Dewey's Pond

Yesterday was a fine, warm November day to gather with the Odanaksis artists at Dewey's Pond in Quechee.  The sun was shining and there was a little breeze and we all know that any day now it will be cold and snowy--making the day even more special.

I took up a seat looking over the pond toward the west and using my Sharpie, sketched what I saw in my traveling sketchbook.  My watercolor brush with the water in the handle, accessed by squeezing the barrel, works well for this kind of sketch.

"Dewey's Pond"

watercolor and marker - 5 1/2" x 9"

Although the foliage was actually a bit muted, I decided that being a bit fauvist would be fun.  So, my painting looks a bit more peak foliage than it was...

Painting with Sandy

Yesterday was too wet to paint outdoors and too dark to paint in the studio so Sandy and I set up in the kitchen with a fall flower bouquet and got out our watercolors.  Working back and forth on two paintings is a good way to go so on a damp day like yesterday.  One can dry a bit while I work on the other.  At the end of the session, I had two studies, this first, a light and breezy painting.  I may go back in and add a few details...

"Fall Flowers"

watercolor - 4" x 6"

The next one is my attempt to add a dark background to make the flowers stand out.  I also sprayed it with water to soften parts but maybe I got carried away a bit...

"Chrysanthemums"

watercolor - 4" x 6"

So, I decided to add some marker lines to clarify details and edges and pump it up a little and I'm pretty happy with it now...

"Chrysanthemums"

watercolor and marker - 4" x 6"

As I get back to painting after a very busy season of guests and travel, it's fun and very accessible to start by working small. 

Art in the Round Barn

I was fortunate to be selected to show my paintings this year in Waitsfield, VT at the historic Round Barn.  

Artists from Vermont, New England and beyond were selected from a pool of over 100 applicants and all art works are for sale.  The "Meet the Artists" Opening Reception was held yesterday, September 20 from 4 to 7 pm.  The barn is a lovely antique building and the food, the wine and the atmosphere were great....

These are the three paintings I exhibited this year...

...and here I am with fellow exhibiting artists, Helen Schulman and Sheryl Trainor...

...and Randall Gardiner whose work was hung next to mine.....

It's a lovely ride up to Waitsfield and if you're in the area, the show is open to the public September 21 through October 12, 10 to 5 on weekdays and 10 to 2 on weekends...

In Obertsdorf

Yesterday we drove from Ulm to Oberstdorf--225 km per hour--or 140 mph--on the Autobahn, Angelika driving.  Quite exciting!  In the afternoon we went for a hike to the village along the hiking trails.

Along the way, we saw a beautiful little church, the church of Santa Barbara...

Inside it was just as lovely with little nosegays at the end of all the pews, perhaps left from an earlier wedding...

As we walked along, we came upon this bull with a bell on him, making the characteristic noise that sounds like the alps.  Some people today think that the tolling of the bell is driving the bulls crazy but it's been going on for years and I think we have to check it out on Google when we have the chance!

Dinner was at a llittle restaurant outdoors looking at the mountains in the near distance...

We enjoyed pork chops with crackle, noodles and with onions and cheese and, for dessert, a special caramlized pancake with apples, almonds and plum sauce...

Saint-Gaudens Iris

Using a photo that I took at Saint-Gaudens I added a bit to the watercolor I started earlier and I'm pleased with the result....

"Saint-Gaudens Iris"

watercolor - 9" x 12"

Now I'm looking forward to following the blossoms through the summer.  I only wish I'd started earlier in the growing season!

A Day at Saint-Gaudens

Yesterday, Sandy and I spent the day at Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish, New Hampshire.  The home, studios and gardens of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America’s greatest sculptors are quite amazing.  Over 100 of his artworks are displayed in the galleries and on the grounds, from heroic public monuments to expressive portrait reliefs, and the gold coins which changed the look of American coinage.
In the gardens, the poppies had gone by but the foxglove, iris and peonies were blooming beautifully.  We sat right down on the ground to be eye level with the blossoms and enjoyed a sunny, warm day of watercoloring.  Here is my version of the peonies....

"Saint-Gaudens Peonies"

watercolor - 12" x 16"

I also started a painting of iris and hope that finishing it in the studio using photos taken yesterday will not result in a tightened up painting!

Vermont Artists Week Again

In Johnson, I started several pieces that I didn't have time to complete.  Yesterday, I finisheded this drawing of Red Mill, where offices, the gallery and the dining hall for Vermont Studio Center are housed.  The Gihon River flows past the building, tumbling over rocks and making lovely white water.  During my stay in Johnson, the days were either dark and stormy or, toward the end of the week, warm and sunny.  My drawing hopefully captures a little of both....

"Red Mill"

10 1/2" x 13 1/2" - soft pencil on gessoed paper

I'm still working on three paintings started during Vermont Artists Week and will post again as I complete them....