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Showing posts from 2019

Incoming Storm Sebego Lake, Maine

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Incoming Storm - Sebego Lake Acrylic 18"x 24" This acrylic was painted on location at Harmon's Beach Sebego Lake, Maine many falls ago.  I can remember the day like it was yesterday.  I used a heavy french easel which I had to prop against a tree to keep it from being knocked over by the strong wind gusts. It was so cold, that when I finished painting, I couldn't drop the paint brush, I needed to remove it from my right hand with my left. I was focused on the water and sky, amazed at all the colors that we often think of a simply a grey day.  Like any painting I look at later, there are some things that I would do differently now, but i was and still am pleased with the effort.  I captured things that I could never have imagined because it was painted start to finish on location (en plein air). When I look at this today, I am transported back to that moment in time.  I can hear the crashing windblown surf, and feel and hear the howl of the wind and the s

Moments of abstraction

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Androscoggin River Sketch 2 Acrylic on Paper This sketch was executed rapidly, like most of my paintings.  A pattern in most of my on location work or series studio work is a trend toward abstraction in my third or later paintings in a day.  Sometimes caused by vanishing light.  At other times caused by the beauty of the abstract patterns and color combinations in nature itself. My preference is toward the impressionistic, but more often than not, I'm simply trying to capture the emotion or mood of a moment in time.  The shadows of the trees on the far shore juxtaposed with the light reflections and color patterns in the water were what drew me to this scene.  I also enjoyed experimenting with different blues to achieve warmer and cooler shadows and greens on the far bank and in the reflections. Below are two other abstractions - the one immediately below done on location more than twenty years ago.  This was executed at the end of a day of exploring in and a

Androscoggin, Ferry Road, Lisbon

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Adroscoggin River Color Sketches These two sketches are Acrylic on Paper.  Done from observation on location and the composition sketches below.  I tend to sort through my composition sketches and on location sketches for ideas for paintings - especially when I don't really have the time to paint.  In this case - I'd actually intended to work on a completely different subject - which I'd taken from small composition sketches like to these to a full sheet charcoal drawing.  But instead the image on the upper right caught my attention and I decided to skip a larger charcoal (for now) and go right into color sketches. Androscoggin River Comp Sketches My art critic - Echo accompanies me on my trips to my basement studio.  I paint standing up, and you can tell from the picture that it is probably a good thing that I do so as sitting isn't really an option. Echo -Art Critic  Once Echo sees me getting my palette ready, he settles in for a nap. Ready To Pa

The Sluice - composition deconstructed

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"The Sluice" Paper Mill Trail Watercolor on Paper This painting is an example of how I've taken different elements from an area to create a composition that isn't exactly what exists in nature, but which still honors the landscape and captures the feeling of the landscape that does exist.  My interpretation of the landscape, so to speak. The basis of this painting was captured with an on location watercolor sketch (which looks little like this final composition)..  The tree covered hill to the left, the "pond" the sluice (right mid-ground) and the rapids are as was. The stones in the foreground, do exist but would actually be out of sight to the left and below the edge of the field, forming the wall of one of the canals and a foundation for part of the mill.. The background of the picture, is actually an expanded view from upriver.  The actual view from this spot, wouldn't allow the viewer to go back into the picture. Hopefully, t

Lisbon Mill Ruins - reconsidered

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Mill Ruins - Lisbon Maine (The sluice) Old Mills were so common while I was growing up in Westbrook, Maine.  Some have found new life and are being redeveloped and re-purposed.   The same thing is happening in nearby Lewiston. Since moving to Lisbon Falls in 2003 - three mills in town have been demolished.  These ruins have further been demolished as part of an effort to rehabilitate the river.  I'd started to sketch another mill in nearby Sabattus - and a month later - that was gone too. This large watercolor was started about a year ago and, as is often the case, was set aside while I worked on other projects.  I then darkened the sky with another rich wash of blue (see the picture on the left below) but that didn't really seem to balance the great deal of activity in the foreground of the painting.   I added some clouds as was (same picture) and lightened the sky.  Back to the revisit bin for a few more months until earlier this week. I decided to be much

Pemaquid in Progress

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  Composition Sketch in progress- Pemaquid  This compositional sketch is the result of the roughs below and two on location watercolor studies.  It is intentionally not detailed.  I enjoy the design process.  I never used to take the time to experiment with different compositions - I just wanted to dive into painting (Truth be told, I still struggle with that).  But I consistently started running into composition issues which were so labor intensive to correct.   In this case, I'll also re-position the boat further back and alter the angle of its profile so it leads back into the cemetery.  These are small rapidly executed studies, including the watercolor on index card below.   There will be much more foliage, as was in reality, in the final paintings.  Shadows in the foreground were also part of this composition.  I will also try a winter scene with shadows as an important part of the composition.    Watercolor Study on Index Card 4" x 6"

Aiden Lassell Ripley Illustrations

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A special thanks to Alex Chester for inviting me to co-author an article on Aiden Lassell Ripley's illustration work. This is our second published effort together.   Also to Dan Zimmer of illustration magazine for his encouragement and his beautiful handling of the artwork and editing our writing for this latest issue of Illustration Magazine. If you've never checked out Illustration magazine it is well worth it.  The artwork is beautifully reproduced and each magazine is loaded with history.  I seem to learn something knew every time I reread the articles.  Then again, anything that combines art and history - I'm hooked. If you are a fan of Aiden Ripley's artwork, there are many reproductions of Aiden's illustrative work as well as of his better known sporting art.  It's a chapter of Aiden's career that has gone largely undocumented. Illustration Magazine featuring the cover art of Coles Phillips

Sunset Runaround Pond

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Sunset Runaround Pond Watercolor Study I was reviewing sketches from an old sketchbook today and settled on pencil sketch I'd completed on location years ago along with a few color notes scrawled in the margins of the sketch. This watercolor study was inspired by my memories of a brilliant sunset and reflections on Runaround Pond in Durham, Maine.  I had just pulled in and explored briefly before being struck by the contrast of deep orange of the sunset juxtaposed with the dark greens of blues of the pine and spruce and then lightened again by the reflections in the foreground.  These effects are so very beautiful to witness and so fleeting. For some reason, I had the place to myself that day and enjoyed the stillness and quiet as night fell.  This overall effect likely lasted less than 15 minutes but has never left my mind.

Low Tide Dennis Mass

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Low Tide - Dennis Mass This large charcoal was an elaboration of a quick on site sketch from last summer on Cape Cod.   I will likely do another sketch based on this but with high tide / storm surf. With this drawing I experimented with applying charcoal and blending with a brush in parts.  There are so many different ways to blend charcoal and the effects of different types of charcoal are also so different.  This drawing was completed with both vine charcoal and compressed charcoal.  Compressed charcoal produces a very rich dark stroke.  For me, vine charcoal also can produce a wide variety of shades, but not as dark as compressed charcoal. I prefer to use vine charcoal - its very thin and fragile, but I enjoy both the visual effects of the vine charcoal as well as the tactile feel of utilizing it.  It may sound kind of strange, but the vibrations of the charcoal over the tooth of the paper is as close to running your fingers directly over unmarked drawing paper as i

Grey Day Eastport Maine

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Grey Day Eastport Maine Watercolor - 7" x 8.5" This watercolor was completed on location during my recent trip to Eastport.  Overall, the weather was beautiful, but we did have one grey day with showers.  I had to seek shelter in the car and the sky opened up.  I do really enjoy the occasional rainy day.  The sound of rain on the roof and windshield was so soothing. The atmospheric effects during the brief time it took me to complete this painting were amazing.  At one point,  the sea smoke / fog rolled in all but obscuring the building.  At other times, the rain was so heavy and the thickness of the fog varied so that some or most of the building was obscured.   Some of the islands in the harbor seemed to be floating in the air, the horizon was indistinguishable.  All of these changes in effects occurred within a half an hour to 45 minutes.   I could have done a half dozen paintings from this same view and they would all have been different.  I did take some n

Peavey's Pasture Eastport ME

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Plein Air Watercolor - Peavey's Pasture Eastport Maine Had a wonderful time in Eastport Maine with family last weekend.  We had beautiful sunny summer days as well as a day of rain showers , clouds, and sea smoke.  So many moods and a painting everywhere you look (Of course I have that problem of seeing paintings everywhere I look all the time - even when driving). This rolling pasture down to the sea was very striking and had so many different points of interest. I had decided in advance to bring only watercolor on this trip and completed three paintings on location, observed constantly and took notes for many additional subjects.  Of course, as soon as I saw the harbor and the complex myriad of boats of different shapes and colors with a lot of white, I'd wished Id brought my other mediums as it was too complex for me to attempt that subject in watercolor.  Ahh well.  I suppose I could have done it as a monochrome painting with detailed color notes for later.

Lone Pine - Cape Cod

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Lone Pine -Cape Cod  Acrylic 12" by 16" (Doodle Bug) Art is about discovery and the journey, for me at least.  Last week I went down to work on a subject for my next painting, and I ended up going in a completely different direction.  But that's a different story for a different day.   This particular painting was done from studies completed on location last year as well as preliminary sketches done from those studies and blogged about previously. I was captivated by the light and the dunes on the Cape.  The patterns of light on the dunes, the surf, as well as the shapes of the dunes themselves were such that one could paint them every day and have a different painting result every time. With this painting I also really wanted to experiment a bit with the sky and even though the initial subject of interest to me was the pine, I actually came to enjoy working on the surf - a small but important part of this composition.   To me, the pine had a

Ham Pencil sketch on location

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Pencil Sketch - Elmer Ham 4" x 6" This is one of a number of small en plien air sketches that Elmer L Ham in preparation for larger more finished works.  I find even his small sketches to be very powerful and to my eye, rapidly executed.  If you take a close look at the shading in the trees and the overall pencil strokes, they are long and decisive.   There is an economy of pencil strokes - defining both form and value.  Also the line framing the drawing is not even - which indicates a more rapid process to me.  This sketch would serve as the basis for a work in any medium having a strong sense of perspective as well as arranged patterns of lights and darks.  Other pencil sketches exist that are more complete and finished works in their own right - but I would hang this on my wall too! Elmer was also known to work on subjects a number of times.  In a series almost.  When I was younger and newer at painting that never appealed to me.  Monet's haystacks, ca

Elmer Ham floral

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Elmer L Ham - Pastel Floral Here is another fragment of a floral study by Elmer L Ham.  I've really enjoyed working through these fragments and experimenting with different compositions.   I've never really tried collage before but I think I will in the future.  I'm now keeping scraps and bits that I used to throw away for further consideration down the road.   Sometimes preliminary pieces are so much more freeing to work on - that happy accidents can occur.   While working on some of these fragments its been very interesting to see the different perspectives approaching abstraction.  The above fragment is a Pastel.   Below is a watercolor fragment. I'll include more floral still lives in other posts.  This subject matter definitely reflects Ham's training with Laura Coombs Hills.

Barn Party Harlow Gallery Fundraiser

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Looking forward to a day of Plein Air Painting to kick off the summer and help support a local gallery! Barn Party Fundraiser Harlow Gallery Pictured: Top Row Left to Right   Judith Schuppien, Lisa Kyle, Robert Kahler,  Pictured Bottom Row Left to Right  Ed Buonvecchio, Jeanne Ouelette, Nathan Allard SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 4-7PM During the day, 15 artists will be making artwork on location in response to the numerous beautiful, historic barns of Old Village Road in East Winthrop. (see below for full listing of artists.) The artwork produced from the day will then be up for bids during a silent auction fundraiser to benefit programming at the Harlow, a membership based 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to connecting and celebrating art, artists and community in downtown historic Hallowell since 1963. From 4-7pm, all are invited to congregate at the host barn (location will be disclosed to ticket holders) for an after party and silent auction fundraiser to benefit the Harl

Cape Cod - Dunes and Pines in process

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Cape Cod - Dunes and Pine Charcoal on Paper Cape Cod - Dunes and Pine in Process This subject was from our trip to Cape Cod last summer (2018).  The sun was very low so that the near dune was completely in shadow, only the top of the pine was illuminated as well as the far dune.  This is another example for me of the benefits of painting on location.  This was an effect on a brilliant sunny day that lasted for probably 10-15 minutes.  I would not have imagined this scene with the back dune illuminated - but there it was.  It was such a striking contrast. On the right are half a sheet of small sketches done on location at the Cape.   I then did the large colored pencil sketch the top.  I don't work with colored pencil often, but decided to shake things up a bit and do some experimenting. The small pen and ink sketch was a composition sketch resulting from a feeling from the other sketches and wondering if the background dunes closed the picture in too mu

abstract seascape study

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Here is another full sheet watercolor study by Elmer L. Ham.   The pictures don't do it justice.  It has an almost abstract quality about it.  It strikes me as another on location study.  Faint pencil lines block in both the major masses of rocks (Feels more like California than Maine to me) as well as of the wave action - see below. The sense of movement is captured and the white of the paper also is utilized effectively to capture whitecaps as well as foam from waves crashing on rocks.  It all implies to me a familiarity with the ocean as well as this particular location.  That is only reinforced by the deft strokes of a loaded brush throughout the painting.   This strikes me as a rapidly executed sketch (you have a max of a couple of hours before the light changes too much - and my reality of painting along the coast is that you tend to have a shorter window).  But everything is contained within this first pass to allow the artist to go back at any time to finish

Elmer Ham Fishing Boats

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Sketch of Fishing Boats - Watercolor by Elmer L. Ham 8.5" x 10" Sight Size 11" x 14" Framed There is a quality about a sketch that I particularly enjoy.  You get to see the artists thinking and focus as they work.  What the artist finishes and what the artist leaves out is often telling.  To me, this study is one of light, shadow, and reflection.  Note how the shading on the boats add depth and form.   On the near boat, how the shadow and rust on the way below deck add form and substance.  The shadows on the second boat on the fishing nets the shadows from the fishing nets on the small boat in between the larger boats. Also, note the reflections in the foreground, they are not static.  They are fluid and evoke the feeling of moving water. This is the result of years of observation.  Whether or not this was done on location, I have no proof, but it is too close to the subject to have been done as an exercise or from a photograph. The pencil

Floral Still life Fragment by Elmer Ham

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Elmer L Ham Watercolor  5" x 7" framed. This is a fragment of an unfinished floral watercolor by Elmer L Ham.    In addition to many finished paintings, the portfolios of paintings I purchased had many paintings in various stages of completion.  There were many finished still lives, others that were clearly studies of floral still life in watercolor and pastels and still others that were started but not finished beyond the pencil sketch (outline really) and some areas of finish.   You can see the faint pencil indications in this sketch - which would be erased partially or completely in finished painting depending on the artists decision on whether the pencil added to or distracted from the desired effect. I gave much consideration to the uncompleted still lives.  Many studies were on full sheets of watercolor paper - too large to be displayed with so much unfinished and all unsigned.  After studying the paintings intently, I decided to experiment and crop, m

Eastport Maine Afternoon Light

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Eastport Maine - Abandoned Cannery, Tides Institute Charcoal and Gouache on paper This painting is an elaboration of an on location watercolor sketch that I did in Eastport last summer.  The effect of the light striking the abandoned cannery and the strong shadows was what drew me to this subject.   I'll set this aside and go back to it at a later date. Its also another example to me that I'm never quite sure where a painting is going to lead me.  When I think of Eastport and the coast of Maine in general - I don't think of barely including the ocean in a scene painted on the coast.   I plan to do five or six variations of this subject, including increasing the space between the buildings to show more of the harbor and the working coast. While working, I had a visit from one of my studio assistants (Whisper).  I think he likes the painting - but he's not saying.  The cat has his tongue.  

Yellow House

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Here is another light filled watercolor landscape painting from the portfolios of Elmer L Ham that I discovered in New Hampshire.  Ham spent much of his long life along the Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachsuetts Seacoast (Portsmouth, Boston, Newburyport, Eliot, and Kittery Point to name a few).  This includes nearly a decade that Ham spent in Los Angeles California. Although the ocean (or river) is not a large part of this subject, it is important to the composition and color pallette of this painting.  It creates more of sense of light and brings the yellow maple into focus as well.  This is a quintessential New England Scene. The effects captured in this painting, of light and shadow, of the atmospheric effects of the clouds and sky lend further credence to my belief that Ham spent much of his time observing and painting on location prior to executing these full sheet watercolors. Another thing that attracts me to these paintings is their sense of spontaneity.  The effect

Crashing Surf and Boats in Harbor

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Here is another watercolor painting in the portfolio's that I purchased by Elmer L. Ham. The sense of movement and color that he has captured here speaks to me of someone who spent a great deal of time painting on location and observing nature.  I have no evidence to prove that, only conjecture, a lifetime of observing the ocean and twenty plus years painting on location. This painting is also freely and confidently painted.  The brushstrokes are visible and help define both form and movement without being overworked. Today, Ham seems largely forgotten.   A quick review of sales records indicate that he seems to be most well known for his pastel still life drawings of flowers which reflect his training by noted Boston and Newburyport artist Laura Coombs Hills.  The watercolor above and paintings I'll share later show his talent and his interest in his surroundings.  Here is the beginning of what I've been able to find out about Elmer L. Ham. Early Years :  P

Tucked Away - Elmer L Ham

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I was rummaging around the top floor of an antique store and I saw two black portfolios tucked in a back corner on top of a stack of chairs.  I made my way through the stacks of chairs and pulled the portfolios out to where I could open them up. I figured there would be a few school sketches and some studies as each portfolio was quite thickly packed (each appprox 2" thick).   There were some studies of still lives, some partially completed watercolors, but things quickly turned even more interesting. The Fenway, Boston by Elmer L Ham (1884-1978) Scores of boldly and confidently painted watercolor's, some signed by Elmer L. Ham, some not signed but clearly by the the same hand.  I've been researching the artist since this find and will share more paintings and information in future posts. Many of these paintings I will keep, but others I will sell and attach his biography (as much as I can complete it) so that others may rediscover him too.