Left Behind

High and dry, for sale, but little interest. This power boat is in a field with long grass growing beside it. It is hardly a boatyard. Judging by the long grasses and weeds it probably was there all winter. I just returned to Cape Cod and found some time to paint. I find it so relaxing to get totally absorbed in painting. This subject was chosen because there was shade under a nearby tree on a hot day. It is the 4th of July holiday and many people are here to celebrate the holiday.

Marshall Boat Works

Painted this morning in a boatyard on Tomales Bay in Point Reyes, CA.  Beautiful blue sky and lots of boats.  I selected a few along with a couple of the trash barrels, posts and wires that seemed to fill the yard.  I did it all in 2 1/2 hrs.  It was quiet with a few people on passing on bicycles.  The best thing is that the boatyard is next to an oyster farm.  I bought some ice and took a couple dozen oysters home for dinner.

Seasonal Repairs

I pass this old boat in front of the marina on my trips to Sausalito.  It probably will not last too much longer as boards have sprung and there is plenty of rot.  In the past I painted it on site but this time I stopped and took photos.  It sits on a bed of ice plant, propped up on a skid and cinder blocks.

What I want to happen, is for a repair crew to come and resuscitate this grand model of fishing craft.  As I think back on the scenes that attract me to painting, I keep finding old retired equipment, dilapidated houses, broken fences, etc.  Is this a result of my aging?

Cape Cod Boat Yard

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 something you know, only imagine it. I ended up with 3 boats, 3 people, a shop and a wood pile. The original two boats were white and blue but you can see what happens on an afternoon with a paint brush.

Sailboat for saleboat

Here are two guys looking at a sailboat that is listed for $500. It looks like a deal. Everything is there including the sails and the boat is in great shape with no dings. Maybe it is the crumbling financial world that put such a bargain on a vacant lot. I love painting boats and especially when they are out of the water. There is a certain awe in seeing the depth and shape of the hull exposed. Sounds almost erotic! I painted this yesterday and I was totally lost for a couple of hours. It was an antidote to the realization that my pension is rapidly going down the tubes.