stone harbor point

Out to Stone harbor point  to paint a jetty.

higbee beach

We went down to a nature preserve on the Delaware Bay, Higbee Beach, for the morning.

The wind was ferocious, but we got tucked in behind a dune.

I was painting in a Bockingford pad. Not sure I like it: very textured. But perhaps I just need to get used to it.

Hereford inlet

Saturday we went to North Wildwood to paint views of Hereford Inlet.

plein air sketching

A friend is visiting this week and we're trying to hike and sketch daily.

Friday we walked around East Point lighthouse where a major project is underway to save it from the rising tides.

Then we walked out to Thompsons Beach on the Delaware Bay.

There used to be a town there, about 170 homes, 107 of which were destroyed by a winter storm in 1950.

It's a nature preserve today.

goldfinches

                            11x15

Started this a while back; finally got back to it.

But now that I've photographed it, I see it's not done: need to work on the branch a bit more and fix the toes-- they look stubby!

classwork

.                            6x8

In order the studies painted in SaltyWaterArt's class.

Probably no tree that's more fun to paint than a birch--those black slashes!

The 3rd one, above, I painted on some 300lb Fabriano I have. I think it stayed wet a bit longer.

Below: started my bigger painting.

I think it might be close to done!

Lately I am really favoring unfinished paintings.

.                            11x15

homework

.                           11x14

                             11x11

Working on a small series of paintings for a class. These are the first two.

Painted from photos I have taken of the old houses built along the creeks here.

Struggling with two others ... So I'm going to take a break from them for a couple of days.

trees

                            6x8

Some tree practice.

Interesting to me that one is wetter, softer than the other: I painted them at the same time.

I think it'd be fun to paint like eight of these all at once.

classwork

.                               6x8

Started a six-week class on painting trees. I'm excited about trying different approaches.

Who knows, maybe I'll learn to paint trees! How great would that be!

still life

                                8x8

A little still life.

I really did not have high hopes for this when I started it-- even though I selected the objects!

But I just kept at, for once without overworking it, I think.

plein air

                             

                               14x14

.                               

.                              8x8

Was so nice out we went out to paint for a couple of hours.

Trees are a difficult subject for me. So I thought of start wet in wet ... Then I kept fruitlessly poking away at it!

I think adding darks will help.

My fave is my last, this monochrome drawing.

I am really going to miss these good, joyful, competent people.

practice

                  @6x8, hot press

Practicing water ripples and refections.

still life

                                8x10

A little still life session with my friend Gina.

Still lifes are so hit or miss for me.

paintalong

                                8x8

Painted this on a paint along with Cynthia Armstrong online at Winslow Art Center.

The paint along was free, one of many generally 1-hour-long classes over 3 days; they're all free and introduce you to the WAC instructors. The classes are recorded, and remain free, if you want to check them out.

WAC has some great instructors and classes and they're very well produced, still, a lot of the prices are high for me. But you can buy 2 months of access to the recordings of some of the classes for only $40. 

studies

                               6x8

Well these are a mess but I had (some) fun. Leafed through a couple of books of JS Sargent paintings and tried to make little copies. All way too wet; I'll try to be more patient next time.

classwork

                            10x12

Trying to keep it loose but I wasn't able to pull anything special out of it.

Below are the small, 5x7, studies I did to try to get ready.

drawings

i really enjoy drawing with a Micron or Sharpie pen: I just start somewhere and keep going, even if there are mistakes. It's pretty relaxing!

classwork

                                 8x8

Homework for my interiors class.

I think I made it too small, got a little fussy. I like the subject to and may do it bigger.

classwork

                            8x11

Three of my cats. Probably watching a squirrel!

Painted wet in wet, with some details added when it dried.

classwork

.                             10x12

These are in reverse order. Below is my first sketch. The top one is my last try; it got very wet, but it is my favorite because it's the only one that shows a patch of light in the distance between the two shores.

.                            5x7

found still life

My friend Gina invited me to dinner and I loved the look of all the things on her counter.

The colors were great too. So I hope to paint this.