Fall on the Ice Pond

                                                                 (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Fall colors come and go so fast. The heavy rains seem to knock the deciduous trees barren. This combined with the rapidly shortened length of day and it definitely feels like we are between seasons.

This watercolor was done in under an hour. I should say it is probably not finished. However, the next time I get outside to paint the landscape is likely to look totally different. 

Many artists say it is difficult to capture the colors of fall in a painting without looking too gaudy. Often, I try to capture what I see out in nature. Each time painting I try to have an open mind as it is a new experience.

Along the West River

                                                                    (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Recently, I was reading a used book, titled, Painting More Than the Eye Can See, by Robert Wade, a noted watercolor painter. He encourages artists to paint postcard-sized sketches on a daily basis, as one can progress significantly, even in as short a time as a month. 

This is one such sized watercolor. This took longer than the eight minutes he allows but I think this composition is more thought-out and complicated than some of the ones in his book.

You can see the new I-91 bridge in the distance. This watercolor has many of the colors we associate with the landscape of Vermont during the summer months.

Scott Farm

                                                                   (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Earlier this week I was fortunate to join the Saxton's River Art Group for some plein air painting at a nearby farm. Rain had been forecast, but the morning turned out to be quite conducive for painting outside.

The fall colors stood out in contrast to the gray skies. It made me realize how important it is to get outside before the deciduous trees all shed their leaves in the upcoming weeks.

When starting this watercolor, I didn't notice the outbuilding in the foreground. It is neglected and invaded by growth. Soon, I embraced it as an asset.

I like the overall character of the landscape and the sense of depth in this picture.

Hubbard Park

                                                                  (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Hubbard Park in Montpelier, VT is a 194 acre park north of the Vermont State House. It has lovely trails and open fields. In addition, it has a fifty-four foot stone observation tower which has since been added to the National Register of Historic Places. 

Since visiting this park in the late summer I keep having flashbacks of the lovely fields and open spaces which you would only find in Vermont. They are not filled with playgrounds and paved over but have wildflowers, organic configurations and minimal maintenance.

I painted this watercolor on rough paper, Arches to be exact. Rough paper has a strong texture to it's surface, as it's name implies, when used to great affect it can be quite expressive. With more practice hopefully I can take advantage of the numerous high points on the paper.

Watercolor Doodle

                                                                  (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

It feels good to simply push the paint around sometimes. There had been some watercolor marks on this sheet of paper which had some abstract qualities. Yet, I could envision a landscape if I developed this further.

Watercolor painting I think is most successful when done in succession. There is a certain freedom of expression and looseness when one digs into a painting. Once one becomes hesitant or tentative I believe it shows in the work.

As a result this landscape felt good as I worked through it. It may not be my best painting but I enjoyed the process. Along the way I experimented with different ways to portray the water and the foliage in the foreground.

Sebago Lake

                                                                   (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

Recently, I was perusing photographs I took over the summer. This summer has definitely been different from others in the past due to COVID-19 and it's lack of genuine social interaction, and this photograph stood out, representing the absence of people and the beauty of nature. It seemed worthy of a post.

I took this photograph when visiting Sebago Lake in Maine. This is the second largest lake in the state of Maine but one of the cleanest bodies of water and beaches I have ever been in or on. This photograph seemed like it could have been taken at a tropical beach far from Maine.

The vivid colors, ripples, and transparency of the lake water give this image the qualities you often find in a watercolor painting. My wife and I discovered this protective cove within the State Park late in the afternoon as the sun was getting low with spectacular light affects.

Plein Air Landscape

                                                                (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Earlier in the week I had the opportunity to paint outside with the Saxton's River Art Group. We met at the Four Column's Inn in Newfane, Vermont. The morning started off chilly, but it ended up being a lovely day weatherwise.

I like the location, subject matter, and composition that I settled on. However, this watercolor needs a little more work. The colors seem drab, but I feel as though they do capture the scene. I did take artistic license in eliminating certain features, specifically some small shrubs along the water's edge. 

Along the Passumpsic River

                                                                 (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

During my Summer travels I learned the Passumpsic River which weaves through St. Johnsbury, Vermont is quite a scenic body of water. My wife and I saw the sun begin to set along this river after being passed by a gathering of girls softball players as they headed to their cars. Of course we had our masks on and kept our distance. 

The Moose River also in St. Johnsbury, Vermont merges with the Passumpsic River. While this is a smaller river it has lovely falls, ripples and pools along it's rocky shoreline. One need not ponder how this river got it's name. A woman who works at the local boutique in downtown St. Johnsbury told me moose have been known to cross the main streets in town.

This watercolor is of the Passumpsic River facing downstream with it's blue waters and lush shoreline.

Broadening the Palette

                                                               (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

Earlier this Summer I bought a book on John Singer Sargent when my wife and I visited the the Clark Art Museum in Williamstown, MA. I have been studying Sargent's watercolors ever since. 

Along the way I have become curious about Sargent's use of yellows and browns in his watercolors. The use of yellows for the sky and browns in general have been a weak area for me. Part of the issue is that I haven't even considered going in that direction at all and the other factor is a lack of browns which I have found captivating. 

Lately, I have been experimenting with different combinations of yellows and browns to incorporate into my watercolors. Two color combinations which I have been playing with are red madder/aureolin yellow and paynes gray/burnt sienna. The first combination has a warm, lively orangish tint and the other is a cool brown. Both are much better than anything you would find in a paint tube. The value studies on the left side of the image show some of the tinkering around with these pigments.

Sunset Reservoir

                                                                           (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

Paddling at this time of year is quite a treat. With such beautiful weather the atmosphere has been so clear and transparent. Along the shoreline of our local bodies of water you can see the bottom with such clarity.

The reflections from the sky onto the water is what attracted me to this subject matter. In addition, the greens of the foliage are so vivid and full of life.

I painted this watercolor rapidly as it was so much fun to work on. There are colors and natural patterns which take time to fully appreciate. However, once I delved into this scene I mixed pigments I had not combined before.

Plein Air Painting: Watercolor Study

                                                                  (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro
 

This past Monday I did some watercolor painting with the Saxton's River Art Group in Walpole, N.H. Since I was amongst all these historical buildings along The Common I figured it was a good time to try a plein air with an architectural focus. I didn't include the whole building as time would be limited and  the light was going to change rapidly.

The perspective is not quite right but I have done worse in the past so I was somewhat pleased with what I came up with. I tweaked the landscape so my focus could settle on the building's features.

It truly is a challenge to capture a building's details out in the natural light. First you have to settle on a composition that is not too involved. Then as you work on your picture you see things you didn't see when you began. However, there is a strong presence to the building which I find refreshing.

Groton State Forest

                                                  (C) 2020 Photograph Dale DiMauro

While on vacation in northern Vermont my wife and I discovered Groton State Forest. On the map I noticed there were several state parks in close proximity, which is unusual. Little did we know that Groton State Forest consists of 26,164 acres of largely undeveloped land. The forest occupies land in several towns which include Groton, Marshfield, Plainfield and Topsham.

Vermont is well known for hidden jewels off the beaten path but this treasure was on a scale I was not prepared for. We saw sweeping vistas of distant mountains, lakes, ponds, hiking trails and vast tracts of pristine forest. Later on I learned there are seven state parks located in Groton State Forest. One, Kettle Pond State Park seems to be quite the gem. It has clean, clear water and is as beautiful as any body of water I have ever seen.

It is important to find inspiration in new experiences and broaden our horizons as we find our way through this pandemic. This trip heightened my awareness of our surroundings as we traversed territory we would not normally seek as a means to avoid at-risk COVID-19 areas.

Plein Air Painting

   C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

On Monday I was fortunate in joining the Saxton's River Art Group for one of their scheduled plein air gatherings. I had not painted outside with a group this year largely due to Covid 19 and other work conflicts. Needless to say it was a meaningful outing.

We met at Alyson's Orchard in Walpole, NH at 9:30 AM. By then the sun and humidity were increasing but I was able to secure a spot under a canopy of shade looking out into one of the orchards. 

This watercolor was done entirely on site. Overall, I feel good about this picture. The one area where I wanted more resolution was the contour of the field beyond the road which drops before reaching that first apple tree.

The quality of the light and fresh coloring of the landscape appeals to me. Even the treatment and warmth to the sky were reminiscent of the atmospheric qualities that morning.

Great Blue Heron

                                                             (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

This large bird in the water is hard to miss. I believe it is a Great Blue Heron. This was spotted in the middle of the day on Saturday in the Ashuelot Park in Keene, N.H. It was close to the boat landing, as you can see right in open water.

This Great Blue Heron just stood in the shallow water, by itself, occasionally shaking the mud off it's lower leg ever so gingerly. It seemed to be hunting for fish in the shallow waters. I was amazed as there were plenty of people around going about their business and making all kinds of noises.

These large birds make a great focal point no matter what the setting they are found in. They just stop me in my tracks. In addition, for their size they seem so graceful.

Andrew Wyeth @ the Farnsworth Art Museum

 

After a nearly two week vacation my wife and I rolled back in to town. We planned our trip to avoid any real concentration of people. With the threat of COVID-19 that can be a challenge, but overall we saw some great sights and broadened our horizons, which was much needed.

We hiked, swam and caught some limited cultural events along the way. When we left we were not sure what to expect economically or health wise, but everything seemed to work out. We did expect to acquire more masks and better fitting ones as most places we visited had mandatory mask requirements.

The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine has an exhibit titled, Andrew Wyeth: Maine Legacy, which was a highlight for me. This exhibition features paintings in watercolor, dry brush and egg tempera, completed during Wyeth's seventy plus years in Maine. This watercolor by Wyeth, titled Walt & Henry, was one of my favorites from our visit. It was painted in 1942. 

Late Summer in Vermont

                                                               (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

Vermont is a state full of such green foliage. Even at this time of year when many areas in the country experience droughts, Vermont somehow continues to remain green. If you happen to leave the state for a period of time you really notice this characteristic upon re-entering the region.

Even lawns which were verdant in the spring and then developed dry patches attain a different hue of green by late summer with crabgrasses and other opportunistic weeds moving in. This combination of lush growth and varied greens gives the river valleys and fields such an inviting sight.

This watercolor was inspired by a local paddle on one of the many quiet water bodies we seem to have throughout the state. It is fun to drift on the surface of the water into an inlet not knowing what's around the bend. Even on the surface of the water a paddler will come upon a growth of greenery like no where else. At this point startled frogs or turtles will often leap back into the water.

This is a summer if ever for paddling....

                                                                             (C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

This summer seems to be as hot as any in New England that I can recall. I have had to rearrange my work schedule to stay out of the heat as much as possible. Early mornings have been a mandatory start time with a mid-day hiatus to replenish my fluids and change clothing.

Local swimming is not often easily accessible if time is limited. The threat of COVID-19 makes it even more of a hassle. 

However, gliding on the water in my kayak has been quite rewarding. Fortunately, we have a diverse array of water bodies at our disposal. Somerset Reservoir in southern Vermont is one such place I like to paddle. 

Also, it gives me subject matter to paint. The color blue itself makes me feel refreshed.

ENTANGLEMENT

(C) 2020 Dale DiMauroPlants have characteristics that embody human emotions. In this time of great uncertainty, civilization itself can seem like it is unraveling. This watercolor study I did several years ago, for me, conveys a sense of disorder. Or is it a new order? The natural world has a way evolving and springing forth. There is beauty in nature if we see things as they are.

We have expectations from others which may no longer be relevant in the big picture and traditions which may be giving away to new habits. When I look back at this image all of these thoughts come to the surface.

In summation, I would say it is best to step back from your canvas or watercolor and pigments and see life with a fresh perspective.

Yellow

(C)2020 Dale DiMauro

Yellow is a challenging color to put down on the paper by itself. It can look out of place, weak or fake. On the other hand it can give warmth to a picture. 

Most of this watercolor has yellow in it. I use a lot of quinacridone yellow in creating the light green color of spring. There is yellow ochre in that warm patch in the middle. I used that because I wanted an opaque yellow which wouldn't get lost amongst all the greens. In retrospect, I could have pre-stained the paper yellow which would have projected a warmth or glow before I really started painting.

I like the distant tree with it's mottled shade projecting on the lawn. There is a bit of burnt sienna in that shadow.

As the summer season progresses I have noticed the yellow greens of spring become more blue greens until the foliage starts to turn. There are some exceptions to this observation particularly during droughts. In the early spring with the strong light some leaves actually appear transparent.

Pisgah State Park

(C) 2020 Dale DiMauro

Pisgah State Park is the largest state park in New Hampshire with 13,688 mostly wooded acres. It consists of seven ponds, wetlands and an old growth forest. Of most importance it resides in Chesterfield, NH which is only about fifteen minutes away.

Kilburn pond within the park is a popular spot for young people to take a dip or swim. Also, it is easy to get lost in this park if you veer off the labeled trails.

However, there are numerous scenic areas. I hope I captured one of those such areas in the above watercolor. This is a true summer scene with rich colors which can only be found in nature. This painting was done rapidly with no hesitation.

I feel this photograph doesn't quite capture the feel, texture and colors as in the watercolor. Regardless, there is a saturation of color which both draws the viewer in and is very expressive.