winter docks - begun again - 24x20"

 

I finished the lower horizontal painting of the winter afternoon light on the docks and shrimp boats of Gay Fish Co. - I entered it in the local competition at the Beaufort Art Association's Spring Show. Boy, was this a hard painting to photograph! I must have taken 30 pictures in every possible light in my yard....looks a little dark here but at least there's no glare. Then I decided I would finish the painting at the top which has been languishing on my drying wall for months and months.....also of Gay Fish Co. A place which is not only picturesque, has great shrimp all year and is close to home; but appeared in a tiny portion of the movie "Forrest Gump." As I looked at the picture over the past months, I realized that the values were off so I knew where I had to go. I will end up painting the entire picture over again but the drawing was accurate and I like the concept of it. I began again with the important relationship between the light washed docks and the white building in shadow........hopefully, I will finish it with this pass and not have to put it back up on the drying wall.

winter marsh (Gay Fish docks) - 24x12"

At least you can see where I am going with this painting in this photo........realized after I posted the last time that it was impossible to tell what I was painting! Funny, but as an artist you can get so involved in your own thoughts/reality that you forget that others aren't there with you. I am quite pleased with how this is turning out and will hopefully finish it tomorrow.

new lighting!

Obviously my intention to paint smaller isn't really panning out! I did one small still life which I wiped off and returned to a larger format.............. I did begin another small-ish painting which I will post when I finish it (after my hand uncramps a bit) because it is coming out pretty well. At any rate, I am so excited that I finally did the research and purchased some lights that I could use to keep working after dark. I decided to post this beginning  (lit only by artificial light) - I know the photo looks quite warm but when you are standing at the easel it is very cool and natural.

making plans - 10x8"

 

 

I decided to do a couple of "less large" things in the next week or so and the upper picture is one of those. I like to work larger (it's really all relative). Smaller things are quite a bit easier to finish in one session and, therefore, better for blogging. But it's also nice to explore an idea without investing huge amounts of time and then move on. I doubt that I will ever be able to work on 6x6's........just feels way too inhibiting to me. I am also going to have to get a new computer and I know (from past experience) that switching over is going to be quite an investmement in time but I better do it before it crashes for the last time - I thought it had happened yesterday.

lowcountry bridge 14x11" (fist step)

 

I am really almost done with the figures (promise I won't post it again).............so I began the painting of the bridge. Moving to a totally new location makes it necessary to explore for new painting sites and I found this one. I forgot to take a photo of the sign posted on the bridge so I can't remember the name of it beyond "out somewhere off route 17" which is not very poetic. I use my phone camera a lot to take pictures of things like signs since, when everything is new, it's amazing how easy it is to forget a particular place name. Even driving around for a couple of hours, there are many names and connections to learn.

babysitting at the beach - 12x24"

 I have put this one back on the easel.........it's been on hiatus but I really wanted to get back into it and finish it. Since I like to work alla prima, I sometimes have difficuly getting back into a painting but I knew I didn't want to let this one linger. I usually end up doing the entire picture over again (which is what I am doing with this one). So, it may be a couple of more days but I am on track.

nets out - 14x11" & southern dock - 16x12" (beginning)

 

 

I've been into boats the past week and pretty much finished "Nets Out" - it will go on the drying wall for visual scrutinty. The painting of the boats at the dock was begun and put aside for a little while I dwelled on reducing the confusion that is present on the dock. I believe I know where I am going with it so it's back on the easel.