cliffs

“Summer, Split Rock”, this is a small painting, 6″x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.

I went in swimming here, earlier in the day. I knew I would have to come back and paint later. It was just too nice a day to not want to be by the water’s edge for sunset. It wasn’t until the mosquitos came out as the sun went down that the bathers below began walking swiftly to their cars…

“Cliffs Above”, this is a small painting, 6″x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.

I had a beautiful hike to get to this view. It was a favorite fishing spot when I was younger and you could still walk straight down the cliffs and straight back up with 40 lbs of fish at night! Now the path parallels the cliff tops for it seems a mile before you may access the beach. Then walk the mile back again along the shore to get around to this corner of the cliffs. The wind was mild and right. Sun out all day and tide couldn’t get any lower, yet kept getting lower! A lone bird watcher passed me and I was alone with gentle surf sounds at my back and a gull or two gliding softly overhead…

“Another Day”, this is not quite so small a painting, 9″x 12″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.

Note: I ran out of my usual small panels. This is a 9″ x 12″ painting (larger than my normal 6″ x 8″)… A beautiful evening to be painting above a cliff as the sun settles over the horizon. Waves lap against the sand below. A Northern Harrier swoops low overhead on a flight across to Nomans Island in front of me. I stayed even after I could see no more to paint. The water colors at this time of evening against a fading sky have been spectacular for the past few nights. I am preparing myself to do a piece this late in the day, but the light gives me no chance to mix the colors I want. It is just too dark to see color, only values on a gray scale…

“Behind the Dune”, this is a Small painting, 6″x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.

A wonderful warm spring day found me up on a dune enjoying a favorite view. The waves lapped lazily down below while birds could be heard behind me claiming territory and calling mates. A jogger drifted past from on the beach exchanging pleasantries. And then I was alone with my paints and thoughts and the beauty of it all…

“Low Tide, Squibby”, this is a Small painting, 6″x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.

After being off on family business and way too long away from my easel, I am back on Martha’s Vineyard and back to my Daily Paintings. It was a gusty day, but not here, below the cliffs. The sun kept things warm. The tide continued receding as I immersed myself in the joy of it all…

“Storm Light”, this is a Small painting, 6″x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.

This painting required a windless day for me to be able to stand out on the observation area on top of the Gay Head Cliffs. I was also able to view the approaching rain storm behind me as it blew in from the west. But my vantage point did me no good. The rain came in faster than I had anticipated. I got wet while packing up my equipment for the hasty retreat back to the parking lot. However, it was such a great day and place to paint that I returned and did a second painting around sunset…

“Early October”, this is a Small painting, 6″x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.

This was painted before sunrise on an early, hazy day in October. I could never decide if it was finished or not. Last night I added a few flourishes and now it is complete… Sometimes it is good to let a painting sit for a contemplative period to better understand what was done and perhaps why…. Often times the question or problem I thought I was grappling with becomes resolved in working on the next few paintings. And the knowledge is now there to complete the earlier piece….

“Sun Up”, this is a Small painting, 6″x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.

A September sunrise I finally put the finishing touches on…

“Autumn Shore”, this is a Small one, 6″x 8″, oil on canvas panel, SOLD