Civil war memorial, Hoosick Falls, NY, and a sales pitch?

     Yesterday was hot, humid and mostly cloudy,  as I drove out of the driveway, not knowing which way to go, I saw the last of the blue in the sky and followed, somehow and for some reason I ended up at the civil war monument on Classic and High streets in Hoosick Falls.  I've also been thinking a lot about trying to get my sales pitch going or whatever the hell that means.  There are a lot of people selling advice on getting these skills, and maybe they work.  Of course if they're artists and have found a way to sell their work, why are they selling sales pitches?

   

                 #834 Civil war memorial, Hoosick Falls, NY.      8-15-16      12x11

                 I've been liking lawns in sun and shadow and I found that, I also found the bright light on the green house, the statue was just an afterthought.

             I've been by this place thousands of times, but never stopped and the little triangle lawn, I presume is a park, but there is no sign to indicate that.

                                                              I'm not sure who this is!

                               
       There are parts of this that look too illustrative for me, some places where the drawing is just not right (I don't mean the statue, it's not my subject).  I'm pretty confident I got the values to do what I wanted.......

     So if you want to buy a painting......... 

A mighty river and a little trickle.

60   F   mostly sunny.

     #757  Hoosic River @  Rt. 22 bridge. Hoosick Falls, NY.   4-21-16   9x12

I had seen the parking area by the bridge a number of months ago while driving by, and happened upon it again today.

There was a nice little sand bar, just a short scramble down from the path, and Ollie enjoyed hanging by the river for a while.

Love that green water!

I like this, the Hoosic River Greenway!

Later today........

       #758  Content Farm Rd.   4-21-16    6x8

I've been noticing the reflections in puddles, in this case a little seasonal stream, especially late in the day when the rest of the light is going down.

I'll have to work on this (or a similar scene) again, maybe a little more water......

3 days 5 paintings, look into the light!

The skies have been clear and sunny.

#750  Cty rte. 60, Jackson, NY.    4-14-16    9x12

The light on this said "paint me".

That was the morning of Thursday,  later that day......

               #751  Hoosic River @ Buskirk's Bridge,   4-14-16   8x10

I came back to this scene.

The Money Shot.













Friday morning I got out before taking Emma for her road test for her driver's licence.

      #752  Park Place, Cambridge, NY.     4-15-16    11x12

This "backlot" scene, is becoming a favorite.

Some progress shots.

Later on Friday.......

I found this scene on Duel Hollow Rd. near Turnpike Rd.

Sometimes I think you just have to get paintings out of your system before you can get beyond them, this is one of those.

    #753  Duel Hollow @ Turnpike.    4-15-16     7x10

    I came here this morning,

A popular spot, I needed to be near the river this morning (I was hung-over from partying last night)

#754  Battenkill @ Battenville.

4-14-16

11x12

I carried down to my painting spot, not far, but in one carry.





Please excuse the sparse commentary.  I really do have more words in me but I'm overwhelmed by all the things laid out for me right now and I'm loving going out to paint sometimes twice on these beautiful sunny days!

Hoosick Falls

48  F  sunny

   #749  Hoosick Falls, NY.   4-13-16   12x16

     The light and shadows in the scene speak for themselves.

    Did I get what I was looking for?  maybe........

Hoosick Falls with sunshine.

54  F  sunny,

            #730  R.R. Ave. Hoosick Falls, NY.  3-16-16  12x16

I liked the dark shadows but lost them after a while.

2nd.

I quit here because I the light had fundamentally changed and I just couldn't pretend anymore.

My scene at the start, complete with freight train.

The sight-size shot, showing how the scene had changed.  The utility truck parked there just at the right time for me to include it, then left.












     It was one of those days when the sun warms you like a snake on a rock, it felt good.  Maybe that's all you need, even though I spend a lot of time and energy finding what I want to paint, with countless things of interest,  big picture, intimate subjects, natural, man-made, beautiful, sublime.  I question it all, question it to the core, and when I'm done I want to sleep and forget, and see what the next day will bring.  Thanks for reading my blog, I know my musings might verge on the insane, on questions that asks for answers that can't be made, so I appreciate your patience and understanding! 

2 fer Thursday!

27  F  sunny!

         #722 Hoosic River @ Buskirk  3-3-16  14x16

        I drove south to Buskirk and found the side of the bridge with bright light on it, a challenge if I ever saw one, this is what I did.

My scene at the start.

I had a dark tone to start, and out down the bright red of the bridge, probably about the same value of as the sky.

This photo illustrates the difference between painting with the panel in the sun and the shade, the van is providing the shade, but your eye has to adjust to the level of light.

The Money Shot from today.

The sight-size shot.

Later in the afternoon I drove North on Rt. 22 and found this.

The sun was going down right in my field of vision.

The predominantly horizontal lines dominated and I generally steer away from them, I was able to break a few of them, so maybe that helped.


#723  Cty Rt. 64 @  22   3-3-16  7x10