Hopper House Exhibition

"Rockland Lighthouse II", oil on panel, 6 x 6

The Hopper House in Nyack holds an annual national competition titled "Small Matters of Great Importance" which I have managed to miss every year.  This year I put the deadline down on my calendar!    Paintings are required to be smaller than 12 x 12 including frame.  This is a miniature oil version of a pastel painting I did several years ago titled "Lone Sentry" which I painted during a sailing trip to Maine.  It has always struck me as "Hopperesque."  It was interesting trying to recreate a smaller painting in oil from a larger pastel.  The biggest challenge was the composition.  I prefer the more elongated dimensions of the larger painting but I was limited here by the competition requirements (and my available frames)!

More Lobsterfellas

"Lobsters on the Dock", oil on panel, 6 x 6

I finally got a little painting time in today.  I have so many great sketches and references of all the lobster boats I've seen in the last few weeks.  I've spent quite a few afternoons at the Newport Shipyards where all the lobster and fishing boats are docked.  The overwhelming smell barely even bothers me any more!  This guy caught my eye with the bright yellow overalls against the dark hull of his boat.  Hopefully I'll have more to post tomorrow.

Caribbean Work On View

"Marigot Alley", oil on board 18 x 24

The past few weeks have been spent cooking and sailing with no time for painting.  We just finished working a charter for the New York Yacht Club's Summer Cruise which started in Newport and ended in Boston.  It was a long, hot week.  So, back to art.

I am pleased to announce that "Marigot Alley" has been accepted into the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club's 116th Annual Exhibition.  This is a prestigious show and I am honored to have my work included.  The painting will be on view at the National Arts Club in New York City starting October 2nd.

"Banana Seller", pastel on paper 16 x 20

I also have two pastels that will be included in the Degas Pastel Society's National Exhibition in New Orleans, Louisiana this Fall.  This painting and "Balthazar Waiter" will be on view at the St. Tammany Art Association at the end of August through October.  

Now back to painting . . .!

Plein Air Painting Bristol RI

"Bristol Greys", 6 x 8, oil on linen panel

I painted this a few days ago while we were in Bristol RI.  There are a lot of old buildings in this charming little town.  From the vantage point of the town dock (where I painted the last post) the old buildings looked like layers of colored greys stacked atop one another.  The jpeg came out a bit darker and more saturated despite my photoshop edits!  I guess I need to read the book.

Postscript: This painting has been revised since this post.  The above painting is the new version.

Plein Air Abstraction

Bristol Pier, 6 x 8 oil on linen panel

I am trying to find more interesting abstract patterns in my plein air work.  I loved the colors of this old fishing boat on the pier in Briston RI but it was the interesting shapes that initially caught my eye.  It is really the underlying value structure of a scene that will make or break a good painting.  I really like this one as the idea reminds me a little of Milton Avery, one of my favorite artists.  While it definitely does not look anything like an Avery I think I was trying to achieve a similar goal.  I found a great quote from Milton Avery on a terrific blog about art history :

 

 "I always take something out of my pictures, strip the designs to the essentials; the facts do not interest me so much as the essence of nature.  I never have any rules to follow.  I follow myself.  I began painting by myself  in the Connecticut countryside, always directly from nature . . . I have long been interested in trying to express on canvas a painting with a few, large, simplified spaces."  Milton Avery.

Love it.

Value of Sketching Part 2

I am revisiting the topic of sketching in response to fellow artist Loriann Signori's recent post about sketchbooks.  She has asked people to submit posts about their sketching process along with examples.  She will compile all the submissions she gets which should be an interesting read.  I find it very interesting to see how other artists work.

I use different sketchbooks for different purposes.  I usually have three or four sketchbooks going at the same time.  I use a large sketchbook as shown in my last post to work out compositions from reference photos in preparation for larger paintings or when I have more time to sit and actually do some in depth drawing.  My little notebooks are used on site when I am painting plein air or if I just want to put something down as a reminder for a later idea.

I try to keep a small sketchbook and a 6B woodless graphite pencil and/or a ballpoint pen with me at all times.  I have three little sketchbooks because I am constantly misplacing one or all of them.   And I can never find the pen, the pencil or the pencil sharpener.  When I paint plein air I always spend ten or fifteen minutes (at least) doing thumbnails and notans.   (There is a lot of information on notans on the internet.  Loriann actually has some good posts on notan.)  Usually these sketches are just quick two value studies of various compositional ideas.  Sometimes they are just scribbles like the ones below. 

Most artists will tell you that sketching is an integral part of the painting process even if you are an abstract painter.  Drawing is a fundamental skill that will definitely improve your painting.  I highly recommend keeping a sketchbook with you and taking the time to do a few sketches a day even if they are just notes for yourself!

The Series Continues

"Hot Day on the Docks"  8 x 10 oil on linen panel

I started this on site at the Newport Shipyard docks where all the big fishing trawlers and small boats are docked.   I couldn't stay long though as it was just too hot to stand in full sunshine with no shade.   I have an easel umbrella but it seems to only work in less than 5 or 10 knots of wind which is rare around here.  I like the colors in this.  The jpeg doesn't really pick up the subtle grays in the background but I like the soft effect in the further structures.   Things look a little busy in the lower right hand corner which I didn't intend but I will leave it for now.  If this ends up being a bigger piece I will soften that area so it doesn't draw so much attention.