Flowering tree or industrial site?, door number one or door number two?

       Sometimes life is just so random, things happen or they don't and be damned to do anything about it.  I'm just a painter struggling to find the holy grail of transcendence and imbued enigma.  First world problems, I can muse about this, I have this luxury,   The last couple of weeks we have seen more flowering trees, trees that bloom for a few days, then are gone, possibly not to return for years. This year they were spectacular, a gift, and spending time in their presence is good for the soul, it's rejuvenating.   But the soul is fickle, it wants a flowering tree one minute, an industrial machine or a busy road the next, and why not? life can't be grand vistas and singing angels all the time, we've got to fill up the gas tank go shopping, walk on asphalt expanses that separate our cars, houses, jobs, shops, school, and there is a lot of that.  There is life on line, paying bills, figuring out college payment schedules, social media, shopping.  Is there no grace in these things and these places as well?  I spend a lot of time and thought on how to avoid sentimentality in my painting (and life for that matter) and as much as I try I'm still right up there against it, so I'll just throw my hands up in the air and know that life (and painting) is random, and that things happen or they don't but just maybe, we can be damned to do anything about it.

Yesterday, I knew I wanted to come to this place, an old factory along the Walloomsac River in Walloomsac, (Hoosick) NY.   I found a rail car mostly full of scrap metal and a blue crane.

#1004  Walloomsac NY. rail car.    5-28-17      9x12

  

There is a factory, now used for a scrap metal concern, and of course a river running through.  Behind me was this marker. 

This was last Wednesday. 

#1003  Pearl St. Carriage barn.   5-24-17   11x12  

I had the light like this for just a few minutes. 

The day before I had a beautiful weekday afternoon in the center of town. 

#1002  Main and Park.    5-23-17    14x16       

One of my favorite themes is the pattern of light and shade on a large expanse of summer lawn. 

#1001 Lee's Crossing Rd.   5-20-17    12x16  

I mostly loved the light off the roof, and the stuff, but overall too much detail to stumble over, and too conventional of a composition.

Here is my thousandth painting!  

   #1000!    Delavan Rd.    5-19-17    11x14

 A new batch of panels!

This is Duel Hollow Rd, and a favorite spot.

I like this!  

#999  Duel Hollow Rd.    5-17-17   7x10

Mowry Park, Greenwich.

This is pretty soon after I set up and dive in, much of the challenge is to set he stage for the subject.

#998  Mowry Park, Greenwich, NY.   5-16-17  8x10  

So that's it for tonight, as always thanks for reading my blog, don't hesitate to comment or ask questions, Thanks!

Finished March (yes March) Paintings!

     At almost the end of May, I'm just getting to photographing, labeling and varnishing the March paintings and I got a new camera and haven't learned to use it yet, so some of these are not quite right. So while it may be warm today, you may see some snow in these paintings from two months ago, here they are:

 #955   Outback, rear window  3-2-17  9x12 

#956  Papermill from Cleveland St. Glens Falls, NY.  3-3-17  14x16  

#957  3-4-17  Cargill @ Rt. 29 Salem, NY.  3-4-17  11x14

#958  Burton Rd. Easton, NY.  3-5-17  9x12 

#959  Brownell Corners Rd.  3-6-17  16x20 

#961  Black creek Rd.  3-8-17  12x16

#962  Five Combines, Hudson Falls, NY. 3-10-17  12x16

#963  Oak St. Glens Falls, NY.  3-11-17  8x10  

#965  Still life with lemon  3-14-17 8x10  

#967  Church St. Greenwich, NY.  3-16-17  12x11

#968  View from 2nd fl. Ballston Spa, NY. 3-17-17  12x9  

#970  Amtrak Yard Ft. Edward, NY. 3-18-17  12x16

#971  Yellow flower in growler 3-22-17  12x9  SOLD

#972  Victory Mills, NY.  3-23-17  12x17  

#973  Stevenson Rd. 3-30-17  14x16

More paint, More paint!

         The last month has been a blur, with a service trip to South Carolina, an apartment to repaint, a tree smashing onto my garage,  I've felt behind the whole time.  So I haven't been blogging, but I've managed to paint, at least a little bit, so here goes:

Friday was beautiful out.

      #997  Railyard         5-12-17        16x18   

#996  Outback (flowering crab apple)         5-11-17        8x10  

#995  Spring and Broad,         5-11-17       8x10

#994  Blue Mountain Lake, town beach.        5-10-17     9x12

#993 blue Mountain Lake from Castle rock trail      5-10-17     9x12

#992  Merrimac St.  Boston, MA.      5-8-16     10x8

So this happened last week, so I'll have to fix it.

#991 S. Union St.   5-3-17     8x10

#990  E. Main St.         5-2-17         12x9

#989  Cemetery, Center Cambridge.    5-1-17       10x8

#988  Pig party! Sunderlin Rd. Shushan, NY.    4-30-17    9x12

#987  Yankee Hill,  4-27-17  16x18

#986  Scoharie Crossings Aqueduct on Scoherie Creek.   5-27-17   16x20

#985  View from porch,  S. Union St.   5-26-17  16x18

#984  W. Main St.   5-24-17  11x14

#983  Turnpike Rd.  5-23-17 11x14

During Easter break, I chaperoned for a service trip to South Carolina,  VOSCA, or volunteers to S. Carolina, with 20 high school students, including my daughter, it was quite a trip! 

                     I realize there are a lot of gaps here, who are all the people and where are all these places?  A lot of the time I'm asking that same question, so yea, life is a blur, but it's certainly not dull!  If you have questions just ask, I'll be happy to try and answer them, most of all these paintings are available for sale, except the two canal paintings currently just submitted for a show.  Thanks for reading my blog!