A View from Scotchtown

The hot hazy summer of 10 has made it difficult to work on vistas here in the Hudson Valley but a favored painting place of mine is usually available during my travels and I took advantage of a clear day recently to stop and do a field sketch. The view is long here reaching across the town of Wallkill towards Warwick and beyond. I am never disappointed at this stop and have enjoyed the many moods this place provides. it is not hard to notice the change and growth around this place, but a historian does not have any trouble locating the historic hamlet which remarkably contains many of its original buildings. The historic cemetery atop this hill is a constant thru time and one can view the gravestones of some of the original settlers and sadly enough, even a few friends. I know I will return and try another day but one of the great rewards of roadside field studies is the capture of "Sense of Place" which I believe I accomplished this particular day. I am pleased to offer this "view from Scotchtown"
6x8 oil on board

Portraits of Millie and Bugsy, some Irish Dogs....

A recent trip to Ireland provided some fantastic possibilities for landscape paintings. Also I was very glad to make some canine acquaintances whom were more than glad to pose for me. Millie is from Naas, and I'm told she was not content during the day until this small portal was created for her in the gate. So here she is on post waiting for her masters return.
Bugsy from Baltinglas is a great little dog who can literally watch you by the hour. Always ready for the next activity, Here he is in one of his classic occupations, Riding the Sunbeam. These are a preview of some works which I am putting together for an upcoming show.I hope you enjoyed them. Kevin

Blue Jackets Manual

Blue Jackets Manual is a 6x8 oil still life study completed in my studio as my Daughter was completing Navy Boot Camp this Summer.This example is from the 1950's and inside it describes that the US Navy will now be accepting females as full Sailors in the fleet. My Daughter has been issued her very own modern copy of this manual. While painting this I was reminded of the strong Naval tradition in which we are now taking part of as a family.
I will very proud to include this piece in my upcoming show for the Veterans Administration in Middletown NY in Sept and October.I hope everyone can come and see.

Windham Works

The weekend past was spent at the Catskill Mountain Town of Windham NY for the annual Civil War music and art festival. This festival is a great time, attracting some of the biggest names in Civil War music and art working today. The gathering as it is fondly called brings together the likes of authors, filmmakers, musicians, researchers, artists all very pleased to share their works with each other and the public. I was able to take a break from the event and do some oil sketching near the town and captured these two views.The Catskills loom large here and the elevation makes for some striking August sunsets.I feel like I got a taste of something here but would like to return and pursue the large land masses and the light effects the area provides.I have spent countless days in the trout streams of the western part of the range but sense a whole different effect at Windham. "Sunset at Windham" on a 6x8 panel describes the strong light but fast fleeting to say the least. The following "last light" is a quick sketch before total darkness perhaps 20 min.total. I believe I will revisit these works in the near future to see where they may be taken.

Along the old Canal

The Canal Bridge Pool:

The beautiful weather combined with good stream conditions is producing some great early season trout fishing. The lower Neversink River is recovering nicely from the floods of the past few years and we are seeing strong Caddis and Hendrickson hatches. The trout are doing their part and are responding nicely to well presented flies. Hence forth my absence from my post the last few weeks as it is time to be on the river. This painting in oils of the the old D&H Canal bridge at Cuddebackville reveals an angler enjoying the sport.This popular spot receives alot of fishing pressure and is overlooked by many as "fished out" but it is the home to some lunker browns..... also it is a great place to try for shad,which I heard yesterday have entered the river. Enjoy Spring and get out on the River.

My Personal Wood Ducks?

My Personal Wood Ducks?

Ask me which waterfowl is my favorite and I will have a tough time giving an answer.But if my art portfolio is any gauge, most would agree I have a thing for Wood Ducks. Who could blame me? I dont think I ever get tired of them.The Drake of the species has to be one of the most beautiful birds on earth.

Wood Duck people are having some good years latley as their numbers have soared, Not bad for a bird whom once seemed in serious trouble. Good sound management and tight restrictions on gunning have helped but our recognition of their proper nesting sites has been the key. The land abandonment practice which began at the beginning of the 20th century has allowed for the reforesting of much of the Northeast and provided plenty of trees which these birds love to use as nesting sites. I was surprised to learn how far from water these ducks will go to nest and how high above ground. The most amazing thing is the Duckling leap. This free fall to earth is instrumental to their development and Hatchlings deprived of this experience will not survive. Talk about tough love!

The Drake wood Duck is a very giving bird. As a game bird they are fast on the wing, When added to the game bag they are always sketched and studied, Their flank feathers are collected and used to tie the Famous Catskill Fly Patterns. These feathers are so valued for their effectiveness that at least one of the fathers of American Fly Tying ( RUBE CROSS) was actually jailed for possession of wood duck feathers when these birds were protected. They are excellent on the table as well!

Yesterday I witnessed a courtship flight which terminated with a pair of Woodies hanging in one of my trees all day. I hope they are nesting, It wood be nice to have a personal Wood Duck Family.

An Evening Grosbeak tale

An Evening Grosbeak Tale,

Some years ago a box containing an seemingly done for bird arrived on my back porch.Someone decided that a Wildlife Artist would know what to do. As I gazed into the box I was amazed at the beauty of this creature all decked out in his yellow green, with his black and white wings. His fate now in my hands,What would his price tag be for meeting the wrong picture window or windshield this cold December day?

He appeared for all intensive purposes to be ready to migrate on to that Golden Habitat in the sky but I sensed something about him and decided to let him be the judge. I placed some water and a little dish of birdseed inside the box and left him alone. I was surprised the next morning to find him in the same place in the same condition, as I was prepared for some post mortem sketches and then the transfer of his remains to the woods for his final roosting. The following day was the same except for a new gift which I believe he gave to me as a sign. A little bird poop on the shelf. Could this be from him? It was out of the box. Hmmm.... The following day two new gifts had been offered, But there he was in the same place in the box. This went on for several weeks and finally one day there he was standing on the shelf . The little bird would return to his box at the end of each day. A few days later he would travel more and more around around my porch and leave gifts.He now varied his walks with wing beats and would do reps of window climbs and when tired would return to his box. A few days past and I came out to check on him and he was already out for his exercise and gave me a look which I interpreted as a request to go home. I opened the window and a moment later he flew out as if nothing had ever happened to him. He perched in a tree for about ten minutes and then took off like a shot. He was gone.

Although I missed him, I was glad that he decided to recover and return to his homeland. A few weeks later I happened to look out my back window and was shocked by what I saw. The entire back yard was filled with Evening Grosbeaks. They were hundreds and they were only on my property. It was one of the most visual sights I can ever recall. The brightness of the their plumage against the overcast woods was fantastic. Then suddenly they all took flight and were gone. This species of bird had never been to my feeder before and have never returned. I became interested in them and have learned that they were once one of the most popular birds in the Northeast just as recent as 20 years ago. It appears that they are in serious decline.

I would welcome any news of these birds. Hope you have enjoyed this weeks post. Enjoy the Spring. KJS

This painting is a study in oils ,size 5x7 on hardboard and is available.