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    All images are Copyright Protected and the property of Jamie Williams Grossman. Paintings and photos displayed on this site may not be reprinted, copied, downloaded, displayed elsewhere, or used for any reason without her written permission.

    ------------------------------------- CUSTOMER REVIEWS

    "OMGGGGG, Jamie!!!! It's absolutely amazinggggggg!!!!!! I loveeeeee it!!!!!! This is sooo much more than I could have imagined!!! Thank you!!!!"

    "It's spectacular, Jamie!!! How talented you are! We absolutely love it! And you are right-the frame is just perfect for it! "

    "Happy" with it is an understatement! My sister's husband said, "Wow, it's beautiful!" That's a lot of emotion coming from him! haha. And my adult daughter said, "OMG MOM, ITS GORGEOUS!". You have added to your fan club!

    "Jamie, your painting arrived in perfect condition! And, as I expected, it looks even better ‘in person’ than on the computer screen. Thank you so much for your careful packing and wonderful painting."

    "...Today I finally surprised [my wife] with the actual painting! It is her birthday! And I just wanted to let you know the we both absolutely love it!! She was so so surprised, and just speechless.... Thank you again for being so flexible and good to work with! It was such a joy preparing for today and I appreciated your professionalism throughout the process!"

    "I love the new painting! It's actually a little more golden and fluid than it looks in the pic and I love the movement; everything in my house is a little on the warm and yellow and gold side so it could hang pretty much anywhere. It's going to the framer shortly and I look forward to having it up :-)"

    "Jamie, it's lovely!!! Thank you so much for all the time and love you've put into it! You have no idea how much joy your work is bringing to me. I'm very grateful!"

    "I just wanted to share that my father-in-law absolutely LOVES your painting. He loves the frame and said that he's never owned a real oil painting. ???? But most importantly, he loves the subject matter and he and my husband spent a lot of time reminiscing this morning about hikes they took there years ago. This part of the Hudson is, by far, their favorite! Thank you SO much for making this Christmas gift PERFECT."

    "Your paintings of my beloved Hudson Valley are stunning! I've always loved Hudson River paintings, and can't believe that I've found someone who is following in the great tradition of Cropsey and company! "

    "We received your painting yesterday and it's really very beautiful. Thank you again very much."

    "Your beautiful "Autumn at Rockwood" arrived in perfect condition two days ago. It is even more lovely in person than I ever could have imagined. Thank you so much for your artistry and your many kindnesses to me..... I will treasure both of my paintings very much ..."

    "I'm more than happy, I'm thrilled!"

    "I just wanted to let you know that I received [the painting] today! It is beautiful, thank you so much:)"

    "Your [miniature] Caillebotte arrived today. Wow, it's WAY better seeing it in person than viewing an image/photo of it. Spectacular..... Thank you so much!!"

    "It's beautiful. Thank you so much!"

    "Oh, Jamie! It is fabulous!!!!!!! I love it!"

    "Hi Jamie, I received painting yesterday. It's really beautiful! Thank you for sending so quickly. I'm sure it will give my friend hope and strengthen as she faces this battle with Parkinson's. Thank you!"

    "Jamie, My painting arrived Thursday and I love it. I will definitely order from you again."

    "[They] love the painting. They were so surprised. They really appreciate it and the thought and artistry behind it. They received many [wedding] gifts, and said this was one of their two favorites."

    "[My husband] loved loved loved the painting! It is hanging on the wall in my great room. It's just beautiful!"

    "Hi Jamie! The beautiful paintings arrived safe and sound this afternoon. I love them! (Boy you don't mess around with packing them ;) Thank you."

    "Hi Jamie –I thought you’d enjoy seeing “The Red Barge” framed. Until I give it to my husband on his birthday, I have it hanging in my office. I LOVE looking at it all day!"

    "I received the painting this morning. It is SO FANTASTIC!!!!!! I wish I would have had it done larger. Thank you! thank you!"

    "The East from Hunter Mountain painting arrived the other day. It made it through the snow and looks great. Thanks for everything."

    "Jamie, my wife and I love it. Thank you and great work. It was difficult trying to figure out a special gift for them......I'm very happy that I reached out to you. I know they will love the painting and the special touch you did with the card! "

    "Wow, it looks AMAZING! They are going to love it. I love the name too. Perfect. ... Thanks again!"

    "Your lovely painting of a sweet bird, framed beautifully, arrived last week.... I just adore it!!... I see it and injoy its beauty every day! Thank you so much!"

    "The painting is beautiful! I love it! "

    "Just a quick note to let you know your [miniature] Monet arrived in perfect condition. It looks fabulous!!! Thank you again so much."




    ------------------------------------------ If you haven't seen the two-DVD set, "The Impressionists", you don't know what you're missing!

    the-impressionists.jpg


    I rented it from Netflix and absolutely loved it. It is an enactment of the lives of Monet, Renoir, Manet, Cezanne, Degas, and other Impressionist painters living at that time around Paris. Fascinating and eye-opening!





Archive for the 'Watercolor' Category

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I’ve been doing a bunch of small, colorful watercolors lately. Some have been done out on location, and others in the studio during these colder or rainy days. Above are some of my favorites. The sizes range from about 3 1/2 x 5 1/2″ to 4×6″, and will arrive custom matted to 8×10″, with a backing board included. They will fit into any standard 8×10″ frame, making them perfect holiday art gifts.

Upper row, left: The Winter Path
Upper row, center: Autumn at the Riverfront Park
Upper row, right: Flamingos at Play
Middle row, center: Winter Sunrise at the Lake – SOLD
Middle row, right: Strolling at Sunset
Lower row, left: Winter in the Mountains
Lower row, center: Hudson River from Boscobel at Sunset
Lower row, right: Autumn at Marshlands Conservancy

Here’s an image you can click on for a larger, sharper view of each painting:

60FD1622-660C-47CB-A524-0F7062756E44_1_105_c

You can purchase directly through the PayPal link below. Be sure to let me know which painting you’d like to receive when you make your payment.

$100.00 plus free shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Here is an example of one of the paintings, mounted in the custom, ivory mat:
8C1D3338-B8F9-4A1A-9125-F76EE1B9A065_1_105_c

Questions? You can always email me at JamieWG@ aol.com. (Remove space in email address before sending!)

Wonders of Summer

Posted by Jamie on March 4th, 2020

IMG_3365
Watercolor, 12×16? (matted size)
Painting is in a sealed polybag, matted, with backing board. The painting has a custom ivory, archival 12×16? mat with archival backing, ready to go into any standard 12×16? frame.

SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

Watercolor Wednesday — Bird Paintings Special Offer

Posted by Jamie on January 22nd, 2020

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I’ve been doing a bunch of small watercolors lately. Here’s an assortment of birds from this week. The larger ones are 5.5 x 7.5″, and each is $100. The miniatures are 3.5 x 4″, $75 each. There is a 20% discount for two or more. Mats and framing are not included in this special offer. Shipping is free within the continental US. If you’d like one of these sweet little chirpers, just send me an email (JamieWG at aol.com) saying which you’d like. The Nuthatch is no longer available.

This offer remains in effect until they are each photographed, matted, and posted with individual Paypal buttons at my regular prices.

Below is an image you can click on for a clearer, larger view of the group:
472CEBAD-C362-40D7-8CF8-929FBF2C7B54_1_105_c

Surprise!

Posted by Jamie on September 28th, 2018

Summer Bouquet wc 435w

16×12″ including mat and backing board
$225.00 plus $12 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Yes, it’s really me! I’ve been painting lots of florals lately. Flowers have always been outside my wheelhouse. I’ve painted them in still lifes, in a more realistic/illustrative style, but always felt they were foreign objects that I didn’t really understand. I have the blackest thumb around and can’t even grow them! (Though I am determined to try to change that next year…) I wanted to take on a new challenge this summer as well as do more watercolor work, so I combined the two. I’ve been purchasing flowers every week, and working toward finding my own expressive style by filling a sketchbook with studies, and doing watercolor paintings from these weekly bouquets. I think I’m really going to enjoy painting florals when the winter chill makes it hard for me to get outside for plein air work.

Impending Storm at the Lake

Posted by Jamie on October 19th, 2017

170601 Impending Storm at the Lake 435

Watercolor, 12×16? (matted size)
Painting is in a sealed polybag, matted, with backing board. The painting has a custom ivory, archival 12×16? mat with archival backing, ready to go into any standard 12×16? frame.

$225.00 plus $13 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

North South Lake is one of my favorite painting spots for birches and atmosphere. In this painting, I got both. The Hudson River School painters also favored this location. I love the way pinks and violets play together, so I explored that interaction in this painting. You can click the image below for a larger, clearer view of the painting.

170601 Impending Storm at the Lake wc 700

Summer Along the Creek

Posted by Jamie on October 7th, 2017

170701 Summer Along the Creek 7x11 wc 435

Watercolor, 12×16″
Painting is in a sealed polybag, matted, with backing board. The painting is about 7 1/2 x 11″, and is in a custom, ivory, archival 12×16″ mat with archival backing, so it will fit in any standard 12×16″ frame.

$225.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Fall is just beginning here, but I still have a bunch of my summer paintings to post! If you’ve been tagging along on my blog, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve loved doing these watercolor creek paintings this year. Some have focused on reflections, some on foliage like overhanging tree limbs and branches, and this one is all about the light streaming through from the back of the painting and hitting the water. I’m going to really miss these warm summer days, standing along the stream banks with my easel. I think I’ll have to frame a few of these and hang them in my house to remind me of what it felt like!

Here is an image of the painting that you can click on for a larger, clearer view:
170701 Summer Along the Creek 7x11 wc 800

River Arch 4

Posted by Jamie on August 16th, 2017

170701 River Arch IV 11x7 wc 400w

12×16?, watercolor on paper. Includes mat and backing board (7 1/2 x 11? painting size, matted to 12×16?). Will fit any standard 12×16? frame, or I can frame for you for a small additional fee.

$225.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Continuing on with my series River Arches, this rendition drops the horizon line down to feature the rising trunks of the arch, and the light streaming through the foliage in the distance. This was painted on location in the Platte Clove vicinity of the Catskill Mountains.

Pear Tree in Winter

Posted by Jamie on August 7th, 2017

170601 Pear Tree in Winter 11x7 wc 435w

12×16?, watercolor on paper. Includes mat and backing board (7 1/2 x 11? painting size, matted to 12×16?).
Will fit any standard 12×16? frame, or I can frame for you for a small additional fee.

$225.00 plus $12 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This graceful pear tree is in our yard. I’ve been wanting to paint it in all seasons, and finally at least got around to the winter version, which provides strong contrasts between the dark tree, sky, and snowy background.

We used to get pears every summer on this tree, and a big mama bear would visit with her cubs to take the fruit. When our second pear tree died, this one stopped producing fruit. This year, it must have found another pear tree somewhere to cross-pollinate, and once again we have fruit on the tree. No sign yet of the bears!

Croton Point Sunset I

Posted by Jamie on July 26th, 2017

170701 Croton Point Sunset 1 3x5 wc 435

$80.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

5×7″ Watercolor, with custom ivory white mat and backing board to fit any standard 5×7″ frame. (Painting inside the mat is about 3 1/2 x 5, so there is about a 1″ mat border.)

This is the first in a series of small watercolor sunsets of this view from Croton Point Park. It is a vista made famous by the Hudson River School artists, and was recently added to the official Hudson River School Art Trails sites. Croton Point Park is the location of the annual Clearwater Festival, and is great place to enjoy Hudson views and sunsets. I can’t wait to do a larger painting of this scene, but I was having so much fun doing these little ones that I have not yet embarked on a larger version!

Red Stream Bed

Posted by Jamie on July 24th, 2017

170601 Red Stream Bed 3x5 wc 435

$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

8×10″ Watercolor, including custom ivory white mat and backing board to fit into any standard 8×10″ frame. Painting is just under 4×6″ and matted to the 8×10″ size. Framing is available at a small extra cost, but I have had these mats and backing boards custom cut so that you can use a standard frame of your choosing.

My husband and I were out hiking one day recently, and came across a stream deep in the woods with the most glowing red stream bed we’d ever seen. This one was the first of what I’m sure will be a long series of paintings from that location!

River Arch III

Posted by Jamie on July 21st, 2017

170701 River Arch III 11x7 wc 400w

12×16?, watercolor on paper. Includes mat and backing board (7 1/2 x 11? painting size, matted to 12×16?).
Will fit any standard 12×16? frame, or I can frame for you for a small additional fee.

$225.00 plus $12 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This was painted a couple of weeks ago beside one of my favorite creeks in the Catskills. I can’t seem to stop going there! There are endless compositional possibilities and color harmonies to explore in these quiet, meandering banks.

Great Blue Heron Over North South Lake

Posted by Jamie on July 19th, 2017

170701 Great Blue Over North South Lake 7x11 wc 435

12×16?, watercolor on paper. Includes mat and backing board (7 1/2 x 11? painting size, matted to 12×16?).
Will fit any standard 12×16? frame, or I can frame for you for a small additional fee.

$225.00 plus $12 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This painting features another atmospheric day at my favorite place for painting atmospheric days — North South Lake! The Great Blue Heron flying over was a nice accent to the dramatic sky. Click the image below for a larger, clearer view of the painting.

170701 Great Blue Over North South Lake 7x11 wc 800

Moored in a Storm

Posted by Jamie on June 24th, 2017

170601 Moored in a Storm 7x11 wc 435

12×16?, watercolor on paper. Includes mat and backing board (7 1/2 x 11? painting size, matted to 12×16?).
Will fit any standard 12×16″ frame, or I can frame for you for a small additional fee.

$225.00 plus $12 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This painting of a moored boat with dramatic skies was painted from a photo I took a few years ago. I made several attempts at a watercolor rendition of this scene before coming up with this one, and hope to do more. I like the drama of it, and the way these colors work together. Below is an image that you can click on for a larger, clearer view of the painting.

170601 Moored in a Storm 7x11 wc 700

River Arch

Posted by Jamie on June 17th, 2017

170601 River Arch 7x11 wc 435

12×16? including mat and backing board (7 1/2 x 11? painting size, matted to 12×16?). Will fit any standard 12×16″ frame.
Framing available for a small additional fee.
Watercolor on paper

$225.00 plus $12 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

While out hiking in early spring, I came upon this stream with several arched trees extending from the shorelines over the water from either side. As the creek meandered, the shoreline trees formed arches through the various planes of the scene. I took a lot of photos to do a series of these arched tree forms, and hope to return soon to paint some of them on location. They present interesting compositional opportunities focused on the arches, and reflections in the distance, and/or transparency of the water as it nears the foreground. Below is an image you can click on for a larger, clearer view of the painting.

170601 River Arch 7x11 wc 700

Spring in the Great Swamp on the Appalachian Trail

Posted by Jamie on June 8th, 2017

170601 Spring in the Great Swamp 7x11 wc 435

12×16″ including mat and backing board (7 1/2 x 11″ painting size, matted to 12×16″). Will fit any standard 12×16″ frame.
Framing available for a small additional fee.
Watercolor on paper

$225.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This was painted this past spring at the Pawling NY boardwalk along the Appalachian Trail. There is a wooden footbridge over a small river there, and both sides provide exquisite views of marshes filled with birds and all kinds of wildlife. Below is an image you can click on for a larger, clearer view of the painting:

170601 Spring in the Great Swamp 7x11 wc 700

The painting will arrive already matted and with a backing board, so you can slip it into any standard 12×16″ frame. (Frame available at extra cost.)

Atmosphere and Birches at the Lake

Posted by Jamie on June 6th, 2017

170601 Atmosphere and Birches at the Lake 7x11 wc 435

12×16″ including mat and backing board (7 1/2 x 11″ painting size, matted to 12×16″). Will fit any standard 12×16″ frame.
Framing available for a small additional fee.
Watercolor on paper

$225.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

I love these birch trees that surround North South Lake in the Catskills, which is one of the sites where the Hudson River School artists loved to visit and sketch. We went for a walk there recently on an overcast day, and the path made the perfect entry to the painting, framed by some of my favorite trees. I’ve been doing a lot more watercolor work lately. It lends itself to these atmospheric renderings and a loose approach where the paint can make its own statement. Below is an image you can click on for a larger, clearer view of the painting:
170601 Atmosphere and Birches at the Lake 7x11 wc 750

Dressed in Blue

Posted by Jamie on November 5th, 2016

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5.5×8″, watercolor on Arches rag paper

$115.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

I went painting with a group of artist friends in the town of Wappingers Falls. There were charming old houses all around. I settled into a shady spot close to my buddies, and did this watercolor of one of the classic village homes.

Fishing at North South Lake IV

Posted by Jamie on August 27th, 2015

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11×7.5″, matted to 12×16″
QoR watercolor on Fabriano Artistico 140# cold press

SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

Fishing at North South Lake – watercolor miniatures

Posted by Jamie on August 26th, 2015

SAMSUNG CSC

QoR Watercolors on Fabriano Artistic cold press 140#
1. 5×3.5″, matted to 7×5″
2. 5×3.5″, matted to 7×5″
3. 5×7″, matted to 8×10″

SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

Top of Kaaterskill Falls in Watercolor

Posted by Jamie on June 18th, 2014


Click image to enlarge

Watercolor on Arches Rough 140#
7×11″, matted to 12×16″, with gold frame (included in price)
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

I’ll bet you were all expecting to see the conclusion of the oil painting I’ve been working on from this very vantage point! Well, I decided to meet an old friend for an early lunch today, so couldn’t get out on location in the morning to finish that one up. However, I was thinking that one very effective way to study the scene many more times would be to do it in several different media. While examining the vista on location yesterday morning, I was thinking about how I’d approach it in watercolor. This painting is the result, which I painted last night from a photo I’d taken earlier in the day.

I painted this with the new QoR watercolor paints by Golden Artist Colors. I sampled some from the Golden factory a couple of months ago, before they were sent out to stores, and subsequently bought a boatload of tubes when they became available. I just love these paints! They are really vibrant and intense, and most importantly, they rewet very easily when they dry out in my palette. For a multi-media artist who’s not doing watercolors every day and thus keeping the paints moist, they are ideal. Most of the painting was done with a #6 squirrel mop, and then I did the fine lines and details with a #6 sable round.

As for the oil painting, I’m hoping to go back on Friday morning and hopefully finish that one up. But if I’m not able to finish it then, it gives me a good excuse to return yet again to this amazing spot high above Kaaterskill Clove, and contemplate all the Hudson River School painters who stood there before me.

Portrait in Red

Posted by Jamie on August 4th, 2013

11×8.5″, mixed media on paper
$200.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This is a portrait of Rebecca West, painted from an old book of black and white celebrity photos. Working from black and white images can be very liberating, as it frees up my color sense and gives me all the information I need in the form of values only. This background was done in acrylic in several layers using many different printing and painting techniques. Over that, I painted the portrait with fairly thick watercolor, allowing the spatters and drips to happen where I felt they would most benefit the piece. I’m planning to do a series of these, but probably won’t be able to do more of them for a few weeks.

Kaaterskill Falls in Watercolor

Posted by Jamie on June 12th, 2013

Watercolor on Rives BFK rag paper
16×12″ includes custom ivory mat and backing board for standard frame, image size is 11×7″
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

Kaaterskill Falls, the tallest waterfall in New York State, is one of my favorite spots to paint. It was one of the favorite spots for the Hudson River School painters as well. It’s not easy to get to the base of the falls with painting gear. Sometimes the hardest part is getting a parking space, but even if you do, it’s about a quarter mile from the lot and then about a half mile climbing up the mountainside. Without gear it’s not a hard climb, but you don’t want to do this one loaded down with equipment!

This one was done on location last summer, but for some unknown reason, it never got posted. I think I just never got it up before the camera to take the picture, so here it is at long last! Please note that this painting comes already custom-matted and with an archival backing board, so all you’ll have to do is pick out a standard 12×16″ frame for it and it’s ready to hang.

Pink and Yellow Memories

Posted by Jamie on January 29th, 2013

130123-Pink-and-Yellow-on-Black-9x11-gouache-550v

9×11″
Gouache on Black Stonehenge (100% rag, archival paper)
$195.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

My darling husband bought me flowers, so I just had to paint them! I set them into a gorgeous, old Moorcroft vase that belonged to my grand aunt, and paired them with a little yellow bird carving. I purchased the little bird directly from the sculptor at an art show in Naples, Florida several years ago. I’ve always wanted to get that into a painting and finally had my chance! I like the way the flowers pop against the dark background, and the painting has the feeling of emerging from the darkness into the light, which the photo of the painting doesn’t quite capture accurately. As usual, the painting is better than the photo. I guess that’s why many people like to have paintings!

I think this would look especially beautiful with an ivory mat and narrow, contemporary black frame. It could go into a standard size mat and frame for an 8.5×11″ size painting, photo, or document.

Afternoon at the Lake No 5

Posted by Jamie on August 21st, 2012

120731-Afternoon-at-the-Lake-No-5-5x7-600

5×7″, watercolor and gouache on Stonehenge kraft-colored rag paper
$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This is the last of the series five paintings done at the lakeshore. As you can see, there was still plenty of drama in the sky! I got tired of working so small, so moved up one size to 5×7″. Price above is for just the painting without a mat. It is a standard size and can go right into an 8×10 frame with a standard 5×7″ mat opening. (Matting available upon request at an additional charge.)

Afternoon at the Lake No 4

Posted by Jamie on August 20th, 2012

120731-Afternoon-at-the-Lake-No-4-3x5-fs

5×7″ with archival custom mat and backing board (painting size is 3.5×5″)
Watercolor/gouache on Stonehenge rag paper
$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

One beautiful day the cloud formations were so gorgeous that I packed up my gear and headed up to North South Lake to do cloud studies. I taped up a sheet of beautiful Stonehenge Kraft-colored rag paper to serve as a mid-toned ground, and worked in gouache and watercolor. After doing a few sketches of the sky, I turned my focus to the beach and lake for this one. A woman in a bright pink shirt caught my eye as she waited in the rowboat for her family to arrive.

It is a series of five. Four of the five are this size and have identical custom mats to fit in standard 5×7″ frames.

Afternoon at the Lake No 3

Posted by Jamie on August 19th, 2012

120731-Afternoon-at-the-Lake-No-3-3x5-600

5×7″ with archival custom mat and backing board (painting size is 3.5×5″)
Watercolor/gouache on Stonehenge rag paper
$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

One beautiful day the cloud formations were so gorgeous that I packed up my gear and headed up to North South Lake to do cloud studies. I taped up a sheet of beautiful Stonehenge Kraft-colored rag paper to serve as a mid-toned ground, and worked in gouache and watercolor as the clouds moved swiftly. This big dark cloud moved across the hillside and I tried to snatch it into my painting before the raindrops fell!

This is a series of five paintings. Four of the five are this size and have identical custom mats to fit in standard 5×7″ frames.

Afternoon at the Lake No 2

Posted by Jamie on August 18th, 2012

120731-Afternoon-at-the-Lake-No-2-3x5-600

5×7″ with archival custom mat and backing board (painting size is 3.5×5″)
Watercolor/gouache on Stonehenge rag paper
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

One beautiful day the cloud formations were so gorgeous that I packed up my gear and headed up to North South Lake to do cloud studies. I taped up a sheet of beautiful Stonehenge Kraft-colored rag paper to serve as a mid-toned ground, and worked in gouache and watercolor. It is a series of five, so stay tuned for the next four to come! Four of the five are this size and have identical custom mats to fit in standard 5×7″ frames. The clouds moved quickly, so it’s a good thing I was prepared to do a series of small pieces!

Afternoon at the Lake No 1

Posted by Jamie on August 17th, 2012

120731-Afternoon-at-the-Lake-No-1-3x5-600

5×7″ with archival custom mat and backing board (painting size is 3.5×5″)
Watercolor/gouache on Stonehenge rag paper
$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

One beautiful day the cloud formations were so gorgeous that I packed up my gear and headed up to North South Lake to do cloud studies. I taped up a sheet of beautiful Stonehenge Kraft-colored rag paper to serve as a mid-toned ground, and worked in gouache and watercolor. It is a series of five, so stay tuned for the next four to come! Four of the five are this size and have identical custom mats to fit in standard 5×7″ frames.

Water Music

Posted by Jamie on May 15th, 2012

120505-Water-Music-7x11-wcg-550v

16×12″ mat size (included) to fit standard frame (Painting size is 1/8 sheet — about 11×7″)

$195.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Yep, another waterfall! Spring is the best time of year to paint waterfalls. It’s not long before they either dry up during the summer, or are far less dramatic as the flow diminishes. This one was also painted out on location. It’s watercolor on 1/8 sheet of Stonehenge Fawn paper. It’s a 100% cotton rag printmaking paper — very high quality, not too much tooth, and I love painting watercolor and gouache on it.

This is one of my favorite sizes to paint. It works so well for both vertical and horizontal compositions, and allows me to tear down a page with no waste. What I end up with is not a standard frame size, so to make it easier for buyers, the price includes a custom, ivory-colored archival mat, acid free backing board, and will arrive sealed in a polybag for protection and gift-giving. You’ll be able to just buy an inexpensive, standard frame into which you can pop the already-prepared painting, or take it to your local framer and you won’t have to purchase a mat and backing board.

Brook Study No 4 — Vertical with Low Horizon

Posted by Jamie on May 12th, 2012

120506-Brook-Study-No-4-vertica-low-horizon-watercolor-3x4-450

Custom matted to 7×5″ to fit any standard 5×7″ frame, with acid free foamcore backing board and acid free ivory mat, in a polybag. Mat is ivory color.
Watercolor and gouache on Arches Rough 140# rag paper.

SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

This little stream runs through our property, cascading over rocks and waterfalls. This is the fourth in my series of compositional studies — a vertical orientation with a high horizon line.

I’ve had custom, archival mats and backing boards made for all the sizes I generally paint when working on paper. The good news for my collectors is that from now on, my non-standard size paintings and sketches on paper will come to you already matted and ready to frame in standard sizes. They are beautiful ivory-colored archival mats, acid free backing boards, and will arrive sealed in polybags for protection and gift-giving. You’ll be able to just buy an inexpensive, standard frame into which you can pop the already-prepared painting, or take it to your local framer and you won’t have to purchase a mat and backing board.

Brook Study No 3 — Vertical with High Horizon

Posted by Jamie on May 10th, 2012

120506-Brook-Study-No-3-V-high-horizon-watercolor-3x4-450v

Custom matted to 7×5? to fit any standard 5×7? frame, with acid free foamcore backing board and acid free ivory mat, in a polybag. Mat is ivory color.
Watercolor and gouache on Arches Rough 140# rag paper.

$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.


This little stream runs through our property, cascading over rocks and waterfalls. It gives me endless enjoyment to paint there on a beautiful day. I wanted to explore some compositional ideas, each of which brings out different elements in the landscape, so I did a series of small watercolors, setting the horizon at different points, with vertical and horizontal orientations. This was the third one — a vertical orientation with a high horizon line.

I’ve had custom, archival mats and backing boards made for all the sizes I generally paint when working on paper. The good news for my collectors is that from now on, my non-standard size paintings and sketches on paper will come to you already matted and ready to frame in standard sizes. They are beautiful ivory-colored archival mats, acid free backing boards, and will arrive sealed in polybags for protection and gift-giving. You’ll be able to just buy an inexpensive, standard frame into which you can pop the already-prepared painting, or take it to your local framer and you won’t have to purchase a mat and backing board.

Brook Study No 2 — High Horizon

Posted by Jamie on May 9th, 2012

120506-Brook-Study-No-2-high-horizon-watercolor-3x4-450

This painting will arrive custom matted to 5×7? to fit any standard 5×7? frame, with acid free foamcore backing board and acid free ivory mat, in a polybag. Mat is ivory color. Image is 3×4.5? on Arches Rough 140# rag paper.

$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This little stream runs through our property, cascading over rocks and waterfalls. It gives me endless enjoyment to paint there on a beautiful day. I wanted to explore some compositional ideas, each of which brings out different elements in the landscape, so I did a series of small watercolors, setting the horizon at different points, with vertical and horizontal orientations. This was the second one — horizontal orientation with a high horizon line.

I’ve had custom, archival mats and backing boards made for all the sizes I generally paint when working on paper. The good news for my collectors is that from now on, my non-standard size paintings and sketches on paper will come to you already matted and ready to frame in standard sizes. They are beautiful ivory-colored archival mats, acid free backing boards, and will arrive sealed in polybags for protection and gift-giving. You’ll be able to just buy an inexpensive, standard frame into which you can pop the already-prepared painting, or take it to your local framer and you won’t have to purchase a mat and backing board.

Brook Study No 1 — Low Horizon

Posted by Jamie on May 8th, 2012

120506-Brook-Study-No-1-watercolor-3x4-450

This painting will arrive custom matted to 5×7″ to fit any standard 5×7″ frame, with acid free foamcore backing board and acid free ivory mat, in a polybag. Mat is ivory color. Image is 3×4.5″ on Arches Rough 140# rag paper.

$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This little stream runs through our property, cascading over rocks and waterfalls. It gives me endless enjoyment to paint there on a beautiful day. I wanted to explore some compositional ideas, each of which brings out different elements in the landscape, so I did a series of small watercolors, setting the horizon at different points, with vertical and horizontal orientations. This was the first one — horizontal orientation with a low horizon line.

I’ve had custom, archival mats and backing boards made for all the sizes I generally paint when working on paper. The good news for my collectors is that they can now buy my non-standard size paintings and sketches on paper already matted and ready to frame in standard sizes. They are beautiful ivory-colored archival mats, acid free backing boards, and will arrive sealed in polybags for protection and gift-giving. You’ll be able to just buy an inexpensive, standard frame into which you can pop the already-prepared painting.

Early Spring at Artist’s Nest Falls

Posted by Jamie on April 2nd, 2012

120322-Early-Spring-at-Artists-Nest-Falls-450

7×11, Watercolor and Gouache on Stonehenge rag paper
Painting is already matted with ivory archival mat, backing board, and archival polybag. It will fit any standard 12×16″ frame.

$290.00 plus $20 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This was painted a week or so ago out on location, sitting with my feet in the water on a gorgeous, unseasonably warm, early spring afternoon. My little dog Rondo waded in the water while I painted. It’s hard to know which of us enjoyed it more!

Here’s a photo of the scene with the painting (click image to enlarge it):

120322-Early-Spring-at-Artists-Nest-Falls-scene-720

If you’d like to see a larger image of the painting, you can click the one below:

120322-Early-Spring-at-Artists-Nest-Falls-720

Mimi in Watercolor

Posted by Jamie on March 11th, 2012

120307-Mimi-450v

12×9″, Watercolor on Mi Tientes paper
$100.00 plus $5 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This is a watercolor painting from open studio life drawing last week. We had a fabulous new model. Most of the session I painted in my sketchbook, but I pulled out some nice paper for this pose.

You can also see a montage of the very quick gesture poses in my sketchbook at this link. I really like the way this experiment came out, so I’ve prepared some black supports to upgrade my materials and do more this week. Stay tuned!

Backlit Meadow in Fall Miniature

Posted by Jamie on October 27th, 2011

111025-Backlit-Meadow-in-Fall-mini-wc-wo-border-400

3×4.25″, Watercolor on Arches 140# Rough paper
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

This painting is a miniature version of the one I posted yesterday. Watercolorist David Taylor got me into doing these tiny watercolor sketches as quick-captures of a scene, or to warm up before embarking on a larger version. They give the artist a chance to test drive some ideas and different compositions, without taking up a huge amount of time. If something’s not going to work, better to find out with less time invested! It also lets us explore ways of making improvements and testing color combinations. I’ve become quite hooked on these! They look charming matted and framed, and hung on a wall or set on a little table easel.

Backlit Meadow in Fall

Posted by Jamie on October 26th, 2011

Click image for a larger, clearer view:

111025-Backlit-Meadow-in-Fall-7x9-wc-600

About 7×9″, Watercolor on paper
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

I paint this scene at least once or twice every year as the morning sun streams through the backlit trees. I never get tired of it! This was my first time painting it in watercolor. I did a miniature first, which I’ll post tomorrow, and then this slightly larger version. I feel like I’m finally getting that sparkle in my watercolor work that I’ve been chasing for so long!

Three Fall Paintings from Home

Posted by Jamie on October 18th, 2011

Click image for a larger, clearer view:

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I had to wait around the house yesterday for my oil burner to be serviced. Since I didn’t know what time they’d be coming, my friend Jani said she’d come over and paint outside with me for the day. It turned out that the repair guy showed up at 8:30am and was done within a couple of hours, but we were content to stay and paint by the house anyway. Both of these are subjects that I have painted before in one form or another. I’ll discuss that more once I’ve had a chance to do some touch-ups and photograph them individually. This is a photo I snapped with my cellphone camera after coming inside at the end of the day. The paintings seemed to make a nice colorful, autumnal grouping.

Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

Pelton Pond in Fall

Posted by Jamie on October 11th, 2011

You can click the image below for a larger view of the painting:

111007-Pelton-Pond-in-Fall-7x11-wc-720

7×11″ (1/8 sheet size), Watercolor on Arches 140# Rough paper, with 12×16″ custom ivory mat and backing board to fit a standard 12×16″ frame.

$290.00 plus $20 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Pelton Pond was beautiful the other day, with the leaves starting to turn and the brilliant blue sky. I got to visit with a number of painting friends on this beautiful day, and even got a painting done too!

Sunset from Olana in Watercolor No. 2

Posted by Jamie on October 6th, 2011

110917-Olana-Sunset-2-4x5-450

About 4×5″, Watercolor on Arches 140# Rough
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

This is a miniature watercolor, painted on location at Olana (estate of Hudson River School artist Frederic Church).

Olana Sunset in Watercolor No. 3

Posted by Jamie on October 5th, 2011

110917-Olana-Sunset-1-5x6-450

5×6″, Watercolor on Arches 140# Rough paper
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

I painted this on location at Hudson River School painter Frederic Church’s estate, Olana, in Hudson, New York. It is one of the best sunset spots, and many visitors come late in the day just to see the sun setting over the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains. On the evenings when the sky doesn’t light up with bright colors, the beauty of the late day light effects still makes it worth the trip up the hillside.

View Southeast from Sunset Rock in Watercolor

Posted by Jamie on October 4th, 2011

You can click the image for a larger, sharper view:

110931-Southeast-from-Sunset-Rock-8x10-wc-720

8×10″, Watercolor on 140# Fabriano Artistico Cold Press paper
$175.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This painting was done from photos that I took on a recent hike with my husband up to Sunset Rock. The most famous view from there is overlooking North South Lake, with Kaaterskill High Peak and Roundtop in the distance. It was a popular painting location even back in the days of the Hudson River School painters. I decided to look for some alternate vistas up there, and it wasn’t too hard to find some that appealed to me — like this one! You can not only see west to the lakes and Catskill Mountains from this vantage point, but also southeast to the Hudson River Valley below.

Old Maple Trunk in Watercolor

Posted by Jamie on October 2nd, 2011

110926-Old-Maple-3x5-wc-450

Watercolor on Arches 140# Rough
3.5×5″, double matted to 5×7″ to fit in any standard 5×7″ frame
$135.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This is the same old maple tree that I did the other day in a monochrome rendering, but from the other side, and in a different medium. This tree presents the most interesting study from any angle. You can also see a pencil sketch that I did of it from a third vantage point. I’m still not tired of studying this tree!

By the Pond at Olana

Posted by Jamie on September 30th, 2011

110917-By-the-Pond-at-Olana-5x7-wc-450

5×7″, Watercolor on 140# Arches Rough
$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Dramatic skies ruled the day! This lovely pond lies across from the red barns at Olana and has beautiful views from all around.

Miniature Painting of View Near the Olana Barns

Posted by Jamie on September 29th, 2011

110917-View-Near-the-Olana-Barns-mini-wc-450

1.75×4″, watercolor on Arches Rough 140lb. paper, mounted on 5×7″ archival matboard to pop into a standard frame
$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This is a miniature watercolor of the scene I posted yesterday. Everybody has room for one of these little gems. They look charming either framed and hung, or displayed on tabletop easels. This was also painted on location at Frederic Church’s Olana estate, a home of the Hudson River School movement.

View Near the Olana Barns

Posted by Jamie on September 28th, 2011

Click image for a larger, clearer view:

110917-View-Near-the-Olana-Barns-4x10-wc-720

4×10″, watercolor on Arches Rough 140 lb. paper, with archival ivory custom mat and backing board (8×14″)
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

I love this vantage point down by the barns at Olana, with the eastern view. I’ve done three oil paintings from here, but always wanted to do a longer format. So, here it is in watercolor! I did a miniature version too, which I’ll post tomorrow or Friday. My husband was taking a photography workshop here, so I got to hang out and paint!

Mount Merino from Olana No. 4

Posted by Jamie on September 26th, 2011

110919-Mount-Merino-from-Olana-4-7x11-wc-450

This painting is already matted to 12×16″, with an archival custom ivory mat and backing board in an archival polybag. It will fit any standard 12×16″ frame. The painting is watercolor, done on 1/8 sheet (7.5×11.25″) on Arches Rough paper.

$290.00 plus $20 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

After doing the three miniatures shown over the past few days, I did a larger version, borrowing from what I liked in the others, as well as responding to changing lighting at the scene. I really wanted to convey the glistening hillside in the afternoon sunlight.

Here’s an image you can click on for a larger, clearer view:

110919-Mount-Merino-from-Olana-4-7x11-wc-720

Mount Merino from Olana No. 3

Posted by Jamie on September 25th, 2011

110919-Mount-Merino-from-Olana-3-wc-450

About 3.5×5?, watercolor on Arches paper, double matted to 5×7? to fit in any standard 5×7? frame.
$100.00 plus free shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This is the third in a series of four small watercolor paintings of Mount Merino, painted on location at Olana (home of Hudson River School artist Frederic Church). It is double matted to pop right into a standard 5×7? frame.

Mount Merino from Olana No. 2

Posted by Jamie on September 24th, 2011

110919-Mount-Merino-from-Olana-2-wc-450

About 3.5×5?, watercolor on Arches paper, double matted to 5×7? to fit in any standard 5×7? frame.
$100.00 plus free shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This is the second in a series of four small watercolor paintings of Mount Merino, painted on location at Olana (home of Hudson River School artist Frederic Church). It is double matted to pop right into a standard 5×7″ frame.

Mount Merino from Olana No. 1

Posted by Jamie on September 23rd, 2011

110919-Mount-Merino-from-Olana-1-wc-450

About 3.5×5″, watercolor on Arches paper, double matted to 5×7″ to fit in any standard 5×7″ frame.
$100.00 plus free shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

I did a series of small watercolor paintings from Olana over the past week. The home of Hudson River School painter Frederic Church is a place near and dear to my heart. I’ve been wanting to paint this hillside view toward Mount Merino for a long time! It was done from one of the carriage roads on the property. I was drawn to the way the near hillside is illuminated in the sunlight, framed by Mount Merino behind it.

This painting has been double matted so that you can pop it into any standard 5×7″ frame.

Late Day at South Lake in Watercolor

Posted by Jamie on August 1st, 2011

Click image to see a larger, clearer photo of the painting:

110730-Late-Day-at-South-Lake-WC-720

7×10″, Watercolor on Arches paper
$150.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This is one of my favorite late day/sunset locations. It was also a favorite spot of Hudson River School painters Thomas Cole and Jasper Cropsey! I haven’t done many watercolor paintings lately, so I pulled those out for a nice change of pace.

Riding Down Spring Street

Posted by Jamie on June 16th, 2011

110616-Riding-Down-Spring-St-12x18-wc-450

12×18″, Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico
$400.00 plus $20 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Opposite the Thomas Cole house in Catskill, New York, there is a row of beautiful Victorian homes. My friend Karen and I set up to paint up on the hillside, in the cool shade on the grounds of the Thomas Cole Historic Site. A couple of bicycle riders went by as I painted, and I thought it was much nicer to put them in the painting than all the cars that whizzed past!

Below is an image you can click on for a larger view:

110616-Riding-Down-Spring-St-12x18-wc-800

Amenia Overlook in Watercolor

Posted by Jamie on June 8th, 2011

110606-Amenia-Overlook-wc-7x10-450

7×10″, Watercolor on Strathmore 500 Aquarius II paper
$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This little watercolor was painted on location in Amenia, New York.

It’s Official — I have a new blog for my sketches!

Posted by Jamie on March 24th, 2011
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I did this little 9×12″ watercolor across a two-page spread in my Fabriano Venezia sketchbook to show you what my new blog looks like! If you’ve enjoyed seeing my sketches, hearing my rambles about the artistic process, and looking on while I varnished paintings, primed panels, mixed paint, and built foamcore pochade boxes, most of those things will be posted only on the new “Sketches” blog from now on. That blog is at http://HudsonValleySketches.blogspot.com. You can click here to head over there now, and subscribe there to continue to receive all my posts online.

Don’t worry; this This Hudson Valley Painter blog isn’t going away! It will still be here, and will contain my completed paintings that are available for sale. The sketches, product reviews, and thoughts on the artistic process will be on the new site.

Water Media and Life’s Tough Choices

Posted by Jamie on February 26th, 2011

Water-Based-Paints-800

You can click the image above to enlarge it.

These days, there are so many fabulous options for painting with water, if one doesn’t wish to use solvents. A reader made a comment on my blog, asking a question about these choices which I thought would make an interesting blog post.

From Dennis (Edited a bit for brevity. You can see his full comment in my February 25 post.):
….I am curious as to which paint you prefer to work with-artist grade water mixable oil colors or the Open acrylics by Golden? They both seem to be able to allow you the time needed to blend color. ….although I enjoy using Golden Heavy Body,{one of several brands in my paint box} for now when I need an acrylic with more open time I choose Atelier. What brand of water mixable oil do you prefer? Several years ago I tried the Artisan by W&N for plein air, and after two painting sessions, I went back to acrylics. At this time for plein air I am using pencil and/or colored pencil and those wonderful Pitt brush pens This year in addition I may choose to also use oil pastel and watercolor.

Thank you for the thought-provoking post, Dennis. My favorite medium is actually traditional oils, and I don’t mind using odor free solvents in and out of the studio. That being said, there are times when it is either wiser, or more convenient, or both to avoid solvents completely. There are also times we need other advantages of faster drying, easier to transport, quicker to work with, able to paint in a sketchbook, etc. One of the things I love about being an artist is the seemingly endless exploration of mediums, materials and possibilities. Let’s examine some of these other options.

Water mixable oils, even those labled “Artist Grade,” are never as pigment-loaded as traditional oils. They also do not handle exactly the same way. I feel I am already giving something up when I sacrifice pigment load. This is why I don’t use them all the time; I need to get something in return for what I give up — that is, the ability to paint in a place or situation where I would not be able to use traditional oils. The highest grade H2O oil paints I’ve found so far, that are of a consistency I like right out of the tubes, are Holbein Duo and Cobra. I have tried a few other brands, but these are the ones I try to keep stocked in my 5×7″ painting box, which travels with me all the time. I know I can use them anywhere, and can use my drinking water instead of a solvent.

Fishing at North South Lake
Water Mixable Oils, 5×7″

110127-Fishing-at-North-South-Lake-5x7-450

Golden Open Acrylics are also excellent for these situations where you need longer blending time and workability, and cannot use solvents. Again, I have to sacrifice significant pigment load compared with my traditional oils, but the acrylics have the advantage of drying faster, and being able to get varnished and out to buyers sooner. Disadvantage: the larger tubes and jars that acrylics come in don’t fit in my 5×7″ paintbox! Also, I need to use about three times the amount of paint compared with my oils. The small palette in my 5×7 box just isn’t big enough for the amount of paint I need to mix, even for a tiny painting. For these reasons, my little box is stocked with the water mixable oil paints.

Golden OPENs still have a place in my life. They’re wonderful in the portrait/figure studio (especially short pose sessions which generally do not allow solvents). I love painting on sized matboard, which I cannot do with oils. Golden OPENs perform very well for plein air work on hot sunny days when I want to use acrylics. I can mix my colors, and they remain workable throughout a painting session. They don’t skin over on the palette, yet thicken to the point where when I reach the end of an outdoor session and it’s time to lay on the highlights, I have nice thick paint to do so!

Old Truck at the Farm
8×10″, Golden OPEN Acrylics
Painted on a blazing hot day in the sun, these acrylics performed miraculously!

080716-old-truck-at-the-farm-8x10-done-600

If it’s not too hot outside, or if I’m in the studio, I can use my all-time favorite acrylic paints —- Golden FLUID Acrylics. When you dilute heavy body acrylics to a more fluid consistency, it dilutes the pigment and the paint goes streaky. Golden FLUID Acrylics are made with a much higher pigment load than a diluted heavy body paint. I find them to be the perfect consistency, and combined with the use of Golden’s Acrylic Glazing Liquid, the drying time is extended so that they are perfectly blendable, yet tack up fast enough to overpaint. The 1 oz. bottles are a perfect size to take out in the field with me, and I refill them from large bottles that I leave in the studio. For plein air work, I get to travel home with a dry painting, so I don’t have to bring a wet panel carrier out into the field. They dry and cure so quickly that I can have them varnished and out the door in a week. They are also wonderful for underpainting, then using Golden OPENs over the top, and the underpainting stays perfectly in place. Disadvantages: They will dry out on your palette and on your brushes if you’re not careful. You need to be able to work quickly and mix on the fly, and spray the palette frequently to keep the paint wet.

Under the Bridge at Devil’s Kitchen
16×20″, Golden FLUID Acrylics

101026-Under-the-Bridge-in-Devils-Kitchen-16x20-800

You mentioned the Atelier Interactive Acrylics in your comment, and as you can see from the photo, I have a set of my regular colors in that brand as well. I think they are very nice paints —- high pigment load and reasonably priced. As the Chroma company explains, these paints “interact” with the artist through a series of mediums that you can also see in the photo. These mediums can increase or decrease drying time of the paints, or even unlock dried paint to a workable consistency. What I’ve found is that without the mediums, the paints behave just like traditional, heavy body acrylics. I need to thin them to the consistency I want, and they skin over on my palette and dry quickly. No amount of spraying with water revives the dried paint, just like regular acrylics. Even though I could alter that with the Interactive mediums, I’d rather use paints that have the characteristics I need right out of the tubes. When painting out on location, the less I need to cart around with me, the better off I am. Those of you who work in the studio may find it’s no problem to deal with the adjustments of the paint.

The Phantom Tollbooth — Fall at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation
7×5″, Atelier Interactive Acrylics

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This brings us to another option…..Gouache! Using just a watercolor palette, sketchbook, and a few small tubes of paint, gouache enables me to paint with all the opacity of oils and all the transparency of watercolor, in a fast-drying, water-based medium that illustrators have used for generations. Companies like Holbein and Winsor Newton have been making more lightfast, archival, artist grade versions of these paints, and they have gone from the illustrator’s desk to a fine art medium in a very short time. Disadvantages: Artist grade gouache is very expensive. When working in an opaque manner, it’s possible to go through quite a bit of paint in a short time. Although it shares the same binders as watercolor, gouache does not rewet easily. When the paint dries out on the palette, it cannot be revived to the juicy, creamy consistency necessary to work the same way as with paint just out of the tube. Some of the new palettes with seals around the edges do a pretty good job of keeping the paint moist and workable. A damp sponge left inside the palette helps to maintain the moisture.

Garrison Castle and the Hudson River
5×7″,Winsor Newton and Holbein Gouache on Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper

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Watercolor remains the ultimate sketching medium for the artist on the go. Although most of us prefer fresh paint from tubes out on the palette, watercolors revive quite well if not left sitting too long. A small pan set can go anywhere, and tucks inside a purse or shirt pocket with a small sketchbook or watercolor block.

Leaning Toward Breakneck Ridge
11×15″, Winsor Newton and Holbein Watercolor

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In Dennis’ post, he brings up colored pencils and Pitt pens as ideal plein air mediums. I agree with him! In addition, there are water soluble colored pencils that can bridge the gap between watercolors and colored pencils, Cretacolor color sticks in sepia, white and black for sketching on mid-tone paper, charcoal, inks in many colors, and marker sets. It seems that every time I turn around, there is something new and exciting to try in my sketchbook!

The Hickory Tree
Sepia and White Cretacolor leads in a 10×10 kraft paper sketchbook

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I hope this post has left my viewers inspired to try something new, or to pick up an old favorite you’ve left by the wayside for awhile. There are so many fabulous choices out there, and each has unique benefits and possibilities.

Now, go paint! 😀

Coxsackie, New York Street Scene

Posted by Jamie on May 11th, 2010

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11×15″, Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico paper
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

This street scene of Coxsackie, NY, was painted last week during my one week workshop with the amazing Alvaro Castagnet. We all scattered about the little town, painting these beautiful old buildings near the Riverfront Park. I’m looking forward to exploring more of Alvaro’s techniques and subject matter in the weeks to come!

Benches by the Hudson River at Athens

Posted by Jamie on May 9th, 2010

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11×15″, Watercolor on Fabriano paper
$395.00 plus $20 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

It was so windy along the Hudson River that my easel kept blowing over! I liked these benches under the big tree, awaiting visitors. The Athens Lighthouse is visible from this vantage point, but I decided not to put it into the painting. Initially I’d thought to include it, but in the end I thought it would be a distraction.

The Wishing Well

Posted by Jamie on May 4th, 2010

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This painting is matted to 20×16″, with an archival custom ivory mat and backing board in an archival polybag, to fit a standard 16×20″ frame. The painting itself is 15×11″, Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico 140 lb paper.

$490.00 plus $30 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This little stone well caught my attention as it stood out in value and texture from amidst the tall evergreens.

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This watercolor painting has an archival ivory mat and backing board to fit any standard 16×20″ frame, and is in an archival polybag. The painting is 11×15″ (quarter sheet), on Fabriano Artistico paper.

SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

It was a beautiful evening on Friday along the Hudson River in Beacon, NY. My painting buddy, Sue, went with me to Long Dock after we left Boscobel, and I did this quarter sheet watercolor before sunset. Facing Cold Spring, this cluster of trees was leaning toward Breakneck Ridge, creating a wonderful composition.

I love my new Plein Air Pro watercolor easel. Since it has the little shelf, I’m thinking I can probably use it for smaller oil and acrylic paintings too, though I haven’t tried that yet. Here’s a photo of the scene and the easel:

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Little Boat by the Pond

Posted by Jamie on April 21st, 2010

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9×12, Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico 140# rough
$295.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This little, old rowboat resides at the shore of my neighbor’s farm. I went on Monday to paint there. I think there are many paintings to be had at this spot! I’m looking forward to exploring this scene with the boat at least a couple more times in watercolor, and can also envision it in other mediums and seasons.

Impressions of the North Salem Open Land Foundation

Posted by Jamie on March 29th, 2010

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11×15″, Watercolor on Arches 140# hp
$295.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This was painted from a photo taken at the North Salem Open Land Foundation on Baxter Road, one of my favorite places to stroll and paint.

Afternoon by the Waterfall

Posted by Jamie on March 21st, 2010

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9×12″, Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico
$160.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This was my first go at painting this particular waterfall, but it won’t be my last for sure! I had to tiptoe across stepping stones to a little island in the creek to arrive at the ideal vantage point. The painting location was shaded by an overpass while the waterfall was in sunlight, so this will be a fabulous spot on a hot day! There’s been a lot of rain, and combined with the snow melt off South Mountain, the waterfalls were gushing this weekend.

Bannerman Castle Tower

Posted by Jamie on March 3rd, 2010

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This painting is already in an archival custom ivory mat with a backing board, ready to fit any standard 16×20″ frame. The painting itself is 12×9″, Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico

$300.00 plus $25 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This was painted today from a photo I took on my last visit to Bannerman Island, which was just days before the recent major castle collapse.

A Walk in Platte Clove

Posted by Jamie on February 22nd, 2010

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8×10″, Watercolor on 300# Fabriano Artistico hp
$125.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This is one of my favorite areas of the Catskills to go hiking, picture-taking, and painting. The mountains are so dramatic, and there are places where the road winds through the clove and drops off so steeply that it takes your breath away! This one was painted from a photo. Doing this made me eager to get back there again. I can’t wait till spring arrives!

Fall Hike on a Cloudy Day

Posted by Jamie on October 28th, 2009

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Fall Hike on a Cloudy Day
7.5×11″, Watercolor on 300# Saunders Waterford CP
$150.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

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.

Bench with a Hudson View

Posted by Jamie on October 2nd, 2009

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7×5″, watercolor, matted to 8×10″ (included in price)
$135.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Wildflower Walk

Posted by Jamie on July 5th, 2009

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7×5″, Watercolor on Arches HP
$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

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.

The Sunset Tree

Posted by Jamie on June 11th, 2009

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8×10, Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico 140#cp
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

I’ve been so eager to work with watercolor this week, perhaps because of all the rain we’ve been having. This is painted from a photo of a tree out on a peninsula on the lake here at home. I loved the reflections of the colors and tree in the water, and the large, brooding clouds way above.

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5×7″, Watercolor, double matted in ivory/gold to 8×10″, framed in antique gold/black, Price includes mat and frame
$145.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Today I went to see the Tall Ships as they docked in Newburgh, NY. They are on their way up the Hudson River in a Quadricentennial Celebration. Leave it to me to forget my camera. Ouch! But at least I had paints and sketching materials with me. The Half Moon and the Onrust were there. I settled in to paint the Onrust, and I’ll try to do the Half Moon later in the week at one of the other stops it will make as it journeys northward. You can read more about the recreation of the Onrust here.

I started out with this little 5×7″ watercolor, and also did an oil painting that I need to finish up in the studio, hopefully tomorrow. I’ve double matted and framed this painting in a lovely ivory/gold double mat, and a black and gold wood frame. Price includes mat and frame as shown below. It looks soooo much better in real life than in the photo!

Here is an image of the painting alone:

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I hope to have the oil painting completed to show tomorrow!

Happy Days

Posted by Jamie on February 6th, 2009

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16×20″, Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico 140# CP
$450.00 plus $20 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

The vibrant colors of this painting make me feel happy! This is a fairly large watercolor painting at 16×20″, and I wish I could get the whites to be that bright white color in the photo, like they are in the painting! It’s a good thing I’m a painter and not a photographer. This was a lot of fun…and a lot of work!

Whenever I make a clickable image, the smaller one looks a little fuzzy, so I’m putting up this extra image that you can click on to see this painting in a larger size:

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Little Box of Secrets

Posted by Jamie on January 12th, 2009

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7×10″, Watercolor on Arches 140# hp
$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This is really the little box in which I keep my miniature paintings, but Little Box of Secrets is a much better title!

Fruit and Flowers No 4

Posted by Jamie on January 11th, 2009

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9×12, Watercolors on Arches 140# hp
$195.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Stay tuned for my return to oil and acrylic landscape paintings very soon!

Naomi in Watercolor

Posted by Jamie on January 10th, 2009

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12×9″, Watercolor on Arches 140# hp
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

Susan in Watercolor

Posted by Jamie on January 8th, 2009

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11×14″, Watercolor on Arches 140#hp
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

When Wishes Come True—Fruit and Flowers No 3

Posted by Jamie on January 7th, 2009

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15×11″, Watercolor on Arches 140# hp
$225.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Fruit and Flowers No 2

Posted by Jamie on January 6th, 2009

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8.5×10″, Watercolors on Arches 140# hp
$145.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Fruit and Flowers No 1

Posted by Jamie on January 5th, 2009

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11×13, Watercolor on Saunders Waterford 300#cp
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

I’m taking a watercolor workshop this week with the amazing Charles Reid! I have many of his books and videos, so it’s a real treat to watch him paint and receive his critiques. The class is great, but unfortunately there is no spot-lighting for the still life setups. He did a wonderful demo this morning. We’ll be doing still life paintings again tomorrow, followed by three days of figures with a model. Stay tuned…..

Watercolor Wednesday — Sunflowers With Spatters and Drips

Posted by Jamie on October 29th, 2008

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11×7.5″, Watercolor on Saunders Waterford 300# CP
$150.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

It’s Watercolor Wednesday again. I went out first thing this morning to buy sunflowers. This painting was inspired by Charles Reid, with drips, spatters and sprays. Great fun!

Watercolor Wednesday—work in progress

Posted by Jamie on October 15th, 2008

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I know this looks like some kind of strange abstract in its infant stages, but stay tuned! Watercolor Wednesday will continue on Thursday this week, and I’ll post the finished painting tomorrow.

Finished painting can be seen by clicking here.

Watercolor Wednesday

Posted by Jamie on October 8th, 2008

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Pathway at Olana
7×10″, Watercolor on 300# Saunders Waterford cp
$150.00 plus $15 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

It’s Watercolor Wednesday again! I still have Hudson River School images of Olana running through my mind, so I pulled out the photos I took while painting there the other day and did this one from my pictures. I worked on Cold Press paper this time.

Palette:
Raw Sienna
Cadmium Yellow Pale
Cadmium Red
Permanent Alizarin
Cerulean Blue
Cobalt Blue
Ultramarine Blue
Viridian
Burnt Sienna

Fall Overlooking Constitution Marsh and Storm King

Posted by Jamie on March 15th, 2007

5×7″, gouache on rag paper, in 8×10″ beautiful ivory/gold mat (included)
$135.00 plus $12 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. For local sales, shipping charge will be allocated to NYS Sales Tax. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This was painted from a photo of one of my favorite spots overlooking the Hudson River in Garrison, New York.