North Cove, August Mid Morning by Roxanne Steed

16"x20" oil on linen mounted on archival board

"Summer is not so much a season as a melody, that tune of contentment we hum as the days begin to beautifully blur." -Sarah Ban Breathnach

I got back home from my travels Tuesday night & rose to a beautiful day for painting this Wednesday morning! Back down in Old Saybrook, our friend Diane shares her wonderful view with a group of us painters. I'm finding that completing these larger plein air works are a bit like physical exercise....the more fit you become, things start to get easier. It's no longer quite so intimidating looking at these larger canvases outdoors. (It's a totally different feeling working in the studio when your surroundings are more stable. The light is not changing, wind not blowing, no bugs, or sunburn, etc.). But there is indeed something wonderful about being out in the weather while painting....painting the 'experience of the day', whatever that may bring.

This painting may be purchased directly from my DailyPainters.com gallery store.

North Cove, Old Saybrook by Roxanne Steed

16"x20" oil on linen mounted on archival panel

"Do not tell fish stories where people know you; but particularly don't tell them where they know the fish." -Mark Twain


Another beautiful day here in New England! I was able to go back to Old Saybrook and finish the piece I started on last week down on the North Cove. My friend's yard overlooks the cove and all the boats moored out there are so beautiful.

I had been wanting to work on larger pieces on location. I usually work on this size in the comfort of my studio. But I did want to see what I could bring to the effort by being on location. I got the canvas covered last week, with everything blocked in & indicated in placement (in particular the boats and the clouds, which continue to move all the time). Once I indicate the direction of light hitting the boats, that's the crucial point for me. (***And I strongly suggest to artists just starting out, to lay out a lot of paint!)

This week I came back for the finish, which actually doesn't take that long once the "bones" (or foundation) of the painting are carefully set.

This painting may be purchased directly from me, at my DailyPainters.com gallery store