Last week: Phlox in a whisky bottle, a small town park, scruffy buildings in Adirondack hamlets, an abandon gas station and the road in front of my house, all things in my passing in my peripheral vision. But vision, and seeing is my trade, and how these things are depicted is my means, mundane or profound? does it even matter? it is up to you, my dear reader!
I had early light yesterday morning and the weather report was moving to rain, so I dragged myself out the door, just out:
This is my driveway, looking east down West Main St. the view me and my family sees, often many times a day going out into the world and coming back home.
The light was already wavering, bright, but not clear, and the shadows disappearing and returning once in a while. The first whites determine everything.
Dark and light greens make up a lion's share of the painting. These are put in broadly.
The telephone poles, mailbox and a few distant elements do not make up much of the painting, but carry a lot of weight, likewise they take a fair amount of time.
#1010 W. Main st. 6-4-17 11x12
Friday I took Hope to her dance rehearsal, taking place in the Hoosick Falls High school, not far down S.R. 22 from this old gas station. I had just over an hour to find, set up. paint and return to pick her up. The day had been cloudy, so a little light made the white squareness of this building say "paint me"
I've often said the set up and first few elements determine everything, in an hour, how much is not everything anyway?
The challenge of this was to get the squareness of the subject, a challenge I consider still on, yeah it's alright, but just, and I'll have to go back and try again, a little off in the proportions and I just didn't get it.
#1009 Gas station S.R. 22 Hoosick Falls, NY.
I had a decent day on Thursday, so I made the trek to Indian Lake and Blue Mountain Lake, I wanted a few more fresh Adirondack paintings for my up coming show, these will have just enough to dry and get a coat of varnish for a July 2nd installation, but just.
This is a scruffy old house on Main St S.R. 22 in Indian Lake, the late light bright on the side.
The light was also bright on my panel and was difficult to see, just part of the challenge!
Here is how I set up, the sight-size method, measuring and comparing, so simple!
By the time I took the money shot, the sun was off my panel, it may have been off the subject as well.
#1008 S.R.28, Indian Lake NY. 6-1-17 11x14
The light on this little lake front house, right on the road at the edge of the hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake made a perfect subject.
The composition was complicated for such a simple scene, my light getting stronger as the session wore on, but the shadows moved too.
I've learned how to work with dappled light on my panel, I hate umbrellas!
#1007 lake house, Blue Mountain Lake, NY. 6-1-17 12x16
Wall of wet paintings from May.
Two themes for me at play here: light and shadow on a large expanse of lawn and the "back lot" view, that is the view that is not presented in the front (which in this case is the memorial and the bandstand), while worthy this is the view that we all see and experience in our daily comings and goings.
Probably more complicated than I bargained for.
#1006 Wood Park, Hoosick Falls, NY. 5-31-17 14x16
I had a stretch of rain, these Phlox are blooming all over, and my whisky bottle was empty. put these together and this is what I came up with, will pass judgement later.
#1005 Phlox in a whisky bottle 5-30-17 12x9
Well that wasn't a bad week, if the world wasn't so beautiful this time of year, with a new and different blooms and springtime growth I'd be able to go back to some industrial scenes, hopefully this week! As always. thanks for reading my blog!
