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My talented and prolific painting pal Karen Weber has long extolled the 30-in-30. This is when an artist commits to a goal of completing and posting 30 paintings in 30 days. Karen says it's good for honing skills and self-discipline while using social media to entertain patrons, friends and other followers. I can be deficient in these areas. So in a moment of inspiration or weakness (I'll know which by September) I agreed to join her in the endeavor for August, 2020. August 31: My first 30-in-30 turned out to be a 25-in-30, but not for lack of effort. Three of the paintings each took three days, and the commitment did help drive me to paint every day of August save two. Thanks again to my plein pal Karen Weber for cajoling me into it. It was her ninth, and we’re looking at putting together a similar event for our Art Plus peers in February 2021. “Manhattan in Summer 2” is the third in my Manhattan Project series, and not the last. It’s a photogenic cocktail that looks good in every season, setting and time of day after 5:00PM. I made a sweet cherry frame for it. If it sounds good to you at $290, shoot me an email.  5/28-5/30: If nothing else, this Spring was good for sunsets. I photographed a bunch of them that caught my eye, always shooting from the same spot on the deck behind my house, with a vague idea of someday painting them as a series. The gradual blooming of the walnut tree on the left edge might be an interesting touch, I thought . While plein air painting in Maine this summer with gouache artist Peggy Fitzgerald, I mentioned that I wanted to try that medium, and she generously lent me an extra set. Late last week I was considering my lag in the 30-in-30 pace, and said to myself, "Hey, why not combine the two?" The answer is because, like all art media, there's unique technique involved, I didn't master it in these six sunsets between April 27 and June 18. But I enjoyed experimenting with gouache and glimpsed the potential of the medium. Next session with it I'll aim for one good painting.   Thursday, 8/27: A height of 20” is the max that my field rig can accommodate, and this square panel was the largest I’ve done primarily en plein air. “Water Over the Dam” combines a Hudson River School palate (via a vis Tim Koeppel) with sage advice that Mark Boedges gave me at a workshop last August (“Use bigger brushes!”).  Wednesday, 8/26: Back to Grings Mill, this time on the downstream side of the bridge with the 20" x 20" panel that I blocked in on Monday. A quiet day in the shade near the portage ramp, vaguely shared with a fisherman 30' upstream who said little and caught even less, and a Great Blue Heron who gave up fishing for a half hourto ponder the odd contraption across the creek.
Tuesday, 8/25: “Orchids and Deck Prism” is my second floral. This first was an orchid as well, done in pastel and currently on exhibit at Saylor House. Both were 2020 reblooms that found the indirect light and daily mist of our shower to be the perfect environment for a surprise encore show. I hadn’t thought of painting the second one until the late afternoon light happed to catch this corner just right.  8/23 & 8/24: Spent some time Sunday spiffing "Reflections on the Tully," then Monday moved to the other side of the bridge with a 20" x 20" panel and an idea for bringing a big sky to the picture. I used my sketch and photos to block it in. Next partially cloudy morning I'll be back at Grings Mill to paint.  Saturday, 8/22: This 28 x 10’5” oil was 3 days in the making, but worth the effort sez I. There’s a lot to take away from Grings Mill, The scenic recreation area on Tulpehocken Creek, across from the Penn State Berks campus. It’s popular yet teeming with wildlife, tranquil yet energizing, sprawling yet intimate. It was a pleasure to paint there again. Time well spent in my estimation, though statisticians tracking my 30-in-30 progress may disagree…  Friday, 8/21: Back to the Tully to capture the hues and atmosphere of this charming place. My set up was only a couple yards off the path, and a steady flow of hikers, bikers and runners seemed to enjoy a glimpse of the painting and much as I enjoyed spending 3 hours there. If I had a nickel for every time somebody said "That's beautiful!" I'd be $2.50 richer. A few more hours of studio time are still needed for details.  Thursday, 8/20: I’m pumped up about a new take on Grings Mill. On the downside, my idea warrants a big canvas and at least two days, probably three. This will take me even further off my 30-in-30 pace, but the commitment has me picking up my brushes every day, and I feel good about that. Today I tracked the sunlight (looks good till around 11:30AM), did a value sketch, and blocked in the composition on a 28” x 10.5” panel. Tomorrow I’ll be there early to paint...
 8/18 & 19: This stable dates back to the late 1700’s, say the folks at Fisher Farm, the popular farmstand toward the eastern edge of Oley Valley. While the ancient doors and window frames hang in various stages of disrepair, the stonework remains in remarkable condition. If those walls could talk they’d go on for centuries, but just looking at this magnificent structure, you can imagine what they’d say. At present, they'd likely comment on the dozens of swallows that live and play there. Devoting 2+ days to painting this takes me further off my pace for 30-in-30, but the subject itself bespoke the value of taking one’s time and doing things as well as one possibly can. This 11" x 14" oil on panel is $390.  Monday, 8/17: The Muddy Creek Soap Company and Chatty Monks Brewpub offered a refreshing fourth stop as I continue to bounce down Penn Avenue. The small 5” x 7”s are fun. Interestingly, they don’t take me any less time than an 8” x 10” would.  8/15 & 8/16: Technically I was painting, though it was wainscoting that my son Matt and I installed in his DC nursery-to-be. This knocked me off the pace for 30-in-30, but I’ll try to double up on a couple days.  Friday, 8/14: When it’s open, Say Cheese! Restaurant also makes my Top 3 list of West Restaurant establishments. And the renovations in the works (due to be done by the holidays) will make it even better: moving the gourmet cheese shop next door into 602 Penn Ave, knocking through the wall to connect the two, and jazzing up the main operation with a 14-seat bar and more tables. I love the exterior looks of the place too. “So 3 Poles Are in Front of a Bar… “is the fifth time this iconic building has worked its way into one of my paintings, no two from the same angle. If you’d like to know more, email me at [email protected]  Thursday, 8/13: Drilling in on yesterday’s study, today I focused on my two favorite establishments on the block: Art Plus Gallery and the West Reading Tavern. The shared Tudor architecture was challenging, but hopefully support the theory that art and alcohol can work well together. With some fine-tuning I may frame Tudors Up the Block and hang it in the hood...  Wednesday, 8/12: There’s a lot of visual interest to be found on Penn Avenue in West Reading, but the north-facing side of the street seldom gets direct sunlight. The exception is summer evenings, when the splashes of light and long shadows from the setting sun showcase the wonderful array of architectural styles in the 600 block. That’s what I’m looking to capture, starting with this little color study I just did as I plan a large commission.  Tuesday, 8/11: I’m back in Berks County for the middle stretch of my 30-in-30, and keeping with the Hudson River School palette that I started using in Maine. I like the muted tones for taming the ubiquitous green here in Pennsylvania. The streams are plentiful here too. At a glance at the map there are around 10 of them wending through the fields that quilt Oley Valley. “Fields of Streams” is Manatawny Creek off Hoch Road.  Monday, 8/10: For Day 9 of the 30-in-30 with Karen Weber, my last painting of July's trip to New England. This was another typical yet memorable from the cruise with Jack Kareckas and Cole Mather. Great Blue Herons were cheap along the rivers that fed Great Bay. We saw 30+ of them on the cruise, warranting only a “GBH” if any mention at all by the return leg, where I saw this one fishing along bank of the Cocheco.  Sunday, 8/9: Jack Kareckas timed our 3-hr late afternoon cruise of Great Bay perfectly, catching the golden hour on the Cocheco River and bringing us back into port of Dover, NH by the soft light of dusk. This was my first ride on both Jack’s new Dorchester Dory as well as this tributary to Great Bay, which separates New Hampshire and Maine. Making the cruise even more entertaining was Cole Mather, another salty, long-time friend. I enjoyed trying to recapture some of the day, and using big brushes on a small panel fit the ease and spontaneity. Good Day’s End is a 5x7” oil, NFS.  Saturday, 8/8: Waking up to a morning fog and low tide seemed like it might be a good time to catch the mailboat in Port Clyde. I wasn't disappointed. All was calm, soft and right for taking photos that I worked back in the studio. An impressionistic style seemed fitting for the conditions. "Early Mailboat" is an 11x14" pastel, $490.  Friday, 8/7: Across the channel from our rocky enclave was a string of islands. One of the closest is called The Brothers. It's actually two islands, explained our neighbor Jack Dennen. There are thin strips of greenery at the high points and along the shore line, and one tree on each of the islands. Toward sunset the light granite boulders often popped against the sky and sea, briefly bringing a Caribbean feel to the coast of Maine. The Brothers 2 is a 6" x 11" pastel, $190.  Thursday, 8/6: Our niece Julia–normally one of the most energetic humans that scientists have ever encountered–succumbed daily to the lack of gravity that pervaded The Lobster Pot. Her routine usually started on the porch with a book, cup of coffee and her Golden Annabelle. By mid-morning you'd find them nestled on rocks close to the surf. But back to the porch. Its lines, as well as its allure, reminded me of a lobster pot. Squint at the needlepoint that hangs over the cottage’s mantle, and it can look like either.
 TUESDAY, 8/4: Five of the seven paintings I did in Maine were around this cottage where we stayed for the week. A charming little place called The Lobster Trap, built in 1918, back when you could build a place as close to the water as you dared. In this case it was about 10' from the drop to the ocean at high tide. We went to sleep not long after sundown to the sound of the surf on the rocks, woke up at dawn (around 05:30 in July, BTW) to the chugs of diesels as lobstermen checked hundreds of nearby pots.
 MONDAY, 8.3: Before I painted the aforementioned lighthouse I spent the morning at the harbor with the Laura B, the iconic 65' wooden boat that ferries folks and freight between Port Clyde and the legendary artist enclave of Monhegan Island. She earned this good gig. Built in 1943, she patrolled the Pacific Coast with a pair of 50 caliber machine guns. After that she hauled loads of lobsters to Boston and New York.
SUNDAY, 8.2.20: I'm starting by finishing some landscapes I got half+ done while vacationing in Maine last month. I began this one with a brush around 2:00pm on 7/21, but went to the knife for speed when the clouds started rolling in.
Another Close Encounter of the Furred Kind Oct. 12, 2019  One of the perks of plein air painting is that by standing in one place for a long time, local wildlife will sometimes eventually sidle up to get a closer look. In August I was painting a quiet cove near Spruce Head, Maine. The egret settling in to my right was nice, but not a surprise. Not long after, amid the rocks to my left I was catching a black flash popping out of various crevices like a Whack-a-Mole. I eventually got lucky with my phone camera to confirm that it was a mink.
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 A treatment facility recently acquired three of my oils as part of a plan to brighten their halls and residents' days with original art. This was one of the pieces. In the spirit of the client's feel-good initiative, I included an Artist Statement that related the story behind the painting: Russell Slocum Clark Point Southwest Harbor, Maine Oil, 2016 ARTIST STATEMENT This was painted on the afternoon of June 22, 2016, from the Manset side of Southwest Harbor. Shortly after setting up in a quiet, shaded spot, I was joined by a local dog. I suppose the rest of the village was even quieter, because my visitor settled down near me and watched me paint. After 30 minutes or so he got up and trotted off. I figured he had gotten bored and sought adventure elsewhere, but five minutes later he returned with a slice of pizza, fully intact. After settling back into his spot, he unhurriedly gnawed his way through the slice, except for the crust. He napped for an hour, then ambled away with a shared contentment for the day’s activity.  I've discovered Donald Trump's image in a sea biscuit!!!  Last week I channel surfed into a program on rum drinks, and I was reminded of some intense mixological research I helped conduct in the Virgin Islands around 10 years ago. Our goal was to answer two questions commonly on the parched lips of visitors to St. John’s bustling little main port of Cruz Bay: 1) Where can I get a good drink? and, 2) How many bars are in this town, anyway?
Stacking a handful of official-looking survey forms on a clipboard, then-island residents Jim and Denise Gentile and I went to town shortly after lunch, with the goal of rating rum drinks in every watering hole within two blocks of the water. The only other criteria were that it had to have at least three barstools, and it had to be open when we arrived. Qualifying establishments would range from some of the best restaurants in the Virgin Islands to places where the main draw is ice cubes, so we leveled the field by giving all bartenders the same simple challenge: make us your best rum drink. How they defined “best” was up to them. It could be their most popular, their personal favorite, or some spectacular production. We would rate taste, presentation and atmosphere (how much fun it was to be there). Since some of the bars’ clientele routinely overflow onto the beaches and streets, plastic cups weren’t held against anyone’s presentation score. Many of the 18 bars (coincidentally clumped on the latitude of 18°N) and bartenders have changed since then, so I won’t get into the places and personalities. On the other hand, the five winning concoctions, though not exotic by today's Food Network standards, are timeless. BBC (Bailey’s Banana Colada) For two BBCs, cover a couple scoops of ice in a blender with: 4 oz. light rum 4 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream 4 oz. Coco Lopez 1 fresh banana Blend until the blades slide into overdrive. Mango Painkiller 2 oz. mango rum Splash of Coco Lopez 3 oz. pineapple juice 3 oz. orange juice Shake with ice, top with nutmeg Limin Coconut Martini 1-1/2 oz. coconut rum 1-1/2 oz. citrus rum 1/2 oz. Rose’s lime juice 1/2 oz. Coco Lopez Shake with ice, strain, and garnish with a lime twist Mango Mamba 2 oz. mango rum 2 oz. mango puree Splash Rose’s lime juice Splash dark rum ½ oz. simple syrup Shake with ice and strain. Bushwhacker 2 parts Bailey’s Irish Cream 1 part amaretto 1 part dark rum 1 part dark cacao liqueur 1 part coffee liqueur 1 part hazelnut liqueur 1 part Coco Lopez Blend with ice until smooth, top with nutmeg NOTE: The original list of winners included Teddy's Mojito, but by the time we returned for the recipes, the bartender and his formula had left the island. Speculative definitions for previously unknown (to me) real words that you can spell in Words With Friends.
I started collecting these long before the WWF update with the handy built-in dictionary. As cool as that feature is, I find I have a better chance of remembering the word if I make up a definition than if I just read the real one. So I still do. The entries new to this Second Edition are highlighted. AA: interj, Half-hearted eureka AAL: n, Narrow dangly thing on the underside of the tongue AGLY: n, Unsightly lip blemish ALIYOS: n, Mongolian cheese curd ATMA: n, Subatomic particulate unique to meteors ATT: n, Sherpa guide ACINI: n, Squid-ink pasta AFFINE: v, To explain in a positive light AMU: n, An emu capable of flight AWEE: n, Spiritual force AXAL: n, Bifibulated umlaut BAITH: n, Full body baptism BIGA: n, Czech line dance BRAZA: n, Pizza-flavored brassiere BREDE: v, Procreation by bad spellers CEP: adj, Unpleasantly odiferous CHIRR: interj, Exclamation of greeting (Chiefly Scottish) CIS: n, Dripping hissing sound CROZE: n, Icelandic beverage made with fermented herring DAVY: adj, Lightheaded DIAZO: n, Theoretical fourth primary color not found in the spectrum on earth DIGHT: n, Small contrasting particle such as a speck of pepper, in a glass of milk DIRL: v, To rapidly and continuously sidestep in a circle while bending at the waist and keeping one’s forehead against a stationary vertical object, such as a baseball bat, until equilibrium is lost. Typically followed with an attempt to run in a straight line DOGGO: adj, Smelling like a wet canine (Chiefly Australian) DORP: adj, Dim-witted DOUM: n, Moroccan dunce cap DOVEN: n, Shy expert DRAIL: n, Mythological troll DUDDY: n, Absentee father DUX: n, Deuce of clubs ETIC: n, Backwoods manners EYEN: n, Whirlpool FOU: n, Meringue made with goat’s milk FURZY: n, Repugnantly cute fuzzy toy GLEY: n, Lightweight fabric used in swags and jabots GOWN: adj, Tired; listless GOX: n, Green phlegm GUENON: n, Artist pigment made with goat’s milk GURGE: v, To digest GUTTA: n, Marching band maneuver in which tuba players squat and goose step HABUS: adj, Covered tractor HAO: n, Incorrect path in search for enlightenment HAPTEN: n, Prussian naval officer HERM: n, Bacterium that causes bad breath HIGGLES: n, Hiccup giggles HOLP: v, To swallow nervously HOOKIER: adj, More like a prostitute HOOLY: n, Nose ring IGG: n, Pork jerkyJOUK: n, Small Mongolian fishing vessel JUBE: adj, Unsophisticated; backwoodsy JUN: n, Sixte mont KEPI: n, Beret worn by Aleutian Islanders KHAF: n, Tea brewed from baobab bark KIBBI: n, A taxi driver who sells dog food KIF: n, Blocked kick (Canadian football) KIER: n, Fledgling wren KIR: v: To abruptly cease KOJI: n, Beef medallion carved into a smiley face KORAS: n, Leaves that surround the sex organs of mosses LEK: n, Wet kiss LEV: n, Short joke LINN: v, Snicker LOOF: adj, Mildly haughty MEH: n, The 51st letter of the Lost Hebrew Alphabet MHO: n, Mythical eye-poker in Druid religion MODI: n, Partially charged electron MOL: v, Harass; annoy NOIL: n, Yuletide tradition (Chiefly Long Island) NOWT: n, Mythical salamander attributed with bringing bad luck NURL: n, Noogie OHED: n, Sinus congestionPian: n, Small two-octave musical keyboard often used to accompany the viol PIKI: n, Fraternity of math nerds (generic) PIM: n, Small teacup QADI: n, Duckling QURSH: n, Eggless quiche RETE: n, gluten-rich grain also known as spelt rye ROTL: n, Phlegm ROUTH: n, Trash talk RUDDLE: n, Little pool of blood SCART: n, Flapping noise from an old wound SHOOL: n, In theology, extraordinary advancements effected by a large population sharing a common belief system SHUL: n, In theology, retrogradation of a civilization effected by a large population sharing a common belief system SIXTE: Jun SPEIR: n, Whalebone sandal SUDD: n, Double bubble THRAW: n, Slush TOGUE: n, Stylish pullover TOPEE: n, Crooked hairpiece on an intoxicated person TORC: v, To twerk lackadaisically TRAD: n, Hybrid offspring of male trout and female shad TREF: adj: Unimpressive; Internet slang for “semi-terrific,” usually used sarcastically UDO: n, Yeast mold UNDY: n, Underwear with only one leg hole URD: adj, Difficult (Chiefly Scottish) UPO: adj, chronically clumsy, after the name of the sixth Marx brother UTA: n, Novice samurai VARVE: n, Disturbance in a sound wave VESTA: n, Circular configuration of celestial bodies VUGH: n, Grunt expressing foul humor WAIR: n, Permanent toupee WARK: n, Shallow draft two-masted sailing vessel traditionally used in harvesting oysters WODGE: n, Wigwam WUD: n, Mortar of sawdust and clay used in primitive construction WYTHE: adj, Pale even by standards of British nobility XYST: n, Ass pimple YAGA: n, A female yuga YAGER: n, German drinking game YUGA: n, A male yaga ZEK: n, Lithuanian cabbage soup ZOON: n, Blow up of the dot pattern of a Sunday cartoon ZORIL: adj, Masked ZYME: n, Citrus zygote When I run across a quote that strikes me as insightful or funny, I put it in a file. Here are a few favorites skimmed from the 200+ that have piled up over the years.
Every man is a damned fool for at least five minutes every day. Wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit. -Elbert Hubbard All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed. -Sean O'Casey A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled. -Sir Barnett Cocks Insanity in individuals is something rare–but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs, it is the rule. -Friedrich Nietzsche Speech is conveniently located midway between thought and action, where it often substitutes for both. -John Andrew Holmes Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned. -Buddha It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars. -Garrison Keillor Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case, the idea is quite staggering. -Arthur Clarke Most of the antique maps now hanging on museum and office walls were originally in old atlases that also contained descriptions of the lands shown, their inhabitants and their natural resources. With the maps more profitably sold individually over the centuries, most atlases were broken up. More often than not the accompanying narratives have been lost or turned toward the wall. When you can find them, the original texts provide an interesting glimpse into the perceptions of priorities of the day.
TIERRA NUEVA
Giacomo Gastaldi, 1548 This is the first printed map of the North America’s whole east coast, based on the discoveries of Cartier and Verrazzano. After spending a night at “Angoulesme,” (now the narrows that bear his name near the mouth of Hudson), Verrazzano poked around the northeast coast for several weeks. This is the region described on the back of the map. Here’s the translation: THE NEW LAND of Stockfish (Cod) "The new land of codfish, a cold land, is inhabited by idol worshippers; some adore the sun, some the moon, & other forms of idols. They are white, but of crude manners, eat meat, raw fish, and some of them still eat human flesh, but in secret so that their Caciqui (Chief) does not know. In this province of Bacalaos, the men and women are dressed in hides of bears, & you can still find sables and martens: but they are not very appreciated because of their smallness. During the summer they are naked, but heavily dressed in winter which is very cold, as they are dressed in Flanders, where is found a similar climate. The shores of this province were discovered by Bretons, French people coming from Bertagna who go fishing in this province, & catch a fish called Bacalao (Codfish), which they salt, and the name has come from this fish, naming this province the land of Bacalaos for this land of fish, Bacalaos. Going north you can find the land called Laborador covered with mountains & vast woods and great quantities of bears and wild boars. The inhabitants are idolatrous, warlike, wear the hides of bears, as do the people of Bacalaos. Nowhere in this land do you find a town or a castle, but all the people live in the country, as do the beasts." Speculative definitions for previously unknown (to me) real words that you can spell in Words With Friends.
I started collecting these long before the WWF update with the handy built-in dictionary. As cool as that feature is, I find I have a better chance of remembering the word if I make up a definition than if I just read the real one. So I still do. UTA: n, Novice samurai VARVE: n, Disturbance in a sound wave VESTA: n, Circular configuration of celestial bodies VUGH: n, Grunt expressing foul humor WAIR: n, Permanent toupee WODGE: n, Wigwam WUD: n, Mortar of sawdust and clay used in primitive construction WYTHE: adj, Pale even by standards of British nobility XYST: n, Ass pimple YAGA: n, A female yuga YUGA: n, A male yaga ZEK: n, Lithuanian cabbage soup ZOON: n, Blow up of the dot pattern of a Sunday cartoon ZORIL: adj, Masked ZYME: n, Citrus zygote WWFICTIONARY, Volume 4: P through T Speculative definitions for previously unknown (to me) real words that you can spell in Words With Friends. (A note of thanks to gamer ABM for the contribution.)
Pian: n, Small two-octave musical keyboard often used to accompany the viol Piki: n, Fraternity of math nerds (generic) Qadi: n, Duckling Qursh: n, Eggless quiche Rete: n, gluten-rich grain also known as spelt rye Rotl: n, Phlegm Routh: n, Trash talk Ruddle: n, Little pool of blood Scart: n, Flapping noise from an old wound Shool: n, In theology, extraordinary advancements effected by a large population sharing a common belief system Shul: n, In theology, retrogradation of a civilization effected by a large population sharing a common belief system Sixte: Jun Speir: n, Whalebone sandal Sudd: n, Double bubble Thraw: n, Slush Togue: n, Stylish pullover Torc: v, To twerk lackadaisically Trad: n, Hybrid offspring of male trout and female shad Tref: adj: Unimpressive; Internet slang for “semi-terrific,” usually used sarcastically Next Week: The dramatic conclusion: Volume 5, U through Z Speculative definitions for previously unknown (to me) real words that you can spell in Words With Friends.
JOUK: n, Small Mongolian fishing vessel JUBE: adj, Unsophisticated; backwoodsy JUN: n, Sixte mont KEPI: n, Beret worn by Aleutian Islanders KHAF: n, Tea brewed from baobab bark KIBBI: n, A taxi driver who sells dog food KIF: n, Blocked kick (Canadian football) KIER: n, Fledgling wren KIR: v: To abruptly cease KORAS: n, Leaves that surround the sex organs of mosses LEK: n, Wet kiss LEV: n, Short joke LINN: v, Snicker MEH: n, The 51st letter of the Lost Hebrew Alphabet MHO: n, Mythical eye-poker in Druid religion MODI: n, Partially charged electron MOL: v, Harass; annoy NOIL: n, Yuletide tradition (Chiefly Long Island) NOWT: n, Mythical salamander attributed with bringing bad luck NURL: n, Noogie OHED: n, Sinus congestion Next Week: Volume 4, P through T |
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