My Brother

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

There have been numerous commitments that have kept me from finishing this painting. Well, I finally managed to complete it, other than signing it. 

There were several details that needed to be resolved. One was that the water bottle did not read as resting within a holder. Another was that the fanny pack was the same color as the shirt, thereby not registering as a separate element, drawing the eye unnecessarily to the bottom of the painting. The exterior pocket of the fanny pack had an angular shape, which did not look right and was distracting. I gave the area another darker wash with a neutral color and created a softer edge to convey distance.

When you work on a painting of this scale these elements become important, particularly when conveying the human form. I like this painting for its composition and subdued colors, which sparkle in contrast to the red bottle cap.

Landscape Meditation

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

This has been both a busy and tiring week for me. Not only was I thinking about the local landscape here in Vermont, but I have also been actively involved in transforming a couple's piece of Vermont into a place of greater meaning.

From developing landscape sketches for plantings to installing both free standing and retaining walls, I have been working to change their piece of the world. Although this is a creative process of its own, it feels good to step back and paint a simple little watercolor.

I have been trying to paint a plein air each Sunday, but today I lost my best chance to a heavy downpour. Pressed for time, I painted this at home as a substitute. This is one of those little imaginary landscapes that takes you to another place. Sketching from life, memory, or imagination is good practice.

Every time I work on a watercolor, even a simple sketch, I learn something, such as how the pigment behaves or moves around and settles into the surface of the paper. At times leaving the white of the paper says more than filling it with pigment. Pure color applied freely is reinvigorating. 

Long Pond: Massachusetts-style

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Recently, I paddled my kayak with a small group from the Brattleboro Outing Club on Long Pond, which is in Royalston, Massachusetts. With all the rain we have had lately, the water level was high, enabling us to paddle into areas you usually cannot access. We paddled over beaver dams with little trouble, saw nesting birds, including Canada geese and red-winged blackbirds, as well as great herons. In this pristine location we heard and saw significant waterfalls.

This little watercolor, inspired by that trip, was done in one hour, and I think of it as a postcard painting. It was a glorious day, preceded by a period of gloomy weather. The shoreline is not developed at all, making this paddle quite spectacular. This view is of one of the many bends in the river you pass through before the pond opens up.

Often I find myself attempting to paint the colors I have recently seen in nature. I find the best greens are made from mixing blues and yellows, not from the tube. Coming up with that strong shadow color projecting on the water is a challenge, too. In this case, I used a combination of ultramarine, Payne's gray and Prussian blue.

Something's Biting at South Pond

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Last Sunday my mother and I took our kayaks up to South Pond. After paddling, I thought it would be a great location to try a plein air painting. It was a hot day, approaching ninety degrees, which is unusual for this time of year in Vermont.

I have discovered that plein air painting can draw inquisitive onlookers who are eager to see what I am doing yet do not want to interrupt my progress. Perhaps it is only fair that we artists, who are always observing, are also observed.

Shortly after I set up my easel, a middle-aged man came along, took his canoe off the roof of his car and promptly capsized not once but twice, barely off the shore. Later, when he stopped to see what I was painting, I realized that I knew the unlucky fellow.

Although I did not have a large human crowd on Sunday, I had other visitors. I did not get far on this watercolor before the no-see-ums started to devour me. All over my body I found small bloody areas, yet I did not recall seeing any insects bite. In hindsight, I wish I had taken a photograph so I could finish this one at home.

Ashuelot Park: Keene, NH

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

This little watercolor was painted plein air in the Ashuelot Park in Keene, NH. Once I started, it drew quite a crowd of onlookers. The vibrant colors and freedom of expression appealed to passers by. I find the paint dries relatively fast, preventing me from waiting around before the next application. 

The sky truly had a bit of color in it when I started but as it dried it ended up much weaker. I do like the brush strokes in the foreground depicting the light on the lawn with the hard edges in various colors.

I made a simple pencil sketch of this scene when I began from a picnic table in the park. I have to say I am beginning to like this plein air business even though the bugs and changing light are challenging. 

It can be hard to determine when the picture is complete but I generally spend no more than one hour on these.

Along the Ashuelot River

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Plein air painting can be a challenge with the changing light and weather conditions but lately, I have been embracing it. Also, plein air forces you to paint directly as you have time constraints. You get these rich colors down on the paper and it dries quickly. However, there are areas where the white of the paper shows through which can be advantageous, such as the reflections on the water, in this case.

When I am painting outside in the elements I am so focused on painting that all other distractions I am oblivious to. I am thinking about what area to focus on next or when to drop pigment into an already wet area. This free and wild quality I definitely enjoy when painting in watercolor. Often to suggest with pigment is more effective than covering the whole page.

What attracted me to this subject was the moving water against the backlit river vegetation. In addition, that band of spring green was stunning.

Muted Colors

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

This week there has been progress on this full sheet watercolor. First of all, this picture does not have much color, which is the strength of the composition. The muted colors help to make the red water bottle cap come forward. The background has been kept simple and lacking in detail, to avoid conflicting with the figure.

Mask was used to preserve some white areas for the hair. It has since been removed and painted over. The shirt which dominates a majority of the painting has distinct folds of fabric.

There has been much positive feedback regarding this watercolor. When matted, framed and hanging on the wall this picture will have an impact on the viewer. The posture, scale and water bottle details command your attention. However, there is still work to be done on the shirt, fanny pack, face and hat.

The eyes have it or do they?

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Last winter, I turned this drawing into a little watercolor in my sketchbook. Looking back at this image I find the shadow below the chin to be stunning. Is it a warm shadow or a cool one? The photograph does not do justice to the image. However, when I look at this warm shadow as I see it, I feel the time of day which was a mid-day shadow. For a little watercolor done in one sitting with  a minimal amount of pigments I am quite pleased with the overall affect I attempted to capture.

There is something about the lips and skin tone which are quite pleasing, too. It is a challenge to make the lips look like they weren't pasted on. They can lack dimension which gives them a flat appearance. I am not saying they were greatly painted but that they have a warm feeling to them.

Regardless, it is good to thumb through work in the past either to see your progress as well as consider how you would approach things differently. I do think drawing and painting makes you see things more clearly for what they are. 

The subject of this post was conceived because I could not stop thinking about those qualities I find in this image. I do believe meaningful art goes beneath the surface to some deeper understanding or conveyance. 

Big & Bold

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Since winter I have embraced larger scale drawing and painting. Little-sized drawing pads seem inadequate these days. I think it is simply that this larger scale makes a greater impact. Recently, when I was with a group at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the framed paintings hanging on the walls didn't seem so big.

In contrast the plein air paintings I have been doing on Sundays, are on small watercolor blocks. However, painting outside is an entirely different game as the light changes rapidly and the elements can be a real challenge.

This drawing was inspired from a photograph I cut out awhile back. I would give the photographer credit but it is misplaced at this point in time. What I try to catch is the way the light crosses the human form in addition to an individual's expression.

The View from Mt. Wantasticut

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

With the recent rain here in Vermont, I put in a bit of work last week on this watercolor. It is on a full sheet(22" x 30") of heavy rag paper(3oolb) where you can build up glazes and achieve a range of effects across the surface.

One of the qualities I like about this picture is that the colors are relatively muted. There are few strong contrasts, as in distinct shadows, but what color there is, really pops off the page, as in the red water bottle cap. In addition, I find the distant, blue mountains against the skin color to be stunning. That area is yet incomplete. 

The folds of the shirt and contours of the fanny pack in their abstract shapes, could be a painting unto itself. I am excited where this picture is headed as originally the distant landscape was not given much thought.

Portrait: Walter Mondale

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

When I brought in the mail earlier this month I kept looking at the cover with this face on it. In today's political environment, Walter Mondale's persona seems to have acquired greater honor in this era of reality television and fake news. Yet Mr. Mondale's face is unmistakeable to anyone who has lived long enough to be aware of Walter's background.

People saw this drawing and knew exactly who it was. There seems to be a strong relationship between the eyes, nose and mouth that is unmistakable to all humans.

This pencil drawing was inspired by a photograph on the cover of Macalester Today by David J. Turner.

Plein air painting

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Plein air painting is a challenge but I am committed to working on one small one each week for a while. I purchased a new watercolor easel intended to be used outside and a beautiful palette/ pan set by Sennelier. The challenges to painting outside from prior experience include the changing light, weather patterns such as wind and bird droppings. Ultimately, you have to keep your composition simple and paint in a direct manner with minimal detail.

The most challenging thing for me is to plot out where I am going to paint in advance. This way I am mentally prepared for what I will be faced with. This painting was done as I sat on a picnic bench in a nearby state park while I sat in the shade and looked toward the sun. I kept this painting to one hour in duration.

This painting has too much green for me, even though there were layers of green in the scene. I am learning my way around this new palette which has bright, rich pigments. I like the warm tones and the soft and hard edges in this picture.

Henri Matisse

(C) 2017 Photograph Dale DiMauro

Today I was fortunate to join the Saxton's River Art Guild, on a bus trip to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA. One of the special exhibitions on view was Matisse in the Studio, which runs from April 9 - July 9, 2017. Henri Matisse was a french artist who lived from 1869-1954.

This painting by Matisse is titled, Marguerite with Black Velvet Ribbon, painted in 1916. This was done with oil paints on wood. The subject is Matisse' daughter who was twenty-three at the time she was painted.

With simple brush strokes and lines, Matisse suggests deeper emotion and substance than many other artists of his time.

Blues & Grays

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Over the last couple weeks I been developing this painting with many other demands stalling its progress. The seasons have changed greatly since I originally conceived of this composition. However, I now consider it a memoir of Winter 2017 as if I could take it out of my wallet like an old photograph marking a period in my life.

This is a view from our front door facing South. It has that backlit quality which I have to come to appreciate. In the late afternoon, in the Winter, on a sunny day I have observed a glow that can be projected on to the landscape or comes from it. The angle of the sun is low, projecting these long, yet dramatic shadows. When you notice the quality of this light, if you come upon these conditions, there are elements in the landscape that you didn't notice before. Anyway, this quality and light inspired this picture. It is not finished but I like the direction it is going. The little tree is basically an under painting for the evergreen that will be in it's spot. I like how the building is off center in the upper right.

Manganese blue

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Over the course of this past Winter I have worked on a number of snow scenes as it is a major atmospheric quality here in Vermont. I have transitioned from exclusively using cobalt blue and ultramarine for my snow palette to include manganese blue. At times I use this pigment straight out of he tube and it has an electric quality that can light up a watercolor. This pigment projects a great feeling of temperature on to the watercolor sheet. There are not too many pigments from my experience capable of doing this.

You can see some of the qualities of this color in the above watercolor detail. At times I contrast it with a warm gray as in a paved road or against sunlit snow which has some raw sienna it to provide variation. Against cool-toned evergreens it can seem downright cold yet increase warmth in the sunlit areas.

My palette has more blues than any other color. The colors I mix continue to evolve as we speak, but manganese is likely to stick around. 

I do not seek to promote nor discourage the use of manganese in your watercolor palette. However, as I experience Winter in Vermont I see how it can be valuable in conveying the landscape. 

Spring cleaning

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Last week I started to thin stuff out of my studio space.  Stuff collected as it does from time to time in the form of framed paintings to art supplies and hand-me downs. I have had no where to put twenty or so framed paintings so they sat leaning on my flat files which I thus could not get at. So I started emptying out my closet to put new, more relevant, stuff in. 

Well, it is a huge improvement. I have a five-foot wide birch topped drafting table which I have not seen in it's entirety in awhile. It feels like I have acquired new real estate.

Some of this cleaning is inspired by the advent of Spring and much due to the dreary weather forecast for the next ten days. This little pen and ink with watercolor I came upon in my cleaning. To me it speaks of the enthusiasm for Spring and Summer here in Vermont, where the landscape is beautiful.

Portrait: Elie Wiesel

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

The other evening I was watching the television show Scorpion, with my wife.  Often, late in the evening, while the television is on, I search for something or someone to draw. Now that I have a comfortable reclining chair perfect for drawing, it easier to get in a mindset for drawing.

Since I am always searching for faces to capture, I have learned that older people or at least people weathered by some particular environment, offer greater character to convey, than others. It is amazing the subtleties of light across the face that you can pick up on when you pay attention.

The subject is Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor, who was a noted author, teacher and activist. The credit for the photograph that inspired this sketch goes to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. I just couldn't resist sketching his interesting facial features. I do not know that I captured his essence, but I had fun doing it.

Watercolor sketch

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

The transition from winter to spring seems sudden, this year, in Vermont. Three Sundays ago I was cross country skiing, while today I mowed my lawn and put my kayak rack on the roof of my car. This week alone I saw a white skunk in daylight, a garter snake, dandelions, cats bathing in the sun and rolling in the dirt. A neighbor's dog even got free from its masters hold and took off for an inspired jaunt.

This is a simple watercolor sketch I did several years ago. It was inspired by the colors of spring. For me, there is something appealing about pen and ink combined with watercolor. The pen and ink conveys structure while the watercolor provides atmospheric affects.

On occasion, I pull out one of my fountain pens, which have beautifully flowing ink and start drawing. These fountain pens have water resistant ink, which do not smear when wet, enabling watercolor washes to flow freely with no concerns. My favorite fountain pens are made by Waterman, Pelican and Cross. 

However, I find many types of watercolor paper are too textured to draw on, at least with a pen. Hot-pressed watercolor paper is one alternative choice, which suits me just fine.

landscape sketch

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

This is a little landscape sketch I did this afternoon between appointments. I was pleased with this as it is not on particularly good paper and my time was limited. When you use inferior paper I have found, you do not know what your going to end up with. However, I do like to experiment. 

This image was done on a paper from an old packet of watercolor postcards that have been kicking around in my studio for a long time. Normally, this is about the size I test a color combination on before applying it to a painting. This small sheet is only 4" x 6".

What I like about this sketch is that it was done quickly with minimal fussing around. As one can notice, the grain of the paper runs vertically which creates interesting affects. After I lay down a wash I simply drop in pigment and brush it around a bit. I had fun working on this piece.

There is this new color that I am excited about, cobalt violet which can be seen watered down in the distant sky. Straight out of the tube it is an intense pale purple color but mixed with other pigments such as payne's gray, I find exciting, rich mixtures.

Ligularia Spp.

(C) 2017 Dale DiMauro

Towards the end of winter I was sorting through stuff in my closet when I came upon an old sketchbook with this drawing amongst others. It is of a plant from the genus Ligularia. I know at the time I was mesmerized by the architecture and grace of certain plants. Also, I had been studying plant communities, which are groups of plants that grow in similar conditions in natural environments. Plants from these communities tend to be healthier as they often share symbiotic relationships. 

This is a favorite garden plant of mine. When it flowers in June, the yellow-orange blossoms are striking against the lush green leaves. In addition to the form, I appreciate the veins of the leaves, as well as the serrated triangular shapes. I have to admit, I like the soft rendering of the plant in this drawing.

With the glorious day we just had here in Vermont, one could not help but think of spring. My wife and I just came back from a short trip to Saratoga Springs, New York where the river valleys seemed to become greener by the minute.