I grew up in a house filled with antiques. These items had been handed down generations, and were precious reminders of those who used them before us. As years passed, and styles changed, some of these pieces were used less, as newer, more contemporary pieces were brought into the house. But the older pieces were not parted with…they stayed put, as a reminder of our family’s past, and in honor of those who first used them, and cared enough about them to leave to the next generation. Old things contain the mystery and history of those who possessed them before us, and with old structures, the mystery of who occupied them before us. “Antiquity” 36 x 24
Summer’s underway, and here in New Hampshire the mornings are still somewhat cool, then the day heats up. By late afternoon, the lowering sun warms the light of sky, and cools the shade, creating a nice contrast in both the temperature of color, and color itself. “Summer Dusk” 24 x 24
At the start of this piece, there was no tree…just the simple lines of the old farm, the shadows cast by trees outside the picture plane, and the thin shadows within the ells of the structure. I liked the simplicity, but it was too simple…something was missing. In the actual scene, there is an ancient tree in front of the house, but it’s so old the trunk is massive, and it obscured most of the home’s entrance. Decided the thing that was missing needed to be prominent, front-and-center, so I added in the tree, transplanted it to the left of it’s actual location, and made it about 75 years younger… “Red Beech” 36 x 24
During my several years living on Martha’s Vineyard, fishing for bluefish, or “blues” as they’re referred to, off the jetties at Menemsha was a favorite pastime…even if the fish weren’t biting. This iconic small fishing town, made more famous in the movie Jaws, is picture postcard quaint. The classic old Island architecture remains mostly unchanged…fishing shacks, storage barns, boathouses and old cottages. This one sits right at the entrance to Dutcher Dock. “Menemsha Blues” 16 x 20
Many of the rural towns in Vermont are built low in the valleys between hills and mountains, usually by streams or other bodies of water…a logical location for the many farms that still stand where they were buildt decades, or even centuries, ago. I’ve always loved the drama of structures sitting on these low, flat acres of meadow and field, contrasted with the mountains looming behind them. “Valleyland” 48 x 48
The South side of the mid Cape faces Nantucket Sound, and is lined with dozens (maybe hundreds) of beaches large and small, spanning from Hyannis to Chatham. Facing South, the sun rises over the long arm of land known as Monomoy, a huge spit of sand plain and dunes off Chatham, and is responsible for some of the most spectacular sunrises on Cape Cod. This little place is on Old Wharf Road, in Dennisport, and is a favorite subject…partly for it’s simplicity, but also for how it consistently catches the early morning sun. “Southside Dawn” 24 x 24
There’s that brief period between Spring and Summer where the mornings are cool, the air is clear, the shade is cool, and the days high temps get warm, but not hot. Seems like there’s only about 5 or 6 of those days each year, but when they come, we declare them the “best day of the year!” This morning was one of those days here in New Hampshire, and while this piece was started some time ago, today seemed the right day to finish it. “Spring Shade” 20 x 16 o/c.
In speaking with a buyer recently, she recounted several of her favorite pieces, including one that she referred to as one of the “sister barn” series. I’ve painted this scene many times…one of my favorite places. These side-by-side structures do have a human quality to them; they convey a sense of togetherness, unity, and sticking by each other…qualities you value in any relationship. “Sisters” 12 x 12
Titles for pieces occasionally come from the music I play in the studio. While working on a piece, a lyric will stick. While finishing this piece, and looping the full Clinton Fearon library, his Love Light came on, and something clicked with the subject of the piece (light)…and the title came. His music, if you’ve ever listened to it, has a happy, upbeat reggae feel, though the lyrics are often a contrast, touching on issues of overcoming struggle and adversity (which we all do). “Lovelight” 48 x 48
Vermont feels like it’s locked in time. In a good way. Just about everywhere you go in Vermont, you KNOW you’re in Vermont. There’s just a feel to it. It might be one of the most photographed states in the US. And if it’s not, there are places that likely are…one being the Sleepy Hollow Farm in Pomfret. Aside from it being owned by Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, it’s fame comes from it’s picture-postcard perfection. And if you Google it, you’ll see most shots of the farm are from above, looking down, as the place sits in a hollow (hence it’s name). This piece is not that farm, but while painting it, and recalling how this place was, itself, nestled between two hills, it reminded me of the more famous farm outside Woodstock. This much-less-famous barn, also located outside Woodstock, may likely never be photographed by those looking to capture the essence of Vermont. Many may even drive right by it without noticing it’s even there…so I decided to give it some recognition. “Hollow” 40 x 32
