MAINE INSPIRATION

I think that Maine has gotten in my blood.  I truly miss it and its only been a short while.  When I was in Southeast Harbor, Maine I took a boat ride and saw this lighthouse and was taken by it.  I worked in pastel trying to capture what I had seen that day.  Since I live in Florida it is a real treat to be able to work on a piece that has such extreme perspective.  I think that is what I miss most about not being in Maine and that is the scale and the drama of the landscape.  Enjoy!

Not sure I included this oil plein air painting that I did at the cemetery at Somesville, Maine in my previous post.  Not a typical place to paint but I couldn't help it, it was just a very beautiful spot. I especially like the hydrangea's that set off the tombstones in this painting.  

SNOWFARM WORKSHOP, WILLIAMSBURG, MA

I just got back from giving my watercolor workshop at SnowFarm in Massachusetts. Below are some photos from that journey that includes a two shots of my wonderful students that attended.  If any one has a chance to spend of week at SnowFarm it is an experience that you will not forget.  It is a wonderful experience to spend a week immersed in your art making, meeting new people and just having a good time.

Below are two paintings that I did to illustrate principles that I was teaching. People relate the most to the contrast of lights and darks.  The greater you can stretch those values the more the viewer will respond.  The greater you can stretch the contrast of temperature within the work the more people will also respond.  Hue is the least important of the three.  The inexperienced artist always spends way to much time trying to match color exactly as it is seen.  Through value and temperature one can give the work its emotional language that the viewer can read.

MAINE PLEIN AIR WORKSHOP 2014

I just completed the plein air workshop that I gave on Desert Island in Maine.  The weather was absolutely perfect, the locations gorgeous, the participants a delight and of course the lobster to die for.  No matter where you look there is a painting waiting to be painted.

I did this little watercolor demo piece in Bar Harbor at the Shore Path.  An absolutely lovely spot with a rocky shore, great combination of green foliage and a beautiful view of the ocean.  

This was a little oil study I did in Bass Harbor of a path that led to the harbor shore.  Loved the little planter with the red flowers in it and the dark shade that framed it.

My watercolor interpretation of this wonderful house. This house was used in the film "The Perfect Storm".

Below are pictures of some of the participants (sorry I didn't get everyones photo) and more views of the island. Enjoy.