Hudson River @ sunset

60  F  clear, no wind.

With these long days I figured I'd try a late post gymnastics drop off.

#516 Hudson River @ Mechanicville dock.

4-30-15

8 x 10

The light on the east bank of the river was awesome, I knew it wouldn't last.

See.

This is after about 20 minutes or so.

This was the scene at the start.

This is a public dock, I've been by here many times, but this is the first painting here.

Mountain Rd. and Cross Hill Rd.

64  F  sunny, windy

Today was gorgeous, I didn't know what to do with myself. So I drove around until I found this scene, I liked the huge view with the hay wagon in the foreground.


#515  Mountain Rd. looking west.

4-29-15

12 x 16

This time of year, the grass is pretty much the only thing that's really green, the trees still look grey and ethereal.

I mixed up a light tannish color, and put it down for the mid distance hills,(by comparing them) it was way off, for that, but looked like it might work in the dirt.

The mid range hills are way too light. I'm not sure exactly what I'm thinking of here.

The play of light and shadow around the hay wagon was the subject.

I liked the way the grid of the hay wagon framed out sections of the landscape, as well as the telephone pole and the wire.

It was windy, but otherwise I had no reason not to stay as long as I wanted, 1 1/2 hours.

So this is where I ended up.

My pallet.























Yesterday I went to Vermont, also an awesome day, I forgot my Camera. This is what I did.

#514  Cross hill Rd. Shaftsbury, Vt.

4-28-15

9 x 12

@ fer' Saturday: Hudson River & Pencil Creek

45  sunny, no wind

This is the Hudson River in Albany, NY.

#512  Hudson River @ Albany

4-25-15

9 x 12

I've been wanting to paint down here for a while, I had the opportunity today, this is riverside park, inder I-787.

Water.

I'm not sure what happened here.

Here is where I finished, although I think I could have pushed on a bit more.

What's not to love about this scene?

Not a bad spot.

The pallet.

I went out late, and ended up at a favorite spot: Pencil Creek @ Duel Hollow Rd.

Most green so far.

The sun was going down.

Money Shot.



#513 Pencil Creek @ Duel Hollow Rd.

4-25-15

7 x 10

Juniper Swamp Rd. @ Rich Rd. on Commemoration Day

40 F  windy cold.

Today is Armenian Martyrs day, 100 years, and it's been wall to wall in my house as well as the blogosphere, I'll be happy to get back to normal life next week.


Today's "Money Shot"

#512 Juniper Swamp Rd. @ Rich Rd. Shushan.

4-24-15

12 x 16

It was so grey today.

There was some green, but it was grey-green, everything was grey-something.

This was just before the wind blew my painting face down on the ground. I picked it up, picked off the rocks then went ahead and packed it in.

I've painted down this road, but never at this spot, as you can see it's nice.

Finished (as it's ever going to get)

The scene.



















     So after 100 years, the genocide of my ancestors has not been resolved, it may never be.  I would think that the Turks would want to be done with it too and they can be if they face the past and themselves and admit the truth, it could be over with, or at least behind us.  I wonder if my Grandfather, at age 15, walking into the desert, his entire family left for dead, could ever have imagined the lives of his descendants?

Blustery on English Rd.

38  F  very windy!

It's been cloudy, there was a break in them this A.M.but it was cold and windy.

#511 English Rd.

4-23-15

8x10

I picked this spot because the hill tops were just too windy, just down from the crest in the road.

Green.

Glare.

You can't see the wind, but it was challenging and I couldn't really finish, so that's all I got.

This is a nice farm road, one of my favorite.

Battenkill @ Eagleville, day for the dog.

67  F  some sun.

Today I went up to the river, the sun had come out and I owed it to Ollie who had spent the night in the car.

#510 Battenkill @ Eagleville

4-12-15

9x12

The red was inescapable.

It was a good day to go to the river.

The water was rushing, muddy, but it still reflected the red.

This is where I stopped.

Sight-size shot.

On a nice weekend this will be a party scene, notice Ollie, he loves the water.

My Grandfather's story: 100 years ago he survived the Armenian Genocide.

I put this as a page, but also wanted to post it. Thanks!

http://www.mattchinian.com/p/my-armenian-d.html

A familiar spot: Battenkill @ Battenville. Genocide centennial approaches.

58  F mostly sunny!

   I've painted this bridge quite a few times, today I thought I wanted some sky and some water, some of the purple wooded hill and some foreground with trees and stuff.

#509  Battenkill @ Battenville

4-19-15

9x12

I got out early, my kids were sleeping and Alane had her post in the bike race, I was tired and should have slept in too....

Here is the pallet at the start. I transfer the good paint onto a pallet that fits the panel, so it's a 9x12 pallet, a little small, but it lets me carry it all at once.

The sun is to my back and there is a little glare, oh well.

The basic concept is to "paint the most different thing" and to look at the shapes and colors and paint them as you see them. I find myself lost anyway, this scene was mostly light-to-mid tone with a few light and a few dark spots.

This was out of control, and stayed pretty much out of control until I quit.

Still lost.....

I got it here and thought OK, I can get out now. The scene has layers of stuff, on top of other stuff, and I like that, but it can be difficult to pull off.

I'm more apt to paint right along the river's edge, but I wanted the light reflection off the water as I saw it from here, even though I don't tink I actually got it, I did like the composition.

The pallet at the end.
























     I've kept this blog focused on my painting, and refrained from personal or political commentary.  I am a descendant of survivors of the Armenian Genocide, of both my Mom's and Dad's.  Their stories are mine, and I am here because they lived, so much a part of me, and what drives me to be who I am. This week marks 100 years since the start of the Genocide. I will post the published  account  of my paternal Grandfather sometime soon.

    As always, thanks for reading, Matt