Ducks Ready to take Flight

Ducks Ready to take Flight
While continuing my pursuit of new ideas, I happened across "acrylic on erasable marker board". I enjoyed the quick dry time and fact that I could employ some scratchboard technique to the piece afterwords. The fluid quality of the paint when first applied to the resistant surface caused some interesting effects which were incorporated into the design, so allowing the picture to develop I indulged into one of my favorite themes "the morning waterfowl marsh."
5x7 dry erase panel and acrylic

Red Briars at Sunrise a Monoprint

Red Briars at Sunrise
A recent departure from oil painting found me in the printmaking mode where I came up with the the concept of Red Briars at Dawn. If I could pick a morning to set out upon such a scene it would be a brisk February morning as the dawn is breaking, In the east sky the last of the storm clouds are drifting away having deposited a few inches of fresh snow. This is not a crowded place just some crows taking to the sky and a few cottontail rabbits sitting in their forms. A Beagle Hound opens up from the side hill and this is good.
Red Briars at Sunrise - 5x7 monoprint with colored pencil embellishing

Belle Boyd Pretty or Plain?

Bell Boyd... Pretty or Plain?
When on the Civil War track an artist can study thousands of characters whose faces glare out from the history books and shout "Me! Study Me! and then there are those who quietly glance off to the side and wait patiently until some one flips the page and says "Who is this?" So was the case one day when this artist was reading along and came upon the portrait of Belle Boyd Confederate Spy! Upon reading of her many exploits I was surprised to learn that she was not pretty. What an interesting attribute I thought. So began the search for more images and finally I decided to paint her picture and see for myself. Using period photographs of the day I realized The long exposures (12-15 seconds) reveal quite a bit of character that was delivered in the quarter minute visit with the lens. Even after repeated attempts I could not find the woman not pretty, not that she was beautiful but that she just wasn't not pretty. But I do admit that her photograph did have some kind of ability to stop me and make me want to get involved. So is this the power of a women who could become a Confederate spy. I think perhaps so.

Using the standard famous pose for Belle I carefully consulted all other photos I could find before finally arriving at the image I produced. When upon showing this painting at various Civil War Art salons I was told that I had been very kind to Belle. I replied that I had really been fair. I wondered if I would divulge any Yankee secrets to her if she sent me a thank you letter. I am grateful I will not have to deal with this. Incidentally I was reading some more about Belle Boyd recently and was amused that the author remarked what a pretty women she was known to be......

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.