Waits Hill Rd. and the centennials of Greenwich. What I learned from carpentry.

   I've been feverishly getting my studio ready for the grand opening. The building was a garage that I used as a carpentry shop, my occupation for the better part of 30 years.  In that span of time I did a lot of things, morphing from an art student, to an apprentice for a sculptor, to a series of other specialty building, architectural model making, sign fabrication, but mostly carpentry and in particular as a stand alone concern in my small town.  I learned a lot through those experiences, much of which informs my work today.   There is an inherent logic in the built environment, and the craft of carpentry determines what works and what doesn't. I learned patience and perseverance: if something didn't work, I'd have to fix it so it did. I learned that craft had to have a use, and that too much of it wasn't paid for, so don't do it!  I learned that it can take years and lots of mistakes to find what you're looking for, but that shouldn't stop you from trying.

Back to painting: last Sunday......

   I've been to this spot many times, and will often drive by to see how the light is.

   

          #891 Waits Hill Rd.                                      11-13-16                                  14x16

I also went out on Monday......

    Last week I had gone to the other side of the river where there is a path to the water, I painted the backlots, looking in the other direction, but had long wondered how I'd get to the other side, although I had a hunch and it involved a short hike in.

                    Ollie loves these spots too, but this time of the year we get attacked by ticks, so I'm waiting for really freezing temps.

   I had a fundamental problem with the values in this, and the only way to solve it is to return for a re-do, I'll wait until it gets really cold!

           #892  Battenkill at the centennials, Greenwich,  NY.            11-14-16                14x16

     This is from my hike back, I parked at the hydro plant and walked in along the river bank, there are lots more to explore. 

Finished October Paintings.

    October wasn't my most productive month, but I did the largest plein air painting (16x18), than I've done in a while, and I did the first self portrait that I've done in many years.  My shop is transforming into a full-fledged painting studio, and I'm planning the Grand Opening for the Weekend of December 2nd and 3rd, (10-5). It's taken some time, but totally worth it!

   Here are the 15 paintings I completed this month.  They will be ready to sell for my opening:

      #867 Abbott Rd. @ Nickmush Rd. East Pittstown, NY             10-3-16                          11x12

                  #868 Hoosic River @ Sandbar                              10-4-16                             9x12

                  #869 Carey Ave. Hoosick Falls, NY                       10-5-16                         10x8

      #870 Newton City Hall, Newton, MA                                     10-6-16                          11x12

        #871 Cross Rd. Salem, NY                                 10-10-16                                               14x16

        #872 Salem St. Greenwich, NY                                    10-10-16                                   11x14

           #873 Black Creek Rd. Salem, NY                               10-11-16                          12x16

         #874 Lincoln Hill Rd.  White Creek, NY                           10-12-16                                 16x18

              #875 Scotch Hill Rd. Salem, NY                        10-14-16                             9x12

       #876 Northside Dr. Bennington, VT                           10-15-16                                11x12

                        #877 Self Portrait                                  10-17-16                             14x11

       #878 Champlain Canal @ Ft. Miller NY                       10-19-16                         12x16

           #879 Studio, CR59                                     10-29-16                                     16x20

        #880 Battenkill @ Center Falls, Greenwich, NY                      10-30-16 1                          14x16

                   #881 Outback                                             10-31-16                                      9x12

2 blue houses, 2 new spots, a church and an election.

This was a week, as they say.

             #890  Mill St. Greenwich, NY                       11-12-16                                11x14

           I came to this place because there is access to the Battenkill, with old rail road piers in the water, and because Ollie was with me and he loves the water!

          The light wasn't right for the river scene, but when returning to the van I saw this.  A back lot view, with light on the blue house.

     First 2 light colors.

    Most everything is blocked in. I didn't get a good end shot.

On grey days, and there are a lot of them in November, I've been working on my new studio, and getting ready for my "Grand Opening", more on that later.  Last Thursday I drove up to Salem, NY, it's the town just north of us on State Route 22.  I couldn't help being transfixed by this scene, right at the traffic light (the only one in Salem).

                           Broadway and Main, there is probably one in every town in America.

           I was feeling like the buildings were too large and I wanted to move farther back, but that wasn't possible, I was also concerned that there wasn't "a way out", that is the viewer is blocked by the buildings to (metaphorically) get out of the scene, I guess one could go down the dark ally or between the other two buildings.

       #889  Broadway and Main, Salem, NY                   11-10-16                           12x16


     Money Shot.

Tuesday, November 8th, if you remember was election day. and of course I voted.  I'm also a custodian and courier for the Board of Elections in Washington County, a very minor job, but one I've done for a few years now (10, 12?)  anyway after I cast my vote, but before any results were in, I went out painting:

   A short while ago I was painting in the neighborhood, and met the farmer and owner of this property, He invited me to go up this farm road (a path between fields) to see the view.

      1st.

     2nd.

     #887  Tiashoke Farm S. Cambridge.                  11-8-16                                        14x16

     Later in the day, I went to a familiar spot in the parking lot of the Presbyterian Church.

        At the end the light fundamentally changes from a white to a yellow.

      #888  Park Place.                                     11-8-16                                               9x12

    This is Little Colfax Rd.  not far from my house, but it's a dead end, so I don't go up there, not at least until last Monday.

              #886  Little Colfax Rd.                          11-7-16                                   8x10

    Not much time went by before I lost my light, and stopped here.  Day light savings had just happened, an evil plot by early risers to get the worms meant for night owls!

A factory, a city street, a canal lock, and a tree.

43  F  overcast

      I had been looking for a tree, one in millions of beautiful trees, why so hard to find the one?



 
                         When I started there was some light, and the tree was lit up like Christmas, but the cloud cover came in and changed the scene.  The bright yellow orange leaves are still luminescent, even in filtered light, and I don't know why I don't do more of them!

                              #885  Shields Rd.                   11-6-16                          12x9

Yesterday I went to a friends open studio, on the way back I stopped at Lock #3 of the Champlain Canal, along the Hudson River, just north of Mechanicville.  

         
              #884  Champlain Canal Lock #3 Mechanicville, NY.     11-5-16        11x12

      I wanted to go on the other side of the railing, but there was a sign prohibiting it.  I didn't see a soul the whole time I was there!

                                      The sun came and went a lot too, welcome to November!

      This is in front of the building where AMP gallery is.  I had to bring in a panel rack, to display un-framed paintings, so I painted out front.  It was a problematic scene, one I wouldn't have picked otherwise.

                 As it was, not a bad spot to paint, I had a few visitors, and "Death Wish" coffee across the street.

     #883   Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY.              11-4-16                   12x16

          I liked the sun and shadows in this scene, and I felt like I needed a larger panel, this one is 16x20.

           #882   Pearl St.                                                 11-1-16                                            16x20


As always thanks for reading my blog!