Perkins Cove

Perkins Cove is just south of the village of Ogunquit.  Its a tiny harbor that is well protected and active all year.  Marian, Willek,  Dennis and I set up facing west along the harbor.  

Here is the view that was right in front of me as I set up.

The boats were coming in for the day and the lobster men were mooring their skiffs on the docks below me.  Willek went down to check out the view from water level.    

Marian and Dennis set up to paint on the walk way above the docks, a nice place with benches running the length. They had plenty of space as its off season. In summer its crowded with tourists.   

Willek asked the guys if he could sit with his feet in their boat. No problem.  The dock he was on was constantly moving. 

Here's a picture of my painting as I was getting ready to work on the water. 

Right after I took this picture all heck broke loose.  A sport fishing boat pulled in, tied up right in front of me and about 10 or more guys got off with about 300 (or more) pounds of fish. It was chaos. People were swarming around me.  Piles of fish on ice were being loaded into big coolers on the dock.  Big guys were hauling the coolers up the stairs to their truck.  I had to move my easel.  Packed it up for the day. Marian, Willek, Dennis, Marcia and I headed off to dinner at the Old Post Road.  Awesome food!    We had a good day. Sketch is on canvas panel  8x10.   

Painting on Marginal Way, Ogunquit, Maine

Marian, Willek and Dennis headed up to Maine to paint for the day with me.  We were hoping for big surf as our subject matter.  This is the view from Israel's Head looking south on toward Perkins Cove.   

No such luck!  It was as calm as a lake.  Such is the life of plein air painters 

Marian set up facing north looking toward the rocks with Ogunquit Beach in the background. 

Willek & Dennis of course went out farther into the big craggy stuff and set up on the edge.

Willek is down on the rocks on the side of a crevice which in rougher weather would be dicey.

Dennis was on the side of the path tucked into the hill side. A least he could step back and not worry about falling off. 

A couple of big guys who were walking by were so impressed with Willek's start that they wanted his biz card so they could see the painting when he was finished.

Here Marian is working away .  It was calm and peaceful so she even had her umbrella up! 

I decided to paint this view of the rocks. 

Here is my start. See Marian holding her hat? Well, a big wind came in and blew her umbrella inside out and then it was gusty for the rest of the time. A front was coming in.

This is where I decide to stop on this painting.

I went and found Wilek packing up .

And Dennis cleaning his palette. We then headed off to pick up some lunch and set up in our afternoon location, Perkins Cove.  

Mackerel Cove

I spent the afternoon painting in Mackerel Cove on Baileys Island. This is a busy working harbor, all year round it is packed with boats going in and out all day. 

I set up on Abner Point Road and had a good view of the wharf and lobster coop. 

It was sunny and warm when I started to block in the wharf and small cove.

Soon the wind picked up, the temperature dropped, I could see my breath and I pulled on a wool sweater(& my wool mitts).  I had to stand behind my car and paint to stay out of the wind. 

At the top of the cove there was a tiny beach and park that local families came to walk and sail kites. Boats were pulled up on the beach.

This small shack sat on the edge of the cove.  I fell in love with it.  It was so old and hadn't been touched in years. 

Here's a quick sketch I did of it in my book.  Marker & watercolor 60 lb. paper.

For my last painting of the day I decided to paint a boat that was moored at the wharf. 

Here's the beginning of the sketch. The boat was driven off while I was painting it.  Typical and not the first time my subject was taken away while I was painting it in plein air! 

This is the view of Mackerel Cove at sunset from Harpswell Island Road as I was getting ready to head back home.  

Painting on the Run

I paint in oils ...most of the time.  I used to paint in oils all of the time... until that trip when the weather was really, really bad and there was no place to set up out of the wind and rain.

I grabbed my camera took some photos then dug into my “car studio” and pulled out a sketchbook and some watercolor pencils.

 I designed my picture, put in the color notations with the pencils.

 ...and when I got to a nice warm, dry, place I pulled out a brush & water and finished the pictures.  

Wow, I had something and it was my interpretation of that scene ...not a photo. 

Soon it was sketching from a moving car (no I was not driving)and on the terrace of a mansion...

Here we are tucked in a corner with our paints out of the 30 mph winds. See we had it all to ourselves...on a calm day all the tables would be out , the umbrellas unfurled and the place packed with visitors. 

From the edge of a pasture at the William Cullen Bryant homestead...

And... sitting in the stands at a Yankees baseball game ! 

The whole world at any time and any place is now my subject -  !  

I got hooked on sketching and painting in the fast lane.

It has a nice influence on my oils and it is improving my drawing and  “seeing”, which in turn improves my painting.   

The Gear for Sketching & Watercolors on the Run

Here is the bag I carry for sketching and watercolors when I am traveling and teaching.

It is made for plein air painting by Judsons and can be carried as a back pack, shoulder bag or hand bag. It has a flat compartment in the bottom that fits watercolor kits and carries them flat, not vertically so no wet paints run...

It is small yet fits every thing I need plus lunch, a water bottle and bug & sun spray

Here are some of the supplies I carry, custom sketchbook(Rives BFK), water bottle, pencils, markers, pens, paper towels, glass water jar, blue folding water bucket, Koi watercolor paint set. 

Derwent watercolor pencils, sponge, plastic watercolor mixing tray, pen, small watercolor sketchbook(125 lb.), black nylon paint brush holder. 

Homee watercolor palette, medium sketch book (90 lb), large sketch book (9x11, 90 lb.) watercolor set and palette. 

My mixing areas and water color set. Paints are Daniel Smith tubes.  I can carry extra tubes with me but for day trips don't need to.

My pencil, pen, marker container with contents, brush holder with brushes and water bucket unfolded.

Derwent watercolor pencils (36) and sample of plein air sketches using them. 

The Sakura Koi set with water brush, additional water supply in bottle and sample of plein air sketch from this kit. 

This is the smallest kit I carry if I want to go really light and leave the bag behind. This is enough to do really great sketches and water colors on location !

Here is the bag repacked with the palettes sliding back underneath.   

Here I'm ready to go .  It probably weighs about 6-8 pounds.  The heaviest thing I am carrying in this is the water so I keep a gallon of water in my car incase I'm not in a place to find easy access to water.