Wave Study One

Here is a study I did last Sunday morning near the Coast Guard station at Charlotte Harbor. Beautiful clear crisp morning with much brilliance on the water. I had to squint just to keep looking at it.

Of coarse painting moving waves is a big challenge and the reason for this study. I need to look at the wave for awhile and think about what color and position was the darkest shadow, reflected light, highlight, etc.

The splash over the rock is never the same twice. Even in the 1 or 2 seconds that the rock is visible it changes dramatically. The green plant algae goes from a wet sheen to a flat sheen in less than a second.





Here is a photo of the site and conditions to give you an idea of what I am up against when I paint this way.

Josi Etter painted with me on this morning. She paints fish because of her love of that subject. She and her husband are avid in their pursuit of the elusive trout by fly fishing. Sketch and Release is her web-site and you may find it interesting.




Josi also is currently exhibiting and interesting portrait of a modern Madonna at the Memorial Art Gallery. The show is called 2007 Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition. She calls it "Die Gedanken Sind Frei…" or in English, Thoughts Are Free.

On June 24, 2007 the Rochester D & C newspaper suggested the following regarding Josi's work, "Perhaps the most striking fusion of past and present can be see in Rochester painter Josi Etter's Die Gedanken...."

It is a pleasure to paint with Josi whenever the opportunity arises. Congratulations on your acceptance to this show in order to display your fine work!

I leave you with this quote from A River Runs Through It, by Norman Maclean.

"My father was very sure about certain matters pertaining to the universe. To him, all good things - trout as well as eternal salvation - came by grace; and grace comes by art; and art does not come easy."

Josi and I both know... Art never comes easy!

Link