"Sunset on Federal" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

"Sunset on Federal" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

I recently went to Newburyport, a lovely coastal town on the north shore of Massachusetts.  I passed this scene as the sun was hitting the steeple of this church on Federal Street.  

To begin, I covered my canvas with a solid layer of orange for a warm undertone.  I mainly worked from background to foreground by filling in the sky, distant trees and then the buildings working my way forward.  

In other news...congratulations to Laura Araujo who is the winner of my monthly give away!   If you want to become eligible, sign up for my mailing list by entering your email and clicking the subscribe button on the right side of this site.

This 8 inch square painting is available for $95.  Click the Buy Now button below or click here for other payment options.

"Last Traces of Snow" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas - SOLD

"Last Traces of Snow" - 8 x 8 inches - oil on canvas

I went up to Plum Island in Newburyport, MA a few weeks ago to do two of my favorite things - painting and birdwatching. There was a crowd of people with binoculars and spotting scopes and sure enough, just across this inlet, barely visible in the tall grass, was a Snowy Owl. For those who aren't "Birders", the Snowy Owl is a pretty rare and wonderful bird to see. I stayed and watched for quite a while and I could see his head moving but I couldn't get a great view of his body. I really, really wanted to see him fly. They are huge birds. So, I decided I'd "kill two birds with one stone" :) and set up my easel to paint right there. Not only did I have a lovely view to paint, but I could keep my eye on the Snowy Owl. Long story short: that damn owl sat in that tall grass and NEVER moved away from that spot. Below is a picture of the Snowy Owl: