Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Misty Maine

Last week in Maine, the weather was perfect for painting at the workshop Blue skies, crystal clear with gentle breezes. Our gang of painters had a picnic with the great light!But don't you know..the last day of the workshop, the fog came in on big cat feet and washed everything in a blanket of neutrals, grays. The sun went on strike. Everyday we went to a different site and that day we moved out towards the lighthouse at Porte Clyde - here is our assigned view. Teacher David Dewey always begins the session with an hour and a half demonstration, to guide us stranded acolytes back into the way of watercolor. We'd been talking about painting atmospherically all week and boy did we get plenty of atmosphere that day! David lays down "a mingled mid-valued blanket of color" on the paper first. After the ground wash dries (with the help of a hair dryer inside), David proceeds to lay on top the elements of the landscape - always "reducing it down to a simple snapshot...an economical framework" of what's in front of us. I was feeling overwhelmed by all that mist and pulled out my Winslow Homer book.
My Homer Value Study,
9" x 11"
and did an atmospheric value study to warm up.
Misty Maine, original watercolor, 9" x 11"
Then I got up the courage to plunge into the mist. This is David's palette - always a soup of mingled color that always comes out brilliant after it dries on the paper. And this is Windslow Homer's palette from the exhibit, The Color of Light at the Chicago Art institute. Homer is a big favorite of David's and his paintings are as relevant today as they were in his time. There are some terrific mini videos on his technique and materials at the Chicago Art Institute site. Take a look! I just ordered the show catalog - a must if you love watercolor. Rain or shine, foggy or clear, every day in Rockland, Maine, ends with a blueberry ice cream cone. A girl's gotta keep up her strength so she can paint another day. Right?
BONNE JOURNEE!

23 comments:

  1. CarolG: I absolutely love your Homer studies. Absolutely gorgeous. Please paint more of these. I hate to say it, but I am not a Homer fan---but I love your take on the classics.

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  2. Anonymous8:56 AM

    I've always been a fan of W.H. Next time, if you haven't been there, be sure to go see his studio at Prout's Neck. Years ago I "stumbled across it"... and was floored that it was empty, unlocked and inviting(?) just like he had gone out for a walk on the rocks out front. It was amazing!

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  3. Oooh--I love Winslow Homer's watercolors. I have several prints of his that are hanging in this room.

    Great atmospheric paintings there you all did! Looks like a wonderful class, Carol!

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  4. Great shots here Carol. Love the Fog photo you took. It really captures a foggy moment at the Beach. Loved seeing all the people out there painting. Looks like you had a great teacher. Did you know any of the people there when you got there. meaning do they come from NY or all over to take this workshop?
    Thanks for sharing this.

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  5. Carol,
    Thanks so much for your terrific post!!
    Yes...tell us more about the workshop. How many participants? Were you happy with the instructor...have you taken a workshop with him before?
    What a great week of inspiration!
    Thanks for sharing!!
    Bailey


    http://baileyzimmerman.blogspot.com

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  6. Oh how interesting. I have to go do some research on Winslow Homer.

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  7. I Loved this. Drooling. Love the mist. Love Homer. Great atmoshere MS AGOG.... truly wonderful. Those palettes...yummy stuff to me.

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  8. Anonymous2:05 PM

    Simplicity at it's finest. I love the wet in wet washes and the colors. A foggy dream

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  9. Anonymous2:06 PM

    It all looks lovely!
    So enticing..

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  10. Anonymous2:09 PM

    Beautiful !
    I love the mood :-)

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  11. Anonymous2:11 PM

    Very moody yet lovely paintings!

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  12. Anonymous2:14 PM

    I would like some blueberry ice cream please!
    Actually, what I would like is more blueberry tea. I got some in Maine last year and it was really good!

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  13. Anonymous2:50 PM

    I just finished my green tea with blueberry-made all the better when i added your atmospheric foggy shots.
    Can you post more info on D. Dewey's workshops? I cannot find info on the workshop on the web. Will he take a neophyte's amateur sous assistant?
    A true beginner that is!!
    Best, jw

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  14. Anonymous2:52 PM

    Nothing like Maine blueberries and lobster!

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  15. Anonymous-
    David Dewey already has an assistant...His classes are not advertised on the web.
    It's mostly return students from the watercolor classes he taught at the National Academy of Design, Parson, Lyme Academy plus word of mouth.
    I'll try to remember to mention something when he announces next round.

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  16. Ahhh..."Misty water color memories, of your stay in Maine..."
    OK; not exactly the way the song goes, but perhaps appropriate for your recent stay in Maine...?
    Do washes take longer to dry on a foggy day in Maine?
    Great post, Carol.
    sjerseyboy

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  17. Anonymous5:59 PM

    Bonjour Carol,

    Je reçois votre news pleine de fraicheur, bravo encore !!

    Je ne connais pas du tout l'artiste Winslow Nom dont vous mettez la couverture du livre dnas la dernière news.

    Pouvez-vous m'en dire un peu plus sur cet artiste, en français ou en anglais ...

    Merci par avance

    Bonne soirée

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  18. Anonymous6:33 PM

    Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your lesson! What a blessing for ever learning, ever yearning watercolorists.
    Lyn

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  19. Anonymous9:32 PM

    Fantastic moody misty work! A shame I was unable to advise you before you left that a survey of ice cream eating rabbit chasers found that chocolate almond delivers a far greater punch of strength....however, at least the blueberry allowed you to survive to paint again.

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  20. Finally found a blog that involves painting. Love your watercolor works. :) Thanks

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  21. That looks like great fun. I love Maine. Last time we were there however, we were staying right by the ocean in the middle of July, and it was so foggy that we were nearly 5 days into our week before we even *saw* the water!

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  22. Carol, great work on the paintings, and oh, that foggy street scene. What a photo!

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  23. I love misty paintings

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