oil sketch on board 4″ x 6″
30, June 2016
When I’m on Cape Cod, I find myself spending more than half my time within the National Seashore, only coming into town to meet friends or get some food.
President John F. Kennedy signed the bill into law on August 9, 1961 – creating an area along the coast preserving the area from development in the ever changing landscape carved by the waves and the wind. One is always brought back to the basic elements in this inspiring wilderness which is known to jar any artist out of their comfort zone, infusing them with a fresh dose of the primal forces of nature.
One lovely morning inspired this small oil sketch which took no more than 1/2 hr. I had forgotten my easel so I put a plastic sheet on the wet ground and I went to work as usual. The perspective was a bit more intimate from a lower stance, much like a small child would be viewing it. Eventually, the Canadian Geese edged their way towards me hoping for something to eat, so they have a cameo in the painting at lower left.
Painting a sketch out in nature, one must be quick and abbreviated, capturing the meaning and feeling in as few strokes as possible. In this case I was inspired by the artist who is responsible for bringing modernist painting to America via Provincetown – Hans Hoffman – www.hanshofmann.org
Abstraction has its place in the quick sketch and provides the bones for the overall composition. I donated this painting to the silent auction this August 9, 5:00 PM at the Payomet Performing Arts Center to help raise funds for the restoration of the Red Maple Swamp Trail at Fort Hill. May the National Seashore continue to be a welcoming haven for artists for generations to come!