Feeder Canal 2nd day, adventure awaits around the corner!

20  F  light snow

Here is where I ended up today, not 100 yards from yesterday's spot. (yes that is snow)

 I had to go back to Glens Falls to pick up a painting at a group show at the Crandall Library (I forgot to get it yesterday!) So I wanted to get a view of the river and thought I might have a good one farther down the trail....This was where I crossed over onto the feeder canal trail.

I walked up and down, probably about a mile or so, not finding the commanding view of the river that I was seeking, but by then it was 2:30 and I decided I was meant to subject the cement plant.

The first blocks.

When I finally settled on the scene, (I had to eliminate the sign and the guard rail), but I ended up really liking the color of the sky, which was yellow reddish and warm, it was in contrast to the cold grays everywhere else. (and the smoke, or course)

I also liked the piles of snow and how the light touched them gently.

I worked on this for about an hour, when I started I was in a sweat from hiking a mile with all my stuff, it started to snow, just a light very cold "dry" snow, that I just mixed in with the paint, I'm thinking "do normal people do this?", but I really enjoyed what I was able to do today, the scene co-operated, and by 3:30 I was getting seriously chilled, so I packed it in.

This is looking the other way, across the canal, Rt. 4 and the welding supply store, where I parked, not 100 yards from my spot. When I got back to the truck, it wouldn't start, a guy at the store lent me a can of starter fluid and another guy helped by spraying it in while I started it!  A huge THANKS! to a couple of kind-hearted souls who helped me when I needed it, I was warm and on my way in no time.

Feeder Canal, a whole new perspective.

25 and dropping, clear.

This is my result today, I started late, and had short hour to actually paint, but I again discovered a great spot with even more potential for subjects.

The feeder path goes by this cement plant, nobody was around, I walked along the path maybe about a 1/2 mile, but there was much more to discover.

I had this 12 x 9 from last month and it had the orange tone, not a good choice, but it was my only one.

I had come to Glens Falls to put the labels on my Paintings (see previous post) I got a late start, but wanted to get a river view, It was after 2:00 when I finished, and started to find my spot, I knew I had to find one reasonably quick, so I found the entrance to this while looking for an entry to the river. I've seen the signs for this "Trail" in a location I drive by frequently.

I had to work real fast because the light was changing rapidly, it was also getting colder by the minute.

By the end of my session and only an hour to work all the light was off my subject. It was after 4:00 and my fingers were starting to get cold, so I had to break it down and get back to the truck, and the heat in my truck is always blasting!

Here's looking South from My spot.

Thanks to all those that make this possible, Can't wait to go back.

Unfinished NY: Rained out of the Hoosick River.

39  F  Thickly overcast. Rain.

This is where I bailed today, after about 1/2 hour or so.

This spot is off the main road, one I've driven by so many times!

Considering how grey everything is, not a bad scene.

My first block in. I thought I was real clever using the same pallet, literally I had saved since Christmas eve!

Fisherman's Lane is a causeway-like road that goes along side the river in Schagticoke, There's a rail-bridge, as you can see, and the road bridge, that's way up high over a falls, so there's lots of great subject matter in this area.

It was warm today so all I needed is my finger-less cotton gloves, yes they double as brush cleaners and smudgers!

This is cut off at the bottom, but it's where I stopped, there was just too much water! Now I'm not sure if I'll have a day similar in lighting to today, I'm happy wit this start and what I got in such a short amount of time. I used the knife for the biggest areas. there's still a lot of water on it,

 This rail truck followed the train, I've always thought this would be the way to go.

37 Paintings at the 2nd Fl. Gallery; City Hall, Glens Falls NY

It was good enough to paint today, but Today was the day.

We got back from Boston last night, and I was up until 2:00 am  packing up the paintings. I was exhausted today, but had a great team in Linda, Chris and Maria, who volunteer to hang the shows for the North Country Arts Center, They did a great job and I was grateful for their dedication!

The Glens Falls City Hall is a great old brick building, and the N.C.A.C. does the shows in the 2nd Floor hall way.

Pay no attention to the stuffed snowman.

It's a nice space, I signed up to show here 10 or 11 months ago,  I thought it would be good to have a goal, and put it together,I spend way too much time pondering what to put in and what to leave out!

This Hall was built when people actually cared about their public spaces and the people that inhabit them. It's beautifully built, has human dimensions and I think it's a great place for art on the walls.

I wanted a few paintings from each  month of the year, but the month of November prevailed.

37 Paintings total. some small ones in a glass case!

The Gallery is open when the offices are open 10-5 Monday- Friday. The Opening reception is Thursday, January 16th  6:00 8:00 Hope to see you there!!!!!

Last Minute Painting

27  F   a bit overcast

This was about 3:30 today at Hoosick River.

My scene when I started just before 1:30, the sum had come out in the morning, but the sky was getting overcast by now, still, I liked the light off the water here, it was pretty bright when I started.

Today's pallet.

first block in.

Lot of sky and water.

I'm afraid I had started with the water too blue, maybe it was the day greying up.

Yeah, OK so I took this selfie, I'm going to bury it here in the middle of this post.

I really do wear these gloves!

The worst photo ever, but for the most part completed.

Looking East, or down river at the Buskirk Bridge.

New panels!

Solstice Fire!

Dark

Tonight is the Solstice,  so here is a fire. Stare at a fire, and you're in a cave, where every man, woman or child  has stared at a fire warmed by it's sustenance,  fed by it's consumption, lived to see another day.  This is the mark of the year, a time to take stock, to assess what has gone down, and think about what is to come.  Like all of our ancestors,  this is the time to be thankful,  loving, and invest in a bit of soul searching. How many of these will we see in our lifetimes? how many have come and gone, and will come again? How fortunate we are to have lives full of meaning, full of plenty, how trivial are so many silly little things, when we have the sun and the moon! God bless you my friend.  

Content Farm Rd. Titanium and zinc what gives?

38  F  a bit hazy.

Sorry about this Photo.......It's where I ended up today. I'll probably fuss a bit with it, that post seems to always make it in...

Here is my scene.  I've done this very scene a lot. It's on my same block, what is not to love?

When I put the canvas next to the scene, I'm lining up the two, constantly comparing the scene to my painting, it's  the "sight-size" method.  I use a brush handle to "measure" with squinted eye (one) and rely on my ability to "level" across from the scene to my painting, essentially inventing a grid (virtual) I don't have an app for that, unless it's the one in my head.

My first block in. My tone is a solid medium and cool. Some times this is more random than I want to admit, or it just happens.

This is about 15 minutes in, I got some zinc white, because I wanted to know about it, so I've been putting it on my pallet, and today I noticed, really by accident how different the cadmium lemon looked when I mixed it in with the zinc as opposed to the titanium it was like BOING! much more hue for the value, almost too much for my taste, but  good to know, it held true for the phalo blue, so now I know how to bring s bit of color , maybe just a bit, when I need it.

Some people work from photos.......

This is from May of this year.

This is from December, 2012.

October 2012.