Juniper trees are abundant on the Cape, particularly along the shoreline, where the seem to thrive in sand and salt air. There are prevailing winds that come in from the Atlantic on the North side, and the Bay on the South. Unlike Junipers further inland, the ocean winds shape the trees as they grow, giving them a great sense of movement. “Westerly Breeze” 48 x 36 o/c.
There’s an old farm in town that sits on dozens of acres of meadow that was, for years, kept mown by a flock of sheep. The sheep are gone, as are the farmer owners, and the land is slowly being taken over by trees, shrubs and weeds. There’s something mysterious about these old places, now that they are uninhabited and sit waiting for what’s next. “Farmyard” 40 x 30
The heavily weathered pine or cedar used on many old rural structures tends to darken and lighten over the years, depending on where the sun hits, or doesn’t. When the light is right, the darker and lighter areas appear bluish from a distance, though up close, the colors are more literally shades of gray. “Eastern Blue” 14 x 14 o/c.
Architectural structures and open land can be at odds with each other, especially when that open land is turned into a mall, office building, or subdivision. In the country, though, rural structures–especially old ones with history–always seem to be a part of each other. Meadows, fields and open farmland seem to complement old barns, sheds, and farmhouses that were built on them. And conversely, the landscape also seems a bit more interesting because of these structures. “Maple Hill” 20 x 20
I was recently asked how I plan the palette for a particular piece. The short answer is…I don’t. At least in the sense of thinking about the palette in its entirety. Longer answer is that it’s more of a plan-on-the-fly approach, where one color choice leads to another, and then to another. Thinking about what color works well against another, is the overall palette warm or cool, or (as is most often the case) both. In this piece, and the pastel study done ahead of it, green was the goal. The sky was the starting point, and everything else color-wise just came along after that. “Greenscape” 40 x 30 o/c
Skies are complicated. When clear, they’re pretty simple, but clouds change that, creating textures and patterns dictated by atmospheric conditions, wind, temperature, and time of year. I found this location in Vermont a while ago. It was one of those moments when the cloud cover is clearing, and a blast of sun shines through, casting a spotlight on the landscape. “Break in the Clouds” 24 x 24 o/c.
Late day light in coastal areas is unique. With the ocean offering nothing to interrupt the low sun’s light, shadows and color can vary from day to day, and hour to hour, as the sun sinks, and light passes through the atmosphere’s prism. “Bayscape” 40 x 30
Not everyone’s a morning person. Sometimes I wish I wasn’t, but I am. There’s something about early morning, being there when the sun rises, and a new day begins. Similar to New Years…where we tend to make resolutions to change, or improve things in our lives…mornings give you that chance, every day. “Start of Day” 60 x 48 o/c.
Early mornight, and early afternoon light is the most beautiful, as the sun is low and it grazes higher ground, creating a contrast of warm and cool. “Grazing Light” 24 x 36 o/c
There is always a color that, at the beginning of a piece, emerges as the primary color around which the palette is determined. In this case, I blocked in a yellowish gold with the slightest tint of green for the sky, but wasn’t sure it would remain that way to the end. But as the other colors came along, and seemed to work alongside it, I opted to leave it as is. “Flaxen Sky” 36 x 36 o/c.
