Summer of '14--New Work

Here are a few of my latest paintings from Long Island done this summer.  (See landscapes link for the complete list of images). The weather in late June and early July was generally excellent for painting out of doors.  I've been painting in the East Hampton and Amagansett area for many seasons now, and although it sometimes gets frustrating to find new things to paint, it just takes a bit more digging!  I often look at William Merritt Chase's paintings of Shinnecock for inspiration.  He painted the same terrain over and over with fantastic results.  

'Entrance to 3 Mile' 12" x 16" oil on canvas $1275

'Ocean Glare" 11" x 14"  oil on canvas $1100

'Beach Umbrellas'  10" x 20"  oil on canvas $1300

'Evening Dune'  12" x 16" oil on canvas  $1275

NEW WORK, OLD (but great) PLACES

This a view from the left of the Maidstone cabanas.  I've sketched here many times and am always engaged by the view.  It's truly a "Long Island" spot.  (16" x 20")

Fresh Pond is always an interesting place--lots of different views.  But, it's at it's best early in the day.  (11" x 14")

The fish factory is an iconic image and I have painted it any number of times looking for the right composition.  I really like this view--early in the day.  (12" x 12")

It's hard to resist a good wave!  (8" x 10")

I like the working boat scene in Montauk--But it's hard to find the right spot to set up and paint.  This is a view across a stretch of water.  (8" x 10")

Winter beaches are inviting--no people and pristine air!  (9" x 12")

I've driven by this Amagansett farm a million times, almost always early in the morning either to go painting or get a cup of coffee.  The light is really nice then.  (8" x 12")

This is a path at a wonderful place in Hingham MA called World's End--part of the Trustees of Reservation.  I've kept this quite loose as I just like the feel of the colors and light.  (12" x 12")

Cahoon Show

My exhibition at the Cahoon Museum of American Art is now up. The reception is November 22nd-5:30 to 7 PM.   All images of the paintings are posted under "landscapes".  They include the first 15 images.

Monk's Cove Autumn

12 x 16

From the Sketch

I do a lot of small field paintings.  Often the goal is to gather information for larger works.  Sometimes, the small paintings end up as finished works after bit of "clean up".

The paintings below are larger works derived from field paintings done on the east end of LI.

Seeing the Light

The beauty of nature only get enhanced by the late day light.  I've been working in the studio most of the day and around 5PM I head out to do one or two fast 6 x 8 or 8 x 10 paintings.  One of my interests involving plein aire painting is how the ambient light affects what gets put on the panel.  For example, if you paint with the light on your panel the result will be darker than expected and if the light is warm, then the result might be cooler than the actual scene.  Playing those inputs in order to record the lovely warm light of late afternoon on Cape Cod in early autumn is tricky business!

Dirt Road 8 x 10

More Bogs: small works

I guess one just has to look hard enough to find good things to paint.  On the Bogs again for 2  6 x 8's.  I like when artist's do small paintings in the field.  They often don't photograph very well and can look crude when the image is enlarged, but in life they exhibit the liveliness of brushwork and looseness of style that often comes with working with a small format.

Home Fields

It's hard not to be jealous of the painters out west.  It seems that everywhere you look there's a wonderful vista waiting for paint, brush and panel.  So perhaps we eastern artists have to look harder for our muses.  I walk the bogs almost every day.  They are part of the landscape in eastern Massachusetts.  They present real challenges of how to represent texture and color and composition.

Bogs September 9th, Cataumet, MA 9 x 12 Plein Aire