Catching the Sunset, 3

That brilliant September sunset was over and the sun was almost gone. The cars were heading back over the bridge.  All that was left was the violet glow.  I was attracted by the lavender hues of the sky, water and pavement. 

Catching the Sunset, 2

This scene is the second painting done from that beautiful September sunset!

 Catching the Sunset

Beautiful sunsets on Duxbury Beach are a never ending source of inspiration.  One evening in September of last year, a blue moon was scheduled to be present.  I, in the company of many, headed out to the beach.  The moon wasn't much to see but the sunset leading up to it was remarkable.  Our town has two beaches back to back, formed on a strip of land which forms a thin peninsula. One side is the bay of our town and the other side is the open ocean. We are on the east coast so the sun sets behind the outer beach.  The beach fence in this scene is protecting the beach grasses on the outer beach so it is being illuminated by the warmth of the setting sun in the west. 

Happy Place 2

Oil version of Happy Place

The first version I did of this scene, a color study in pastel,  was posted earlier.  This is the second version is in oil.  This piece was accepted into the North River Art Society, Focus on Figures show and received an Honorable Mention!  I was thrilled as this is always a great show with submissions from around the world.

It is the second in a series of depictions of many happy moments on Amelia Island with 10 close college friends.  We have been reuniting once a year on this beach for 15 years.  Our moments there are priceless encounters of love and enduring friendship.  I wish to convey this sense of joy in the paintings in this series.

I am so pleased to have been awarded the First Place Award as an emerging artist, in the Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod Members Show this past weekend!  This painting is one of a series that I am doing featuring my oldest and dearest college friends who meet yearly on Amelia Island in Florida.  We have met every year since 2009.  I wanted to capture the joy that we feel as we keep our 40 year friendship alive each year!  

I am grateful for the kind comments of the judge regarding my painting:  

"I’m there: indeed, one of the figures is looking at and sharing the joke with me! This is an instance where the artist’s ability to completely capture a moment, and bring the viewer with her, tips the scale in favor of this painting. Combined with complex and accurate but completely natural drawing that manages to convey the ease of the figures; a somewhat rough style that suits the grittiness of a beach and perhaps some windy conditions; the portrayal of cloudy-bright midday light, which is difficult to do well; and the nice directional movement that adds liveliness to the painting, The Happy Place takes first place and makes me happy, too. 

Here is the link to the show:https://ppscc.org/exhibitions/ 

 I recently finished a commission to paint an old snap shot of a cafe in England that was operated by the client's mother and father-in-law, who are both now deceased.   Above is the finished piece.

There was not a lot of clear information on the 2 photos that were available but I guess that is where the artistic license comes in.  It was a challenge but I enjoyed attempting to create a piece that would be evocative.  Pastel can generate an almost etherial feel some times and since this piece was all about an old memory, I gave it a go first in pastel.  

The client was pleased and so am I.  

I am pleased that this little fella was accepted into the North River Arts Focus on Figures show.