Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Autumn Colors

"October Maples"
8x10 oil on panel

Autumn is in the air - actually a few mornings lately have felt more like winter than autumn, but it's a nice break from painting the greens of summer. The above painting was done at Washington Crossing Park, NJ. I went there planning to paint some of the old buildings, but the way the sun was hitting those trees was just too nice to pass up. I'm not sure if they really were maples, but "October Maples" sounded like a good title.

The scene below is more representative of what I really like about autumn: the muted greens that remind me of a Corot painting. This was another one where I got sidetracked: I was planning to paint along the D&R Canal at Griggstown, NJ - a place I paint very often, but I decided to wander around the fields by the Millstone River first. In mid summer, these fields never attract me, but now, those grayish greens and browns, the way the late afternoon light was raking across the field... I painted here instead and never made it to the canal (which runs just behind the distant tree line):

"Millstone Fields"
8x10 oil on panel

3 comments:

  1. Joe, I'm so glad you found my blog so that I could find yours. Beautiful work. I've linked you in my blogger reader so I'll be checking back often.

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  2. Anonymous4:20 PM

    Joe,
    Great work! I don't get to do too much plein aire, but last weekend I went to Allaire Village. Beautiful place! I was, however, reminded how difficult plein aire painting can be! It's a different mindset and it ain't like riding a bike...you forget after a while!

    Pete

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  3. Hi Pete, I've been to Allaire Village but never to paint - maybe I'll give that a shot next year, and perhaps I'll bump into you there. Plein air painting can be challenging but I think it can be a big help to one's studio work. I know it is for me.

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