Rainy Day Grays

"Rainy Day Grays", oil on linen, 18 x 24

This is one of 4 large (for me) paintings that I have been working on over the past month or so in my studio.   I was not sure it was finished but I found myself doing lots of pointless noodling and it finally had to go - ready or not!  I am dropping this piece off at the gallery tomorrow so it had no choice but to be "finished."  The downside to working in an indirect manner is not only the amount of time it takes to complete the painting but how much that extra time creates and enables doubt and uncertainty to creep in at each stage. When painting directly, either in the studio or plein air, you have to make quick decisions and stick with it.  But, when working in layers you can glaze, scumble, have a snack, paint the whole thing over again, question the color choice, glaze, scumble, change the palette, throw your brushes, have another snack . . . well you get the picture.  I am satisifed for now.  It has a quiet kind of Hopper feel to me (though with brighter colors obviously).  Two of the other paintings were not allowed to leave the studio.  They are being punished.

Essex January Invitational

"LobsterFellas", 8 x 10, oil on panel

Two of my lobster guy paintings have been accepted by Art Essex Gallery in beautiful Essex, Connecticut.  This is a national show and will be covered by Art Collector magazine.  The show opens January 15th and runs through February 15th.  There is a reception on the 17th which I will have to miss since I will be on my way to the Caribbean.  But you should go!!

Chinatown Market

Chinatown Market, 11 x 14, oil on canvas

All four of my large paintings are still wet so I could not work on them today.  I found this older painting in my "discard pile" and decided to rework it.  I like it much better now!  I think some of the values in the original painting were off and the colors were over saturated.  Looks like I still have a couple of minor perspective corrections in this but I will have to wait a couple of days.

Belated Happy New Year!

"Study for Rainy Saratoga", 5 x 7, oil on paper

Hope everyone had a great holiday!  I'm off to a bad start with New Year's resolutions one of which was to post my paintings in a more consistent and timely manner.  I am currently working on four large (for me) cityscape/rainy scene paintings which will hopefully be ready for viewing in the next week or so.  My process has gradually shifted over the past year to a more deliberative approach which can be quite time consuming.  It is a combination of indirect and direct painting techniques involving layers of glazes, scumbles and often lots of scraping off and repainting! I now do more sketching than painting on location and use those sketches and value studies for the subsequent paintings.   Stay tuned!

Crossing Broadway

Study for "Crossing Broadway", pastel on paper, 6 x 6

Merry Christmas Everyone!  Hope you all had a great holiday.  It went very fast!  Time for me to get back in the studio and try to get a lot of work done before I have to leave for the Caribbean.  I have quite a few rainy day studies that I am now working up into larger sizes.  I hope to post some big ones soon!  Have a great Christmas week!

And It Kept On Snowing . . .

"From My Window", pastel on paper, 6 x 6

We have well over a foot of snow up here in the foothills of the Adirondacks.  It is very beautiful and "Christmasy".  I love watching the snow fall . . from the comfort of my studio!

Rain on Phila Street

"Rain on Phila Street", 5 x 7, oil on panel

Hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season!  We are digging out from over a foot of snow in Saratoga Springs.  I just returned from the Caribbean last week.  It's quite an adjustment to go from 87 degrees to 0 in one week!  This is another rainy day study of Saratoga.  I guess it's time to move to snow scenes.  I have plenty of source material outside.