And to All a Good Night

Greetings to All,

Well, it was almost going to be. The forecast for tomorrow calls for mostly sunny and mid-to high 30's. But that doesn't pair well with a robust breeze from the southwest, since to benefit from the heat of the sun you also have to be in the wind. So let's call it a wrap for 2013 and ramp up the studio production.

We painted together 30 times this year, starting on April 4 and ending on December 12, including two special broader group paint-outs in Lyme and New London. We'll still aim for mid-March for our first paint-out of 2014.

I'll be seeing some of you in the Madison Wednesday watercolor studio, starting on January 8. And Lyme's first show of 2014 receives on January 5, followed by Madison's member show receiving on February 1. I'll be working on a schedule of show details for 2014 as soon as that information starts hitting the airways. I'll also be working on our paint-out schedule, so if you have any suggestions for new venues, please either leave a comment on this post or send me an email. We will be sticking with our Thursday schedule for the entire season, rather than switching between Tuesday and Thursday.

I wish you a joyous, safe holiday season, and I'm looking forward to a fulfilling new year of painting and appreciating art together.

/j

Guilford Green - Thursday, 12 December 2013

Greetings to All,

Notwithstanding my Tuesday post, indicating that we would not paint this week, after lots of recalculating and after taking measure of the day's sun and blue sky, I managed to find one hardy soul -- Betsey -- to come out and paint with me this morning. Around 9:30, I pulled my car into the one space that I really-really wanted, just north of the alleyway by the Food Market. I set up my chair and low tables right next to my driver's side door, as there is a no-parking zone at the head of the alleyway, which minimizes the danger of a car turning in there. In the lee of my car, I was in an excellent sun trap, sheltered from the W/NW breeze.

Around 10 AM, Betsey set up her stool and gear right next to me. Except for fingers and noses, our layered clothing kept us quite toasty, and I even worked without gloves off and on through the morning. The paint started to freeze on my palette only once, probably around 11 AM. It was lots of fun, because people coming and going would stop and ask if we were nuts, amid other comments. Finally, around 11:45, the shadow of the market started to encroach, and the wind shifted westerly and picked up in velocity, blowing down the alleyway. But Betsey was finished already, and I was digging myself into a deeper hole laying in shadow shapes from a faulty memory. So we called it a day and ducked into Cilantro's to warm up and celebrate what may be our last paint-out of the year.

The toasty warm of the interior and the hot Chai for me and tea for Betsey were only made better by finding Gayle A. sitting there having a sandwich while he waited for his books to be wrapped up next door. Gayle says he has been very busy this year, painting a little, but working with an architect, developing professional drawings, as well as still dealing with family fall-out from the loss of Jeanne last year. But he was in good spirits, planning to head to DC over the holidays, and obviously doing a great job attending to his Christmas shopping, It was great to chat and catch up after such a long time.

So now we'll just hope to get a bonus paint-out next Thursday, when the forecast suggests we might expect much warmer weather. If it also has sun and not too much wind, we'll try to get out one more time. Then we call it quits no matter what the weather.

Photos from Guilford Green

Not This Week

No way this week, but let's not call it quits just yet. Next Thursday still could be above freezing, and if it's sunny, we still could paint out.

Meanwhile enjoy some well-earned studio time.

/j

Rain Out

Good Morning, My Friends,

The forecast says cloudy, but it's awfully wet and breezy here. So I'm going to head in to Brush & Palette in New Haven and paint the figure today.

Here's what Jay said this morning --

"Right now it;s raining in Branford, I see drops hitting puddles in my driveway.

If it clears up I may go to the Guilford Green but it's too early to see at this point. ...  I might go if it clears a bit and will post on the web site: http://ctsa-guilford.blogspot.com/  or email to the group."

So, if you're inclined, check back to see what Jay might be doing. But I'll be happily painting inside today.  We'll hope for next week.

 

/j

Not so Sure

That forecast that looked so good a few days ago has really deteriorated, and Thursday morning is looking quite damp. I have my doubts, but let's not throw in the towel just yet. Be sure to check for updates before you go.

/j

Call to Paint -- Thursday, 5 December 2013 -- 10 AM

Greetings to All,

You haven't gotten rid of me yet! 

The forecast for Thursday is looking quite good, albeit sunless. Let's see if we can capture the impending holiday bustle on the Guilford Green. Although I've posted the time as 10 AM, if it's not too cold, I will try to be there between 9 and 9:30.

I hope to see you there.

/j

Ooops.

As I was looking back over yesterday's post, I realized that I had missed Hans' second lovely painting -- his quickie worked in just about 30 minutes, I think. It looked so perfect that I passed right over it when I was cropping and sizing, so it was not included in the processed images that I uploaded. Sorry Hans. But now you get your own little solo show! Well deserved...

/j

Griswold House -- 21 November 2013

We were six -- Patty, Hans, Jay, Sally, Pam R, and me. An absolutely beautiful morning -- yes, nippy at 9:30, but sunny and windless. Those of us who painted in the sun painted bare-handed and by noon, I was hot inside my winter layers, except for one set of toes that got a little cool. What a treat it was to have so much company.

Patty, who painted from her car, was the first to leave - for an appointment. She claimed to have nothing to show, but it was great to have her back out with us. Pam also left early, as usual. The rest of us worked until about 12:30, which gave Hans time to get in a second painting.

We're off next week for the holiday, so our next potential paint-out is December 5. We'll see...

Enjoy the Shoreline Arts Trail this weekend! Also LAA's opening tomorrow (Friday) night 5-7 PM for their Deck the Walls holiday show and the special solo show by Christopher Zhang.

/j

Photos from Griswold House

Griswold House -- 21 November 2013

Confirming Griswold House

Pretty nippy out there, but with sun and without much breeze, it's ON.  I'm trying to get there by 9:30, but not for sure.  See you there.

/j

Call to Paint -- Thursday, 21 November 2013 -- 10 AM

Greetings to All,

Thursday is looking good, with mostly sunshine, not much breeze, and highs in the mid-40's. I'm thinking Griswold House in Guilford, and I have an email inquiry out for approval to paint there. If the approval does not come through, I'll post an alternate site -- probably Guilford Docks. Please check the blog before you go to be sure of the location.

Paintings of this historic property would be good for either our Hyland House exhibit or for a special summer-long exhibit that I believe may be in the works for 2014 at Griswold House. So this is a chance to get a jump on next season, as well as to just go out and have a great morning of painting.

Directions below.

I hope to see you there.

/j

THOMAS GRISWOLD HOUSE,  171 Boston Street, Guilford

From I-95, take Exit 59 – Goose Lane. Turn south on Goose Lane. Go straight across Route 1 onto Soundview Road, and at the stop sign turn right (west) on Boston Street. After about 0.6 mile, the Griswold House will be on your left.

Demo - Forwarded from Tom Mayer

 

Hi Everyone,

 

Prize winning painter Jackie Jones White from Glastonbury will be doing a free oil painting demo Wed. Nov. 20 at the Orchards of Southington.   The Orchards is located at 34 Hobart street, off North Main.  The demo follows a brief members' meeting at 6:30 P.M. The public is invited to attend.  

 

Tom

Pleasant Point Trains - 14 November 2013

Jay, Sally, Judy and I met at 10 AM at the Tilcon (trap rock) rail yard on Pleasant Point Road in Branford -- which I call the Pleasant Point trains. But on my way, I went to check out the Trolley Trail, which can be accessed down a short, steep trail section about a mile further out the road. From the trail you can see the Tilcon distribution facility in Pine Orchard, and in one of the photos, you can see the tops of a train on its way there, across the marshes. Eastward on the trail, there are outlooks back toward Stony Creek. I'm including these photos in case they may inspire you for painting there.

Back at the trains, while the others were setting up and starting to sketch and paint, I again spent a lot of time roaming around for some good reference photos. Silvia, who lives just a few doors down, came to say hello and offer the use of her bathroom, should we need it, but she was not inspired to paint trains.

With our layers of clothes, sheltered from the wind by the trees, and with the sun on our backs we were snug and warm until around Noon, when the sun went behind some trees. Sally invited us back to her condo for her homemade black bean soup (accompanied by some good bread that Jay brought) and Sally's signature brownies for dessert. We also enjoyed browsing Sally's prolific collection of her paintings, including many nice bird illustrations and seascapes, and we perused some new art books, including the Splash Retrospective and an excellent Ian Roberts treatise on composition. Then we watched a couple of Castagnet video demos.

A great morning of art in good company.

Let's hope for another good Thursday next week. I'll try to get us out to the east next time or Guilford. We'll decide that after we see a near-term forecast.

Photos of the trains.

 

 

 

 

 Photos from Trolley Trail