Watercolor Study

(C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

Between work demands and the heat of summer it was good to pick up the paint brush and move it around the paper. Watercolor is such a versatile medium providing such an endless array of approaches that each painting seems to be quite different on it's own merit.

This watercolor study is inspired from walking on the grounds of the Clark Art Institute several weeks ago in Williamstown, MA. Over time they have established trails through the woods and fields behind the actual museum. That is a depiction of me about to cross one of their pedestrian footbridges.

It is always good to try out new techniques when the mood strikes or when the situation seems appropriate. One of the low branches arching off the tree on the right side I created by using my fingernail. I like the free growth of the vegetation and the verdant coloring on the edge of the woods.

JOHN SINGER SARGENT: Portraits in Charcoal

When I last visited the Clark Art Institute over a week ago, my wife and I perused their gift shop, naturally, with our masks on. This handsome book stood out amongst all the other books on hand. I don't know if it is the black and white cover or the portrait but it simply drew my attention.

While sketching countless portraits of faces and figures myself, often in pencil from magazines or in person I felt like I could relate to John Singer Sargent. However, John Singer Sargent: Portraits in Charcoal by Richard Ormond is an impressive sample of one area of Sargent's productivity. It is hard for me to fathom that he did charcoal portraits of some seven hundred and fifty sitters. Most of his charcoal portraits referenced in the book are around 18" x 24" which is an impressive size that would command attention on a wall when framed.

On the same day when we were at the Clark Art Institute I learned that Sargent painted over two thousand watercolors in addition to all those large oil portraits and murals that he is known for. In contrast, Winslow Homer painted I understood around seven hundred and fifty watercolors. 

In conclusion, I have so much admiration for the quality of John Singer Sargent's artistic skills but maybe even more respect for the quantity of work he produced and so much of it while traveling. 

Homosote Boards

(C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

Homosote is a brand name for a cellulose based fiber wall board. These boards are often used for soundproofing floors, walls and ceilings. At least this is my understanding of the product.

So far this sounds like an unexciting post, right. Well, I often paint on various sizes of homosote when painting inside. I have used this particular board, as seen in the above photograph for years. These boards protect my table surface from moisture and hold up well. In addition, these boards are moisture and mold resistant against fungi.

By accident I found the value in using these boards. Someone I know was getting rid of wood scraps and encouraged me to try by mounting a sheet for painting on it. At first they feel a little rough to the hand but with use I find the fibers tend to smooth with age.

The Clark Art Institute

Photograph by Dale DiMauro

This weekend I was fortunate to visit The Clark Art Institute, in Williamstown, MA as it recently reopened to the public. It had been closed for months due to COVID -19. I consider this one of the top notch art museums in the country. However, this museum is not located in a major city, but in a majestic rural setting. So when my wife and I visit, the grounds are as important to experience as the great works hanging on the walls.

I must say the experience was quite different this time. When we first arrived we had to follow all the protocols which our modern society requires these days. That is we had to wear masks at all times in the building, wash hands frequently and keep a safe distance from others. The morning in the museum was rather quite barren of people as I passed through the galleries. However, it did become more populated as the day wore on.

One of the current exhibits is titled, LINES FROM LIFE: French Drawings From the Diamond Collection, in a gallery with lovely drawings of the human figure. The above image is from the collection of Herbert and Carol Diamond. This drawing of the The Sower, c.1850 is by Alexandre-Gabriel DeCamps(French, 1803-1860) with graphite and white chalk on paper(7 1/4 x 4 1/2 in.).

A guard in the museum informed me that numerous sculptures will be installed around the grounds in the coming weeks. After leaving the museum my wife and I took a hike through the aforementioned  trails and fields which sit above the institution. It is on this hike that you not only view the grand landscape with the Berkshires as the backdrop, but you amble through their golden fields with majestic trees in their natural environment as if out of a John Constable painting.

Sketching

(C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

When it is hot and humid outside or when I am becoming tired, drawing can be a great activity. It can be very therapeutic. To sketch freely, absent of expectations with the pencil pressed to the paper calms the mind. When you are done whether you finished a drawing or not becomes a record of where you were during this point in time.

These sketches were done while watching television in the evening. Often I experiment with different pencils or a range of softer pencils which I would not usually consider. I even experiment with these smear-free charcoal pencils that I have. It is also the time when I progress the most in trying to capture the human figure. During this period I feel like I am not trying to make a perfect drawing, just letting the pencil move around.

It has been said that drawing makes you begin see the world as you record what is going on around you. Along the way your perceptions of the world sharpen, along with your ability to communicate with others in a meaningful way. 

Red in the Landscape

(C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

It is important to include red in the landscape. That may seem like an odd statement. However, when red is actually portrayed in the landscape I believe it should be exaggerated. It adds a lot of feeling to a picture. And it's something I do not do on a regular basis. Now I don't necessarily mean pure red but somewhere in the color spectrum of red.

Reds on my palette include burnt sienna, cadmium red and alizarin crimson. Burnt sienna is one of those earth colors that mixes well with others. I often add it to my landscapes, particularly in the fields as without it, something is missing. Also, it suggests a time of year or even a degree of humidity in the air.

Cadmium red I use when trying to achieve a pure red such as a stop sign color. It it frequently used with other pigments when I make light skin tones. Since it is opaque it can appear a bit chalky, but looks great in contrast to complementary greens. Also, a touch of red added to a blue sky mixture will give it a grayish tone which can be quite lovely.

Recently, I have come to embrace permanent alizarin crimson. Regular alizarin crimson I have read is fugitive meaning the pigment fades over time. So the permanent version I use a lot in making low horizon sky's often with cobalt blue. When those two colors are mixed on my palette the colors come to life.

The entanglement of growth on the right of this watercolor was primarily painted with burnt sienna.

Taking A Stroll Down a Country Road........

(C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

During this COVID-19 pandemic it is important to be outside inhaling fresh air and getting some steps in. I have come to appreciate the lifestyle we live and the resources that we can utilize which less fortunate people cannot.

The subject of this painting is derived from a walk I occasionally take with my wife. She often asks which route I want to take when going on a walk. Since it is clearly mid-summer with high humidity and high temperatures a walk with shade, lovely vistas and a forgiving road surface are my preference.

I suppose this watercolor is of a lovely summer day in Vermont, which it indeed is. The color of the road drew my attention with all the greenery around it. The light in the distance and the shadows in the foreground were just as appealing.

It is always a great challenge to come up with a color which either matches what your eye sees or what you want to see. Particularly, when you are using a limited palette or out of a certain pigment in that instance. However, I believe the driving force for creating this watercolor is the warmth of colors found out in nature.

Stickney Brook Falls

(C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

Last week on the way back from work I set aside time to plein air paint. It was a hot morning so the mere thought of standing by a waterfall was enticing. However, I did not anticipate a burst of young children splashing around, as when I first arrived it was rather quiet.

The majority of this watercolor was done on site. However, I got tired of sitting perched on a rock ledge - so I did some finishing touches at home. At one point I got excited with how the green foliage was coming along. The leafy canopy is a nice backdrop for the drama of the rock outcroppings which really define the space.

Recently, I have been reading up on John Singer Sargent and his watercolor paintings. He was very direct in his painting approach to the point, where if needed, corrections were made all along his painting process. I kept thinking about his approach as this picture developed.

New Location for Plein Air Painting

(C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

Earlier this week I got caught in quite the downpour. The sky turned dark clearing everyone off the trail I was on. I ran under the canopy of these trees which led me to a lovely area for future plein air painting.

We have been in a cycle of rainy days which we certainly needed after drought conditions. Lately, it has been so unpredictable as to when the showers will actually come.

It was amazing how quickly the humidity cleared out. The clouds parted and the sun came back out with it's glorious rays of light. The rain seemed to enhance all the lush vegetation around us.