18×24″, Golden Fluid Acrylics on sealed, primed hardboard
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

This was painted on location at Boscobel Restoration in Garrison, NY a few weeks ago. It needed a few finishing touches and signing in the studio, which I finally got to do today.

This painting is not an exact scene, but rather a composite of elements that were there at the time. There was a row of cherry blossoms in full bloom that were stunning. There was also a path alongside them; however, that path is actually on the other side of the trees, and runs parallel to the river, rather than toward it. I wanted to switch things around for a change, have the pathway lead the viewer’s eyes to the overview of Constitution Marsh, and bring the cherry blossoms into the painting as well. Fortunately, as artists, we can use our artistic license to have our cake and eat it too!

16x20 and larger, Available, Cold Spring and Garrison, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location, acrylic paintings, spring | 1 Comment »

7×5″, Golden OPEN Acrylics on sealed, primed hardboard, custom framed to 11×9″
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

This is a painting I did some time ago. It is seasonal and has always been one of my favorite little garden/fountain paintings, so I am reposting it today.

Although this scene was an enormous challenge to paint, I think I had an even more difficult time trying to get the photo right! I can’t seem to get the dark trees in the background light enough without bleaching out the foreground flowers. This painting will be available here on my website for only a couple of weeks.

Since this scene presented so many interesting challenges, I decided to take a few extra pictures to share.

Here is a photo of the scene:

I was immediately drawn to the strong contrasts, and the L-shaped composition created by the flowers, fountain and figure. I also love painting stone walls, so it was a plus to have that in the composition as well. Fitting all this onto a 5×7 panel didn’t prove to be easy.

Here’s my pack stool and lightweight painting box. The umbrella clamp is affixed to my stool. I was using a Pittman bag, which can hold my box flat so the paint won’t shift as I change locations. My panel carrier and extra paints fit in there too, and even the umbrella.

Here’s a closeup of the box, ready for paint. The panel is affixed to the box lid with blu-tac. It works great. The panels and paper stay put, and there are no clips or clamps obscuring parts of the painting surface. My paper towel is clipped onto the box lid to allow more room alongside the palette for paints and my sprayer.

The plastic paint storage containers were purchased in the camping section of Sports Authority. They have a rubber seal around the outside so the paint stays fresh. I find it much easier to set out paint this way, rather than having to search for a tube and open caps.

The box further to the back contains my standard plein air palette:
Cadmium Yellow Primrose
Pyrrole Red
Transparent Red Oxide
Phthalo Blue
Ultramarine Blue
Titanium White

The box in the front contains add-ons that I use in the figure studio. I bring it along for plein air too, just in case….It has
Naples Yellow
Cadmium Yellow Medium
Cadmium Red Light
Oxide of Chromium
Cerulean Blue Chromium hue
Permanent Alizarin
I also carry quinacridone magenta with me for these garden scenes.

Whoever said that every painting has to have an ugly stage sure knew what they were talking about. There’s mine! I toned the upper part of the painting with transparent red oxide, and painted the figures a dark, greyed blue. That way, even in the underpainting, I could judge the figures more carefully. Then I worked in the green background. I blocked in the area of strong yellow below to reserve it—-a useful tip given to me by wonderful plein air artist, Lee Haber.

From there, it was lots of fun getting the painting to emerge. I feel like my painting process doesn’t really get underway until after this block-in step is done and I have a layer of paint down. Getting this much done didn’t take all that long, but I forgot to stop and get more pictures once I got past this beginning stage. It did eventually get done.

I started another painting later in the afternoon, but it started to rain and I had to pack up. I’ll finish it from a photo on a rainy day later in the week. I hope you’ve enjoyed these extra photos!

8x10 and smaller, 8x12 to 12x24, Available, Demos/Work in Progress, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Golden OPEN Acrylic Paintings, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location | No Comments »

9×12″, Golden Fluid Acrylics on canvas covered hardboard
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

On Friday morning, I dashed back to Boscobel, hoping that the cherry blossoms would still be in bloom. To my dismay, most of them had come down in the strong winds during the week. I found this one tree that still had blooms on it, and pulled out my artistic license to add a few more.

From this vantage point at Boscobel, Constitution Marsh stretches out below, and the West Point Military Academy is on the hillside across the Hudson River. You can barely make out the buildings of West Point on the hillside in the painting.

Palette: Hansa Yellow Opaque, Diarylide Yellow, Raw Sienna, Quinacridone Crimson, Transparent Red Oxide, Ultramarine Blue, Prussian Blue, Titanium White

8x12 to 12x24, Available, Cold Spring and Garrison, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location, acrylic paintings, spring | No Comments »

Gouache in my 10×10″ kraft paper art journal

Text: The forsythia came and went before I even had a chance to paint it this spring. I only saw my beautiful hyacinths blooming in the distance from the studio window! I went outside the studio this morning and cut these lilac blooms, determined to capture some of the essence of spring from my yard before it was too late! Hopefully the cherry blossoms at Boscobel will still be blooming tomorrow.

Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Sketches, Still Life, spring | 3 Comments »

11×14″, Oils on mounted Multimedia Artboard (ready to frame)
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

This was painted on a gorgeous, warm spring day. I headed out to Boscobel Restoration overlooking the Hudson River in Garrison, New York, and took in the spectacular cherry blossoms there. The saturated pinks against the blue sky were intense! Going back tomorrow……

Palette:
Cadmium Yellow Lemon
Raw Sienna
Permanent Rose
Alizarin Crimson
Cerulean Blue
Ultramarine Blue Deep
Viridian
Titanium White

8x12 to 12x24, Available, Cold Spring and Garrison, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Quadricentennial Series, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location, spring | 1 Comment »

6×8″, Oils on sealed, primed hardboard
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

This was painted from a photo I took while vacationing in Virginia and Washington DC. The magnolias and cherry blossoms were absolutely stunning! There was no time on the busy family trip to paint or even sketch, but I stopped outside The White House and some of the monuments to take some photos for spring paintings. No signs of President Obama out on the lawn that day!

My palette for this painting was:
Cadmium Lemon
Raw Sienna
Permanent Red Medium
Ultramarine Blue
Viridian
Chromatic Black
Titanium White

8x10 and smaller, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Landscape, Sold | 1 Comment »

Click painting for a larger, sharper image:

8×10″, Oils on linen
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

I saw this couple walking among the cherry blossoms in Washington DC. It was the perfect photo op! Blossoms were everywhere—on the path, on the grass, and even on the trees!

Palette:
Cadmium Yellow Lemon
Cadmium Yellow Light
Permanent Red Medium
Permanent Alizarin
Phthalo Blue
Ultramarine Blue Deep
Viridian
Chromatic Black
Titanium White

8x10 and smaller, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Landscape, Sold, spring | No Comments »

Golden Fluid Acrylics, 2″ x 1.75″, including frame
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

This is the third time I’ve painted this little Monet copy of Red Poppies at Argenteuil in miniature format. I love doing these little jewels! There are a couple more I want to do soon. They’re such a nice change from my larger pieces. I take them as far as I can with just my glasses on, then switch to a lit magnification lens to finish, all with teeny tiny brushes!

These miniatures are always sent out in gold gift boxes and make elegant gift items for that special occasion. You can commission a scene of your choosing, a scene from one of my other paintings, or a copy of an Old Master that is no longer under copyright protection.

8x10 and smaller, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Golden OPEN Acrylic Paintings, Jamie's Jewels miniature gems, Landscape, Sold | 1 Comment »

5×7″, Oils on sealed, primed hardboard
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.

This little waterfall presents a nearly perfect composition from any angle. I think I’ve painted it from five different spots now, and I feel I’ve only just begun to explore it’s potential as a painting subject. This past weekend, its charm multiplied as the phlox bloomed profusely along the shoreline of the creek.

With all the rain we’ve had this season, the mosquitoes have been out in full force. I doused myself with heavy-duty bug repellent and stayed out painting for as long as the mosquitoes would let me!

8x10 and smaller, Available, Catskill Mountains, Currently In Gallery, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Greene County, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Palenville and Catskill, Plein Air--painted on location, Waterfalls | 3 Comments »

5×7″, Golden OPEN Acrylics on sealed, primed hardboard, unframed
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

This was painted from a home high up on a hilltop in North Salem, New York. There were beautiful views of distant hills to the west, but when I saw these bright pink flowers against the dark foliage, I knew I’d found my painting spot!

8x10 and smaller, Brewster and North Salem, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Golden OPEN Acrylic Paintings, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location, Sold | No Comments »

For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.

7 x 5″, Oils on canvas covered hardboard, unframed
Painting flowers always cheers me up. These should get some kind of a longevity award, having survived several days already and they’re still looking great. There’s a setup picture below for those who like to see what I’m working with. It’s a good thing you can’t see the rest of the studio; what a mess!

8x10 and smaller, Available, Demos/Work in Progress, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Painting/Pochade Box, Still Life | 3 Comments »

7×5″, Watercolor on Arches HP
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.

What a wonderful holiday weekend! I didn’t paint much, and since my laptop died while I was away, I couldn’t post anything either, or even check email. Sometimes that’s a blessing in disguise. I enjoyed family time, worked around the house, took lots of long walks, and finished preparing a batch of new painting panels.

We have a wildflower meadow upstate and it’s always interesting to see what’s in bloom. I went out early one morning and gathered these flowers for a bouquet. They were a nice sketching subject for a rainy day. I haven’t done much in watercolors lately, so really enjoyed breaking out my little travel set for this one.

8x10 and smaller, Available, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Still Life, Watercolor | No Comments »

6×8″, Oils on sealed, primed hardboard
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.

Our back yard along the brook is too wet to mow this time of year. The sweet Forget-Me-Nots take over there and create an exquisite mass of tiny blue flowers beneath the Purple Martin house.

8x10 and smaller, Available, Brewster and North Salem, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location | 1 Comment »

12×16″, Oils on Raymar canvas panel
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

One more amazing day along the Hudson River at Nyack Beach State Park….I was surprised to find the Royal Paulownia trees still in full bloom. Everybody was out walking along the path with smiles on their faces in the warm breeze.

8x12 to 12x24, Available, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Quadricentennial Series, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Nyack Area, Plein Air--painted on location | No Comments »

12×16″, Oils on Raymar canvas panel
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

I got to Nyack very early yesterday morning, while the sun was still very low in the sky. It glowed at the horizon, and struck the face of the Palisades cliffs head on. The purple Royal Paulownia trees were blooming all over the base of the cliffs. I had to walk a half mile along the path with all my painting gear, but as soon as I arrived at this location, I knew I’d met my muse for the day!

8x12 to 12x24, Available, Boats and Ships, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Quadricentennial Series, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Nyack Area, Plein Air--painted on location | 1 Comment »

6×8″, Oils on sealed, primed hardboard
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

While painting this yesterday in Nyack in the cold and intense wind, many people stopped to chat and admire the painting. One woman, after commenting on the diversity of the New York landscape, said, “I love New York! I love the Hudson River, the fall colors, the skies, and even the snobby New York City folks!”

Aside from any snobby New York City folks (and I haven’t encountered many!), I have to agree with her. So, I named the painting I Love New York. It’s hard to beat a view of Paulownia Trees along the Hudson River with dramatic skies!

8x10 and smaller, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Quadricentennial Series, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Nyack Area, Plein Air--painted on location, Sold | No Comments »

10×8″, Oils on Raymar canvas panel
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

My plein air painting buddy, Sue, wanted to go paint at Nyack Beach State Park this morning. Conditions were freezing cold, very windy, and overcast. I was honestly not thrilled about this idea, but didn’t want my friend to have to go alone. I packed my winter coat, a thermos of coffee and lunch, and hit the road at 7am.

Imagine my joy upon arriving there and seeing these exquisite Royal Paulownia Trees along the path beside the Hudson River as it wound through the park. (I confess that I didn’t know what they were, but I asked the Park Ranger!) We didn’t get much sunshine, but the skies were a lot more interesting than just those silvery, heavily overcast days. I’m so glad I went. In fact, I’m going back tomorrow!

8x10 and smaller, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Quadricentennial Series, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Nyack Area, Plein Air--painted on location, Sold | No Comments »

6×8″, Oils on canvas covered hardboard
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.

The rain finally held off long enough and clouds parted to spill sunlight on the little field of alyssum through the trees. The backlit scene provided lots of contrast, adding to the warm yellow glow of the bright flowers. I sat in my folding chair with my new Guerrilla Painter 9×12″ pochade box in my lap. I love the additional palette space in this box. There’s an adapter to hold 8×10 and 6×8 panels, so I used that for the first time too, to paint this little 6×8. It worked out so well, and even carries the wet panel.

Palette:
Cadmium Yellow Lemon
Permanent Alizarin
Burnt Sienna
Ultramarine Deep
Viridian
Ivory Black
Titanium White

8x10 and smaller, Available, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Greene County, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Palenville and Catskill, Plein Air--painted on location | No Comments »

8×10″, Golden OPEN Acrylics on 8 ply 100% rag board
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.

The Cherry Blossoms at Boscobel wind around this little path. It goes along the Hudson River, and then circles around behind the herb garden, where the Cherry Blossoms are joined by dogwoods in bloom and apple trees.

8x10 and smaller, Available, Cold Spring and Garrison, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Golden OPEN Acrylic Paintings, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location | No Comments »

8×10″, Golden OPEN Acrylics on Saunders Waterford 100% rag watercolor paper, 300lb cp. Painting will be beautifully varnished and will be mailed with a backing board, to frame it exactly like an oil painting (without glass) if desired.
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.

Every spring, it’s a race to paint the Cherry Blossoms before they go. It seems that as soon as they bloom and rain comes along, which it does constantly this time of year, they are gone until the following spring. I love this view of them against the mountain.

8x10 and smaller, Available, Cold Spring and Garrison, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Golden OPEN Acrylic Paintings, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location | No Comments »

5×7″, Oils on Ampersand Gessoboard
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

….Back to my favorite subject this time of year! Not to worry….The season for Cherry Blossoms is so short-lived. In a week the blossoms will probably all be gone, and I’ll have to wait another year to paint beside them again.

There are five Cherry Blossom trees in this arc by the Hudson River at Boscobel Restoration in Garrison, NY. Each one has such character, and although they all have those bushy, bright pink blossoms, their shapes are quite unique, and the light hits them differently. I enjoy picking out different ones to feature in each painting, exploring their similarities and differences, and the way they fit into the total scene with the Hudson River and Constitution Marsh behind them.

8x10 and smaller, Cold Spring and Garrison, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Quadricentennial Series, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location, Sold | No Comments »

10×8″, Oils on mounted Multimedia Artboard
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.

Here’s a little break from all those Cherry Blossoms! I’ve painted this Dogwood overlooking Constitution Marsh in its bright red, fall splendor nearly every year, but never in the spring flowering stage. The real challenge for me was to decide how I could best display those white blossoms against the very light blue sky.

This painting is done on the new, mounted Multimedia Artboard. It is an archival support that can be framed just like a hardboard panel. I’ve enjoyed painting on this surface from time to time because of the way it takes both oils and acrylics. As the support itself is brittle, I back it with acid free foamcore for framing. They have just come out with a new version of the product which is already mounted on the foamcore, making it more durable for travel purposes while maintaining the lightweight benefit.

For small paintings, I sometimes feel the weave of canvas interferes with the painting. As you can see here, the smoother surface of Multimedia Artboard allows me to work without that concern. I don’t feel I need to fight with unwanted texture.

I tend to like fairly absorbent surfaces. I can put more paint onto them, and avoid some of the streakiness of slick surfaces. I give the Multimedia Artboard a coat of Golden Matte Medium diluted 20% with water to cut down on just a bit of the absorption. The paint applies beautifully to the surface.

I’ve used it now for both oils and acrylics, and highly recommend this archival material. You can read about the product at www.multimediaartboard.com. You can order it by writing to the company through the link on the website. I’ve put up a link to the site from the right sidebar on my blog too, so you’ll always be able to find it here.

8x10 and smaller, Available, Cold Spring and Garrison, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Quadricentennial Series, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location, spring | No Comments »

6×8″, Oils on Raymar canvas panel
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

Today began with a light haze, giving a silvery glow to the atmosphere over the Hudson River. The cherry blossoms are in full swing at Boscobel, and the reddish color is coming into Constitution Marsh as it springs back to life from winter dormancy.

Palette:
Cadmium Yellow Lemon
Permanent Red Medium
Permanent Alizarin
Transparent Red Oxide
Cerulean Blue
Ultramarine Blue Deep
Chromatic Black
Titanium White

My apologies for the slight glare on the left side of the painting. I’m a terrible photographer. That glare is only in the digital image, and not on the painting.

8x10 and smaller, Cold Spring and Garrison, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River Quadricentennial Series, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location, Sold | 2 Comments »

6×6″, Oils on Ampersand Gessoboard
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.

I didn’t feel like straying far from home today, so I set my chair outside in the yard and took in the first blooms of spring under the stand of evergreens. My little dog kept me company, the temps were in the high 40s, and the sun was shining. It’s hard to ask an early spring day for more than that! I’ve been peeking at these hyacinths from the window for a week or so, and I’m glad I got to paint them before they disappeared for another year.

Palette:
Cadmium Yellow Lemon
Cadmium Yellow Light
Permanent Red Medium
Permanent Rose
Ultramarine Blue Deep
Venetian Red
Chromatic Black
Viridian
Titanium White

8x10 and smaller, Available, Brewster and North Salem, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location | No Comments »

Click painting for a larger, clearer image:

8×10″, Oils on Raymar linen panel
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

After braving yesterday’s cold and windy temps up on a hillside overlooking the Hudson River, I decided to opt for something more springlike today, and pulled out some of my favorite spring photo references. The red barn and forsythia really caught my eye here, and the children playing nearby were an added bonus. I remember this day at Muscoot farm like it was yesterday. I was out painting there and these adorable children (clearly budding artists) came over with their mom to look at my painting. They couldn’t wait to get home after that so that they could paint! The painting I did that day sold last spring; I’m glad to have a bunch of photos to work from to paint this barn again with the bright yellow forsythia.

My palette for this painting was Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow Lemon, Raw Sienna, Venetian Red, Ultramarine Blue and Cerulean Blue. I adore these Raymar linen panels. They have wonderful texture and always seem to give a painting that extra refined touch.

8x10 and smaller, Available, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, spring | 1 Comment »

11×14″, oils on canvas covered hardboard, unframed
For purchase information, please email me at JamieWG@aol.com.

Painted on location at Tilly Foster Farm in Brewster, NY

8x12 to 12x24, Available, Brewster and North Salem, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Landscape, Tilly Foster Farm | 4 Comments »

16 x 20″, Oils on Canvas covered hardboard
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

This is a painting I did on location in springtime at Boscobel Restoration, enjoying the beautiful cherry blossoms along the path above the Hudson River. The painting is varnished, framed, and ready to hang on your wall!

16x20 and larger, Cold Spring and Garrison, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Paintings, Landscape, Sold | 1 Comment »

Click to enlarge:

16×20″, oils on canvas covered hardboard
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

Here are yet more spring flowers and trees from Boscobel Restoration in Garrison, NY. This was painted on location in the garden courtyard.

16x20 and larger, Cold Spring and Garrison, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Hudson River Paintings, Landscape, Sold | No Comments »

5×7″, Golden OPEN Acrylics on Ampersand Gessoboard
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

Today was one of those unexpected “bonus” days. It was supposed to be rainy and cold, but turned out to be warm and sunny! I packed up my gear and headed to Boscobel. I even remembered to bring my camera this time, so I’ve got lots of photo references of the gorgeous blooms to work from when the rain starts.

It’s too bad the blossoms are so short-lived, because I could paint these flowering trees overlooking the river for a couple of months without getting tired of them!

8x10 and smaller, Cold Spring and Garrison, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Golden OPEN Acrylic Paintings, Hudson River Paintings, Landscape, Sold | 2 Comments »

3.5×2.5″, Golden OPEN Acrylics on 100% cotton rag board (Shown above larger than life size!)
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

As a step along the path to curing my funk, I decided I’d do something “just for fun” today. Again it was raining out—a true northeast spring. Normally I’d sketch or paint in my sketchbook for fun, but I decided this time to do an ACEO-size painting (click here if you don’t know what that is) from my studio window. I had such a great time, and love this little painting to bits!

The image above is much larger than the actual painting. Depending on the size of your monitor and your screen resolution, the painting as shown below is probably closer to the real size. At this small size, it really shows how much detail the painting has. Isn’t it adorable? By the way, you can get standard size frames for these at Michael’s Arts and Crafts and other stores. They also look great on little table easels.

8x10 and smaller, Brewster and North Salem, Flower Gardens and Flowering Trees, Golden OPEN Acrylic Paintings, Landscape, Sold | 1 Comment »