Fall Hike on a Cloudy Day
7.5×11″, Watercolor on 300# Saunders Waterford CP
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.
I painted this from a photo I took when my husband and I went hiking around Lake Minnewaska. Although the day was heavily overcast, the foliage was at peak, and the vistas along the carriage trails were a treat.
6×8″, Oils on canvas covered hardboard
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.
This painting was done mostly on location, with a few tweaks in the studio to finish it up. It is a scene from Long Dock (Beacon Point Park) along the Hudson River. I loved the rusty-orange trees against the distant blues of Mt. Beacon, and the brighter greens of the foliage that hadn’t yet realized fall had arrived.
These sketches were done on October 21, along with the one I posted that day, although they are displayed out of order. The sketch posted on the 21st is #1. The post above is #3. Below is #2, and the last is #4–my last one of the day and a real quickie.
I didn’t get a chance to finish up the writing and take the pictures until today. Normally I also type out what I’ve handwritten, but with my hand/arm in a cast, it is a long and painful process to do either (not to mention drawing and painting!) Once I’m out of the cast, I’ll edit this post to include all the text.
24×36″, Oils on stretched canvas
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.
This large painting was done on location in Cold Spring, New York over a period of several days. It was pretty windy some of that time, and I thought the painting was going to act as a sail and carry off the entire easel from time to time! I was exhausted by the time the painting was completed, with the long days and long drives over to the location, but it was worth it.
10×10″, gouache in my kraft paper sketchbook
I had the good fortune to spend today out in the middle of the Hudson River on Bannerman Island, sketching the castle ruins. Because of my recent hand surgery, I couldn’t carry much gear. I just brought my sketchbook and some gouache. This was my first sketch of the day. The tide was very low, and the boat captain told us it was still going out. So, I walked out on a spit of land that jutted out into the river, and provided a great view looking back at the castle. Apparently the captain was wrong; the tide was coming in, not going out! It wasn’t long before my friend Laura called out to me, “Oh my gosh, Jamie, you’d better move right away!” I’d been so focused on my sketch that I didn’t notice my pathway of land had nearly vanished! I quickly threw my gear into my bag and walked back to land. I had to wade part of the way. When I’d reached shore, the spur of land was entirely underwater. I didn’t get to finish my sketch, but it’s a good thing I left the spot before it was done!
I still need to photograph the other sketches and finish the writing part of the journal pages. I’ll be posting them as they are finished.
6×8″, Oils on canvas covered hardboard
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.
This painting was started a couple of weeks ago on a very chilly morning at the top of Kaaterskill Falls. It just needed a few minutes of studio touch-ups to call it done. This is one of my favorite painting spots, and I go there often to paint the stunning cascades as they spill over the rocks before plunging down the 279 feet of Kaaterskill Falls. It is the tallest waterfall in New York State.
This was a favorite spot of the Hudson River School painters as well. Back in those times, there was a dam up here to hold back the flow of water. A bucket would be lowered to the viewers below, who would each pay into the bucket for a water release to view the falls. Snack and drinks would also be lowered down to complete the attraction.
7×5″, Oils on sealed, primed hardboard
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.
My friend Claire came to visit a few weeks ago. We both set up our easels in my driveway to catch the dramatic foliage against the cooler blue-greens of the mountain. The late day light was fleeting and the mosquitoes were fierce! I didn’t quite have time to finish on location, so I finished this up in the studio today.
The leaves are already gone from that bright foreground tree on the top of the rock. Fall always passes so quickly!
20×24″, oil on stretched canvas
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.
This is a fall plein air painting looking toward North Salem, across Peach Lake. It’s quite large for a plein air painting at 20×24″, and took several sessions on location to complete.
6×8″, Oils on sealed, primed hardboard
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.
This is a painting that I started last fall at a great new park in Beacon called Long Dock. I went back today to finally finish it! Long Dock, or “Beacon Point Park”, is on a peninsula that juts out into the Hudson River. The sky was gorgeous, and the fall leaves here were in their peak of fall beauty.
6×8″, Oils on canvas covered hardboard
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.
Sunday was the Olana Paintout, an annual event at the estate of the late Hudson River School painter Frederic Church. As I drove along the road that runs through the grounds to the top of the hill overlooking the Hudson, I was immediately captivated by this brilliant red tree standing alone out on the field. I pulled my car off the road and set up my easel on the spot.
This was my first time painting since my hand surgery, and it sure was a challenge with a cast!
Every so often it’s good for viewers to see into our studios at what goes on behind the scenes in addition to painting. For the past few days, I’ve been spending some time getting oil paints from jars into these tubes. Many thanks to my friend Mary and daughter Sarah, who lent a helping hand (or two!) while my right hand recovers from surgery.
Most of these tubes are small to fit easily into my pochade boxes and not add much weight. Usually I carry two tubes of white with me and mix my titanium white oil paint half and half with Griffin alkyd white to speed drying time. So, for the white tubes here, I mixed the two whites before tubing them. Now I’ll only have to carry one tube of white with me. (Actually, my “Studio Assistant” daughter measured, mixed and tubed most of the white.)
Nine jars of various colors down, three to go! That translates to about another 12-14 tubes of paint.
7 x 5″, Oils on canvas covered hardboard, unframed
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.
There’s quite a collection of wonderful objects, architectural treasures, and river overviews to paint at this favorite spot along the Hudson. I was drawn by the strong contrasts of light and shadow as the sun began it’s shift to the west, and the rusty undertones of the statue.
12×16″, Oils on canvas covered hardboard
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.
There is nothing for a Hudson River painter quite like standing in the yard at Frederic Church’s estate and looking up at his home, paintbrush in hand. Spending an occasional day at Olana makes me appreciate the history and drama of painting in the Hudson Valley.
This painting, done on location at Olana, needed a few studio tweaks before I could call it done. As you can probably tell by looking at the painting, the drawing of the mansion took up most of my painting time on site! The sun was moving quickly and the lighting changed dramatically before I had a chance to wrap it up. In the studio, I touched up the trees a bit and altered the slope on the left side. Now it’s ready for a special wall—maybe yours?
36×24″, Oils on stretched canvas, unframed
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.
This large oil painting is a scene painted from a photo I took on Indian Hill Road in Garrison, New York. It is a mostly-unpaved road that leads down to Constitution Marsh. The fall foliage there is always the best anywhere!
For those who like to see things in progress, below is an image of how things began. I worked off both a computer monitor and printed photo, and used them more or less as a springboard to create the painting. I washed the background with yellows to start. This would give the feeling of the light filtering through the fall leaves as I added more layers. Once that yellow wash was on the canvas, I went right to the darkest darks and mapped out the painting in light and shadow.
The image below gives you an idea of how I go about laying in the leaves and colors.
3×3″, Golden OPEN Acrylics on stretched canvas, easel included, painting is beautifully gift-boxed
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.
Some time ago, there was a fantastic rainbow over the lake just before sunset. I grabbed my camera and ran outside to get some photo references. This was painted from one of the photos I took. The light and colors were almost too amazing to believe.
This miniature is shipped in a gold gift box, with a gold bow. The easel is included too! It makes the ideal present for any art lover, and looks great set on a small table or shelf. Quarter is shown for size reference.
8×10″, Oils on canvas covered hardboard
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.
I had the best time painting this busy, colorful French scene! All those little windows and architectural trimmings, the boats, water, reflections, people sitting in the cafes…. Such fun!
8×10″, Oils on canvas covered hardboard
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.
This was painted early yesterday morning for Artists on Location in Garrison, NY. There was a misty drizzle on and off, so I found a spot off to the side of the dirt road where I could paint in my car! Each time it started drizzling, I’d take my pochade box into the car, only to re-emerge as the precipitation paused. When I was nearly done, the police asked me to move because they were afraid I was going to get run over! I moved over to that field on the right to finish the painting.
I’d really like to go back there soon to do a larger version of this painting. If anybody wants to commission it, please email me! This one is sold.
7×5″, watercolor
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.
If you thought you missed my show at Bannerman Island Gallery….surprise! I’ve been asked to let the show run for another month! The solo show of my paintings, titled Hudson River Journeys, will run until the beginning of November. It is a celebration of the Hudson River Quadricentennial; all of the paintings feature the Hudson River from up in Athens, NY, down to the Palisades in Hastings and Nyack. Stop by to see the show on Friday, Saturday or Sunday afternoons, and enjoy the tour of the River. The gallery is located at 150 Main Street, Beacon NY. 50% of the proceeds of each sale go to benefit the restoration of Bannerman Island and its amazing, castle-like structures. The paintings are on a 10% off sale, and each purchase is accompanied by a gift from me of an 11×17″, hand-signed print of one of my paintings showing the overview from Boscobel in all its fall splendor.
(Shadows along top of image are from the easel holding the painting)
24×18″, Oils on stretched canvas
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.
Although there were heavy clouds overhead today, I spent another day on location with this painting to finish it up. It is such a beautiful and tranquil spot. I was entertained by a little grebe in the pond, some friendly passers-by, and a friendly chipmunk! I’d like to go back in a couple of weeks when the foliage is further along and do another painting….maybe an even larger one next time!
