A Break In The Weather allowed me to Photograph Some Repaints

Crooked Creek-St Lawrence River

On Tuesday Feb 4th the temperature was 25 degrees F and the sun  reflecting off the snow, provided good light in the shade against the barn where I place my paintings to photograph. Little did I know I would be clearing 12 inches of snow on Wednesday-the forecast was for 3 to 5.
Restricted to painting in the studio for months I repainted two watercolors  that I was unhappy with. I recall reading an article by a very accomplished water-colorist who said he discarded 11 of 12 watercolors. He went on to describe how he rescued many by painting acrylic gesso over the parts he did't like  and painting with
watercolor over that and liking the textured surface. My method is to start from scratch. Crooked Creek was painted from a photo taken on a trip sponsored by the Thousand Islands Land Trust (TILT). The creek feeds into the 1000 Islands Region of the St Lawrence River. It is one of TILT's conservation properties to protect wetlands for wildlife as well as maintain the beauty of the region by limiting development. Last summer I had the chance to revisit the creek again on a kayak trip sponsored by TILT.

Brown Bay -US St Lawrence River

Brown Bay on the US portion of the St Lawrence River in the Narrows section is where I live. (There is a Browns Bay 20 miles down river on the Canadian Side). This portion of the bay is 100 yards to the right of our home and I paddle boat or canoe into the area  to observe turtles, fish, ducks, heron, musk rats, and water snakes. This is another repaint using a photo reference. This summer I am going to set up my easel on the section of Peel  Dock Road that I took the photo from and plein air paint the scene. Plein air painting  loosens up my style  and I simplify by eliminating detail.

Below is an oil painting using a photo reference of the trail to Butterfield (Grand) Lake constructed by the Indian River Lakes Conservancy (IRLC). I took a winter hike two January's ago sponsored by IRLC. IRLC was formed in 1998 to conserve critical lands in the Indian River Lakes area of Northern NY. There are 18 lakes which feed the Indian River which flows into the St Lawrence River in the 1000 Islands Region. The reason the painting is part of today's blog is a coincidence (something I would call a synchronicity). Last Night I attended the opening of Thousand Islands Art Center Winter Show. I met one of the Directors of IRLC who said she was interested in purchasing paintings of IRLC lands for the office. I told her about this one and that it was currently hanging in the Minna Anthony Nature Center, Wellesley Island State Park. She lives on and owns an  Organic Farm   on the road into the State Park. Well, the synchronicity part of this tale is that when I signed onto my web site to retrieve the verbiage for the first two paintings in this blog,  the painting was the first in the list of  most recently viewed paintings (someone from Beverly Hills CA).

Butterfield Lake Trail- Indian River Conservancy (Sold)