Indian Summer on the Erie Canal

I'd visited Perinton Park awhile ago, with the intentions of coming back to paint there sometime down the road. A particularly warm day last week proved to be the perfect day to paint there, as the warmth of the late morning created beautiful blue haze which was especially noticeable as I looked toward the south. SOLD

Wyoming County View from Durfee Road

Wyoming County has some spectac- ular views. This was done high on the hill over- looking the valley from Durfee Road, off Rt. 19. It's the first large (18"x24") painting I've done en plein air, and that's a lot of area to cover in a 2-3 hour span of time.  In Wyoming, NY.

What a Week!

This has been a great week for me. First of all, the weather was beautiful and I was able to paint two days in a row, and any day I can get out to paint is a really good day. Second, I was in two shows, which is great because I like to be busy and getting things ready for a show is a lot of work. Third, I won several awards in those shows.

In the Suburban Rochester Art Group's show at the Mall at Greece Ridge Center, I won Best of Show for "Spring Green" and First Place for pastels for "Tall and Proud", in addition to an honourable mention. I am very proud since this is the first time I have ever won Best of Show in any show. The competition in this group is especially tough because fellow plein air painter Chris O'Handley is in this organization and his work is beautiful.

In the Rochester Art Club's Fall show at Barnes and Noble in Pittsford Plaza, I won a Merit Award for "Waiting for Spring". Rochester Art Club is a very tough show. It's hard to even get into the club, let alone have work accepted into their show or to win any kind of award. Over 120 paintings were submitted to this show and only 14 received awards. I feel very honoured that all of the paintings I submitted got into the show and that I won an award to boot. This show will continue to be up until the end of November.

Overall this has been a wonderful week for me. I am very grateful.

Just Passing Through

At 18"x24", this is a very large (for me) painting and it was not done en plein air. I would consider this to be a studio painting, While I painted it outside in my backyard, I actually used a photo of a tree I took on the trip home from Lewiston as reference. The rest of it came from my imagination.

Roses in Maplewood Garden

I began this painting 2 summers ago, but had to leave the park before it was finished after getting a call from one of my kids. I held onto the painting for 2 years and finally went back to the same spot this past June and completed this painting. I am dedicating this painting to fellow artist Barbara Muratore who stood painting next to me the first time I was there, but who has since then passed away.


size 12"x18", framed size is 18"x24"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

Sparkling Trees in Scottsville

This simple scene in Scottsville captured my attention right away as I was looking for a place to set up. It was pretty warm and windy though. My easel has a habit of loosening up over time, making my drawing board bounce around in the wind. Very frustrating! As the morning progressed the backlighting on the trees became just beautiful.



size 12"x18", framed size is 18"x24"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

Lewiston Art Festival

I had a great time at the Lewiston Art Festival last weekend. Sold some original paintings and met some terrific people, including some fellow pastel painters. The show was very high quality and the crowds just kept on coming despite the weather. The weather was definitely a problem however, as it rained just about all day Sunday. I had neglected to waterproof the roof of my tent, so that caused some problems, but I did bring along a couple of drop cloths just in case, so the damage was minimal. This show has been around for 42 years and the organizers did a terrific job. I plan on doing it again next year.

Welcome Home

After not being able to get out to paint for any real length of time since the weather has been so rainy, I finally set up in my front yard, knowing I could pack up fast in case the rain started again. I have wanted to do a portrait of the flowers and the porch for some time, and finally had the chance. This was a lot of fun to do, as the neighbor's kids, mailman and passersby all stopped to talk while I worked.


size 12"x18", framed size is 18"x24"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

Summer Sky over Parma

This has been one of the rainiest summers I can remember. This morning the sun finally came out and burned off the clouds which were soft and hazy, making for a beautiful sky.

9"x12"

https://www.etsy.com/listing/111391899/original-pastel-landscape-painting

Great Lakes Jetty

Done on a beautiful morning between rain storms up on Lake Ontario at the home of a friend and fellow painter. I have also posted a photo of the actual site for comparison. My painting is an interpretation of the location, not an exact copy, of course. I enjoy painting the lake probably more than any other place I have ever been to. SOLD

Genesee Country Village and Museum's Octagon House

This house is located at the Genesee Country Village and Museum in Mumford, where the Genesee Valley Plein Air Painters had a show called "Under Open Skies" during the summer of 2008. This house is one of my favorites and although I struggled a bit with the painting, it really came out pretty well.

size 9"x12", framed size 15"x18"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

Crabtrees in Full Bloom

Those beautiful flowering crabs are in bloom for such a short time around here. I always thought it would be great if trees stayed this color all year long instead of going totally green after awhile. I had to capture them before they were gone for another year.

size 12"x18", framed size is 18"x24"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

Sunny Bank Across the Pond

The sun shining on the distant bank really caught my eye here. It practically glowed. This was done on a day while I was out in Henrietta. All of the other places I wanted to paint had "no trespassing" signs on them. This was done in their little town park. Trespassing is definitely allowed there. Currently on display in the GVPAP winter show at Barnes and Noble in Pittsford Plaza.

size 6"x9", framed size is 11"x14"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

"This Used To Be A Marina..."

I was out looking for a specific painting site I had discovered in the winter, but in the process, I found this spot at Black Creek at the intersection of Ballantyne Road and Scottsville Road instead. A woman who stopped to see what I was up to gave me a bit of information on what had been there before - a marina. Something about this little, salmon pink shack really intrigued me. I think it's the first time I've used some of the hot pink pastels I carry with me. Sadly, I was informed by a friend that the little shack burned down a year or so after I painted this.

9"x12", framed size is 15"x18"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

Irondequoit Creek Waiting for Spring in Ellison Park

The beautiful blue shadows on the sandy bank on the opposite side of Irondequoit Creek from where I stood in Ellison Park caught my eye immediately. Lately the intricate things that I see when I look into water have fascinated me. There is so much going on on the surface, under the surface, the reflections of the sky, the surrounding vegetation, shadows... There's so much to see. Winner of a Merit Award in the Rochester Art Club's Fall 2008 Show.

12"x18", framed size is 18"x24"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.  Sold

Spring Green

Linnear Park in Penfield is a favorite spot of mine. The spring greens that are so beautiful were just beginning to really show and after a heavy rain a day or two before, the stream was really full and moving quickly. Winner of "Best of Show" award in Suburban Rochester Art Group's Fall Show. SOLD

Just Before Opening Day on the Trout Stream

Trout season had just opened and the fishermen were out all over the place. I did a terrible little sketch early in the day and drove to a new location in Powder Mill Park to try my luck again. The shadows in the creek really grabbed my attention and I set to work. It is done over a recycled painting and is a lot larger than what I've been using lately, as it is 12x18".


12"x18", framed size is 18"x24"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

Lehigh Valley Trail

This trail used to be the Lehigh Railroad bed. On the day I was there, the snow was melting and the air was full of atmosphere as a late winter storm was approaching. The colors were very soft and muted.
Due to the humidity and isolated location, I painted in my car with only the radio on for company.  Unfortunately, when I was ready to go home, the car battery was dead.  Luckily for me, a workman in his van was there eating his lunch.  Neither of us had jumper cables, but he suggested that I just leave the car completely turned off for a few minutes, then try to start it again.  I did and miraculously it started right up!  What an adventure.

6"x9", framed size apprx. 11"x14"  Sold
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

Hojack Railroad Underpass in Charlotte

I was looking for a spot to paint in Charlotte and this view really caught my eye. It is where the old Hojack Line passes under Lake Ave., then takes a turn toward Rochester. Years ago, the line traveled straight, to where I sat and then over the Swing Bridge, which still stands in the Genesee River. The Hojack Line used to travel all along the southern shore of Lake Ontario at one time.

9"x12", framed size is 15"x18"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

CSX Railroad Trains in First Snow

It was bitterly cold on this Saturday in December, but this view was spectacular and the composition was perfect. The wind made it impossible to do outside, so I sat in my car to paint. It is one of my favorite paintings.


12"x18", framed size is 18"x24"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, and are ready for hanging.

Stream Shadows in Linnear Park, Penfield

The stream that runs through Linnear Park in Penfield is beautiful at any time of the year, but on this afternoon it was especially nice since the weather was unexpectedly warm for late October. The shadows in the water were a beautiful blue.

6"x9", framed size is 11"x14"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

White Pine in September Light

This double tree stands in my backyard. The light hitting it late one September afternoon was beautiful and I had to paint it.

6"x19", framed size is 11"x14"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

Neglect

I have been very neglectful about putting new posts here lately. (And I have a bunch of new paintings that I'd like to display, too.) Between cameras being dropped by my kids and the computer crashing a while ago, it's been tough to get the images photographed and uploaded. I will be working on that later this week.

Lately, I have been recycling a lot of my less successful paintings. That just means that if I didn't care for the way a painting came out, I brush off as much of the old painting image as I can and work over the old painting with a new one. I really enjoy painting over the old image or ghost of the old painting. First, it gives me a colored background to begin with instead of a blank page. I really hate starting with a white sheet of paper. It also appeals to my sense of frugality, I guess.

So keep an eye here as I get more paintings up on the blog!