In July I went to Vermont with a plan to paint landscapes in the remaining pages of a book I made in 2016. I painted new gouache landscapes but also worked back into several earlier pages. The result is that there are still blank pages in the book, leaving me with the same reason to return again. My trip coincided with the 73rd annual Bennington Chamber Music Conference held on the college … [Read more...]
New from Vermont
Bennington, Vermont continues to inspire me as an artist. This year I returned to Art New England, a Mass College of Art workshop program that convenes on the Bennington College campus each summer. It is a remarkable gift to work every day for two weeks without other responsibilities, far from the madding crowd. The focus yields incremental but essential changes in my work, especially while guided … [Read more...]
Vermont Gouache
In July I took a road trip to paint outside in southern Vermont. Choosing to use watercolor and gouache on paper solved numerous itinerant-painting related issues. Watercolor and gouache dry fast, have quick set-up and clean-up, and need very little storage space. The paint doesn't melt in the heat or threaten to ignite within a baking car. There are no combustible rags to dispose. These … [Read more...]
ANE / Benn — Conclusion
I was happy with the long sought efficiency of my painting field equipment. The Soltek easel proved to be extremely versatile. It was able to hold two stretched linens at once, providing stability to both while simultaneously painting across them for the diptych shown above. A helpful musician from the "Chamber Music Conference & Composer's Forum of the East", the group that is on campus with … [Read more...]
ANE / Benn — Final Week
Wednesday brought a day-long rash of phone calls so I didn't start to paint until 4 pm. I was glad to complete the red roof shed in a few hours before the day ended. The painting of the observatory was done the next morning. Throughout my time at Bennington College, I noticed how valuable it was to return to the same spots for the fifth year in a row. Even though I'm working on my own in an … [Read more...]
ANE / Benn — Aerial Perspective
On Tuesday morning it was too hot to stand in the sun but extremely comfortable in a naturally cool spot between two small groves in the south field. While I painted, appearances were made by a marmot, deer, rabbit, squirrel, flock of bluebirds, and harrier chased by a crow. A low flying helicopter made repeated noisy sweeps across the area, possibly taking off from the airport five miles to the … [Read more...]
ANE / Benn — Monday
I decided to extend my extended stay another week to continue to paint outside doing landscape. The final group of door slamming adult students arrived yesterday and began their classes today. It was an extremely humid day. The morning sounds were of oboes and violins coming across the field from Jennings. It brought back to mind a sublime Saturday night free concert of a Shostakovitch quartet by … [Read more...]
Mass MoCA & Middlebury
One of the advantages of attending summer school at Bennington College is its proximity to great collections and exhibitions in the region. The Clark Institute in Williamstown, Mass MocA in North Adams, and Middlebury College Museum in Middlebury, Vermont, are all within a day trip's driving distance. Clark has El Anatsui and Pissarro's People. My favorite exhibit of many good ones at Mass … [Read more...]