64 Miles, The Ashuelot River

Two of my plein air paintings have been accepted into this juried art exhibit highlighting the twisty length of this scenic and lively New Hampshire river. I posted the first painting earlier in the spring when I made it. This one was painted at the Atlantic Paper Mill ruins. (am I right about that location name? tell me.) It is called A Colourful Past. 

I'll be back exploring and painting this river in the months and seasons to come. Regular readers of this blog know that I like to find the unusual views and unsung spots. I'll leave the covered bridges for other artists to love, while I try to avoid poison ivy, searching out my own unique picture and learning a little local history.

This exhibit is on view all summer from July 19 until September 30, at the

Historical Society of Cheshire County, 246 Main St. Keene, New Hampshire.  603.352.1895 ext 5

Water Power!

My friend and I painted along the Ashuelot River in south western New Hampshire yesterday morning. We chose neighboring towns; Westminster and Hinsdale...(our chatter didn't annoy each other...just innocent passers-by). My 14 x 18 pastel Homes Along Ashuelot River was done in about two hours of intense work with another hour of work and looking in the studio today. It is finished, mostly.

The Ashuelot River is beautiful, varied, freshly stocked with fish (I saw state of NH doing that) and of great economic, cultural and historical interest. Grist mills, saw mills, paper mills, fabric mills, electricity generation-today and yesterday. I will check out my presumption, but these homes probably housed workers at the huge brick shabby industrial complex across the river. ??? Sometimes an artistic decision on my part arouses my curiosity and I will have to figure out what was manufactured there and when.

We are both going back tomorrow for another chance to spend a day on the Ashuelot, hopefully with dry feet.

Welcome Hill

Today is my first time painting out of the studio this year. My new knee is now working much better than the old one and I was really eager to be out plein air painting. What a lovely day to join two friends and zip over to New Hampshire, to a road called Welcome Hill. It is 3 miles from my home and I'll be going back before the daffodils, magnolias and bloodroot are all gone. Some one did a lot of planting quite some time ago by the looks of the trees and then made us all feel welcome to enjoy them. There are two benches to overlook the "wild" woodland gardens. SOLD

This is a poor ipad photo taken by me as I brought my painting in off the easel. sorry. Better one to follow. After painting this 16 x16 I was too lazy to use a real camera.

Falk Road, Dummerston, VT

I love to drive around my new neighborhood in Vermont, investigating possible painting sites...just looking at the views. On a previously un-driven-by-me gravel road ten minutes from home I came upon this fabulously tree-infested, nicely cultivated property. The garden was tilled and some stakes were up. No vehicles came by for the 3 hours I was there on the side of the road. Then the clouds even decided to cooperate. A perfect day for plein air painting.

This 16 x 20 was done on the very toothy Richeson pastel board (slate) with a mix of Sennelier and Great American soft pastels.

Cinco de Mayo

Trying to ignore my chores, I set up my easel in the garden just before 10 am because it was a warm, clear day and we haven't had many of those here in the Northeast this spring. I wanted to capture some of the soft colors and a feeling of the garden bloom beginning it's seasonal progression. I was pretty sure the dandelions would still need weeding later as would the latest closet cleaning in the studio.

In this picture the lead role is taken by the aptly named Star Magnolia, a sweetly fragrant bush we love to sit near. The supporting cast is a diverse lot of conifers, hardwoods and two apple trees with an adorable guest appearance by the little coral species tulips.

About 10:15 the wind kicked up and my board threatened to take the whole easel for a sail across the garden. My trusty stone bag saved the day and I've included a photo of this fold away piece of indispensable gear I carry in the bottom of my backpack. Stones can be found in most places I paint, but in their absence I've scooped up hands full of sand or purchased a gallon of water. Whatever you use for ballast will stabilize your easel in a surprisingly stiff wind. It lowers the center of gravity, there by making painting actually possible.

Later when I did get around to cleaning out some drawers in the studio storeroom I found a brand new spare stone bag! I didn't even know I had two! That one will be included in my upcoming BIG STUDIO MOVING SALE May 27, 28, 29 & 30 along with an array of prints, paintings, art supplies and other unique items useful...or at least interesting...to artists and collectors. There will be deals, trust me.

Dwarf Iris Rules the Earth

In early spring my garden has a riveting swath of intense blue slicing through it. Iris reticulata are small (4-6 inches tall), but they make a big statement. Their display is especially welcome set in the debris of my untended winter garden. They like good drainage, sun and can survive much colder temperatures than we get here in Zone 4/5. 100 of the bulbs will only cost you $30 and once planted you can pretty much sit back and watch your investment grow, doubling annually. They have been pest-proof for me for about a decade...and you don't have to stake them like their larger relatives with beards.

For me they have been an elusive subject for camera or easel, until this year. I finally have a pastel painting of them I like. Dwarf Iris with Lichen is part of the Transitions Series.

Dame's Rocket

I finally got out to paint today. Actually I just walked down the pathway from my home & studio and found this wonderful patch of Hesperis matronalis, commonly mistaken for phlox. It is not a phlox. It has 4 petals. Phlox has 5. It is all over the rural northeastern US right now and it is commonly called Dame's Rocket.

I amused my husband by loading my easel, pastels, sketching chair & a few dog biscuits in the wheelbarrow and disappearing into the green jungle at the bottom of the garden.

This 12 x 9 pastel was done on Belgian Mist Wallis paper with very soft pastels - Senneliers, mostly. The dog biscuits were used for holding Rosalita's interest while I asked her to "down-stay." She's a good little blue heeler, but she does love to chase other mammals; not conducive to concentrating on a painting.

I collected & scattered seed for these flowers decades ago. Now they are sprinkled cheerily around the borders of my woods. Every June I proudly enjoy the lovely shades of orchid-pink-white that I have encouraged. Imagine my surprise when my google search turned up a caution not to let this invasive species run rampant. !!! That's just what I want. The authority said no known ill effects, but nevertheless it is an invasive species. There are thugs and there are really bad criminals in the plant world, too. Garlic mustard & poison ivy being Charles Manson; Dame's Rocket being your teenager arrested for shoplifting. There will be no paintings of garlic mustard here...now that's an invasive species! And one I am waging war on here daily...and losing.

Shad Tree

SOLD
In my neighborhood the shad (service berry) are blooming. This high key painting`is done on a homemade panel of acid-free foam core and soft blue colourfix paper. I used Girault, Unison and Diane Townsend soft pastels with some pastel pencils. I find most of my painting locations within a two mile radius of my studio. I work out of the back of my Prius with the pastels laid out there as well as on my half box French easel. This paining took about two hours in the field. It is 8 x 10" and will sell at the studio for $325 framed in a 3" rustic gold wood plein air frame with no mat.

Of course two hours is not the whole story; first I had to learn how to paint a painting in two hours (and sometimes the time is chalked up to an unsuccessful painting...not everything is worthy of a frame), then I had to order & assemble the materials and make the panel, drive around assessing different spots for their potential to yield an interesting painting, paint while trying not to cover my face with pastel and swat gnats at the same time, then bring it back in to the studio and evaluate the piece for strengths and weaknesses, make minor changes and improvements, photograph it, cut and wash glass, attach spacers, secure in frame and enter into database and finally market and sell it. I suspect this is what people want to know when they ask me how it long it took to paint a specific picture. Some artists answer the question with "Two hours and thirty years" which I think is quite appropriate. As I've said before...it's a hard job, but someone has to do it.

And on a perfect day like this I'm glad it's me.