More First Strokes

To Be Determined...

   Yesterday afternoon I started a new painting.  It is 20x16 and is on gessoboard.  Instead of leaving the board smooth I chose to texture it heavily with gesso and then lay down a yellow ochre underpainting.  Sometimes I enjoy the way the grooves left by the gesso brush grab the paint.  I had fun just moving color around and making vague commitments. As you will see in the second photo, I do have a plan in mind and the final painting will be very much like I have sketched out.  The paint dries more slowly on gessoboard so I will be working wet into wet over the next couple of days.  I took it much further today but forgot to take a photo before it got dark.  So far so good!
        The photo below shows the thumbnail sketch on graph paper that allows me to more easily set up the composition on the gessoboard.  Perhaps when you click on the photo you will be able to see the texture of the board.  My early morning photo of boats on Lake Cuyuga in Ithaca NY is my color reference and the inspiration for the painting.

Ready to start

EXHIBITS:  "Sunrise, Sunset" at the Salmagundi Club in NYC closed on October 5th and I am happy to report that all three of my paintings in the show sold.  One of them is coming back to my own neighborhood!  A neighbor who already owns an 8x10 sunrise painting of mine now has a companion piece in the 8x10 "Millwood Pond, Sunset".
   "Color Sphere" at the Art League Gallery, Alexandria VA will be on view until Monday, November 1st.  On exhibit is "May Morning Above the Potomac".  The artists reception will be tomorrow evening from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.
     "84th Grand National Exhibition", The American Artists Professional League Inc. You can view my "Camelot on the Potomac" as well as many other beautiful paintings until December 30th at www.americanartistsprofessionalleague.org
     Audubon Artists Incorporated, Annual Show 2012,  I am participating in this show for the first time and there is much for you to view there as well.  My painting in that show is "Morning at River Bend" and you can view all at www.audubonartists.org  This show will also run through December.