Te Brewster General Store

Oops, another VW bus painting.  I started doing VW bus paintings many years ago when my daughter requested one.  She was a student where there were lots of them still going and had fond memories.  Sketches were easy then because there were plenty around. I put them in paintings at that time, but just remembered them recently, when I sold a painting of Mendocino with a VW bus. Three people wanted the same painting.  All of them said it was the bus.  Driving those buses was work and the ride was enough to induce the 'shaken baby syndrome'. 
The Brewster General Store is an icon for the town of Brewster on Cape Cod.  It is draped in patriotic bunting and there are always kids with ice cream.  It is a favorite family stop.

George's Pizza

They do make great pizza here and the people line up in the restaurant to take home their favorites.  I also loved painting this old VW Bus.  It's the one with all the windows (21 total) and every so often you see one.  It is classic.  I remember driving one and fighting the wind.  It was full-time work operating one of these. 
The Harwich Port Main St. is one of my favorite places on Cape Cod to set up and paint.  All of these are among my favorite things.

Blue Oak Farm Vista

It was a sunny morning with a frosty biting wind.  I find wind the most difficult condition for plein air painting.  I found a large tree to stand beside and looked out on this fantastic vista.  Planted fields had different colors.  The lush greens of the trees and grasses were unreal.  You could see all the way to the Sierra Mountains in the distance.  (Wind does clear the air.)
Because of the weight created by the tree on the right side of the painting, I needed something for informal balance in the composition.  I painted telephone poles and lines for this.  By the end I was shivering and this only added to my brush strokes. 

Black Diamond Mines

 I painted on a beautiful afternoon at the Black Diamond Mines in Antioch, CA.  Who would believe that coal was mined right outside the Bay Area.  It was a grand day weather wise and the hills were quite impressive.  There were lots of visitors to the park so the parking lot was full.  I got lost finding the park so set up my easel at the edge of the parking lot and hurried to catch up.  My painting at the end of the day was not finished so I took it home and finished it later.  This is unusual for me as most of my work is completed on site.

Barbados Home

One last watercolor sketch that was done in Barbados.  I was struck by the extremes of neighbors.  This house is on a choice lot across from the beach.  Next door could be a McMansion and the explanation is that homes belonging to the original slave families were moved to various locations away from the sugar cane fields where they were originally.  These chattel houses are of wood with a door and windows on the front.  Many have undergone major alterations while many are in terrible disrepair.  It is difficult to establish title for them so they remain propped on cinder blocks. 
The house I painted above is not a chattel house because of the concrete sides but it is very old.  It has held up during hurricanes and the weather from the sea it faces.  I wished that I could have painted more but was busy seeing the island.  The weather was hot and the people very friendly.

Tiny Island of Bequia

This small island has the reputation for great views and facilities for provisioning yachts.   It is popular with the boaters.  I did these two watercolor sketches around noon.  Kids get out of school early in the day and each school has a uniform.  These three boys were waiting to try out some wet suits.  As you can see above the hills are steep and the buildings are mainly on the waterfront.  Everyone is trying to earn money so the taxis crawl around hoping to pick up fares and the vegetable stands really go after you if you look interested.  In the covered market, if you buy from one vendor the others will complain until you buy something from them.  They even try to put things into your shopping bag.  It all shuts down at dark.

Bequia Beach

Just arrived home from a wonderful holiday in Bequia and Barbados.  Bequia is a small island in the Grenadines.  You access it by boat or small plane from Barbados.  I met up with friends and we rented a house high on a hill overlooking the bay.  There are winds, sudden torrential rains and warm sunny days.  The boats that come in to anchor are magnificent.  We were on a beach drinking rum punch and beer and painting.  Lots of talking with occasional dips into the ocean but I did finish this as you see it. 
I don't believe Bequia has changed a lot over the years.  It is expensive and you need a jeep to get up the hills.  It is very hot and humid and one side has winds.  Great place to hang out during the winter.