30-IN-30, JANUARY 2025

I'm one of 15 Art Plus Gallery members endeavoring to paint and post every day of January. You can follow the whole crew on  https://www.facebook.com/DailyArtPlusChallenge/

January 31: Where'd January go?
Art Plus Gallery’s 30-in-30 Challenge did its job: I got in a painting groove to start the year, and January went fast. It was a 27-in-30 for me, with two of the paintings taking multiple days. You can catch our favorites at the gallery's featured exhibit through February, and all of the artists as well at the reception on Valentine’s Day.  

January 30: Pemaquid Point Lighthouse
Arguably the most impressive thing about Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is not the structure, but the monumental quilt of metamorphic and igneous rock that covers the earth hundreds of yards to the east and west. This point, on the end of the peninsula between those of Boothbay and Port Clyde, epitomizes the rocky coast of Maine. Oil, 8 x 12”, $600.

January 29: High Pasture
My idea here was to capture a late afternoon glow on a high pasture at Northhill Farm, a beautiful, sprawling estate on the eastern edge of Oley Valley. I painted this from a photo I took on a follow-up tour with owners Jeff & Debbie Sweinhart, who had graciously invited the artists of Plein Air West Reading to paint there. This might hang at Art Plus in February if it’s dry–there’s a lot of paint in them thar leaves. Oil, 8 x 12”. $290

January 28: Stone House Study
I did this little 6 x 8” oil study to noddle through the composition and values for an 11 x 14” commission that I'll be diving into next month.

January 25-27: Still Life in Red
I’m a big fan of lobster, but for a 30-in-30 I bit off too much with this one. I expected the painting to take two days. It took three, and there’s still some edge work needed. BTW this is half of the kettleful that we boiled up last July in Spruce Head, Maine. The 12 x 12" oil will probably make it first live appearance in July at Landing Gallery, Rockland, at $1500.
 

January 24: Better Day on the Way
Rain clouds are ushered out by a promising sunset over Spruce Head. This 24 x 9” oil will be heading back to Maine this summer.

January 23: Winding Down
A relaxing ride, shooting the breeze as they wind downhill. I painted this from a photo I took last summer when Karen Weber enjoyed a paint day at ChesLen Preserve in Chester County. A return trip might be in order ahead of the Devon Horse Show in May. This 8 x 10” oil probably will be going there at $400.

January 22: Quiet Time
Okay, enough snow awready. I’ve been invited to exhibit a dozen new paintings at the Devon Horse Show in May, and it’s time to get up to speed toward that. This 8 x 10” oil is from one of the photos I took last summer poking around horse country. $290
 
 

January 20 & 21: Graybreak
I caught a refreshing reflection of blue sky through breaking clouds on an otherwise bleak January day. This is looking upstream from the bridge near the Stone House in Wyomissing Park. Spending two days on this 9 x 12” oil derailed my one-a-day pace, but it was also refreshing to spend more time with a relatively larger piece. $590
 

January 19: Light Through the Pines
From the dark, earthy tones on Pinewoods Trail, the shadows on the snow near The Highlands parking lot can take on an almost iridescent blue tone. This 6 x 8” oil will probably be included in February’s featured exhibit at Art Plus Gallery. $190

January 18: Snow on the Trail
With a taste of winter now on the ground and promise of a full course of it tomorrow, I’m revisiting Wyomissing Park for snow-themed sequel to the Winter Grasses series. This one is not far down the trail that cuts off to the left at Ruth’s Bridge. 6 x 8”, $190.

​January 17: Just Be Causeway 2
The reference photo for yesterday’s post was taken at exactly 8:00 on June 30, 2024. It was a peaceful view, the clouds a little choppier. In the studio, I used brushes for most of it. Today’s painting is based on a photo taken a mere four minutes later. The light had gone nuclear, and to get the increased intensity and motion I rubbed oil into my 9 x 12" panel, covered it with big swatches of bold colors, then used reductive techniques to shape the clouds and reflections. Finally I used brushes for edges, islands and fine tuning.

January 16: Just Be Causeway 1
If there’s a good sunset on the horizon, the causeway to Spruce Head’s Rackliff Island is the place to catch it–a long, Southwest view across a bay with a few islands silhouetted along the stretch. The causeway is also conveniently located about a mile from where we usually stay in Maine. This 9 x 12” oil will be showing this summer at Landing Gallery is Rockland.
 

January 15: Breezy Day on the Breakwater
Today for fun I decided to paint a lighthouse with peeling white paint on a windy, overcast day. This is the Breakwater Lighthouse that shelters Rockland Harbor. I had started it last year and stored it between my NW1 (Needs Work) rack and NW2 (No Way) pile. So I gave it another shot with a complete overhaul, and figured I might as well throw in as many challenges as I could. I'll put this 8 x 16" oil aside for a few days before deciding where it goes next.

January 14: Down on the Brandywine
Today I tapped the Still Needs Work inventory for the second day in a row. During the summer I caught this guy flyfishing on the Brandywine River, and I just freshened up the foliage in the studio. This 9 x 12” oil will probably make its debut at the Devon Horse Show in May.

January 13: Rackliff Shack
The tidy old shack on a secluded, well-protected cove likely pre-dates the causeway that connected Rackliff Island to the mainland near Spruce Head. Today there are million dollar homes all over the island, but the shack seems to be holding its ground. The area across the cove was painted on location back in July. I lost the sunlight on the near rocks before I could get to them that day, but I found photos that I took as I was setting up, and finally finished it in the studio. This 9 x 12” oil will hang in Landing Gallery in a few months.

January 12: Olson Farm
Meanwhile looking away from Maple Juice Cove, the fabled Olson Farm house and barn sit at the top of the hill. The property is now owned and maintained by the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland. Boasting 20+ art galleries as well, this seaside town–about the same size as West Reading–rightfully bills itself as The Art Capital of Maine.

January 11: Across Maple Juice Cove
Maple Juice Cove sounds like a semi-magical spot in a kid’s book. But it’s real, the water’s edge of Olson Farm, Andrew Wyeth’s setting for Christina’s World. This 10 x 15” oil was mostly painted in a workshop with Beth Bathe in October, finished in the studio. It’s on hold for a show at Landing Gallery in Rockland, Maine this summer.

January 10: Low Water in Maiden Creek
Back to thinking warm thoughts, I revisited photos from a scouting trip to Albany Twp. ahead of Allemaengel Plein Air. Late September was pre-drought, still a whole lotta green going on, and while the water in Maiden Creek was low there was still enough to get some nice reflections mixed with the river rocks and shallows. Oil, 9 x 12”, $390

January 9: Paws in the Weather
I went back to the park yesterday to see what paintable opportunities the snow might’ve brought with it, and had the pleasure of running into Kathy Ciatto and her brace of insanely friendly Labs. One was able to kiss me on the lips before I was able to bend over to pet her. This addition to the Winter Grasses series is another 6 x 8” oil.
 

January 8: Return to Chiques Rock
This was 90% done during Rivertownes Plein Air in 2022. After capturing the imposing promontory, I ran out of time or sunscreen (I forget which) and didn’t do justice to the trail and the foreground, trail and tree. This 30-in-30 was the chance to cap off this 8 x 12” oil in the studio. $290

January 7: Arbor Vitae and Fountain
I wanted to try my hand at a wide range of textures and distances, and this backyard photo from the summer filled the bill. I changed my palette and used a more Impressionistic approach than usual. If my title included everything that’s going on in this 9 x 12” oil I’d have to break it into two tweets, so I just call it Arbor Vitae and Fountain. $290

January 6: Summer Saunter
An invitation to return to the Art Gallery at the 2025 Devon Horse Show just gave me the incentive to finish a couple horse country paintings before starting some new ones. This 8 x 12” oil was mostly done en plein air at the ChesLen Preserve south of Coatsville, which Karen Weber and I happened upon last summer. It'll be heading to Devon in May at $390.

January 5: Soft Water
The muted grasses make a soft, complementary cushion for light blue reflections on Wyomissing Creek. This 6 x 8” oil is looking south from Ruth’s Bridge. $190.

January 4: Winter Grasses
“Winter Grasses” flow up to the northern edge of Golden Meadow, looking toward Old Wyomissing Road in the park. Oil, 6 x 8”, $190.

January 3: Winter at the Bench
I’ve been enjoying earthy hues around Wyomissing Park this winter, getting over there a couple times a week toward the golden hour to keep my limbs limber and photo inventory stocked for the 30-in-30. I’m planning to do a series of 6 x 8” oils for the February featured exhibit at Art Plus Gallery. This is the first, the hilltop by the iconic Sitting Bench near The Highlands parking lot. $190

January 2: First Morning
If you’ve been dreaming of getting to Maine, sitting by the harbor and watching the ships roll in, you’re not going to let a cool, foggy morning derail your plan. “First Morning” is a 12 x 6.5” oil thinking of heading back to Maine next summer.

January 1, 2025: Long Day on the Slopes

I caught this herd lazing after a day of grazing near Trexler during Allemaengel Plein Air, back in October. The scene was too complex, and the laidback tranquility and long, strong shadows too fleeting, for me to attempt painting the scene en plein air (it was around 5:30pm), so I grabbed a couple photos with the idea of doing it in the studio. I worked on this 12 x 16” oil through the holidays, just finished it this morning. If it’s dry enough it’ll be hanging in Art Plus Gallery next week at $590.