Finished January Paintings

    Here are the finished paintings from January, 20 in all, not bad for a month much warmer and devoid of the snow typical of this month.  I've got two shows coming up soon, so I'm a bit frantic as one is an "art fair" type show in which I'll be building a booth, setting it up with as many paintings as possible and manning it for an entire weekend. More on this later. As of now all paintings are available, if you'd like one please contact me, Thanks!

  #687 Plains Rd.  1-2-16  11x12 

 #688 Mohawk River @ Cohoes Dam  1-3-16  11x14 

  #689 Passenger Station  1-5-16  8x10 

#690  Black Creek Rd.  1-6-16  7x10 

 #691 Brownell Corners Rd. (near rte. 22)  1-7-16  7x10 

 #692  Hudson River @ Ft. Edward  1-8-16  14x16

 #693  Backlots from R.R. Ave. 1-11-16  9x12

#694  Old Cambridge Rd.  1-13-16  8x10 

#695 South Union St.  1-13-16  9x12 

 #696  Conley Rd.  1-14-16  7x10

#697  Depot St, Greenwich, NY.  1-18-16  11x12

#698  South Park St.  1-20-16   11x12 

#699 Factory Hill Rd.  N. Hoosick, NY.  1-21-16 

 #700  Hoosic River @ Hoosick Falls, NY.  1-22-16  9x12

 #701  Woodlawn Ave, Greenwich, NY,  1-24-16  11x12

 #702  Park Place,  1-25-16 12x16 

 #703  White Creek Ln,  1-27-16  9x12

#704  S. Park St.(rte,22)  1-27-16  11x12

 #705  Dunbar Rd.  1-28-16  8x10

#706  Brownell Corners Rd. @ Turnpike.  1-31-16  9x12 

Outback

14  F  sunny no wind.

         This morning I got out before the wind picked up, and painted a few feet from my shop doors. Sorry about the glare in the photo!

#713  Outback

2-13-16

6x8

It really makes it easy to work here.

Plains Rd, real winter is here!

14  F  some clouds no wind.

          It's comforting to have winter in the winter, comfort in the challenges of being in the cold, the wind and the snow here in Upstate New York.  Challenges when they can teach us something are necessary for growth, they're necessary to keep interest and fascination with the world. Challenges can take many different forms, I don't take much stock in external (I mean the cold is external), but the challenge is to paint outside in nature, as often as possible, in all the seasons, is an internal, self constructed challenge. The cold just goes along.

The silo on Plains Road.

#712 Plains Rd.

2-12-16

9x12

3 days 4 paintings; Self doubt: drive thru.

   

     I often find myself setting out to paint with no idea about what I want, and not only that, conflicting voices in my head: do I paint in a desolate or village location? the intimate or the big picture? the beautiful or the sublime?    While these questions seem easy,  I'm thinking they are not and am racked with doubt. I don't know why, I think, rationally I should be beyond this, but they're always following me around, pulling at me, these demons.   I get in the van, stop thinking, turn on the radio, and drive.

     It was a good three days, the light was lovely, with sun and shadows, although the warm weather made it easier, there is no snow and doesn't feel like winter in Upstate New York.


Warm and clear, this afternoon.

     #711  Covered Bridge Museum, Shushan, NY.  2-7-16  8x10

On the right is the covered Bridge Museum, the new bridge is County Route 61

My pallet.

The "Money Shot"

Above the door of the museum.














This morning, (also warm and clear)

    #710  Eagle Bridge, rail yard.  2-7-16   9x12

Nice light!

This was yesterday, Saturday, in the morning, before a shopping trip.

     #709  Cty Rte 62.    2-6-16   8x10  

It was hazy and bright out early.

Not a good photo.

This was Friday afternoon on English Rd. 

        #708 English Rd.   2-5-16   12x16

I liked the junk cars and farm equipment in the hedge row.

Tonight in Ballston Spa, NY!

Tonight there is an opening "Pop-up show"  at  "The Artist's Space"  on the 2nd fl. of the National Bottle Museum,  76 Milton Ave. Ballston Spa, NY  518-885-7589.  The show runs thru March 19 and is open during regular museum hours.Here is their web-site:

http://nationalbottlemuseum.org/

I have the following paintings in the show:

#635


12x16

#394

9x12

#651

8x10

#513

7x10

Here is the poster for the show.

Pencil Creek @ Duel Hollow Rd. MY NEW EASEL !!!

42  F  mostly sunny.

            I went out not knowing what I wanted and came here, to a favorite spot, and it was perfect.

There was more contrast when I started.

Sight-size shot.

#707  Pencil Creek @ Duel Hollow Rd.

2-4-16

9x12








       I spent the last few days doing my taxes, the same way I've done it (thirty years, +).  I take the receipts from the cardboard box that I've thrown them in during the previous year and I add up the numbers, then I meet with my accountant who makes sense of it all.  He suggested I learn quickbooks, but that's not going to happen.   How much of our lives are based on what we've constructed for ourselves, what is comfortable, what we know?  How much do we need variation from this norm to make life interesting, to grow and change?  We all need balance, and finding the sweet spot maybe one of the most important things in life and art. Asking the right questions, knowing how much to keep constant, and how much to change. Speaking of change:

Here is my new field easel.

I used tongue and groove oak flooring for the legs, then captured them with pipe clamps.

I used a piece of copper pipe to make the sliding leg captures. it took some sanding and wax to get them to move freely.

The top holder has the same design as the legs, I had wanted to be able to get the panel higher than my old easel, and to have the panel held straight up, I'll have to experiment with setting it up better, but it worked well today even with a few gusts of wind.