Stage Harbor Moorings

This Wednesday 6 painters found Stage Harbor in Chatham. The sun peeked out a few times but the morning remained mostly cloudy. I thought of painting the sky but when the top became blue, I imagined the sky would clear. There were plenty of boats moored so I chose one of each from commercial fishing to an idyllic sailing yacht. Most finished up painting in a couple of hours. The oil painters complained but had a good start. There are plenty of paintings to be done in this area and we will be back.

Red River Beach at Morning

We painted at the very end of Red River Beach. Lots of early morning exercisers turning around and heading back. The view of the dune is North with the shadows of Chatham in the distance. There was no sun. A father and sun chased a frisbee on the beach. It was quiet. The sand was recently cleaned and was so smooth. I added the sailboats for balance and some life. I like the quiet mornings whether it is painting or clamming.

On the Beach

Went to Troncones Mexico for a week. What was different was my timing as I have gone to this area for the past 20 or more years. No-one was there. The beach was empty and we had it all. Oh, at 7-9AM a couple of surfers show up and do their thing. That is it. The restaurants are open and everyone is readying for the Christmas crowd. That used to be me and my family. The paintings were done plein air and it was hot. I even painted with salt water, as I carried everything out to my spot. The tree painting fascinated me with its tortuous 'trunk' that supplied a healthy canopy of leaves. It went down into the sand and split into many cords which twisted as it supported the leaves. It is a great time to be on the beach.

Before the Storm

There is a big storm brewing and whether it will land or go out to sea is a risk for this swimmer. The man in the water gives the painting an estimate of how big the storm clouds are. It also is a focal point because of the color.I had fun playing with lost edges and muted color. I couldn't decide whether to place a swimmer or boater to create the enormity of the clouds.

Sunbathing

It's been a busy week at Cape Cod. My grandchildren, some have been here for 5 weeks, all left yesterday. What a time we had. The youngest is 4.5 months and just starting to crawl or at best roll to where he wants to go. A very happy baby. The others tried soccer, baseball and tennis camps and loved the experience. My painting area has been occupied and my 3y/o has been doing some painting. I knocked this boat picture out today and was happy to get back to painting. I love the color of the boat and the cast reflections of different color.

Herring River Redox

There were only 4 of us painting this morning. We were at the Herring River. It was a very bright hazy day at the start. The morning then became a little foggy and then dark. The rain had come earlier and the humidity was very high. My colleagues seemed unsure about finishing and packed up early. I stayed the course. The water was challenging with its cast reflections that kept changing. It ranged from very much white to big dark cast shadows. I was interested to see the cast reflections were darker than the actual color of the greens.

This is our beehive or rabbit warren. It is beachfront and has many units or suites. This is the path down to ours which is waterfront with its own pool. What luxury. The place is well maintained and even has a guard that goes around the place all night. When painting this at the top of the path, I had plenty of suggestions from those heading to the beach. It was a challenge since the shadows kept changing with the morning sun.

Sharks at the Beach

I did a quick sketch of my grandkids playing cards while we were in Mexico. They were having a great time. The younger ones want to wager everything and do get away with it. I thought of this as I prepare to head back down to Mexico with friends. The kids are all back in school, mostly in the cold east and would love a return.

Sand Dunes and Salty Air

Sand dunes are so calming to observe. We live on a sand bar here at Cape Cod so there are plenty of dunes to see. They become carved by the wind and support the growth of grasses. I found these next to a beach parking lot and sketched. I then wandered up close and there was a beauty getting her tan inside the dunes. Wow. The sand dune is very easy to sketch and then it is a selection of colors to match the grasses both close and afar. It was a beautiful day to paint.

Storm Over; Walkers Out

This painting shows the glow that comes after a rain storm. There are some puddles. The walkers are out. I did this painting for my watercolor class. I thoroughly wet the paper so I now have cockles in it but it stayed f;at during the painting. It was a very quick study and everyone was interested in how to create texture and sand.

The High Rent Neighborhood

This is the far end of our beach in Sayulita. I'm not sure whether one of the buildings is a hotel, but there are plenty of people. A single lane road leads into the area and there are dining tables with guests along the side. I guess the few parking spots limit the dangers. I painted the scene from the beach which has many fishing boats. There are fishermen casting into the sea and catching fish. Another time I will return and paint the boats. For me, painting is a little different here. During the heat of the day the paint dries quickly. Since I like to work with wet paper and plenty of water, it takes getting used to. This painting was done quickly since it was lunchtime and I didn't want to keep friends waiting.

Canadian Rentals

A friend reports that he rents a house in an isolated location for fishing. They have the waters to themselves for fishing and catch plenty of fish. It is a great getaway with fresh fish for dinner each evening and plenty of good wine brought along for the week. I've never seen his pictures but would imagine a place in the great northwest would look something like this.

View from Casa Manzanillo down on Manzanillo Bay in Troncones, Mexico. Just returned from two weeks in the sun and surf of this wonderful part of Mexico. Food and company wonderful and can't wait to get back. It was hot and painting watercolors has some interesting issues such as drying too quickly. I didn't have my spray bottle because it melted while sitting in my easel. I resorted to using a lot of water to wet the paper and painting with real wet watercolors. These paintings were done as quick sketches. Hopefully, they will get incorporated into larger ones.

Manzanillo Bay, Troncones, Mexico

Spent the last two weeks here with family and grandkids. No crowds, clean endless beach and great surf. It is early in the winter season but the press has not been kind to the area. People are afraid to vacation here, so the locals are struggling to make a living. I have been here for the past 15 years and never tire of coming back. Two weeks spent here can be dangerous though, but only because one starts considering the meaning of life and maybe not returning home.

River Launch

I have painted this several times, even using it for a demonstration in my senior watercolor class.  I just saw it today and decided to do it again with more contrast.  The effect is to bring out the people around the boat.  The darkest darks and the lightest lights bring this into direct view.

Morning on the River

Spent the morning painting on the river.  It was a beautiful morning.  There were six of us painting along with an equal number of fishermen.  What a peaceful scene.  Warm, sunny with lots of chatter between painters.  A great way to begin the day.

Windblown Cypress

Constant wind off the ocean creates beautiful changes in cypress trees.  These hardy trees stand up to the force but the canopy takes the hit.  Here, I painted a cluster of cypress trees on the hill.  The wind effect is evident.  A familiar scene for travelers going along the Pacific coast.  The light source is from the right.  The sailboats are there to create some informal balance to the composition. 

Amalfi Dreams

A year ago I was on the Amalfi coast of Italy. It was a busy place trying to tour the different towns.  Crowds were everywhere especially, on the buses that leave you standing.   I came across my sketch book from that trip and decided to try putting together an imaginary scene from those sketches.  The steep walls with roads and tunnels dwarf all of the boats below.  It is an awesome place.  I would love to return and just set up and paint.

Above Tomales Bay

Driving along Tomales Bay in Inverness, CA I had a bird's eye view.  Down below the tide was out and the ship wrecked Tomales Bay vessel is aground.  A home with a long, long walk is high on stilts.  The brown hills lacking vegetation that characterize Point Reyes frame it all in.  I stopped, sketched and painted the scene to the somber sounds of a bag piper standing on the shore.  It was a great day to be a plein air painter.

My Beach

My beach is just down the road from my cottage.  It is a friendly place with lots of kids and families.  I exaggerated the umbrella in the foreground to create the focal point.  I was tempted to put more figures into the painting but didn't want the 'where's Waldo' look.  I will do it again and try that approach.  On any weekend day there are many umbrellas, kids and swimmers.  I am not a beach guy, but do go there with my sketch pad and gather material.  I sketch in the cast shadow of a big beach umbrella.