Return to The Holy Grail, tailgate party! Two bridges, finished!

40  F   Mostly clear

I called this spot as the Holy Grail of landscapes When I first found it, and when I drove by today, I know why.

Here is my first cut of dark color, much of what I started to see as dark, went into the grey side as my session went along.

Sky.

I got 2 hours in today, 1/2 day for elementary kids, I'll need to come back, but I not until next week.

It seems like a while since I've worked off the back of the truck, what a luxury!

I tried to get the temperature of the bridge cooler and a bit darker, this photo did something weird too.  I think I moved it in the right direction, but the fussing makes the paint all fussed over, and that's not as good as fresh,  and done.

I just needed to take this shot again,  but it too looks a bit washed out.

Battenkill River near the Hudson River, Another Bridge, freshly painted.

44  F   some sun early, then clouds.

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This is where I ended up today. Looking at the painting and the photo I can see now how "painted" the bridge looks, well it's too light and monotone, so I'll fuss with it a bit, but won't go back.

Here is my scene. I had to go to Saratoga to drop off a painting, so I thought I'd paint on the way, Last January  I did a small painting of this bridge from the other side of the road.

First block in.

2nd block in.

Most everything in place.

My spot was on the far bank,  the backpack is perfect for this kind of location, I can't park there.

Old New York,  this bridge needs some fixing!

View from my spot looking down river, not far from here it enters the Hudson.

Once you start to look for places like this you can really sniff them out.

Walloomsac River, @ State Rt. 22 Down under the bridge.

42  F  cloudy, calm.

My scene today.

Today I went to a spot under the Route 22 bridge that spans the
Walloomsac River in North Hoosick, NY. I've driven over this span hundreds of times and had no idea how majestic it was just under the roadway.

Here is my start.

This is at about 1 hour.

 This is about 1 1/2 hrs. into it. I worked a bit further and I thought I took an end of session photo but must have forgot!

I took this in the shop with the flash, It's close but I'll tweak it a bit.

This is not 100 yards from where I parked, but it was a bit of a scramble, I'm packing everything into a backpack, so I can take it in one trip.  I also found a nice flat spot!

This is where I parked and the entrance to the path I found.
There are great places just a few steps off the road.

Hoosick River @ Pencil Brook, Day 2

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50  F  Sunny, a bit of wind.

I got back to the river today, Ollie came with me.


I got "hot feet"  (wet), trying to jump out over the brook, just a bit wet around my ankles, when I could't make the bank.

This is where I started today, I was actually a bit earlier, and the light was pretty much the same, yes it was on the panel, but it didn't matter.

This is about 1/2 way through todays' session, maybe about 12:45

Here is where I ended up today, it was just after 1:30, and the shadow was going to start across, I could have gone longer, but I wanted to look at it and see what it needed.

It was a perfect day for Ollie to be with me, he amused himself with sticks, and exploring the delta.

Delta blues, Hoosik River and the Pencil Brook. Day 1.

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50  F  Sun and some early clouds,

I found this place along the Hoosick River on the Washington County side of Buskirk.  I had seen it before but today was the day.

I've always been intrigued by the place a tributary meets a river, so mysterious.

I had to jump the creek at the shortest point right in the middle of the pic.  I made it.

First blocks of color.

The whole dynamic of a painting like this felt very foreign to me.

I ended here though I know I have a lot more to do, the sun had changed a bit since the start, and I was facing the wrong way, but it didn't seem to matter this time.

 I had a nice flat spot to set up, so I was able to step back just a bit, that makes the size of the view smaller in the frame of my panel, so I can put in the kind of detail I want, this is 14x16.

What an awesome spot, it was about 100 yards walk in, and I probably picked up a tick or two.....




In the background is Buskirk's Bridge, I was painting on the other side last week, I didn't like how the sun hit it, nor the view from this side, at least today.

This little island I found was like being in the middle of the River!

Maybe another painting.

Battenkill @ Pooks, Day 2 or two days?

NY. 42  F  sunny a bit chilly, some wind.

I went back to the same spot on the Battenkill @ Pooks, in Shushan, NY.

Here is where I ended up.

The sun was out, and that changed everything, the light on the subject trees was better than yesterday, but the quality of the water had changed too.  I couldn't change the sky, or I just didn't want to.

Here is a progress shot about 1/2 way through an hour or so session.  I liked the way the light backlit the tress even though The light hadn't done that when I started, it looked good.


So I lived (painted anyway), two days into the same painting, while it was a bit weird, it happens all the time, usually not in such a strait-forward manner.

The Battenkill @ Pooks Day 1 Sold 3 Paintings to a collector yesterday!

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58  F  Mostly Cloudy

Here is where I ended up today.

The scene when I started has a bit more light than this pic, and the majority of the foliage was in the shadow.

First block in.

Pretty close to monochrome,  I didn't consciously do this.

All the colors get mixed in with the first blocks, It's like I forget how to paint and make a mess!


I knew I was in trouble today, I liked the color unity (to some extent) but the clouds moved in soon after I started,

I got some light torward the end of my session (4:30), so I put that in behind the big tree mass.

My pallet. and brushes.

I never go on county hi ways,  but my best shot at the bridge was from here and I was protected from the fast-moving traffic, the guard rail made a good table.

















These are the paintings I sold yesterday:

Battenkill @ Shushan

Content Farm Rd.

Owlkill Creek @ Owlkill Rd.