Beaver pond + lake = water!

62  F  some clouds (A.M.)

There is nothing like the mountain air to make for a good night's sleep, I got up early and went out before anybody was up.

#573a Beaver Pond (Hess Pond) Inlet, NY

7-23-15

9x12

This is the scene at the start, it was about 8:00 A.M. I liked not just the reflection, but the foreground and how they played together.

I had forgotten my pallet knife, I had plenty of brushes and the painting had a mind of it's own.

The nature of the moving clouds over head made things change from light to dark and back again, oh well, just deal.

This is my spot for this morn.

Here is Ollie, sometimes I think he'd rather be sleeping.
















Later in the early evening.....

This was the scene from about mid-way through.

There was a reasonable amount of light left for the evening.

The light is made from the dark.

Like in the morning, clouds were moving and changing up the scene. Patience is rewarded, sometimes.

This is where I ended up.

#574  6th Lake from dock

7-23-15

12x16

When in doubt, paint from the dock......

My pallet.







Thanks for reading my blog!

6th Lake

62  F  some clouds.

We made it up to the Ball Cabin on 6th lake, after a lot of other stuff.......

#573  6th lake from dock

7-22-15

10x8

I felt rusty after 3 paintless days and my brushes started to harden up. It's like I'm facing the canvas, not knowing what to do, just drawing a blank.

I often fight the notion that there are "things" to be painted when there are only shapes, values and colors.

I enjoyed the water, who wouldn't but the dock was vexing, it wanted to be hard-edged and illustrated, I had other plans, and we never agreed.

My scene, I know why I picked it, but any direction would do, and the clouds were awesome this evening.

Along the Hudson, Rodger's Island

80  F  some clouds, humid.

I was going to go to Glens Falls, but only got as far as Rodger's Island.

#572  Hudson River @ Rodger's Island

7-18-15

14x16

I started with the darks and not the lights, which made for a very different beginning.

I forgot to take progress shots, here is where I ended up.

Here is the scene at the start, I really liked the darkness in the water, so dark, and the bright light off the piers so bright.

Sight-size shot.

My spot, the kind I like with nobody around.

My pallet.

Heide's Garden

67  F sunny

My Neighbor asked for me to paint her garden, it's a beautiful garden, with lots of flowers, paths, a trellis and the creek in the back.  It's less than 100 yards from my house.

#571 Heide's Garden, W. Main St.

7-17-15

9x12

I liked the scene, because the brightness of the garden was held in place by the darkness of the cedar trees.

Such strong darks and lights.

There was a lot of stuff in the dark areas but I didn't want them to distract from the whole.

Today's  Money Shot. I'll be back.

Just in time for sunset: King @ Center Cambridge Rd.

67  F  clear,

This is walking distance from my house, I got out just in time.

#570  King Rd. @ Center Cambridge Rd.

7-15-15

7x10

I could barely see my panel with the sun in my eyes.

I had to be quick!

I wasn't sure how to get the light reflection off the barn, it's kinda the subject, but I think I missed.

My scene.

The "Money Shot"

My spot.

Back on the farm, Rouse Rd.

83  F muggy & cloudy

It was good to be back.

#569 Rouse Rd.

7-14-15

11x12

Lights.

So many greens......

Here is where I ended up, sorry about the glare.

I love this road.

Today's Money Shot.

My pallet.

My spot.

Olana; an "Oh Well" and a fairy tale moment.

Yesterday......

After we turned in our paintings for the competition and auction, me and Greg Summers went down to the Riverfront Park in Hudson, NY. This was Saturday afternoon, and we had a little time before the reception.

#568 Riverfront Park, Hudson, NY.

7-11-15

11x14

The "Money Shot" for #568.

Here's Greg!

All parks are not created equal, but all can be painted!

Earlier in the day, I found this spot, it's @ Olana.

The light move quick in the forest....

#567  Olana forest

7-11-15

6x8

These are the 8 paintings I did for the competition.

Alane on the porch of Olana, nice.

Alane in front of the "air b&b" where we stayed in Hudson, not nice.

















    I appreciate the efforts of the organizers, (much of it volunteered), they put a lot of themselves into it and are all earnest in their love of the arts and artists. I met in person a lot of previously on-line friends, and that was very valuable, and fun; indeed it's one of the reasons I signed up.  But the thing with these events is that they are exhausting, expensive and time consuming.  When you (I mean me), don't sell anything it's a lot out the door but it's not sustainable, I can loose much less money painting in my own neighborhood.

    Olana is a historic place, but it was and is a fairy tale: created  beauty and sublime in the natural world. It speaks to the gilded age in an America that never was. It would be a fantasy to stay there, and thankfully so was the place we did stay in, (see above),  we could come home to our own reality that's somewhere in between.

    All together, I learned a bit more about myself as an artist. I know more about what I want to communicate. It's not a fairy tale, it's not history, it's here and now, right in front of me, and I hope to express that to anyone that takes a moment to look.