River Front Park Montgomery, NY Wed Aug 3

 
Remembered  this spot along the Wallkill River. There is a large gazebo and a path along the river. Several years ago discovered this place by accident. The road goes thru a development and then there was this sign for a park. Early one morning  went down with my old Akita and strolled along the shore line. It was one of our favorite places to go chill together before she passed. I have very pleasant memories of the spot.




On RT 208 North of RT17K approx a mile on left. Make a left, the sign for the Barn Antiques












follow the road to a sign for Town Park on Farm Meadow St 
 continue thru development till you see a sign RiverFront Park.

Kingspoint Park, the beach side

Yesterday, I decided to paint the beach side of the Kingston Point Park. Didn't realize how beachy it is. People were sunbathing and a few were in the water. Sat under my umbrella which is something I normally don't do and it was actually pleasant.  Think the place was great and it beats travelling to the Jersey shore for a day in the sun. Can't wait to restart another painting of the tree and a catamaran. Learned a lesson yesterday, even being a multi tasker can't talk on the phone while trying to paint a sail or anyhing else.  Think I am turning into that crazy obsessed phone slave persona who can't put the phone down nor turn it off.

I haven't picked a place for next Wednesday yet but aiming for a more local venue, in Orange county. It has to offer a lot of shade since it will be hot and maybe near or on water. Any suggestions?

Lake Minnewaska

Well, it was very hot in the parking lot. Instead of whipping out my paints instead pulled out my ipad and started reading but at the same time observing. As hot as it was, I was truly impressed or stupified as bikers were unloading their bikes and preparing to ride in that heat. There were several families strolling down towards the lake noticed most did not speak English. They had that tourist spirit...don't care how hot it is I paid to get here and I'm going to see everything.A mom pulled up in her mini van. Sweating as she donned her Appliachian pack and herded 3 pre-schoolers towards the path to the lake. My mind snapped, it started a chant of.....no mas, go home! I wussed out and left after 2 hrs. Honestly was very anxious to get to Englewood Hospital and see my new grand nephew. Later that night, whipped out this little sketch of the undaunted bikers unloading their equipment.

Next Wed, July 27 Kingston Point Park, I will be in the Memorial Gazebo area. You have river views and a swampy area, you can walk down see the Kingston/Roundout Light House.

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Rte+300,+and+17k++Newburgh,+Orange,+New+York+12550&daddr=41.8479866,-74.0597144+to:Kingston+Point+Park+4+Delaware+Avenue,+Kingston,+NY&hl=en&ll=41.717005,-74.013519&spn=0.839533,1.365051&sll=41.71803,-73.999786&sspn=0.839519,1.365051&geocode=FTVPeQId7cqV-ymn1rbG0S3diTFh6186NXUPiQ%3BFbKMfgIdPvCV-ylTVuP3QxrdiTFKMpZUNQGscw%3BFcjEfwId5l2X-yFLNfb5gmfPUw&gl=us&mra=ls&t=h&z=10&via=1

So far Basha Kill, Bear Mountain, Alpine Boat basin

Along Haven Rd

 The First paint out started out at the Basha Kill. had to postpone because of bad weather but the following Wednesday was just gorgeous. It is a nature lovers wonderland in Sullivan County. Mary Evenlyn Whitehill, I and a turtle met on Haven Rd.  There the kayakers, fishermen and the red winged black birds were having a great time.

Study of Bear Mt Inn

 The following week met at Bear Mountain with Mary Sealfon, Jean Demotses, Esther McHenry, Phylis Tarlow and the ubiquitous Mary Evelyn. Esther and I painted the Inn. Let me rephrase that, I attempted to do the Inn. The heat made it hard to paint in wc, the brush was almost dry before it touched the paper. Taking a second look at my study and it gave me hope for a future studio piece.

Hey, that's me at the Alpine Pavilion

This week it was the Alpine Boat Basin. It has this great stone pavilion facing the river. It turned out also to be a trysting place.  Mona, Marylyn, Lynwa and I, stood in front of the pavilion and no one painted it. There is a boat dock and the historic Kearney house & tavern. Listed on the National and State Registries of Historic Places as the "Blackledge-Kearney House" but known more familiarly as the "Kearney House" or "Cornwallis Headquarters", this humble structure is the oldest building in the New Jersey Section of the Palisades Interstate Park. The southern half of the house, made of native stone and timbers, dates to before 1802. The northern, wood-frame section was added in the 1840s, the large porch in the early 1900s. Through its long life, the house has served as a Hudson River homestead, a tavern, a park police station, a caretaker's residence, and finally a museum. Today, it helps bring to life two centuries in the story of the Hudson River and those who have depended upon it for their lives and livelihoods. Hoping to do a painting of the Kearney House this weekend.
   

So next Wednesday July 20, it is Lake Minnewaska for my next paint out. Trying the to keep things as fresh as possible so the following week, Wed 27, it will be the Kingston Light House, weather permitting. I am also starting an album of my Wednesday paintings which will be in a future blog.

A New Adventure

     Welcome to my new Blog. The idea of blogging and sharing my thoughts and adventures to the world is not all together appealing. Though I love to share my art and the joy and traumas of producing it might encourage or help others. Here I am.

     I love painting outdoors and it reminds me of golf. Golf is not really a team sport. You alone try controlling a little white ball to roll into a little cup in a cow pasture while at the mercy of the elements, the terrain and yourself. At the end of the day, no matter how bad you played, you have the memory of that one good play, the shared laughter of friends, the beauty of nature or that damned sand trap. You were in the zone and turned off the outside world with all its drama and tedium of daily life. It is the same with painting, where you create your own view of the world and put that creative expierence in nature, wow!

     This year besides painting with Wallkill River School, who introduced me to plein air painting, and the Lower Hudson Valley Plein Air Painters decided to start my own traveling group. I want to visit as many different places this season, from the farms to the sea. Finding Wednesday to be a good day for a mid week adventure. I announce my destination on the WallkillRiverSchool.com site on their bulletin board, on the Lhvpap.ning.com, Facebook AIP (Artists in the Parks) and my FB page. Still toying with next weeks venue possibly the Kingston Lighthouse or ? .
     Since immersing myself this season into doing only watercolor, plein air has become more challenging. Having done watercolor several years ago, my standards have gotten higher.  It takes more thought in preparation in watercolor. Once the brush hits the paper it is off to the races. Yes, you can makes some corrections but if things start a down hill slide, it becomes do over time. After working 38 years of basically translating field information into usable data in the utility world.....hate doing things twice. It has taken me a year to let go of that feeling because to produce a better painting in watercolor eventually you will do things twice if not more.