“South Beach Memory”
“South Beach Memory”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
I have painted this beach path from up close before. I found this farther away view more intriguing on a gray day…
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“Ship To Shore”
“Ship to Shore”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. $750.00 USD
This was out at Quansoo beach. The Tisbury Great Pond was so full of storm wash-over seawater, rain and snow runoff that the parking lot was almost totally submerged. The water to the left of the pond skiff was covering a parking area. The skiff was on top of the creek bank, not in the creek. And I was in my van out of the wind and with dry feet. In the near future, a bucket-loader will rumble down the beach to dig a trench from pond to sea. Pond water level will drop at least 2 or 3 feet and become tidal until the opening is closed again by the sea filling it with sand. It was last opened in January and stayed that way for most of a month…
“Cliff Fall”
“Ciff Fall”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
The last time I painted this view was November, just after the Hurricane. The notch in the cliffs had just started showing itself. In an earlier painting from January 2012 the notch was not visible. With all the heavy storms we have had recently, the ocean has consumed 30 to 50 feet of cliffs and dunes in most areas along the south facing shore line. This part of the cliff jutting out is made up of a stronger, more cement-like material than the surrounding cliffs which are clay. The ocean should probably be right up to where the notch is, if it were to follow the shore line on either side. The big chunks just in front of the “column” part were cut down during last week’s storm. One or two more strong ocean disturbances will probably take the rest down soon…
“7pm, Here They Come”
“7pm, Here They Come”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
I was enjoying the subtle sunset light at Eastville Beach while trying to decide where to go to paint. Well… why go anywhere else! As it was cold and windy, I started work in my van. Still getting use to the time change, I sort of hoped that a ferry might pass into my scene. I was not sure what boat or from which direction it might appear. This is the “Nantucket”, built in 1974. It services the Vineyard in winters and its name sake island in summers. A worthy subject for today’s painting…
“Edgartown Great Pond”
“Edgartown Great Pond”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. $750.00 USD
Today was a cold breezy one. After choosing this subject, I realized I would have to sit in my car and paint. Although this boat is floating, it has a lot of water in it from last weekend’s rains. It is lower than normal with no waterline showing…
“East To Lucy Vincent Beach”
“East To Lucy Vincent Beach”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
Despite having a cold, I bundled up and stood on the cliff top to captured this view. It was a vibrant day on the waters edge with surf pounding and salt in the air. Just when I thought I was alone, figures appeared in black wetsuits far below catching some wild rides on their surfboards. Directly out from my location, I was surprised to see a few rafts of Harlequin Ducks. They were bobbing and diving in the heavy surf along this rocky point looking for crustaceans and molluscs loosened up by the weekend’s storm…
“Summer Slips”
“Summer Slips”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. $750.00 USD
It was blowy and rainy. Yet, up tight against the Menemsha gas station, I was in my element and not the elements…
“Dragger Trip”
“Dragger Trip”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. $750.00 USD
The weather was raw but not rough as this dragger headed out on a fishing trip. I was lucky to find one near shore. They usually are farther away. There is less to paint and thus harder to describe with my brush…
“Where Nighthawks Fly”
“Where Nighthawks Fly”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. $750.00 USD
At this time of year, standing and observing in one place a few hours in the evenings may be both cold and exciting depending upon weather and location. This eve I was out of the breeze, but bundled in vest, scarf, parka, snow pants and hat with my back against a stonewall with thicket behind. Although I have often come and painted 15 or 20 canvases within 100 feet of here, this view had never caught my eye. Usually I like to set up in front of the large cedar on the left and face the full field to the right where a beautiful, wind-shaped oak tree is silhouetted against pond, dune and sky. About a week ago I did one of those paintings and was serenaded by a Nighthawk as I bundled my gear into the van in near darkness. A friend contacted me from his vacation in Thailand to inquire as to whether it might be a Woodcock I was hearing and not a Common Nighthawk. I love birds and the two most expensive apps on my iPhone are the Audubon Bird Guide and iBird Plus Guide. Both are excellent and also include bird sounds and songs. Having listened to each bird song on both Guides many times, I admit, Roger had stumped me… Woodcock, “peeent” or Nighthawk “peeent”. Just as last time, at 20 minutes after sundown I heard my first “peeent”. I turned my iPhone into a recorder and walked about the field recording ” peeents”. I turned on each bird’s song from the guides and tried to lure “it” in. I lay down on the ground and did it again straining to see one fly over me. I hid behind the cedar then walked down and back the field lane. I could see no bird, but got some great recordings. I am thinking by the rapid movements and changes of location of “peeents” that it might be a Common Nighthawk after all and not a Woodcock, but…
“From Squibnocket Beach”
“From Squibnocket Beach”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
The cliffs to the left have eroded so much this past year that I did not try to squeeze them all in. The bit of cliff in the background beyond the point is Lucy Vincent Beach. Two years ago you could not see that cliff from here. Global warming has increased the power of the ocean to claw back the shore line…