Chad Smith Paintings

Crayton Cove-Three Paintings Compared

2012-01-12T16:51:00.002-05:00

Crayton Cove Morning

Afternoon Sparkle Crayton Cove

Crayton Cove Sunset

The above paintings were completed "plein air" on the spot in the course of one day. The light effect changes throughout the day and this is what I wanted to capture in my work. Hopefully the sequence is obvious nevertheless, the first picture is morning, second afternoon, and finally sunset all from the same vantage point.

I would like to discuss each painting and its unique characteristics. After all you may be asking why paint the same image three times in one day or that they may seem the same to you. Well, the first image was done my first morning on Crayton Cove in Naples. I arrived early, which is fairly painful for me as I am not much of an early bird, and knew I wanted to paint the arrangement of this dock from this view. I was intrigued by the rhythm of the posts contrasting the horizontal movement in the water and background elements. It seemed "musical" to me. As an aside, I am always looking for these kind of rhythms in whatever I paint. I suppose it comes from my musical background. The elements of the composition themselves spoke to me as a former resident of SW Florida. The dock, water, boats and even the sky and trees "feel" like Florida to me and that is what I am after in each location and resultant painting. It must "feel" like the place or I have failed.

The best way to compare all three paintings is to examine them simultaneously. Lets start with the sky in each piece and its relationship with the other elements. Please notice that the morning sky is quite yellow/orange compared to the other two. Moving on, the treeline is a rather nondescript greenish hue at a mid-dark value. The line of boats stands out mostly due to hue and temperature changes rather than value. The water reflects the orangish tint of the sky and is a very light value without much in the way of disturbance and slight reflections. The dock itself is lit from the front and steeply left as the sun is rising. The posts display the orange light source of the sun and sky with resulting transitions into cooler notes in the shadows. The flat plane of the deck manifests strongly this light source and the cool bluish cast shadows from the upright planes of the posts. All this adds up to the "feeling" of morning light, a sunrise in SW Florida on the water.

In contrast, second painting from the afternoon displays a "washed out" sky with little color to it. I've observed that painting in the high afternoon sun becomes more about value contrasts as much as any color observations. Cast and form shadows develop in the treeline and boat line. The relationship of light side to shadow side is still warm versus cool but the hue becomes more neutralized into unnameable temperatures of hue rather than the mornings blue and orange. The water reflects the neutralized effect of strong sun and sky but at this hour shows the disturbance of a very enjoyable afternoon breeze. The resultant slight contrasts on the surface are dominated by the highest value "highlights" of the reflecting overhead light source on the water. The dock has become "contre jour" or back lit and as a result is the darkest almost silhouetted shape in the picture. In the shadows of the posts I noticed a lot of greens in the local color that blued off in the distance with atmospheric perspective. The upright plane of the dock is brilliantly lit and warm with slight cool transitions of modulating form. Everything about this piece says mid afternoon sun in contrast to the "effect" of the mornings work. These elements combine to strongly suggest a warm sunlit afternoon at the dock with a refreshing breeze.

If you've hung in there this long we shall look at the final piece. "Crayton Cove Sunset" was painting just as the title says... at sunset. This calls for a bit of preparatory drawing in anticipation of the 30 minutes or so of actual painting time I'll have. The key here is to go for the big idea. The essential elements are all I had time for. The sky starts to take on red, green and purplish hues. Also of note, the value of the sky in comparison to the morning and especially the afternoon's work is a mark or two darker. The treeline manifests deep shadows with coolish warm greens if such things exist. The line of yachts and boats have taken center stage as the brilliant light of the reddish orange sun dramatically strikes the far right planes creating bluish purple shadows of considerable chroma. Please notice that I have only said just enough to characterize the yachts and boats and little else... time is of the essence. As a result of these lighting conditions the water had taken on an amazing yellowish blue hue again a mark or two darker in value than the morning and afternoon work. In addition, it has calmed since the afternoon's work. Our dock has fallen completely into an ambient light. It displays a dark value but not enough contrast to detract from the sunlit boats; it has become secondary. As a result it is treated simply. The flat plane of the dock surface is a near darker reflection of the sky and takes its place as a supporting element. Finally, all these relationships speak of a sunset at the dock on the water; the sun is just about to go down.

I hope this somewhat "technical" perusal of these three paintings reveals some of my inspiration and motivation for camping out in one place all day painting the same scene. If this method of working inspires you as it does me I highly recommend the artist Ken Howard as someone to look up. His work has helped me realize what I am interested in as a painter. As I said earlier, if it doesn't "feel" like the place...

Cheers and God bless,

Chad

Gardner Colby Gallery-Naples, Florida

2012-01-04T16:20:00.003-05:00

I trust everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Erin and I were very blessed as we spent the time together and with family. Recently, we made a trip to our old home in Southwest Florida. I was there to paint and that I did. It was a very productive trip.

One of my main goals for the visit, other than producing work, was to establish a relationship with a quality gallery in Naples Florida. I am very pleased to report that I will be sending seven of the plein air pieces I did on location to the Gardner Colby Gallery in Naples. In my humble opinion Gardner Colby is at the top of the list for galleries in all of Southwest Florida and I am looking forward to working with Nancy and Pamela there at Gardner Colby Galleries.

If you are in the Southwest Florida area don't miss the chance to see the great work and meet the good people at Gardner Colby. They are located at 386 Broad Avenue South in Old Naples, Florida. If you do stop by please tell them Chad says hello.

Please enjoy the above video as it is a preview of some of the work I did while in Southwest Florida that will be hanging at Gardner Colby Gallery.

Chad

Plein Air Magazine

2011-12-23T11:21:00.003-05:00

I just got my winter edition of "Plein Air" magazine and am glad to report that yours truly gets a mention and pic on page 83 in the "extreme painting" section along with Bill Guffey, Jivan Lee,Terry Miura and Alexey Steele.

On another note, I have returned from a painting trip to my former home in Southwest Florida. The territory I covered was from Marco Island, Naples north to Sanibel Island. I have several paintings and will be posting some select images soon.

Addendum: I forgot to mention, the two paintings I made on this river "Moose River Monolith" and "Singing Waters" are at the Mountainsong Galleries in Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA and the Oh Be Joyful Gallery in Crested Butte CO respectively.

Chad

American Impressionist Society

2011-11-15T08:40:00.007-05:00

I recently attended the American Impressionist Society's 12th Annual Juried Exhibition. I was fortunate to have two paintings juried into the show and was able to fly to Carmel by the Sea California for the event. Scott Christensen was the Juror and the event was well attended by artists and collectors alike. I made some new friends out west and am very glad to get to meet so many friendly and talented people.

Fortunately, I was also able to do a bit of painting. This 9"x12" was done at Point Lobos on the California coast at sunset. If you look closely you might be able to see the remnants of all the flying gnats that landed in my painting as I worked.

Chad

New Work

2011-08-25T10:36:00.003-04:00

This new collection of work was painted recently in the Old Forge region of the Adirondack Park. I spent time exploring new areas of the Park and found some very interesting subject matter. The Moose River provides an intriguing mix of "black" water with rapids and the unmistakable boulders strewn throughout. Old Forge itself is an engaging mix of architecture past and present. I've included one image above of the functioning train station "Thendara."

These and other new paintings from the region are available at Gallery 3040 in Old Forge. I will be there this Friday August 26th from 3:30 till close giving a talk, demonstration, and generally having a good time; would love to see you there.

Chad

Fun at Gallery 3040

2011-08-18T12:09:00.003-04:00

To all my friends in the upstate New York area. I'll be showing several of the Ireland paintings at Gallery 3040 in Old Forge and giving a "talk" about my experiences on the southwest coast of Ireland. I will also be doing a quick painting demonstration and talking a bit about my philosophy towards painting. Along with the Ireland work will be several new pieces from upstate New York specifically the Old Forge region. The event is from 3:30 till 5:00 followed by a wine reception from 5:00 till 7:00.

Chad

Ireland (Update)

2011-07-20T14:39:00.008-04:00

Irish Light 6x8

View from Slea Head 6x12

Dingle Church 12x9

Grazing 9x12

Min Aird Castle Ruin 12x9

The Ireland portfolio is finished. It includes thirty-five field studies completed on site around Dingle Ireland and on the western coast. You can find the portfolio here : Ireland

Thanks for viewing!

Chad

Update!
The Ireland 2011 portfolio has been initiated. Fourteen images have been posted as a beginning to the portfolio on the website chadsmithpaintings.com. There will be more to come soon.

Chad

Hello everyone,
It's been awhile since I have posted. I have been busy traveling, teaching, and painting. In this edition are included five paintings I did from observation in County Kerry Ireland. We were on the western coast based in the fishing town of Dingle. It was an incredible experience; meeting new friends and beginning a relationship with one of the most beautiful places on earth. Ireland is infamous for bad and changing weather and it did not disappoint. Nevertheless, I was able to get a lot of work done and will be posting the entire body of work on my website in the "hopefully" near future.

Chad

Looking for Spring

2011-04-05T17:53:00.002-04:00

This 6"x8" entitled "Remnants" is in honor of the hope of coming spring. As paintable as it is, it has been a long winter. Most people I know are very much looking forward to warmer weather and the beauty that comes with it.

Chad

Shifting Weather Patterns

2011-03-12T14:44:00.004-05:00

These 6"x8" field studies were all painted in the last two weeks. The weather has gone through some drastic shifts from 50+ degrees then 2 feet of snow. I had to shovel Erin out twice and then the rain came. I spent the eve of my birthday with a wet vac in my basement... happy birthday to me!
All in all I can't complain, I am very blessed and happy to have been able to get out and paint. I hope you enjoy these little paintings and look forward, as I do, to the coming spring season.

Chad

I'm Still Painting

2011-02-26T13:10:00.006-05:00

I've posted a few paintings from last fall and wanted to show some recent field work in this post. These five paintings are the highlights from this last week of painting outdoors. We had a couple really unusual pleasant days early in the week with sunshine all day long... I'll take 'em where I can get 'em. The rest of the week; not so pleasant. Thursday night and Friday we got "dumped on" as you might be able to tell from the last image painted while it was coming down in a near white out.
Just wanted to let you know, I'm still painting.

Chad

Olana Twilight

2011-02-20T08:34:00.003-05:00

Here's another painting from this fall. Some "artist types" might recognize that lazy curve of the Hudson River as the view from the incomparable landscape painter of the 19th ct. Fredrick Church's home Olana. This 6"x12" in oil was painted just as the sun was retiring at twilight and there was a silvery glow bathing everything in diffuse light and giving me a very short time to capture it. I had a great time painting with my friend Jamie Grossman that day and I hope to return someday soon. Olana is a magical place for a landscape painter.

Chad

Morning Light

2011-02-13T17:17:00.003-05:00

"Morning Light" was painted on a local farm here in upstate New York this autumn. This 8"x10" is in oil and was a joy to paint. The weather couldn't have been more pleasant as the sun was on the rise and the fall colors were well underway. I couldn't resist adding the groups of cattle as they moved in for their morning feed. Reminds me of growing up in the rural midwest... minus all the mountains of course.

Chad

Nantucket Pathway

2011-01-10T07:03:00.002-05:00

I was fortunate enough to paint on the island of Nantucket this summer. This is a 6"x8" in oil of a reserve there on the tiny isle off the eastern seaboard. I was fascinated by the unique color cast over the place; even the grasses looked different to me. I stayed on the beach facing the Atlantic and the waves there were incredible. It is hard to put that kind of experience into words or on canvas.

Chad

Tug Hill Donation

2010-11-03T17:44:00.000-04:00

I have had the pleasure of participating in the Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust plein air benefit for the last two years. Tug Hill is an enormous stretch of land in upstate New York. Last year the event was held at Constable Hall. This years we were at Salmon River Falls. When reaching the falls I couldn't resist taking what looked like a "closed" trail down to the bottom of the falls to see what kind of composition was there. I have to say I wasn't disappointed but... the climb back up the 100 ft. falls about killed me! All's well that ends well and I'm glad I was able to participate with this 8"x10" and get reacquainted with a few artist friends. Needless to say, I'm trying to lighten my gear; if you've got any suggestions I'm listening. :)

Chad

Mall Cop

2010-10-12T21:18:00.004-04:00

Some of you may remember the "Incident" where four county sheriff's were called to investigate your truly. Well... I had another run in with THE LAW. One early morning I innocently set up one foot from the "Public" sidewalk overlooking a local mall. The morning sun was blazing on the side of the building throwing shadows around and contrasting nicely with the cool atmosphere. As you can see from the painting there was nobody around and I had parked here at the very end of the parking lot. In comes the namesake of this posting the MALL COP. His shining vehicle yellow lights whirling approached and he exited to investigate the I'm sure strange vehicle parked way out in no man's land. Mind you, I had been painting for an hour and a half by this time and was finishing up. The guy didn't even see me and my giant tripod and easel set up not twenty feet away so I spoke up and he replied with "what are you doing?" Trying not to overstate the obvious or add any sarcasm I said "I'm painting." To try to make this long and I assure you entertaining story shorter, mall cop proceeded to interrogate me and ended up calling his boss to make sure I could "keep the painting." He had apparently been studying copyright and intellectual property law and was concerned I was in violation by PAINTING HIS MALL.
Well all's well that ends well and I was allowed to keep my painting after giving my driver's license as proof of identity and if they needed to track me down in case the painting was used for some nefarious purpose. He even wanted my address and phone number. The one bright note from the zealous fellow while calling his superior to see if I should be water boarded... " you do good work." ;)

Chad

Rained Out

2010-08-23T21:54:00.002-04:00

This 6"x8" was painted in the back lot of a local store here in Utica. Raining all day, the football field was soaked and empty. Catching my attention was the highly reflective lot against the grayed and muted mid-ground trees and mountains in the background. I've been fascinated by city scenes for some time and am happy to post the beginning of probably many more cityscapes. Having spent many years living in a city it is a part of me... It was a fine day to paint!

Chad

Great Time At Gallery 3040

2010-08-15T19:36:00.003-04:00

Erin and I had a great time at Gallery 3040 as perhaps you can tell from this video. There was live music and the bassist was kind enough to let me "noodle" after. :)
Thank you to everyone who came, it was such a pleasure to meet so many art lovers! I've included a few pics from the event. Again, thank you to everyone who came and said hello and to Deb and crew at Gallery 3040 for a great night.

Chad

Reception at Gallery 3040

2010-08-03T11:21:00.004-04:00

Gallery 3040 in Old Forge, New York will be hosting a reception for yours truly Friday, August 6th, 5-8 pm. Erin and I would love to see you there. Gallery 3040 is a special place in Old Forge. Owner Deb Burrington has focused on only handcrafted work from a select group of fine artists; you'll find original works in oil, pastel, and watercolor. Deb has also collected gorgeous pottery, glass work and jewelry from the Northwest of the country as well.
As for me, I have 25 plein air pieces as well as studio paintings in oil at Gallery 3040... thus the reason for the reception :) I'm told there will be wine and a good time had by all so we'd love to see you there.
Attached is the latest studio painting just delivered to Gallery 3040, "Blaze of Glory" at 12"x24". The picture doesn't do it justice (I promise) so you have to come to the reception to fully appreciate... :)

Hope to see you there,

Chad

Windham Fine Art's 6th Annual Plein Air Show

2010-07-02T22:02:00.004-04:00

I have the honor of participating in Windham Fine Art's 6th annual plein air event. The opening reception is Saturday July 3rd 3-6pm. The above paintings are included in the event: "Spring Reflection", " Wet Spring" and " Mother's Day Morning." They are 6"x12", 8"x10", and 6"x12" respectively. All are welcome to the reception and a special thanks to artist Jim Coe for the introductions :)

Wet Spring

2010-06-20T13:11:00.002-04:00

I had to break out serious rain gear for this one. About half way through this 8"x10" it started to rain and grew as the painting progressed. By the time I was done... soaked!
All's well that ends well and the gorgeous subtle harmonies in that light and atmosphere are captured here I believe.
As for the rain; nothing a towel, warm cup of coffee, and my wonderful wife couldn't cure :)

Chad

Blaze of Glory

2010-04-19T21:16:00.002-04:00

This 6"x12" was a real challenge and not just because the sun was setting fast. I had HIGH winds to say the least. It was so bad I had to use one hand and part of my body to "lean" into the easel to keep it from flying off as I painted with the other hand :) It's a miracle I got anything!
The sunsets here in upstate New York can be just fabulous and It's such a privilege to try an capture one.

Chad

Golden Pathways

2010-04-09T09:44:00.003-04:00

This 11"x14" will be shown at The Gallery of CNY in Cazenovia New York as part of their "Just Flowers" juried exhibition. The original 8"x10" field work was painted last spring on a farm property just up the road from me. It's always interesting to take a plein air piece and change the format for a studio painting.
Gallery owner Jennifer Schutzendorf says this is one of the gallery's most successful shows so if you live in the area, opening night is April 30th, 5-7pm. The show will be up May 1st to the 22nd.

Chad

Early March

2010-03-28T23:27:00.003-04:00

Ok... so most of the snow is gone by now. Nevertheless, it is still March and I liked this 6"x8." This was early enough in the morning that the farm and house in the distance were obscured by thick atmosphere and light. As I was looking for a painting subject the overall hazed effect fascinated me. Almost monochromatic yet there were definate warm touches throughout. Although I painted this in upstate New York it reminds me of growing up in the midwest; farms, fields, and lots of flat land. I'll admit, I hope this is the last "snow" painting I do until next December :)

Chad

Snow Patch

2010-03-21T17:56:00.003-04:00

I came across this interesting 12"x9" composition at one of my favorite painting spots this morning. The brilliantly lit patches of snow contrasting the cool of the water and face-lit warmth of the earth tones really caught my attention. There aren't many darks to speak of other than a few accents and shadows but alas that's the charm and challenge of a face-lit scene. It was such a wonderful day to be out painting; a warm sun, cool breeze, and the rare visual treat of a landscape in the transition of seasons...what a privilege.

Chad

Evening Thaw

2010-03-14T22:33:00.005-04:00

Painted this 6"x12" tonight as the light was fading over quickly thawing snow. I've always enjoyed this format and it's perfect for compositions here in upstate New York. The long rolling hills, open fields and stretching skies beg to be painted in this format. My wife and I drive by this area regularly and we both were taken by the beauty of this evening noticing patterns of the melting snow and rich chromatic mountains in the far distance. With her encouragement I ventured out as evening approached and I'm glad I did. I plan to employ this 6"x12" size on a far more frequent basis... It's perfect for this area :)

Chad

Half Frozen

2010-03-10T11:35:00.002-05:00

Half Frozen is the title of this 9"x12" and also how I felt when it was finished. This is one of my favorite painting spots in Old Forge overlooking the Toby Trail. Old Forge is an amazing little town in the Adirondack Mountains. It's about an hour drive for me but worth it. They have a great Art Center there of which I am a member and as much charm as you could ask for.
This particular day was overcast but warming enough to melt some of the ice on the lake... hence the title :) Lots of subtle grays in this one I'm not sure the picture does it justice. I really enjoyed painting this despite the cold. There was a small lock/dam there with overflowing water (sounded like a decent waterfall) right behind me as I painted and the light remained fairly constant. It was a great day to be outside painting!

Chad

Vegas Baby!!!

2010-02-18T14:53:00.009-05:00

Erin and I celebrated our first anniversary in Vegas; we had a great time. We love the Cirque De Soleil shows and got to see something most every night. On Wednesday we drove the 3-4 hours to the Grand Canyon. There were amazing sights all along the way and I recognized so many trees, brush, etc. and the general feel of the desert that I've admired in many western painter's work.
I was able to "break in" my new Thumb Box at Eagle Point (see attached pic.) The shuttle driver mentioned that the light and colors change minute to minute. I assumed he was exaggerating but that light and those hues were almost constantly on the move! I left with a little 3"x8" painting of Eagle Point itself. It was a thrill to paint there and I'm happy to report that the Thumb Box did a great job :)
Chad

Winter Light

2010-01-26T20:15:00.002-05:00

This 16"x20" was created in the studio from an 8"x10" plein air reference I painted at my father-in-laws ranch. Warm sunlit conditions with a strong cerulean sky created a nice temperature contrast. What especially caught my eye were the warm hues of the evergreens contrasting the dynamic cool cast shadows. The composition was almost "ready-made" as I found it. I've submitted this painting to the Oil Painters of America's 19th Annual National Juried Exhibition. We'll see if they accept it into the show... I sure hope so!

Chad

First Snow

2010-01-13T13:49:00.002-05:00

There's been snow on the ground for a bit here in upstate New York; still I wanted to post this 6"x8" study. It captures that transition time from lovely fall to sleepy winter. I know I feel like hibernating at times :) I love the rich warms that come to life in this type of lighting. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Chad

The Lighthouse

2009-12-16T20:46:00.004-05:00

Erin and I recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Southwest Florida. I spent eight years or so in the region and its unique landscape has stayed with me. From foliage to the colors in the sky Florida is just wonderful to my wife and I.
This 6"x8" is a result of that affection. My wife and I spent time here on her first visit to see me in SW. Florida... good memories :)

Chad

The Incident!

2009-12-06T11:55:00.004-05:00

No painting with this update and let me tell you why. My usual process in the field is to scout out interesting compositions as I'm traveling. Well, I found this little spot with a nice road to lead through to fields on either side with mountains in the background; nice. If I can find somebody, I always ask permission to paint on someones property etc. but there was no one in sight so I just parked along the side of the road near an empty gravel lot and began to work. Just as I was getting into the drawing I hear sirens and see 4 county sheriff cars heading my way... hmmm. As the lead car pulled up beside me he asked " did you call the sheriff?", "no, and I haven't seen anything suspicious either" was my response.
All the while I noticed a lady standing in her front yard down the road. Yep, she had called FOUR sheriff's away from whatever they were doing roaring down the road lights & sirens because an artist painting in his car was apparently... a suspicious menace and a threat :)
Needless to say the sheriff was a little agitated and amused... and so was I.

Chad

Cirrus Vista

2009-11-23T10:27:00.004-05:00

8"x10" Oil on canvas glued to board
$105 via paypal...CLICK HERE
$10 shipping in the U.S.
email: chad@chadsmithpaintings.com for international rates

This 8"x10" was my second attempt of the day and the combination of clouds, big sky and vista was compelling. There are so many beautiful sites throughout this area... I am blessed.
Hope you enjoy it.

Chad

Downtown Church

2009-11-19T20:39:00.002-05:00

Painting "in town", unusual for me, drew lots of attention. Plenty of friendly folks passing by, some commenting on my work. This 8"x10" was tricky in the compression of values and close harmonies. The solidity of the church itself within the glorious chorus of autumn color... irresistible.

Chad

Autumn Reflection

2009-11-13T08:49:00.002-05:00

There was an impressive haze this morning blanketing everything in site. This 8"x10" captures my experience of a view towards a local farm in these conditions. The sky had an erie color and transition infusing the landscape. Naked trees contributed to the effect and of course the distant barns feeling and looking so small in the maw of nature.

Chad

Old Forge Auction

2009-10-13T20:23:00.002-04:00

The Old Forge Art Center held it's inaugural Plien Air Paint Out auction on Sunday. Several talented artists participated over two weekends culminating in a successful silent and live auction held on Mcauley Mountain. I was fortunate to participate and attend the event. Everyone enjoyed themselves including my wife and I. I donated an 8"x10" painted over the Moose River.

Chad

Autumn Morning

2009-10-05T14:40:00.003-04:00

A cold wet morning today. The passing rain clouds combined with subdued cool light provided a wonderful moody setting for this 9"x12". I had to unpack the umbrella at least twice. Funniest of all, a farmer started mowing down the corn with his Combine right in front of me as I was painting! Such is the adventure of outdoor work :)

Chad

Fall Is Here

2009-10-01T10:03:00.002-04:00

Where'd the summer go? It was a short season this year and fall is already heavy here in upstate NY. I'm hoping to get out painting as much as possible during this beautiful time of year.

This field painting is 8"x10". It was painted in Old Forge at the Toby Trail. COLD & WET! The cool overcast sky was a great foil for the autumn color but boy was it cold. Time to break out the winter garb.

It's been awhile since I've posted. I have a collection of work to update over time including a work and pics from a Marc Hanson workshop!

Chad

Warm Morning Sky

2009-08-16T11:01:00.004-04:00

Backlit morning clouds were irresistable in this landscape of rolling hills and treelines.I'm including a couple process pics. The first is the "Carlsonesque" poster-like block in.

Notice bug next to tree on lower left(for added realism).

The second is after some lights, form, color and value variations have been explored.

Chad

Summer Stillness

2009-08-05T10:10:00.003-04:00

Late morning light and atmosphere really enhanced this subject. With the faces of the barns in cool shadow the light bouncing of the rooftops gave a great contrast within the silhoutted center of interest. The background trees gave an interesting challenge in their green/gray warm coolness. All in all a enjoyable morning painting.

Chad

Backlit Intensity

2009-07-30T11:35:00.004-04:00

Time was of the essence with this 6"x8". Atop a hill looking across a valley the light changed quickly. Of special interest was the way the trees glowed with intense color as the sun was setting. Backlit situations often produce this effect and it was a real treat to observe it in such brilliant intensity.

Chad

Wet July Evening

2009-07-28T11:20:00.004-04:00

I had to break out the umbrella for this one. Time and fading light were also factors. Thankfully, everything went pretty smoothly and I was able to finish this picture before it was just too dark to see. Standing in that bean field the colors produced during a wet evening were just enchanting!

Chad

Gallery in Saratoga NY

2009-07-20T16:00:00.005-04:00

Hey all,

We hung 13 paintings this weekend in Saratoga NY. They are at the Frankie Flores Gallery on Broadway. We've been very busy with travel and working on this gallery representation.

Saratoga is a wonderful city an hour and forty-five minutes from us. The traditions of art, jazz, and music in general are very strong there. It's my kinda place!

I've included a pic of some of the paintings that were hung and one 5x7, "Quiet Sunset" that I just finished and took up there on Sunday with two other paintings.

till next time,

Chad

Home Sweet Home

2009-07-13T16:15:00.004-04:00

I'm glad to be home!

Nevertheless, we had a great trip. We visited old friends and family and lots of great midwest scenery. There were many miles between upstate NY and where we went but it was fantastic. Lake Erie was beautiful as we stopped for just a quick look on the way south. Wish I'd time to do a quick sketch or two there.

As for a quick sketch I found time for two scenes. Both of which I grew up in! Growing up I was moved around a lot so certain places hold special memories for me. If you've had that experience I'm sure you know what I mean.

The house on the left is in Indiana and was built by my dad. Lots of great memories of family and wandering the woods ponds and creeks with my dog etc.

The mobile home on the right is where my mom and I lived after moving to Cincinnati. It's a bit surprising it's still there after all these years.

Both special to me in their own way and I'm grateful for the opportunity to paint them

Chad

When Time Is Short

2009-06-30T16:06:00.003-04:00

Only had a short time yesterday morning. We're getting ready for a big trip through the midwest. I'm very excited to see family and introduce my new bride to where I grew up.

There will be opportunities to paint and I'll try to post from the road if I can find a hook up.

As for this tiny study, I love doing these guys. It's maybe 3"x4" if that. Just a study of the late morning overcast flat lighting that really emphasized the wet feeling cools in this picture. I had to make sure the ground plane and pieces of sky had lots of light and higher value as that what the conditions really suggested. That scenario pushes your overall values down but really illuminates the sky a silvery coolish nameless color.

See you next time on the road!

Chad

"Dixie" Second Installment

2009-06-26T17:02:00.005-04:00

I was able to put some time into Dixie's portrait today finishing up the ears. I decided to go with my instincts and make the farthest ear a bit smaller to emphasize depth and made sure the darkest value was a "hair" lighter than in the other ear. This keeps me from contradicting myself and sustaining the illusion.

Also, it's a good idea to get some warmth ie. reds and oranges into the ears. This will represent the translucency of the ear with light passing through illuminating it with the higher chroma red showing up visually. Furthermore, in the photo provided by the client, this area was very dark. This is common in photos. I needed to rely on what I know about this particular situation and ignore the value structure presented to me in the photo to add life and the sense of light I'm after.

Chad

"Mohawk Overlook"--- click here to buy

2009-06-25T19:26:00.006-04:00

This 6"x8" is of the Mohawk River. After spending the morning with an artist friend in Little Falls I found this vista and new I had to give it a shot. It reminded me of the Hudson River Painters and their often grand and scenic pictures.

I've included a few pics of the process and one of the view that I had. It was a wonderful slightly overcast day for painting when I started but the sun did finally make a strong appearance and my light changed quite a bit before I was finished. It's all part of the adventure!

Chad

"Dixie" Changing It Up

2009-06-24T16:22:00.002-04:00

Dixie's owner contacted me about doing an 8"x10" portrait and I was happy to do it. This is a different kind of adventure... a studio adventure. Instead of 1-3 hours, these works can take a week or more depending on the size and complication of the subject and background.

As you can see from the progress pics, Dixie seems to be coming along nicely. There are always unique challenges regarding portraits but I welcome the change. Turning the form carefully on a head is big fun.

I plan to post the progress on Dixie as this is taking all my painting time at the moment. Please let me know what you think about how I've "changed it up."

Chad

Tug Hill Paint Out Adventure---"Golden Pathway" SOLD

2009-06-22T09:42:00.006-04:00

I attended the Tug Hill Paint Out this weekend to benefit the Tug Hill Land Trust. What a great adventure! Constable Hall in Constableville was gorgeous. The hall itself is rich with history and the flower garden (the subject of my painting) was uplifting and inspiring. Truth be told, the best part was meeting all the friendly attendees and other artists. 20+ talented artists participated and the work was auctioned off that evening. I'm told the event was a success and congrats to the Tug Hill Land Trust for a wonderful event and great experience for me.

A special thanks to Martha Deming who purchased the previously painted "Golden Pathway" during the event. Martha is a warm and talented artist who's passion for art and life is evident to me even though I've only just met her.

Again, thank you to the Tug Hill Land Trust for having me and to all the great people and new friends I met.

Chad

Special Studio Work: "A View South"--- click here to bid

2009-06-19T16:59:00.005-04:00

This 9"x12" studio painting is based on a 6"x8" field work by the same name. Nothing says Florida like palm trees and cumulous clouds. I loved the backroads and trails during my 7+ years in the sunshine state. I plan to revisit the area in the future with pochade in tow.

Treasured as a field study, I hope if you've spent any time in Florida you can smell that salty air in "A View South."

Chad

"Oriskany Heat"--- click here to purchase

2009-06-19T10:27:00.003-04:00

This was a very warm muggy afternoon. I was with a student and we enjoyed setting up around Oriskany Creek. He chose the falls nearby but I found this view to be an interesting challenge. GREEN,GREEN,GREEN! The winding creek helped with perspective and the much needed warmer complement in this painting. Warms in the trees could've been pushed even further perhaps. What do you think?

Chad

Introduction

2009-06-16T13:33:00.003-04:00

I am blessed with the opportunity to paint. I am blessed to experience the outdoors and then share it with you.

Here's to a long fulfilling adventure together.

Chad