Winter morning shadows ●

Winter morning shadows, 10" X 10" X 1 3/4", Oil/canvas

Boats in Nantucket

Boats in Nantucket, 10X10 in, o/l

Available on Etsy

I visited Nantucket with my family last summer. The island is surrounded by beauty everywhere you look. These rowboats were docked in one of the alleys near the main town area.

Initial sketch from reference photograph

Design notes

The water looks green under the shadows of the little houses on the pier. A good contrast to the red boat.

I sketched the scene from my photo reference. After this, I made some compositional changes, mainly I reduced the space between the boats so there is an overlap. I simplified the background poles and logs, so the focus is on the boats. The ripples in the foreground water add a nice path for the viewer to enter the painting.

West Parish Meadow ●

West Parish Meadow, 10" X 10", o/l

Andover, Massachusetts has many trails spread around the town. As a resident, I and my family really enjoy walking these beautiful areas. The West Parish Meadow trail is very close to where I live. It opens up into a small pond. You can see the meadow that lies beyond the pond. What fortune to have an open natural field near my house.
I plan to visit this more often in future.

I studied John F Carlson’s book Carlson’s guide to Landscaping painting. In this composition, I pay special attention to the foreground.  The sloping grass, receding bushes, and shadows all contribute to the three-dimensional effect. One cannot help but get pulled into the scene. The house acts as a secondary focal point and gives relief from the colorful foliage.

Sketch from reference photo and imagination