tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59432059971581057442012-01-31T02:46:35.119-08:00Presenting new paintings with discussions of issues related to watercolor media.Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.comBlogger2201100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-10547634399025490162012-01-30T15:13:00.000-08:002012-01-30T15:13:36.469-08:00

Sunday was a magnificent day for painting.  Our group gathered off Green Valley Road in Cordelia, CA.  Everyone did a wonderful painting, whether it was the hills or the vineyards.  The rain that arrived last week made everything very green. These smooth hills always look like they are covered with velour and I have this fantasy of riding a motorcycle over them.  I painted the hills and gave

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-18385858259819760992012-01-25T16:42:00.000-08:002012-01-25T16:52:23.592-08:00

While watching my 49ers in the playoffs on Sunday, I painted a scene that I remembered from Cape Cod. I live close to the Herring River and have painted sections of the river many times in the past. This one is from the brain bank. I had fun painting it on a half sheet and then went and painted it again on a full sheet. (Had to deal with the frustrations of a last minute loss to NY Giants.)

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-59569657559944041782012-01-22T11:24:00.000-08:002012-01-22T11:33:45.856-08:00

Last Sunday, I painted with my group in the historic Chinese town of Locke. The narrow main street with all the tall buildings is very appealing to the artist. The porches are supported with rather thin rickety posts and they are not square but leaning. There is so much detail. I tried to to simplify and also stay with a red yellow palette to give it an oriental or Asian feel. This is a

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-25445436883508074362012-01-19T13:58:00.000-08:002012-01-19T14:06:04.931-08:00

We have not had rain in Northern California since November. Today, it looks like it is going to happen. The skiers will rejoice hoping for the mother of all storms in the Sierras. I am posting a recent painting that I did of Birch trees. They are like soccer balls for the artist because of the white black contrast. Add a little snow and threatening sky and it makes a nice composition. We are

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-52492256867795164452012-01-17T11:56:00.000-08:002012-01-17T12:10:45.340-08:00

Painted in Locke, CA this Sunday. There is always the want to put everything into a painting done in this old historic Chinese town. There is so much subject matter. This sketch and painting was quick at the end of the day. It was my second. There was still some sun on the alley way but it quickly disappeared and got very cold. You discover that only the main elements get put into the

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-22493480193585694632012-01-16T15:12:00.000-08:002012-01-16T15:26:12.063-08:00

Painted this from a quick sketch of laundry. Tried to make the building more interesting by giving it pseudo-sophistication and placing it in town. Everybody hangs laundry whether in Portofino, Italy or Bombay. My hometown once had a city ordinance prohibiting clotheslines. That was quickly changed when pointed out to town officials. I put some lines on the roof indicating rebar sticking up.

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-50847982919973342162012-01-14T11:26:00.000-08:002012-01-14T11:37:01.839-08:00

It was a glorious day last Thursday. Perfect for painting and the mustard was in full bloom between the rows of vines. This is a worm's eye view of the the rows as I painted it from the ditch running in front. There were a few people on this very back road in the heart of grape country. What a great day to be out and painting.My aim was to compose a different perspective on the vineyard and

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-40281856387217720232012-01-09T12:58:00.000-08:002012-01-09T13:12:50.966-08:00

Looking back at the mountains surrounding Palm Desert creates a great perspective. The mountains and the spindly tall palms dwarf these mobile home communities which are backed up against them. It's late afternoon and the peaks turn blue in the distance. It is very serene.I have spent very little time in the desert but recently found lots of things to sketch and paint. The architecture of

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-60943229704547924162012-01-07T11:40:00.000-08:002012-01-07T11:50:43.751-08:00

The challenge was to use only 3 complementary colors; violet, cad orange and sap green. Paint something in an hour. It is good to do these exercises. I love the green made from cad orange and sap green. It is more vegetable than some of the others I've mixed. Mixing the orange with violet allowed all of the browns in the elephant subject. Cadmium orange is a color that I use only for small

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-22379503923841588962012-01-06T11:36:00.000-08:002012-01-06T11:47:18.063-08:00

We are enjoying the clear crisp weather and went as a group to the outer roads at the University of California at Davis. The trees have lost their green and this dense growth is really all sticks and stems. Sort of challenging to paint. I did a little boning-out of the nearest trees but decreased the values as the road moved into the distance. I felt that the little shed and birds gave the

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-18970953983173470422012-01-05T14:52:00.000-08:002012-01-05T15:02:27.126-08:00

My neighborhood has all sorts of houses and most are on very small lots. As you can see from the actual photo, this is a big house and someone planted a small vineyard right next to it. I jog by quite often and am brought back to Italy by the architecture and pines. I did take some license with the arrangement but had fun painting it from across the gulley that runs along side. It started out

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-38350891047595465552011-12-10T13:45:00.000-08:002011-12-10T14:00:10.772-08:00

I'm fascinated with the fog and how to capture it with my watercolor painting. The fog gathers on the California Pacific coast and builds up so that it pours over the hills of Marin, over and under the Golden Gate Bridge and finally into the city. There are areas on the Bay known as 'banana belts' where the fog only reaches as a last resort. The sun continues to shine and the sail boats are

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-60804502989015716662011-12-04T14:16:00.000-08:002011-12-04T14:32:42.372-08:00

Got home from a week with friends in warm Palm Desert and got a bug, virus or something. Shaking chills for a couple of days. Maybe it influenced my subject matter but this is a cold snowy scene. It is the kind of place I avoid because I hate being cold. Spent many winters in the cold northeast, so I've paid my dues and crave warm. This painting is a total mind picture with the light staged 3

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-58445623314036425982011-11-11T13:05:00.000-08:002011-11-11T13:15:49.461-08:00

Next May marks the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. I love painting it from the Sausalito side and looking up from underneath at Fort Baker. Summer in San Francisco has a lot of fog which rolls in off the Pacific Ocean and eventually occludes the Golden Gate. It is pretty much a daily occurrence. The bridge and city are scoured and cleansed so that it can sparkle. There is a small

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-2561528515111274922011-11-08T15:39:00.000-08:002011-11-08T16:02:21.625-08:00

Spent a couple of Friday mornings painting at the Senior Center Watercolor Class. I do not usually get excited with still life but wanted to help out . This first one was a flower pot next to a Kleenex box with some limes in a dish. The scale is right (three different sizes) but have to question the unity of the composition. I guess anything goes when painting a still life. I remember many

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-92034241452802992352011-11-07T14:21:00.000-08:002011-11-07T14:30:07.237-08:00

It was a cold, windy morning last Wednesday but I was out painting first thing. Found some trees to get behind. I think that wind is the single most difficult element to deal with when painting plein air. The structure is the Plainfield Station. It was once a fire station and now serves up burgers and soups...pretty good. There are some rousing parties there and the bikers love the place.

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-25643514347296603272011-11-06T12:45:00.000-08:002011-11-06T13:01:13.657-08:00

I have not blogged for the past month. Lots of travels, some computer glitches and other priorities. I have been painting and they have accumulated so I will post some this month. I'm on my Davis patch on the west coast. There is quite the contrast with life on Cape Cod. The tempo here is much more upbeat with students buzzing around and keeping the downtown busy. It feels energizing

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-79171601002180695552011-09-29T08:36:00.001-07:002011-09-29T08:59:31.796-07:00

My preoccupation with Cape Cod Cat Boats had me sketching out different sized ones. I used Google to find a dealer who had pictures and specs on several models of boats. We have only the larger ones moored out on the river. This is from a sketch of a small cat boat and I imagined the feel of sailing by the fish shack. When I sail small boats, the pilings and wharfs seem so daunting and

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-4493245562319619262011-09-27T07:22:00.000-07:002011-09-27T07:30:32.651-07:00

Cutting across the Herring River on a very hazy day is a typical boat found here on Cape Cod. It is called a Catboat. It is gaff-rigged with a single sail. There is a wide beam and flat bottom with a center board. This makes it very stable and comfortable. It also has a barndoor rudder. Quite a sight to see under sail and there are many of them here on Cape Cod. The haze wore off as I

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-79503472445733537032011-09-21T11:16:00.000-07:002011-09-21T11:28:21.832-07:00

This is a favorite spot for painting. I was out early and met only a few fishermen on this beautiful morning. The shack is for sale as indicated by the sign in front. It does lean back with its pilings all leaning toward the Herring River. Great location but has to be a 'teardown'. Over the years the shack has been modified and its tall superstructure for unloading fish is gone along with a

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-38450097971070774722011-09-20T08:36:00.000-07:002011-09-20T08:45:59.511-07:00

Got out to paint yesterday and it was beautiful. Some clouds above the marsh and the little red boat moored. This boat is always there. At Thanksgiving time it may have a pumpkin and at Christmas, a small tree. It is sort of mysterious, at least to me, how this comes about. There is some red in the marsh and some very dry trees hanging onto a few leaves. No birds around but a couple of

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-29650951158655117722011-09-09T12:24:00.000-07:002011-09-09T12:38:45.614-07:00

I'm pleased to announce that two of my paintings, 'Winter Repairs' and 'My New Boat', have been accepted into the Cape Cod Art Show which is held annually at the Creative Arts Center in Chatham, MA .A reception will take place on Sunday, Sept 11 from 4-6PM. The show will be up for the rest of the month.

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-30125674516229193672011-08-30T14:47:00.000-07:002011-08-30T15:01:52.543-07:00

I started off with a sketch of two boats and set up to paint them. The yard was filled with boats stored for the hurricane. The sun was blazing, it was hot and there was no shade. I quit and brought my sketch home. My best feeling when painting is to get lost in the painting. This is what happened and the painting kept growing as it took on a life of its own. This is what I like; paint

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-22705520571293820592011-08-29T12:29:00.000-07:002011-08-29T12:39:06.755-07:00

While the winds of Irene howled yesterday, I completely finished the Sunday NYTimes and painted a sand dune scene. The power when on and off but came back and stayed on. We had little rain. Lots of tree limbs and leaves were strewn about the yard but no damage. It was nice to say goodnight to Irene. We have lots of sand dunes with paths down to the beach. This is one from my imagination

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-47312149125701359492011-08-27T05:53:00.000-07:002011-08-27T06:04:10.352-07:00

As I turned up Depot St. I saw this old Cape Cod house behind some high overgrown bushes. The grasses were high and yellow and there was a haunting feel to a place that had housed happier times. It is a big house. I pulled up across the street and sketched and painted the place. I put the red wagon in as a note of sadness. It was a hot and humid day and soon the bugs found me. I think I

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-47899413021423339332011-08-26T15:07:00.000-07:002011-08-26T15:15:05.476-07:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day for painting. I was on the commercial dock in Harwich Port painting this scene and had plenty of company. A lot of people make the wrong turn and want directions. The boats are tied to each other and the largest was a wooden yawl with great lines. When I was in college I used to sail a 34ft yawl along the New England coast. I knew very little about navigation

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-24403793867184154532011-08-11T12:25:00.000-07:002011-08-11T12:43:42.772-07:00

Main Street is busy with shoppers heading to Dr. Gravity's Kite Shop. A colorful spot that is the destination of every kid under 10 years. The sidewalk is filled with wonderful things and there are many flags on the building. Parents should be warned of the risk walking their young ones. It is a must stop. While painting from across the street, I was visited by locals, became a part of a movie

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-14871733572349930602011-08-09T12:41:00.000-07:002011-08-09T12:52:54.562-07:00

A glorious day to just sit on the beach at Cape Cod. Lots of families come to our beach down the road. They play hard, leave late and sleep well. The beaches are clean and everyone gets along. The ice cream truck sets off a brouhaha with scrambling kids lining up. Today was a clear day, despite a weather forecast of rain. No one seems to be able to predict weather on Cape Cod. At 5PM, the

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-11677925645142649952011-08-04T08:28:00.000-07:002011-08-04T08:44:02.440-07:00

There were gigantic tall clouds hanging over the bay yesterday morning. I was down on the beach sand and painted this scene. The sky kept changing with the clouds going from defined billowy cumulus types to softer, more blurry shapes as I painted them. When you paint a sky scene you simplify the rest of the landscape in the painting. There were grasses and moored boats but I did not dare paint

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-16164537097420324652011-08-03T11:07:00.001-07:002011-08-03T11:13:31.466-07:00

This is a scene from the Herring River on Cape Cod. I have painted the little fishing shack that tilts back from the water on many occasions. It is right down the road from my sister. There used to be a pianist practicing classic music with the windows open. Many little ones come to try out fishing for the first time and then, there are the little boys who crab. They set out their trap with

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-64236703869785859342011-08-02T12:58:00.000-07:002011-08-02T13:08:45.148-07:00

Several years ago I painted a ship in Rock Harbor. I liked it and still have it on my wall. Returned there last week with pretty much the same group of painters and did this watercolor of a working ship that was in for repairs. It was a beautiful Cape Cod morning with sun and breeze. I finished the entire painting on site. Despite getting there early, the party fishing boats were all at sea

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-61111496632736586442011-07-26T10:27:00.000-07:002011-07-26T10:35:56.667-07:00

There are many fresh water kettle ponds on Cape Cod. This is a typical house and scene from one of them. This painting was done while on the Cape and is rather imaginary. I sketched a house and then started painting and let it go with one thing leading to another. My life has been hectic with lots of guests and a new baby. There is always a meal to prepare, some consoling of a crying baby and

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-9622632390429533242011-07-02T11:46:00.000-07:002011-07-02T11:58:01.263-07:00

It's a hot day today and along the path there are shady spots with benches for rest. By 3PM the temperature peaks and then it starts to cool. You may need a sweater in the evening. Isn't that perfect? Just plan to be in a pool midafternoon.In the morning, I sketched this bench and had to remember the type of shadows and cast shadows. They quickly changed over half an hour. I like the mottled

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-2365618882965367292011-06-30T09:40:00.000-07:002011-06-30T09:54:36.187-07:00

Headed off to Winters, CA for some morning painting. Weather was perfect after a big black cloud passed. This first painting is a house on the river which lists to the left and has a serious bump in the roof. Someone lives in it as proven by the parked cars. The vegetation is overgrown and the fence is being pulled by the structure. I expect one day to see it flat on the ground. Location,

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-5141209889400248752011-06-25T08:27:00.001-07:002011-06-25T08:38:18.282-07:00

Another beautiful day, so I swung by my favorite site for a quick sketch and watercolor painting. The students are gone so the activity was less but trains came and went and excited people arrived. The city of Davis is a much quieter place during the summer. No lines in the markets, fewer people at the movies and a lot less bicycle traffic in town. I like all seasons of Davis. There is a lot

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-25863769730570144232011-06-24T12:08:00.001-07:002011-06-24T13:14:01.821-07:00

In painting this I am reminded of that philosophical argument: "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?". This is a study of textures with the rough outside of a fallen tree trunk and coarse cypress growth contrasted with the pillow-soft sails of the distant boats. There is no one around.It's been a wonderful week of painting with the warm weather. I

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-84755931813463942872011-06-16T13:24:00.000-07:002011-06-16T13:38:41.280-07:00

I painted this yesterday while standing in Fort Baker in Sausalito. The temperature was around 60 degrees and I just left home in Davis, CA where the temp was in the 90's. What a change. When the valley heats up the fog rolls in off the Pacific and San Francisco gets a daily bath. It comes right in over and under the Gate. It is a sure sign of summer in San Francisco. A brave sailor was out

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-79123173576578023322011-06-10T14:09:00.000-07:002011-06-10T14:18:30.498-07:00

This is the last of my sketches from my farm visit two days ago. I sketched sheep. One doesn't think of sheep moving fast, but as soon as they sense someone, they move on. In New Zealand we had the expression, 'rattle your dags', which was the sound of sheep moving on. It came from the dried feces on their rear ends. I climbed up the hill to get a view of them and the barn. There was no

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-78298065731509921782011-06-09T10:45:00.000-07:002011-06-09T11:18:33.738-07:00

Good weather arrived yesterday so we drove out to this massive sheep farm on the Delta. The weather was beautiful. We got a tour of the place and then I did some very quick sketching and painting. My thought was to get them down, bring them home and compose a masterpiece. Isn't that every artist's plan? How can you pass up painting the farm 'bone yard' with all the rusting equipment? The

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-54189181903873647202011-06-06T14:55:00.000-07:002011-06-06T15:14:42.019-07:00

Today could be the last of our rain here in Northern California. We do not have any flooding but it is a lot of rain for us. It keeps us plein air painters inside. Today's painting is a tribute to the rain. In reality, there are very few taxis where I live, but I know when it is raining in New York City, it is very hard to find one.Wet surfaces make for great reflections. I kept the paper

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-36938240160947887392011-06-05T13:42:00.000-07:002011-06-05T14:18:16.088-07:00

The sun has not shown for the past 4 days in northern California and it is 25 degrees below normal. This means painting in the studio. This painting gave me a chance to paint some figure gestures and their reflections in the water. I played with a lot of things but was totally immersed in seeing what was developing. A painting paints itself if given the chance. My white edge to the rocks

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-86415717634380518882011-05-29T15:26:00.000-07:002011-05-29T15:43:18.124-07:00

It looks like a new sailboat or certainly new to those managing its careful mooring. They were very excited securing this boat after getting ashore. This watercolor is from a sketch that I did on Cape Cod last summer. With the start of summer near, I am getting ready to move to my little cottage on the Cape and sketch and paint some landscapes. Cape Cod has fantastic light that makes things

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-71865377856306040142011-05-28T14:09:00.000-07:002011-05-28T14:26:43.000-07:00

Took my group out on Friday morning for some plein air painting. Big turnout but the sun went in and the sky clouded over. We decided to paint a scene that included some of the Davis Train Station with our theme 'waiting for the train'. Being Friday with an up-coming holiday weekend, there was plenty of activity at the depot between trains. My initial sketch had some shadows so I put them in

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-30671101697161124542011-05-23T16:37:00.000-07:002011-05-23T16:54:42.479-07:00

I painted last week with my friend, Jerry Stitt. This is a favorite theme of his and he has done many versions of it. I tried my version, quickly throwing the paint on and keeping it wet. I then went back in and scraped out the foreground fence and weeds which requires thick and wet paint. I was done in half an hour. It is very uplifting to paint loose like Jerry. He really encourages it

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-20797789607212987022011-05-16T17:36:00.000-07:002011-05-16T17:45:08.827-07:00

It was sunny and about 80 degrees and I had to get out and paint. I wound up at a favorite site, the old Southern Pacific train depot in Davis. This is a busy place with students and teachers coming and going. At this time it was very quiet. The station has undergone remodeling over the years. I did all of my color mixing on paper, direct glazing. It is much more juicy when done this way. I

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-45493277010797347242011-05-15T12:43:00.000-07:002011-05-15T12:59:56.970-07:00

Friday was the perfect day for painting en plein air. It was warm, sunny and without wind. I volunteer teach at the Senior Center and brought the class outside. For some, it was a first to see what the artist sees in nature. Many had to manage alot of stuff to get painting and were certainly not as comfortable as painting inside at a table. They are a wonderful group, good sports, who are

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-23572420292561670922011-05-14T10:28:00.000-07:002011-05-14T10:39:52.863-07:00

This steep climb on this road is not exaggerated. It is in Zihuatanejo, Mexico and you take it to one of the neatest places for lunch. It is a wooden shed with corrugated roofing. The lunch spot serves abalone, octopus and also, barnacles. The barnacles are unusual and have a pearl like handle on them. Prices are good and service great. The road keeps climbing and you have to know where to

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-83506108269521370192011-05-13T17:08:00.001-07:002011-05-13T17:17:30.348-07:00

Want to have some fun? I've envied abstract painters since taking up art. I just never tried it and this past week ran across a book by Rolina Van Vliet, 'Painting Abstracts, ideas, projects and techniques'. What fun trying the exercises. They are planned for acrylic paints but still fun with watercolor. Lots of ideas to try with geometric or small size color spots, high key color or one I

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-33892938553498545442011-05-05T12:52:00.000-07:002011-05-05T13:08:34.733-07:00

After being away in New York City for 2 weeks it was wonderful to get out painting on the bay. The day was perfect with a warm sun and no wind. 'Sunshine almost always makes me high' was John Denver's mantra and I believe it. I visited a lot of art galleries while away and saw the American Watercolor Society show. The latter is always a treat because it is my media. I object to the selection

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-53619300637736550472011-04-21T16:43:00.000-07:002011-04-21T17:04:11.562-07:00

It was raining at 8:30AM but a few of us went on our Wednesday Paint out. The sky stayed overcast and finally started to warm. Hey, what is this? It's the end of April in California. Rain is usually an exception at this time of year. It is a given that every day will be sunny and warm from this time of year. There was only slight shadow cast from the rust eroded rails on the bridge. It is

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-22500394820150884422011-04-16T10:26:00.000-07:002011-04-16T10:39:57.673-07:00

It's fun to go back and review previous paintings. I painted this structure 23 years ago. It was a tower seen from the highway driving by Davis to Woodland. It is gone. Rarely, do I make changes in a painting done in the past and signed. As I look around my walls at paintings there are many that I would like to tweak this way or that.I remember painting this. I felt at the time that I was

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-31201478933270079872011-04-12T11:50:00.000-07:002011-04-12T12:02:22.033-07:00

It was a chilly morning and I found a sunny spot to set up and paint. Lots of green veggies to deal with. Mixed a lot of different greens on the paper. The tree in the foreground was massive; I'm not sure what variety of tree it is but lots of little green leafs starting to pop. The tree was done wet on wet. I painted a silhouette of the trunk and branches with clear water and kept dropping

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-6379844648640019962011-04-04T16:28:00.000-07:002011-04-04T16:43:01.382-07:00

This is one of my favorite paintings of the plein air week in Winters. I have painted this alley several times before, but always from the street. This time I went up the alley and looked out at the street. The light was perfect. There were three different colors of brick in the wall. The yellow is an old painted sign on the side of the building. The bottom is pink brick. Lots of power

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-57621599514588149142011-04-02T14:52:00.000-07:002011-04-02T15:09:48.531-07:00

What a wonderful week of weather for plein air painting. I was across the highway from this barn. I originally went to the house on the side but no one but a dog was home. So, rather than stay there with the dog barking, I moved across the road. A couple of years ago, a dog, out of sight, barked as I sketched and got ready to paint. All of a sudden, an angry pit bull came racing at me

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-1339964455556198802011-04-01T13:00:00.000-07:002011-04-01T13:13:08.392-07:00

The Winters' Plein Air Festival is underway this week and I have been over there painting in some of the best weather of 2011. At the end of Railroad St is a garage that seems to be busting at the seams with cars. Hoods are up and the lift is constantly raising cars. The garage is at the bridge on Putah Creek. All the new spring growth can be seen behind. Had a lot of chats with locals

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-51325827220064843742011-03-30T10:35:00.000-07:002011-03-30T10:43:40.833-07:00

The 'Paint the Town' in Winters got off to a cold and rainy start. Lots of storm clouds so I did a quick sketch and painting of a steel barn with a parked car. No one seemed to be out or about, hence the title. Putting a title at the start of a painting keeps me focused on just what I want to say. The rain has finally stopped and I've got a lot of new paintings done in Winters these past few

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-23204680605691628202011-03-22T11:27:00.000-07:002011-03-22T11:48:11.605-07:00

This watercolor painting was done with a picture of two boats. It has been raining for the past week, so I stayed inside and put this together. I wanted to stress values so put something, the city, in the background. I kept the sky bleak and gray. With two boats I emphasized one, heeding the adage, that there can only be one bride. The colors were mixed directly on the paper. I left the

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-48121925160916415152011-03-17T14:37:00.000-07:002011-03-17T14:55:19.718-07:00

Plans changed from the muddy marsh to the top of a parking garage. I thought it would be a great change from our usual perspective; a true bird's eye view of things. It turned out to have a rather narrow window since a high railing surrounds the structure wall. The trees are not in bloom but there sure are a lot of branches to look through.This is my sanitized painted version of the above

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-22199855874285458852011-03-16T16:06:00.000-07:002011-03-16T16:40:08.991-07:00

Last weekend, I was painting on a sunny day in Locke, CA. The place has changed from the '80's when I painted these same buildings. The long stilts that hold up porches are repaired for some. But others still have doors opening with nothing but a big drop! In setting up to paint, you are very close since the street is narrow. This is my painting above. I took it home and wondered what it

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-21329053174325367262011-03-10T13:49:00.000-08:002011-03-10T14:08:36.763-08:00

I have a friend who loves painting light house scenes. He has favorites that he repeats and they do not stay around for long. I have used it for a watercolor subject but love to tweak it, so that it ends up as my light house, only remotely similar to the original. There are several stacked under my bed.This is a study in values. All of the flotsam wood in the foreground resulted from

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-37815430974873607812011-02-28T11:29:00.000-08:002011-02-28T11:44:13.324-08:00

Was out in the local town of Woodland where there are wonderfully restored Victorian houses. It was a cold day. Sketched and painted this scene in about 90min. The sun came out at the end which allowed some shadowing. The green of the house was mixed on paper using a pale yellow and sap green. I believe this direct glazing activates the color, creating a more vivid color than when mixed on

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-48916679909030812362011-02-27T14:06:00.000-08:002011-02-27T14:36:02.007-08:00

This painting is from sketches done last year in Troncones, Mexico. I wanted to try painting it again but, this time, mixing all of my color directly on the paper. The result was I achieved some pretty brilliant color which typifies Mexican buildings. I would call the real stucco color almost pure yellow, like a daffodil yellow. I started with cad yellow, added some opera and finished with

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-45542586544213444052011-02-24T10:06:00.000-08:002011-02-24T10:22:03.901-08:00

Some more of my watercolors done while in Mexico. There is such a relaxed atmosphere in the heat and beauty of the coastline, the risks of creativity, seem to dissipate. Yet, once engaged they return and you want to make something of your effort. The painting of the flower pot was done while on the patio of this little hotel. The other paintings were done on the first days on the beach.

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-57992460516908443802011-02-22T10:22:00.000-08:002011-02-22T10:39:05.912-08:00

First visits present so many things to paint. It is seeing with fresh eyes. I quickly sketched and painted this urban scene in Zihuatanejo. Speed resulted from avoiding the hot sun as well as meeting up for lunch and a cold cerveza or two! The other sketch occurred while reading in a hammock and hearing the sweeping on the patio. There is this gnarly twist of vegetation that looked

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-52365321807631080522011-02-21T16:49:00.000-08:002011-02-21T17:13:07.947-08:00

There is the roar of the surf in Troncones Mexico. No one else is on the entire beach but you. Those are my foot prints and, unless you count the busy trails left by hermit crabs at night, there is little other to distract you from painting. I next moved to Playa la Ropa beach in Zihuatanejo where you do find people but in very small numbers compared with past years. February is the high

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-3640545380345308792011-02-20T12:35:00.000-08:002011-02-20T12:44:03.705-08:00

This painting was done standing on the beach looking up at this great house that I share with another couple. The kitchen, bath and pool are on the patio by the pool and everything is on the beach. The temperature is hot and the ocean has a huge surf. After painting each day we are off surfing. Cooking out on the patio with a cold cerveza is living the good life. Not many people around, say

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-89089824734335338532011-02-18T15:57:00.000-08:002011-02-18T16:04:19.079-08:00

I have been painting all month in Mexico but unable to upload on this blog. This is my first success so I will start putting some of my work up. It is hot and humid but I love Mexico. For painting, the urban scene is very colorful. Mexicans like strong colors and painting them forces you to take it even further. You get home and look at what you have done and are amazed. This picture was

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-50658127057467722772011-01-24T14:33:00.000-08:002011-01-24T14:33:04.132-08:00

Sketched this from a picture in minutes and then added watercolor. All done in 20min. Can see where it's tempting to make changes. Great exercise for loosening up and minimizing the strokes.

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-14892147992398216732011-01-23T13:38:00.000-08:002011-01-23T13:38:48.148-08:00

One of my favorite painting subjects is the Kite Shop on Main St. in Harwichport, MA which is on Cape Cod. It is iconic for me and after painting it for years, I find many others trying it. It is a blast of colors. The front walkway is usually filled with things that you have to navigate around. It is a magnate for kids in the summer. I mixed all of my colors for this painting on the paper.

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-64092657395879459292011-01-21T14:45:00.000-08:002011-01-21T14:45:07.202-08:00

This watercolor was done by blending paint on the paper or direct glazing. It was experimental and the outcome gives the boat an almost metallic quality. This is the thalo blue effect on burnt sienna. Blending or mixing directly puts everything in motion. It makes everything shift and slide allowing you to transform things and go with the flow.

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-48726238753275507702011-01-20T13:35:00.000-08:002011-01-20T13:35:08.290-08:00

Here are two watercolor paintings done over the weekend. They were attempts at mixing paint on the paper or 'direct glazing'. The California Missions have plenty of color and it was a challenge to mix and get different shades and intensities of color. Daily painting for me allows me this risk taking and trying out new things. There is some concern of not getting it 'right' but then you can

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-77284608677945629572011-01-13T11:55:00.000-08:002011-01-13T11:55:24.610-08:00

I know that California is not really cold but it is uncomfortable to be out painting for any length of time. Warm clothes help and standing and walking around or dancing around your work is even better. I've seen pictures of artists out in the snow but not for me. When the temp soars, I am much more at home with painting. Yesterday the temp was in the 40s and no sun at the start. There was a

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-83254991340605367422011-01-12T15:27:00.000-08:002011-01-12T15:27:05.047-08:00

This is a well known structure near my summer place; in fact, it is rather infamous. Summer activity at the Irish Pub is standing room only, most nights. I have done many sketches and several paintings over the years. Yesterday, I just drew out what I recalled about the place and painted away. I last did a plein air painting of the pub two years ago. This is a good exercise. In art school,

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-29411840801269427292011-01-11T12:31:00.000-08:002011-01-11T12:31:29.391-08:00

Happy New Year. You want to go out and paint but the weather is brutally cold. There is a strong pull to reading or computer surfing. I just returned from a wonderful holiday with grand kids for 2 weeks and did no painting. I see the little ones so seldom that I gave them my full attention. Now, the combination of cold weather and time off makes painting difficult to start. I remember

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-26646650812402585032010-12-18T14:54:00.000-08:002010-12-18T14:54:45.618-08:00

I was up early Saturday, finished reading the news, showered and was looking for something to do.  Outside, the morning was cold, windy and raining off and on.  I remembered our meet-up at the Tower Theater.  I grabbed my paints and headed out, not expecting anyone else to show.  Would you believe two people were already painting and one was sketching.  Wind is more difficult to deal with than

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-32824271540553367112010-12-18T14:16:00.000-08:002010-12-18T14:16:02.601-08:00

I painted last spring on this farm in Yolo County, CA.  Since then, I have taken note of farm bone yards.  That is where all of the large metal structures are left to rust and deteriorate.  This is not bad.  I scraped some burnt sienna on the car to give it rust.  I think it is a 1940 Chrysler four door sedan.  The cows have plenty of grazing space.  It had recently rained so there was a mud

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-88514313561662142952010-12-17T14:51:00.000-08:002010-12-17T14:51:34.010-08:00

I painted this picture last week.  The sky and cloud formation add drama to an otherwise quiet seascape.  The posts used for tying up boats go up through the painting to tie it together.  Each plane has a value change giving depth to the ocean. I am very frustrated trying again to paint on clayboard (Aquaboard).  I have some remaining cradled boards in my studio.  They tempt me to try again

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-5194645181245716462010-12-04T10:52:00.000-08:002010-12-04T10:52:30.596-08:00

It is always a quick painting when I do a snow painting.  I leave a lot of the paper unpainted (white) and make it look cold with dark blue.  The birches are a good focal point.  They do, however, pop out better when there is more contrasting color surrounding them.  I just came in from outside and it looks like there is more snow on the way.

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-42360985045376428972010-12-03T14:55:00.000-08:002010-12-03T14:55:29.280-08:00

Two weeks ago, I painted this scene  on San Francisco Bay but in loading up I must have left it behind.  No one turned it in.  When I got back to my studio, I did it again from my sketches.  This time I dropped several colors into a wet spot and wanted to leave the driftwood pile more or less abstract.  I then decided to carve out some of the flotsam and jetsam.  Most of it took on a red hue from

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-75627197776494541732010-12-02T13:45:00.000-08:002010-12-02T13:45:31.950-08:00

I did this painting last week and liked it but when I took it to my group for a critique, they felt it had two separate compositions.  One on the top and the boats on the bottom (see previous post).  By putting masts on some of the boats and bringing them up into the above structures, I united both top and bottom into one scene.  I do think that it improved the painting.  This trick also creates

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-60599619475884389152010-12-02T12:27:00.000-08:002010-12-02T12:27:18.887-08:00

Simple composition with barn and cows.  I have never done cows before and treated them like painting birch trees.  I think that it was successful.  The power pole pushes the scene into the background and since the focus is on the cows and barn, it is purposely out of focus.  It was done wet into wet.  I am new to doing a lot of clouds.  When I observe them they seem to have flattened bottoms.  We

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-91608701323932127472010-11-26T17:03:00.000-08:002010-11-26T17:03:29.521-08:00

Everyone who visits San Francisco knows the thrill of the ride.  The hills are steep.  I exaggerated the hill in this painting and filled in the bay with an image that may be Alcatraz,  The rounded fronts of the Victorian houses are like the ones on Hyde St.  So this is a composite of many San Francisco symbols and overall is a blue painting. I tried to focus on the cable car by giving it the

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-67118666901838207162010-11-25T11:37:00.000-08:002010-11-25T11:37:40.286-08:00

I love to play with images of Portofino.  I did many sketches while there and the colors are in my head.  The shadows were great on this warm morning.  This was a quick sketch and painting done at home in my studio.  I did it late afternoon and kept going back to peek at it as I liked something about it that I couldn't put my finger on.  Oh well, here it is and it was fun.  The picture sort of

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-75591187413698472582010-11-22T12:17:00.000-08:002010-11-22T12:17:18.682-08:00

It started off a beautiful day with sun and shadows but it quickly got very cold.  I did not bring any sweaters and was eventually shivering.  I wanted to paint the house as a vertical projected from below.  As seen in the photo it was on a hill.  My painting got rushed so I eliminated all of the windows on the porch and made the structure taller.  This was to give the painting a feeling of

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-38367527787041306132010-11-08T16:05:00.000-08:002010-11-08T16:05:08.672-08:00

The Muses are nine goddesses in Greek mythology who control and symbolize 9 types of art known to Ancient Greece,  My muse is a depot.  It is a source of inspiration for me, with its wonderful Spanish architecture.  It is an icon for Davis, CA.  I gather my paints and setup somewhere around the building and jump right in.  There is some urgency at the station with travelers waiting and little

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-72644109965495891482010-11-07T12:50:00.000-08:002010-11-07T12:50:26.477-08:00

Went to Portefino, Italy during some travels several years ago and did a number of sketches and photos.  I have painted some of the scenes before, but this time wanted a more unified look to the buildings.   Windows, awnings and boats were too much in previous attempts.  This came out with bright hue.  It was a good effort and brought me back to the beauty of Portefino.  I once read that it was

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-12456888707190476552010-11-04T11:44:00.000-07:002010-11-04T11:44:36.824-07:00

I did this watercolor painting on a beautiful Sunday afternoon outside of Fairfield, CA.  Some clouds in the sky and everything quiet on this farm.  It had rained during the night and the ground was muddy but drying out.  The other two photos show a produce stand with a special setting for the season and a vineyard not quite turning color yet as it is still getting into the 80's temperatures. 

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-5812016410213280112010-10-27T13:18:00.000-07:002010-10-27T13:18:59.143-07:00

Last week was busy  with all of the plein air painting in Crockett.  The weather was nice once the fog lifted.  We had a big turnout for the opening show and reception.  This painting was done after some earlier attempts at painting the C&H Plant.  It is big.  I exaggerated some of the signage to show just how large the entire plant is.  It is a warm painting.

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-57544775976182723502010-10-26T21:15:00.000-07:002010-10-26T21:40:21.599-07:00

The Crockett paintout only allowed 3 paintings to be entered into the show. I chose this one although I had several others. I liked this painting because I had a fun day painting and was encouraged by so many painters that day. I was undisturbed except for neighborhood dogs which kept up a steady bark.I am ready again to show my paintings without glass. After this outstanding show with many

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-82190763645313430752010-10-24T12:51:00.000-07:002010-10-24T13:01:33.580-07:00

Standing down on the waterfront just outside Crockett there are lots of old pier remnants. Looking west are the newer piers and bridges. It is a great contrast. The past and the present. There is a large pile of rusted and wooden wreckage which I imagine was quite a structure at one time. I painted and embellished this to exaggerate some direction finders. Last night was the reception at

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-49041777646276454852010-10-22T16:11:00.000-07:002010-10-22T16:18:40.926-07:00

I arrived back in California a couple of weeks ago and it feels wonderful. I left a great summer of friends, fish, clams and painting on Cape Cod. I traveled down to Princeton, NJ to see my kids and then on to Brooklyn. Had a project with my son which got mostly done. Happy to be home. This painting of China Beach is a composite of many west coast features; the wind swept cypress trees, the

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-86462347245140855452010-10-22T15:45:00.000-07:002010-10-22T15:55:46.351-07:00

What a wonderful week of painting. Spent the week in Crockett, CA painting street and water scenes and meeting some very nice people. The annual paintout in Crockett is hosted by the Epperson Gallery and about 60 artists participated. This is a scene right above the C&H sugar factory. I was kept company by a worker who wandered by and had plenty of questions about painting. The scene is

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-35312822282555314912010-09-19T11:52:00.000-07:002010-09-19T12:00:57.183-07:00

I painted this on location. It was a beautiful morning on the town dock. Lots of activity but I chose to put only the closest house with 3 of its many boats in my composition. Nature needs rearrangements. Someone asked if I would accept a commission to paint their house. I told them that they may not recognize it when I am finished. When I am in the zone painting, a lot of things can change

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-52153644852252187062010-09-18T06:37:00.000-07:002010-09-18T06:47:42.525-07:00

This fish shack has been a favorite place for me to paint. The structure tilts and is now missing some of its dockage. In this painting I composed a medium range view or belly button shot of the action. The value range puts a three dimensional world on a two dimensional surface. This is more difficult with this view than with a landscape or distant view. It allows for more ornamentation and

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-76781527067414049322010-09-17T11:30:00.000-07:002010-09-17T11:39:15.393-07:00

I have painted this harbor many times but always from the highway. This view is from the lookout at Snow Inn Rd toward the highway. It is an interesting perspective looking down on something. Your horizon line rises above the midline and leaves a lot of water to cover. There are still many boats in the harbor but I chose only a few and because it was mean low-tide put the red sail boat

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-48837486761811814112010-09-16T11:31:00.000-07:002010-09-16T11:38:51.414-07:00

There is a nip in the air. A couple of hurricanes have been watched. Boats are being pulled out early this fall. No leaves have turned yet, but there is never alot of color on Cape Cod. This painting is from a photo of a house that I had with the shadows through the screened porch. It was early morning so the cast shadows are long. I made up the rest of the scene hoping to get a focal point

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-37684638101122914422010-09-14T12:27:00.000-07:002010-09-14T12:54:31.839-07:00

There are many wonderful distractions while trying to paint on Cape Cod. Many long lost friends drop by along with many guests that keep the cottage buzzing. One invited me clamming and from that moment on, my refrigerator was always full of little necks and cherry stones. (That's me, clamming.) I prepared lots of clam chowder, linguini clam sauce and plenty of raw clams. I tried fritters

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-87077212284391456902010-09-13T08:38:00.001-07:002010-09-13T08:49:07.578-07:00

Been away on the east coast all summer. Did a lot of painting but not as much as in past years. Had fun with house guests and cooking for big groups. Our usual painting group is not interested in plein air painting; they come out and take photos and leave. The weekly shows in the park were well attended but few paintings sold. In this painting I was inspired by Frank Webb after reading his

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-66411150188803943052010-06-04T17:05:00.000-07:002010-06-04T17:15:07.093-07:00

Totally fictitious address and Victorian with see through window and porch. It is a vertical format with lots of vertical movement conflicting with the slants of sky and hill and horizontal roof line. Take that Mr. Whitney for composition rules. I think of some of the points made by Whitney, but I think one needs to let it go and then review them on the finished painting. Maybe then, they

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943205997158105744.post-37527723564816651012010-06-04T13:58:00.001-07:002010-06-04T14:10:02.230-07:00

Love painting birch/aspen trees and there were many of them in Canada. The guest cottage isn't really ready to topple over but this was a very quick painting. Sometimes when my painting gets ahead of my thinking, I come up with astonishing results. This is basically a cool green painting and the warm red note of color on the door of the house is perfect at the focal point. I taught my senior

Matt Connorshttps://profiles.google.com/104139249918185518920noreply@blogger.com0