Chit Chat Town

I wanted my painting to have a feeling of Provincetown, more than making a picture of Provincetown.
Provincetown is a bustling small town that is very laid back. People often stop and converse on the street.
I put in  a couple figures and some trucks to give some breath to the small painting.
I once heard it said "Don't worry about making it real; make it feel real".

Spring on Prince Street

Cherry tree blossoms drew me to this scene initially, however this painting is about the hill that wines down the hill.
I have always found this scene interesting; shying away from it due to the perspective problem and the lack of color it often presents.
With the colorful cherry blossoms I was seduced.
The perspective of the hill makes it challenging to paint.
To be honest I was always afraid I would be chastised by the "perspective police" so I never attempted it before.

Spring Awakenings

Springtime in lope Square 8x10 canvas

Mcmillan Wharf Provincetown 6x8 canvas

Law Street 6x6 masonite

Finely the spring has arrived at the Cape; the landscape is going to change rapidly from this point on. This weekend the light was incredible; painting small one shots was a great way to warm up.
I painted a few sketches of street scenes this weekend, putting in some of the peeps to create a feeling of the town coming to life again.

Lope Square Provincetown 6x6 Masonite

Pond Village Truro

Alla Prima Street Scene

The Italian, meaning of alla prima is the first attempt. Painting wet into wet is another way to explaining "alla prima". I like to work on the spot and put down the paint directly on white canvas , fast. When I painted this street scene I didn't use an under painting. Many plein air artist's use a yellow or burnt senna ground; killing the white of the canvas. I like the white and put all my colors down that I see; using the white of the canvas to gage the values and temperatures of color.

There is no fast rule for alla prima. Using a base color or not doesn't make a bit of difference, wet into wet is the meaning of  first attempt because you aren't going to apply wet paint over a dry color.
 It was a beautiful warmish day in Provincetown when I painted this scene. The white truck is my focal point. The details are the icing on the cake; details are subject to the whole of the painting.
A few telephone poles and figures give life to the scene, I felt.

Spring on the Provincetown Flats

Early spring is always a big adjustment, painting on the cape. Wharf scenes are the best to paint because they don't have the non existent foliage to deal with.
Arthur Egeli and I painted yesterday on the flats at  low tide.
I did a sketch of the fisherman before they got up;  then started a scene of Captain Jack's Wharf.
A very excellent day to paint with no wind and perfect light.