Sunny Days and Not So Sunny Days

Lies Below

16x20 oil on canvas

#12/#22

Fog

8x10 oil on linen panel

#13/#23

I've had a bit of all sorts of weather here in Acadia/Schoodic.  Although most of it has been bright and sunny with gorgeous pre-fall Maine weather.  The first painting above, #12 "Lies Below" was one of those amazingly clear days.  I sat on a cliff above some rocks and worked to catch some of the colors of the rocks below the water, and the water sliding by on top.  The second painting, #13 "Fog" was the opposite kind of day.  Foggy, so much so that at first I could just barely see this little island.  What great weather to paint in, as you could hear the fog horn in the background!

It is interesting how an artist needs to be able to shift gears and go from those bright days, to the more subtle color days, such as the foggy day.  Both are fascinating.  One for the wonderfully bright colors, the other where the values flatten out, and dull down.  Both make you think about color interactions and how everything works together.