraits and some of his work from World War One.  As is always the case, the original artworks were stunning beyond description - no matter how good the quality of reproductions. In some cases, even in larger than life canvases - a single brushstroke "made the painting" come alive with light or shadow. Personally, I've always been attracted to John Singer Sargent's watercolors from his travels thoughout the world.  In particular, his ability to capture a sense of light and atmosphere.  I have no idea of whether or not he ever intended to show his watercolors or if they were simply done for enjoyment or study purposes - I'm just glad that they have been preserved. Even a mundane (or potentially mundane) subject comes to life under his brush.  A simple white building sparkles with light as seen below. Bedouins His ability to render wh

Courtney Allen

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One of the reason I love ducking into antique stores is that you never know what you are going to find. My introduction to art was primarily though the illustrators of the golden age through my wife's family of artists as I wrote about here.   Inspiration better late than never I came across this illustration study for a dust jacket by Courtney Allen a couple of weeks ago and I picked it up earlier today.. This painting was a preliminary study for the book cover for the book "Gold Mountain" by Charlotte Paul issued by the Peoples Book Club of Chicago in 1953. It's roughly 9" x 12" and appears to be ink and watercolor/gouache.  Historical interest aside, I love the freedom and confidence of the execution of this painting.  One of the things that I enjoy about these types of paintings is that you can see the artists thought process.  How the eye is led into the center of interst - the figures disembarking in search of gold and , perhaps, a litt

Scarborough Barn

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This sketch is an elaboration of an on location watercolor completed in Scarborough Maine more than a decade ago.  This is one example of why I do enjoy the challenges of studio work from on location paintings.   I hope to be able to take various elements that do exist (though not in this exact composition) in a place and bring them together into a scene that people feel as though they've been there.  In this case, the ocen in the distance with a small peninsula and a barn on a sloping hill tucked amongst elm, spruce, and other hard and softwoods encroaching on what was, at one time, a working farm. The trees existed, but for the purposes of the picture I reversed them.  I'll do another color study as the original painting was done in the fall.  The Ocean was not viewable in the acutal setting due to the heighth of the surrounding forest but it would have been where I've indicated it in the drawing.

Pemaquid Beach

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I've managed to explore much of the coast of Maine, but somehow I'd never made it to Pemaquid before.  Julie, Ari, and I had a wonderful day at Pemaquid.   Before we left for the day, I decided to reorganize my paint box to strictly watercolor so that all the materials that I'd need would fit in my paintbox.  Brushes, paper, paint, water, palette,  tape, pencils, sketch pad, sponges, razor blades, pencils.   I wanted to reduce things so that I wouldn't need anything beyond the paint box.  Still a couple of things to iron out - but all in all I was pleased.  What I think I'll do next is get another paint box to prepare for acrylics and related materials. After exploring and finding some sea glass.  I did this pen and ink first.  I finished the day doing a quick watercolor study of this same scene.  I'll use both of these to do a finished work eventually. The next work was this watercolor. Sometime I'm so caught up in the moment, trying to cap

Nana's House

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I recently took a trip Down East with family.  This post was from more than a year ago.  A picture drawn from strong childhood memories.  I was watering plants in the backyard yesterday, including a cutting from the lilac tree in front of the house (to the right outside this picture) I hope you enjoy the picture and poem. Pembroke A few half buried fieldstones are all that remain The house is gone The Barn and Shed… Gone Gone. Not forgotten I see Nana’s house In abandoned farmhouses  In bowed barns In my dreams I remember walking up the dirt road from one adventure or another Taking the short cut up the hill toward the house Avoiding the old well (Not really – Sorry Mom) The tall grass tickling my hands was laced with animal trails At the top of the hill The horses were shuffling in their stalls Anxious to get out The shed A large barn connecting the barn to the kitchen A magical place to me Could that have been Santa’s sle

Georgetown Inlet

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This watercolor sketch of an inlet in Georgetown, Maine serves a couple of purposes for me. One, I'd been so focused on pen and ink drawings I missed painting.  In addition to composition and design, I truly enjoy working with  color and paint- watercolors in particular.  For whatever reason, I find it more enjoyable (and more efficient) to experiment with watercolor than the other mediums I work with (Acrylic, Oil, Goache, Charcoal, Pencil).  The medium of watercolor itself, I find it to be the quickest medium to get ideas to paper.   Some of that is simple physics - water flows quickly and smoothly.  Another reason is the ease of transport and clean up of watercolor.  I also began my artistic journey with watercolor so that is the medium I've worked with the longest. One piece of advice I would give, is take whatever advice that is given to you for what it is worth for your journey - not as gospel.  One of the most common pieces of advice that I recieved is that waterc

Lands End

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As I was leaving Bailey Island I was struck by the contrasts in the fading light with the fog rolling in after sunset.  The water was capturing and reflecting all the light it could, creating striking silhouettes of figures as well as the house.   I've always enjoyed monochrome painting and experimenting with different values.  My early reserach into Charles La Salle and his circle of friends and colleagues from the "golden age" of illustration I was struck by their mastery of charcoal.  "If a picture doesn't work in black and white - color won't save it."  Blunt but accurate I think.  Color can mask a bit, but won't hide a weak composition.  I also experimented with drybrush technique on this painting.  I recieved so much encouragement and advice from the late Bob Harris who was a very successsful illustrator and portraitist.  I still can hear his voice and chuckle about him talking about knowing when a painting is done before it is "fini