Customized Palette

                                                                               (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

It is great to be able to paint on the go. These small palettes offer a limited palette which simplify paint mixing. They are super portable and easy to clean-up. Plus, they don't take up much space.

I bought this empty palette and then added the pigments of my choosing. I prefer the whole pan palettes over the half pan size which I find too small to dab my brush into.

This palette can be put into a ziploc bag, with a travel brush, sponge and a small watercolor block and tossed into a shoulder bag I am ready to go. 

Since, I am still recovering from COVID this has been my go to palette.

COVID & watercolor

                                                                                           (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

This week I got Covid again. I thought I was well-vaccinated but I learned the vaccine doesn't protect me for a full year, yet barely ten months. So this outcome really changed my week.

After hours and hours of being housebound I was able to try out a new watercolor brush with these small watercolors. It felt great to be back at it even if in an abbreviated form.

I like the vivid colors and freshness of the paint.

Stunning Local Landscapes

                                                                                              (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

During this dry stretch of beautiful weather, not far from home, I have seen some stunning landscapes. Whether in New Hampshire or Vermont the sights have been lovely, just the same.

In the last two weeks or so, I have been to the World's Fair in Tunbridge Vt, painted at The Madame Sherri Forest in Chesterfield, NH and ushered at the Colonial Theater in Keene, NH. All of these sights had a backdrop of glorious weather.

This photograph I took at the Madame Sherri Forest in Chesterfield NH. In all directions it seemed equally stunning.

These experiences re-enforce in me the desire to get outside in nature whenever possible. There is fall foliage changing colors as I write in this moment. It can all be so fleeting and yet so captivating.

Wetland Study

                                                                                          (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

Watercolor is such a diverse medium. The paint can be applied in so many different ways whether with a brush, palette knife or atomizer, etc. 

Leaving the white of the paper can be a real plus when painting outside as the pigment is a little easier to manage. After all, John Singer Sargent said painting in watercolor is akin to making the best of an emergency.

This image was painted wet on dry paper while outside. I just wanted to get the colors of nature down quickly and capture the freshness which only watercolor can express.

Madame Sherri Forest

                                                                                         (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro

Madame Sherrie Forest is a special place. Located in Chesterfield, NH, it has a natural wetland, elevated pond and lovely trails with scenic views.

I find it an inspiring place to hike and paint outside. The wetland has a lovely pond which is quite tranquil. For me painting here is quite meditative. I can sustain my concentration for long periods of time when on site.

This watercolor was done late Friday afternoon with the light beginning to fade rapidly. Little did I know that a woman had been rescued from this very site within the last twenty four hours.

After I left I wasn't sure I liked this watercolor but stepping back from it, I realized there is a freshness and directness which only watercolor can deliver.

Living Memorial Park

                                                                                   (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

Recently, we have had an unbelievable run of glorious days. I am speaking from southern Vermont where today was another winner.

This was painted outside at Living Memorial Park in the morning. This clump of trees, which I believe are maples, are such a landmark which can be viewed from all kinds of angles in the park. This was painted from the Kiwanis shelter which offers a dramatic view of the larger landscape.

The last time painting in the park I felt like I overworked the trees in the background. This time I was determined to keep those distant hills simpler with a basic wash. You can see there is now some fall colors working their way into the landscape.

I feel better about this picture. For me, it has a pleasing overall quality with a soft focus except that clump of trees which are the focal point. 

Blue Landscape

                                                                                    (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

Painting the landscape doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. Particularly, once you have developed some techniques and can tweak the pigments to your benefit.

I am fascinated with watercolorists who can paint a picture in a few washes. This is something I increasingly think about when preparing to paint. This painting so far has just one wash - blue. However, I did lift some of the blue to reveal the clouds in the sky and thus, reflections on the water. Just with this one wash you can begin to see the main elements of the landscape.

This landscape was inspired by a hike I took around Goose Pond in Keene, NH, this spring, with my wife.

Today's Plein Air

                                                                                    (C) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

On occasion I overwork a watercolor and that's the case with this picture. It was painted today, as we had a glorious morning, here in Brattleboro, VT. This was painted in Living Memorial Park along a frisbee golf tee-off platform.

I had been eyeing this location for some time, to set-up my watercolor stuff as there is a nice bench with a sweeping view across the field. The early washes were exciting and lively but I got lost in the distant trees as there are layers of tree massing in the distant valley.

As frustrating as this experience has been, I learn the most when things don't turn out so well. One of the problems I had was the paint was drying faster than I am used to and the light and shadows changed rapidly. On cloudy days, from my experience, the light changes slower giving me more time to adapt to the developing picture.

This summer I have taken to using a sponge which I find to be a real positive development. Sponges are great at lifting color when needed and preventing pools of color from collecting on the margins of the paper.

Keene(NH) Art-in-the-Park

                                                                               (Photograph) 2024 Dale DiMauro
 

This weekend was the Monadnock Area Artists Association's Art in the Park, held in Keene, NH. As usual it is a lovely community event. However, today, when my wife and I attended it was hot out, at least in the sun. Fortuately, we had the shade of trees and the vendor tents to keep from overheating.

It was a nice experience as we were able to reconnect with artists I have known for many years and meet new ones, too. There were many painters but others crafts people, too. I purchased a small clay pot from a new vendor who had moved to the area within the last year.

While I didn't have a vendor space this year it makes me consider one for next season. However, it usually seems hot on this weekend on an annual basis which is the one drawback in my mind.