OK, just tell me this....

What's not to love here?!!!

One coming in, one going out.

And a final view from the bed-in-the-window of my garret room, relaxing after another full day of painting. The next morning it was farewell Monhegan.

Sept. 11, 2015

What to paint?!

I can't wait to paint the awesome sunset behind these beautiful purple buoys!

But it was daytime, so I went to Fish Beach....

...and painted this. Well.... I like the colors, but they suggest earlier in the summer. This will probably remain on the "studies" pile.

Sept. 12, 2015

Last to Leave

Does it count for anything, being the last to leave? lol

And this is what I was painting that day. Got farther than usual... but no, not finished.

Sept. 11, 2015

Monhegan - Day 2

Ah, that's more like it! A bright, clear day--this is the view from the 3rd floor window adjacent to the door to my room at Monhegan House. And that's Manana, visible in the distance.

This is the building behind the lighthouse, and I used this in our first exercise: paint no more than seven shapes and five values.  This was my effort:

Obviously I can't count!

Sept. 10, 2015

Monhegan Island -- a few photos

This was shot on one of the foggy mornings--by rights, one should see Manana Island not far off in that foggy distance. I later met a woman who has been coming to the island for decades, and she gave me a little bit of the history of that red house. It was originally owned by Henry Trefethen, and he owned a lot of the island in the early days.

So morning #1, we all hiked up to the lighthouse at the top for the first demo that Tim would give during the 4-day workshop. Oh my. No shadow shapes! What the heck is he going to do with this? Well of course he did a lovely little painting in spite of the sad-sack lighting!

Afterwards--from that lighthouse vantage point--I painted this breathtaking view. My paintings will get swapped out later, when & if I finish them. For now, this was my start:

As you can see, it cleared up later in the day, and I went with that.

Sept. 9, 2015

Monhegan paintings

Oh dear, I am hopelessly behind with posting, so for now, here is a grouping of the paintings (minus one) from Monhegan--including the one from Bangor already posted (whoops, oh well). Most are 9"x 12".

It was a very fruitful four days, and I can see now that if I only did small shape & value studies for a while, when I return home, it will be the best thing I can do to progress. The two tiny "7 shapes, 5 values--max" assignment, lower right, are about 3"x 4" each. They are at once challenging and useful.

Obviously, all of these will have to be completed at home, from photos. I'll start with the lighthouse--upper left--which barely got underway (and does not include the lighthouse!!)  Instructor Tim Horn says it's his favorite of the lot.

My gear is all boxed up, ready to ship back now, and I can travel down the east coast much lighter.

9/9 - 9/12/15

House on the Park in Bangor

I shipped the painting gear to bro's in Bangor, and the palette glass got here in smithereens. Luckily I arrived ahead of the holiday (closed stores) with plenty of time to get a new piece cut, and to take the rig out for this (unfinished) test drive. No big hiking effort--this is a few blocks down the street.

So I'm ready for the Tim Horn workshop on Monhegan Island, Maine, which starts in a few days. Oh so YAY!

9/6/15