Late October Corn Field

The season comes to a fiery end.

Alas, Poor Yorick, after Delacroix

A high school class mate was kind enough to keep a painting that I did back then for an English assignment. I wanted to discard it at the time, but she asked for it and saved it all those years. I am grateful to her. She recently found my blog, and asked if I wanted the painting back. Of course, and now I am burdening you with it. What strikes me, beside my musings then, is that my paint handling, especially in the sky, is not that different from the pastel painting I did a couple days ago.

I will return to painting tomorrow.

Canal on Sunday Revisited

This is a larger 11x14 version of a canal painting that I did back in August. I did this one as a commission. I like it better too. Though I will continue to do 8x10 paintings, I really like the 11x14 size. This is on colourfix paper, which I prepared with a combination of wash and rub-in colors.

Patience

I like to think that patience is one of my virtues, especially when working with people, but sometimes I don't have it when it comes to making art.  Especially when I realize how much more work I must do before I reach the fluency that I admire in other artists.  But that's the way it is,  and fortunately I do enjoy the work.  It's just that sometimes,  I want to leap ahead, but have to put in the necessary work, and be patient.

This is a view looking west down Blair Road. 8x10 on uart paper.

Spying the Canal

Taking a break from long views to look into the canal. This view is near the only memorial to an American spy, John Honeyman, in Washington Crossing Park, NJ. 12 x 12 on colourfix paper. First square!

Late Day Long View

Another view looking towards the Taconics from Stratton Road. This pastel is 11 x 14 on colourfix paper.

The following comes from a book titled Silent Fire by James A. Connor: It is an art, the root of all art, the contemplative gaze mastered by poets and painters, the contemplative hearing mastered by composers, the contemplative touch, the contemplative smell, the contemplative taste. You can eat the world as painters eat the world, dance with the universe as if it were all music.

Different Long View

This view is from Stratton Road, but looking west down Blair Road. The Taconics are in the distance.

Above Five Corners

You may say the view can't be real. I say it's one of the most incredible spots I know. By the way, if you think I am in an 8x10 rut, I plan on making some pastels in different sizes soon. The method behind my madness is that I want to be able to frame something quickly. I don't have time or inclination to cut mats, or make frames.

Another Long View

The view of Mount Greylock and company from Route 7 approaching the five corners is always amazing. This is from across the high school.

Long View

I have wanted to do long views for a while. Only time will tell if it's a beneficial path. What happens when I finish a picture is that, whether I like it or not, I am committed to it enough to put it here, which I sometimes regret, and you may too. Sometimes what I thought was not so great turns out better over time, but more often what I thought was splendid, I put away in storage. I have about 90 paintings on view in my studio space. I retire a few each couple weeks to make room for the new ones. (I also will revise a painting and put it back up.)

Hopper View

This is a view of the Hopper from Sloan Road. I should get more done now that baseball season is over. At least for me.

Wagoneer

Okay, I'll admit it. I like this wagon. I also like circles, rectangles, and triangles, and trees, grass, sun, and shadow.

More Canal

Maybe this canal view is too something. A tipping, balancing act. I wanted to catch the sense that one can't see the water.

Canal at Bend across from St. George's

The canal on a somber morning, but with bright light nonetheless.

Dump Wagon

The vehicle is a "Richardton Dump Wagon" that raises up to dump its load of corn into a truck. When you walk along the road and see this thing standing in the field, you can't help but keep looking at it. It's like a sculpture by Anthony Caro.

Bright Canal

I don't have any remarks today.

Twofer

Both the shed and the wagon appear in this one.  Or I could say the triangle and the rectangle.  This is 8x10 on colourfix paper.