Late Showers

Pastel, 6x9 on UArt

This small painting captures the late afternoon on the marsh when the clouds build and the rain starts to fall.  The slanting light of the sun captures the green of the marsh against the lavender of late afternoon shower.

 

Sunrise Marsh

Pastel, 6x9 on UArt

I made this composition from a composite of other paintings of these palm trees and the marsh.  The sun is just above the horizon, and the mist is beginning to rise.  This time of day and this view of the marsh are infused with expectation for the day ahead.

Stormy Colors

Pastel, 6x9 on UArt

The colors of the marsh come alive after a rain.  The wet makes the gold and bronze colors pop out of the green, and the shadows flow richly with purple.

Peace at Mid-Day

Peace at Mid-Day

Pastel on self-sanded board: 11x15

At midday in the heat of summer, the morning breeze dies away before the sea breeze picks up, and a sense of peace and stillness settles over the salt marsh.  Even the ceaseless tide seems to stop.  The clouds begin to gather, and the sun is partially hidden as a hazy light invades the deep shadows under the trees.  A softness settles on the grasses turning their greens into gold and yellow as a hint of the autumn soon to come.

This is a rework of an old painting.  I touched it up to give it new life.

Cloud Patches

"Cloud Patches" 9x12 pastel on UArt

I've been cleaning our the mess in my garage studio, and found this painting in a stack of rejects! It had promise, so I took this old painting that failed, reworked it and basically started over. I think I'm getting the "cloud thing" going again.

My plan was to create a "path" with the clouds that would keep the eye in the painting and use the foreground marsh to direct the eye to the center of attention - lower left - where the brightest, most intense color is next to the darkest value in the painting.

Painting was revised and updated 5/7/21. Added more value and color separation.

Silver Water Marsh

Pastel on UArt 400

In the early morning before the wind comes up across the marsh, the water reflects the sky giving it a slivery sheen.  The broken, puffy clouds are the remnants of the morning fog, and hold the deep blue of the sky at bay for a few more minutes.  I wanted to capture that sense of stillness and silvery light by using cool greens and blues augmented with dashes of purple, red, and pink.  In order to keep the sense of stillness, I deliberately reduced the details in order to emphasize form and color.

Conversation

Pastel on UArt - 16x12

I started this painting as an inspiration from a painting by John Alfred Arnesby Brown - "The Dutch Windmill," but I wanted my own interpretation of clouds and a broad, flat landscape.  I also wanted to explore the problem of a composition with two, relatively equal areas of interest.  In this case, I wanted the clouds to be prominent, but I also wanted the trees in the sunlight to hold a special place. As a resolution, I used the light to create a "conversation" between the two.

Sun Showers - Process

"Sun Showers"

Pastel 10x14 on Richeson Premier

The marsh lies wet and waiting as the rains pass and the clouds begin to break.  The sun suddenly bursts through and paints streaks and patches of the wet marsh in blazes of color, but the still-falling rain softens and mutes the reflections in the water.

The Painting Process

The finished painting came a long way from where I started.  I found the original picture in a pile of unfinished paintings.  It had good color and a pleasing composition with a few obvious problems.

Original painting from October, 2012

I had began this painting in October, 2012, in a Maggie Price workshop, but it was never finished.  I do not remember much about the original intention except that the focal point was to be a bent palm tree on the right that extended out over the water.  The unfinished trunk was still in the picture.

First Black and White Image

The palm tree was never going to work, so my first goal was to come up with a workable, interesting idea that eliminated the poor palm tree altogether.  I printed the picture in black and white to see the comparative values and design.

Black and white print of painting with gray pastel changes

I made some notes on this print and added some initial composition changes with gray pastels.  Four of the major changes were to (1) lower the horizon line by cropping an inch from the bottom of the painting. (2) raise the bushes on the right to break the line of the marsh grass, (3) to eliminate the palm tree. and (4) to punch the lighter values to show the areas of sunlight.

Making Notes About Thoughts and Ideas

Here are my notes on the idea that developed along with the changes in the composition.  I've added transcriptions since the photos are a little hard to read.

Notes from the first B&W print

"Idea - can't remember what my original idea was - Maggie Price Workshop - 10/24/2012 (6 1/2 years ago!)

I think I used NuPastels for the grass, browns, golds - It's like looking at a child's drawing on the refrigerator door trying to decide what it is.

- What is strongest interest in painting as it is? - contrasts in color and values, warm tone

- What are the weaknesses?

• Straight line of grass across the center of the picture
• no eye magnet - center of interest

- Idea / thought - add birds in flight, egrets"

At this point, I knew I needed to have a clear statement of my goal, so I wrote one that I used throughout the painting process.

Idea for the painting - written on one of the B&W prints

"Idea - sun breaking through broken clouds after a shower moves through

      Grass is wet

      Sun in spots

      focal point of painting - where [do] I want the eye to rest?"

The "Iterative" Process

I went through this iterative process at least 4 times with taking photos, printing them in black and white, and making changes with shades of gray NuPastels.  This process permits me to work with values rather than color keeping the composition elements consistent.  

My final effort was to manage the water in such a way that it had believable color, shade, and value without becoming a distraction while showing that the rain was still falling.

I'm satisfied that I accomplished those goals in the final painting.

Refining the Idea

Mayo Reprise - 18x12

Sun Streaks - 9x6

Twin Groves - 9x6

Project for the New Year - Refining the Idea

I started with the original painting Mayo Reprise which I had done a few years ago. It was a nice painting, but it seemed to lack a something. I did not find in it a central idea, but many competing elements. At the suggestion of my friend and mentor, Lyn Asselta, I undertook to pull from the old painting the ideas I could explore and do a smaller painting to explore those ideas

These are the first two results.

Sun Streaks - I took as my idea the steaks of light from the broken clouds. In order to emphasize those streaks of light, I eliminated much of the detail of the painting and darkened the sky to support the idea of broken clouds and strong shadows. I punched the colors for emphasis.

Twin Groves - the two clumps of trees standing together but still separate has intrigued me for some time. In order to emphasize the trees, I changed their placement above the underbrush and reduced the definition in the trees and and marsh. I moved the shoreline back to provide space for reasonable and believable reflections. Colors and values were punched while reducing edges and definition.

Etude Rework - Pink

Etude - Pink

Pastel 6x6 on UArt

This is a "rework" of one element of an exercise I had done earlier.  The result from the previous effort left the sky too brick-red and lifeless.  I am in the process of filing and categorizing my works, and some are being reworked.

Reworked it again, 2018 06 23.

Daily Painting, April 13, 2018

Pastel - Daily Paintings 4x6 in double mat

I have taken a challenge to paint a number of small pastels that can be mounted in mat to fit a 5x7 frame.  This is the work of day 2 - the second set of this series, Salt Marsh. 
I have deliberately chosen a limited palette to be used in each of the paintings for today.  That will keep the colors coordinated and keep the set unified.  This idea for this small study is the openness of the marsh through the stately pines of the scattered hammocks.
These paintings will be available through my gallery - Georgia Nick Gallery in St. Augustine, or they may be purchased from me directly.  Please see my web site for details. Rick Petersen Artist.

Last of Autumn

Last of Autumn

Pastel, 6x6 on UArt

As an exercise, I set myself a limit of 35 minutes to do this painting.  

I did this small study based on sketches and photos of a branch of salt marsh near my home.  This is a view from the sidewalk beside a busy 6-lane parkway.  The traffic is all forgotten here as summer has gone, autumn is passing, and the marsh lies waiting for winter.

Note: 11/28/17 Evening - I punched some of the values, changed the distance, and took a better photo.

Quiet Expectation, Study 1

Quiet Expectation, Study 1 "original

Quiet Expectations, Study 1 - after "corrections"

Pastel 6x6 on UArt

This is a small study for a planned larger work.  In working though this study, I have been following my own working rules - Rick's Rules for Painting.  The rule that seems to have given me the most problem, as usual, is number 9 - "Untended ideas wander into bad places." 

Drawing with notes and motive

After reviewing this painting against my original motive, I realized that I was missing the emotion I had originally wanted to express.  To add the sense of confidence, I added a darker shade of golden orange and a deeper shade of pink.

Etude 1 - Studies in Basics

Etude 1A - Gray

Etude 1B - Pink

Etude 1C - Blue

Etude 1D - Gray Green

This is a series of 6x6 pastel studies - Etudes - in the same composition with variations of color and value.  I have tried to remain representational but limit detail in favor of abstraction and color.  I chose a simple view of the wide coastal marsh with the only variation in the flat horizon in a stand of distant trees.

2018 06 23 - reworked Pink and reposted.

These paintings are available thru my Gallery on Daily Paintworks.

Beginning

Pastel, 12x16 on UArt

As the tide starts to move and the sunlight and heat start to rise, the day begins on the estuary.  My goal is to capture the sense of stillness, cool colors, and wide vistas on the marsh as the tide begins to return and the heat of the day rises.

Painting is available, unframed, $500. To purchase, please click here.

Majesty

Pastel, 12x9 on UArt

As the afternoon showers rise over the marsh, they assemble in majestic splendor and soar into the heavens.  I have reduced the horizon to emphasize the height of the clouds against the blue sky and strength as the storm begins.

Rising Tide

Pastel - 9x12

Plein Air

As the color begins to return to the grass and before the heat of summer, the gentle breezes over the salt marsh lend a sense of calm and expectations.  Alas, the tide does not wait, neither do the clouds nor the seasons.
To purchase this painting, click HERE.

First of Spring

Pastel, 9x12

Plein air across the salt marsh.

This is the early morning view across the Intracoastal Waterway on the last day of February. It is warm and bright with the spring winds carrying the clouds and ruffling the water. The marsh is just starting to show green among the golds and bronze of winter.

Late Showers

Pastel 9x12 on UArt

Demonstration done at GNGallery.  In the late afternoon, the brief showers move quickly through the marshes bringing out the deepest colors. 

Estuary, December Afternoon

Pastel 9x12 on UArt

This painting was done plein air at Guana Preserve.  The high, mid-afternoon sky and hazy sunlight over the estuary washed the color from the marsh and trees as it muted the contrasts in values.  For this study, my goal was to capture a true rendering of the scene and atmosphere of the afternoon.