TM8590 Fogged In 20×36 oil on panel

The weather pattern always influences my painting. This scene, based on a location in Lubec, Maine, has been on my mind for years. It’s a gentle tidal inlet with outcrops. I’ve photographed it many times, and tried to paint it – never successfully. But with the low light of gray December days upon us, I thought of the fogged-in scene and decided to try again. The cool damp weather felt like Lubec, and the briny smell of the air in Boston reinforced the feeling. This time I think it worked. The quiet painting looks like what I remember – a hushed place with gentle colors, an occasional lap from the incoming waters, and a memory of the coyotes I heard at dawn. Details below. Enjoy.

TM8590 Fogged In – detail with trees and new growth

TM8590 Fogged In – detail of trees and distant woods

TM8590 Fogged In – detail of granite

Technical painting notes: I used a badly splayed old brush to dab color onto the granite, interweaving transparent glazes and dabbing. I also used a crumpled plastic bag to apply thin color and texture.