Thursday, September 27, 2012

"The yellow house in Payton Place..."


This home stands in the most photographed town in new England.  It sits on a Maine cove inlet more beautiful than most, surrounded by the classic New England small town, and tree lined streets that glow in early fall in the same kind of sunlight I remember growing up In Westchester County, NY.  A pulp classic and movie hit of the late 50's was written by a 20 something living here, and the 2nd story used book shop in town always has an old paperback for tourists.  $3 if he isn't sold out.  At the opening of chapter 5, it reads, "Chestnut Street...was considered to be the best street in Payton Place".  This is a yellow classic on that street, circa 1800.  Like the next painting below, the style here is loose and fun and filled with sun and energy I think.  I really enjoyed doing it "plein air", and later finishing it in the studio.  A perfect, quiet, and beautiful place.  

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

The Rose to Lobster Cove



"The Rose to Lobster Cove"  was a painting I produced in an hour or so on one of the final evenings of my Monhegan Island, Maine Tim Horn workshop, September, 2012.  What i love about this painting is that it is so loose and spontaneous.  I like to come out with a painting that tells a story every time.  This was a very late in the day effort.  I had left some of my gear back at the Monhegan House, I cobbled together a way to prop up the canvas and get on with it before the light went.  Some of the blue tape I used is still on the canvas [8x10],  I had painted over it and only noticed when I varnished it.  The rose is there on this great and new white fence and is a favorite sight with hikers on the dirt road [all the roads on the island are dirt - no cars at all permitted] on their way to see the Lobster Cove landmark coastline.  The sun blasts through the trees that time of day and the rose gleams.  Fast and loose and it's all there on the canvas board.