Tag Archives: Cape Cod

The Poem in the Wave

Posted on by

 

TM9015 The Poem in the Wave 40×50 oil on panel

The Poem in the Wave, a larger painting which I thought I had finished in 2017, began calling to me from the studio wall these last few weeks. I could see potential for more subtleties, perhaps a bit of semi-transparent roller work, and a chance to calm some areas in favor of accentuating the major wave action. It was worth trying. I think the newer version is more sophisticated. Details from the new painting below, along with the first version. Enjoy.

TM9015 THe Poem in the Wave – detail from right side

TM9015 THe Poem in the Wave – detail with cresting wave

And the first version….

TM9015 The Poem in the Wave 40×50 oil on panel

Watching the Waves Come In….

Posted on by

TM9298 Watching the Waves Come In #243 7×7 oil on paper

TM9299 Watching the Waves Come In #244 7×7 oil on paper

TM9303 Here It Comes 7×7 oil on paper

Watching the Waves Come In is a long-term series that is always in development. Every time I learn something new I see what effect it will have on my little wave paintings. Or sometimes these small paintings inform my larger work. Either way, they are a delight to paint. I used to use a brush when working on them, but now it is mostly the palette knife, with more attention paid to the viscosity of the paint and the choice of paper  – smooth or textured watercolor paper (primed). I look for ways to let the viscosity emulate the action of the water – more like sneaking up on the subject rather than trying to copy a moment or view. This approach, at least for me, yields more of the feel of my watery subject. It also allows for random accidents to influence the painting’s development, and life is certainly about the accidents. Enjoy.

Luminous Days

Posted on by

TM9304 From a Luminous Day 7×7 oil on paper

TM9305 Pearlescence 7×7 oil on paper

I happen to love luminous gray days by the sea. The value range may be narrow, but the feeling of walking into a (nearly) black and white photograph is soothing. Colors are so full of emotion that a bit of gray can be restorative. It doesn’t make as many demands on our senses. With that in mind, I decided to push the minimalist limits of gray in two small beach paintings. There is still a sense of sound from the waves, and I hope you feel the spray. But equally, I hope you enjoy the subtleties in the palette knife handling of the paint, and the gentle contrasts of warmer and cooler in the grays. In fact, the more you look the more color you will see……..

Bright Days

Posted on by

TM9206 Bright Days 36×60 oil on panel

The last days of summer deserve a walk on the beach, and Bright Days is my way of taking that walk. A little fog lifting in the distance, a fresh breeze, rollers making their way to shore – all serve to memorialize a perfect day. Enjoy. Details below.

TM9206 Brieght Days – detail from left side

TM9206 Bright Days – detail

 

Not Yet

Posted on by

TM9179 Not Yet 36×54 oil on panel

When I used to photograph waves, I looked for the significant moment when the wave was collapsing – the moment with all the drama. Now, I know that every moment is filled with drama and significance – the building concentration of energy can be more dynamic than the release, and the backwash, the remains of the prior wave returning to the sea, has a beauty all its own. Ultimately, every moment of every wave is unique, challenging, and worth the effort to understand and paint it. Details below. Enjoy.

TM9179 Not Yet – detail from lower left

TM9179 Not Yet – detail from advancing wave

TM9179 Not Yet – close-up showing use of differing viscosities of paint and use of oil to drag and spatter the underlayer

Technical painting notes: I started the painting with a roll-up (soft rubber roller) of darkly subdued blue greens. While the paint was wet, I used a mixture of oil and mineral spirits to streak and displace some of the thinly applied paint, especially up near the horizon line. I used the same mixture to spatter and blot “spray and bubbles.” To achieve the dragged effect, I used solvent to spatter the wet paint, then a soft brush to drag the dots of solvent, creating elongated drips and gaps. I also used a crumpled piece of plastic wrap to drag some of the solvent pools, again to suggest moving water.

Beach Studies

Posted on by

 

One way to cool off on a summer day – paint the beach. Enjoy.

Dune Quartet

Posted on by

Nothing happens in isolation. These small dune studies, done in preparation for larger paintings, may, instead, lead to a whole new color-field direction for my coastal work…..