Tag Archives: Cape Ann

Quiet Day at the Old Quarry

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TM9495 Quiet Day at the Old Quarry 36×36 oil on panel

It’s an interesting contrast – in the beginning, quarries are incredibly active places. Quarries like this old granite quarry were actively worked using much manual labor (often immigrant labor). That labor allowed for the construction of some beautiful edifices modelled on classical architecture, reinterpreted for the needs of the times. Now, the quarries offer a glimpse into New England geology and a place to enjoy the serenity of nature. Detail below. Enjoy.

TM9495 Quiet Day at the Old Quarry – detail

 

Last Days of Summer #7

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TM9488 Last Days of Summer #7 7×7 oil on paper

One more summer painting from Gloucester, this one from a small quarry deep in the woods behind a friend’s house. I’ve spent time here watching fish in the water (and trying to photograph them). One frog spent nearly a whole day watching me sketch and photograph reflections in the water and the granite walls. It’s a beautiful place in the heart of of Cape Ann, full of history, blueberries, and wonderful memories.

Last Days of Summer #6

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TM9487 Last Days of Summer #6 7×7 oil on paper

Back to Gloucester for a study from one of the many quarries – and the 6th painting in my mini-series Last Days of Summer. The still water is a wonderful foil for the rising granite walls. Some of the quarries ae incredibly deep, others are small and intimate. The small ones were usually worked by one man or family, and can be found deep in the woods. Much of the granite from Gloucester was shipped to Boston to become elegant edifices. Some became curbstone and paving stones. I love granite – durable and humble.

From Gloucester

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TM9474 New England Coastline #13 7×7 oil on paper

 

Gray skies, breakers, and sienna-colored ledge – this must be Gloucester! It’s mesmerizing to watch water find it’s path along the cracks and hollows. The route is always the same and always different. Enjoy.

Overcast Days at Bass Rocks

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TM9468 Overcast Day at Bass Rocks #2 7×7 oil on paper

TM9469 Overcast Day at Bass Rocks #3 7×7 oil on paper

TM9470 Overcast Day at Bass Rocks #4 7×7 oil on paper

Back in Massachusetts, and expecting some tropical storm action today. The light was oddly yellowish and so humid this morning – just like the atmosphere in this little trio of paintings I finished yesterday. Coincidence? While I’d love to see what Bass Rocks will look like this afternoon, I think I’ll stay in the studio. Enjoy.

 

Where to put down roots?

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TM9461 Odd Place to Call Home 7×7 oil on paper

TM9463 Study from Bass Rocks 7×7 oil on paper

No soil that I can see, but these shrubs have found a way get by in hard circumstances. The first is from Quoddy Head, the second from Bass Rocks, but both offer little but a crack in the stone for the roots to dig in – more than some people have.

Hazy Days on the Cape

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TM9453 Hazy Days on the Cape 7×7 oil on paper

Simplicity – the horizon, and under that soft blue line a patch of warm sand and a granite outcrop. We can always pretend to be there. Enjoy.

Technical painting notes: I used hot press watercolor paper coated with an isolating layer of shellac for this small painting. Less brush and more palette knife gave heft and substance to the outcrop. Adding Liquin Impasto medium to the paint also added an illusion of weight to the paint  while maintaining the translucency of reflective light.

Storm Coming In

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TM9457 Storm Coming In 7×7 oil on paper

A feast of grays and a stiff wind inspired this small painting from Bass Rocks. Even though the weather is blustery, the quiet palette is somehow soothing. A great day for a comfortable chair and a good book. Enjoy.