Latest Plein Air Painting

I went plein air painting to the causeway that seperates New Castle and Portsmouth, NH and found an interesting subject in the back channels and islands in the area. The small boat is on the far side of the small island in one of the channels and had an isolated feel that appealled to me.

It is an acrylic painting, 11 by 14 inches on a gessoed masonite panel.

George Cherepov

I'm sorry to have been away for such a long time. Alas when one gets old, these things happen.

There is a movie coming out called "Local Color" dealing with a young artist wanting to learn traditional painting but he is unable to get it in college art schools. He badgers an established artist to give him the training he wants. Supposedly movie is based on the producers true story. I've been told that the artist was George Cherepov. I've been experimenting with limited palettes (3 colors and white) and another artist told me that Cherepov's limited palette was: Prussian Blue, Indian Red, yellow ochre and white. This painting I did with that palette as an experiment. With the three dull, dark primaries, I was surprised how vibrant the colors were that I was able to mix.

I've ordered George Cherepov's book on oil painting from the used book market. I'm very impressed by the few paintings I've seen of his.

Two Paintings at Exeter Chamber of Commerce

I placed two paintings in the offices of the Exeter, NH Chamber of Commerce.

The first painting is an acrylic, 11 by 14 inches, of Peggy's Cove, Nova '.

The second painting is a pastel, image size 12 by 16 inches, depicting my haiku "Adrift." " Adrift on a dark, dark sea, I dream of what never was and never will be." It has been in my inventory for several years now. It's kind of a strange case: It has won several awards in at least 3 art shows, including a first with high praise from the judge but I've been unable to sell it. I've reduced the price hoping it will find a good home.

Two Shows

I have two art shows opening this weekend. One is in Newmarket, NH at the Ampersand Gallery. I have three paintings and three prints in that show.

The second show is in Exeter, NH in the Town Hall Gallery. I have two paintings there and over twenty different Giclee prints in that show.

The First Image is of a original Pastel painting, titled "Red Dingy" in the Exeter Show. The second image is a giclee print in the Exeter show.

The third image is of "Peggy's Cove" an acrylic painting of a cozy harbor in Nova Scotia and is in the Newmarket show.

Let's hope the art market picks up a bit for the Christmas season.

Veteran's Day

My thanks to all Veterans who have served and my thanks and prayers for all who are currently serving. My Grandson will be going to Iraq in February, please remember him in your prayers. My painting "Warthogs" was given to the Father of a Warthog pilot who was serving in Afghanistan. My second image, "Old Ironsides and Old Glory" is a woodblock print I created right after 9/11. I felt I had to do something with a patriotic theme.

My latest Painting/Peggy's Cove, NS

Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia is uniquely, stark and beautiful. It also has a quaint coziness that just begs for an artistic treatment. I have painted Peggy's Cove a number of times in the past but never this particular scene.

Due to health reason I haven't painted in a very long time. The previous paintings I've shown were all one or two years old.

This is my latest painting that I finished yesterday. It's and 11 by 14 inch acrylic that I will be showing this Saturday at an arts and crafts fair at the Junior High School in Hampton, New Hampshire. I think I'm the token impressionist painter for the group.

Two Sailing Ships

Ships are also a favorite subject of mine.

The first ship is a coastal wind jammer plying its cargo route. The rosey sunset is casting a warm glow over the scene. As all sailors know, red skys a night sailors' delight.

The second ship is my depiction of the whaler "Morgan" at twilight, the day's whaling is done and the rendering fires are reflecting on the sails. It is a lonely sight in the vastness of the sea. It has always amazed me that men could spend several years at sea on a 90 foot long woodenship. My painting is not an endorsement of whaling but a tribute to the men who endured the loneliness and peril of years at sea. I believe that whales have too large a brain not to be sentient and that killing an intelligent being is morally wrong.

Both paintings are pastel on sanded paper. Both have been sold.

A Couple of Marine Paintings

I wanted to get a couple of paintings of marine subjects on my blog before I called it a day. The first painting is an acrylic (sold) of the fishing pier in Portsmouth, NH. The title: "Ice and Fuel" is the sign above the fishing boats. The boats were being prepared for sea.

It was a rainy day and I sat on a picnic table under a canopy, on Pierce Island just across a narrow part of the harbor. The humidity was so high that my acrylics wouldn't dry and became too slick to continue painting. I took a couple reference photos and finished the last 20% of the painting at home. This painting won several awards for me. This painting has been sold.

The second painting also picked up a couple awards and is a pastel. It's coarse texture is due to the Canson paper. It is not a smooth paper. There is also an autobiographical haiku that goes with this painting. It's titled "adrift."

"Adrift on a dark

Dark sea I dream of what never

Was and never will be"

What's a couple extra syllables among friends? It's a lament of a dreamer.

This painting is still available.