Bellport Day & Carla Marlas

 Last Saturday was Bellport Day and my painting "To the Marina" was on display for the South Bay Art Association's Plein Air Event. My friend, Suzala, and I planned to meet in Bellport and paint before we had to pick up our paintings from the exhibit. Suzala got there before me and was painting Porters, a restaurant on Bellport Lane. I picked Carla Marlas, an ice cream shop right across the street from her view. I was lucky because there was no parking right in front of Carla Marlas, but I had to position myself so I was looking between two parked cars on my side. With a little editing of the scene I made it work.

At around 3:30 we left our painting supplies at our painting spot under the watchful eye of Suzala's husband, Rick. We got to talk to the organizers and a few of the participaing artists, as well as congratulating the winners. The SBAA photographer, Rosanne O'Reilly snapped a photo of us before we went back to painting.

That evening I got an email from one of the organizers with the name and phone number of a woman who had been interested in my painting. We spoke and I sold the painting "To the Marina" to her. She lives in Bellport and has a number of paintings of the area, so I will be hanging with good company.

To the Marina (SOLD)

 I am participating in a plein air event being held by the South Bay Art Association. We have had about a week to paint scenes in and around Bellport. I had already done one painting of the Bellport Historical Society, but wanted to do a second painting so I would have a choice of what I could put into the exhibition which is being held tomorrow at Bellport Day. The event will be judged.

Update: This painting sold the day after the exhibit.

For this painting I painted from an area on Bellport Lane where I've done smaller paintings before. I parked my car under a nice, big shady tree. Then I took out my easel and set it up in front of my car. I was able to lean against the hood of my car while I was painting. Looking down the street at the end is the Bellport Yacht Club behind the security gate. I always like the strong shadows across the lane in this area.

Here is the finished painting.

Here is my setup at the start of the day.

I

The painting was nearly done here.


In the finished painting I darkened the building behind the security gate house to separate the buildings a little more. 

Bellport View Heading West

 I was waiting to pick up my painting at the end of Bellport Day, so meanwhile Suzala and I sat near the South Bay Art Association tent and painted the view looking west. This is the same part of town that I had sketched the other day...but from the opposite direction. This was done directly in watercolor.

Bellport View

 I am participating in a paint out with the South Bay Art Association. Each participating artist will be allowed to exhibit one local painting done during the plein air event. I worked on this view of Bellport over several days. I wanted the lighting to be similar so I went to paint around 10:30 each day. I'm happy with the way it came out. The last day I actually had shadows too. The work will be exhibited next Saturday, July 29 at Bellport Day.

Boat Storage

 Just an update. My painting of the sailboats for Bellport Day SOLD. Not only that, but a woman contacted me after seeing the sold sticker on the painting and said the boat and the young man are her son and she was disappointed to find it had sold. She is interested in having me redo the painting.

We have several places where I've found these stacked boats at marinas. These look like they are quite a bit past their prime but I thought they made an interesting subject. This was at a marina in Patchogue.

Paint Out - Part 4 (Update: Painting SOLD)

On Tuesday morning I joined my plein air group and we were back at the Bellport Marina. There was a lot going on all over. There were boats for sailing lessons that they were getting ready on the small beach. A few minutes after I had these boats sketched in, the kids from the camp group pushed them (and others) into the water and they took off. I hate when my models move away. lol

This is one of the paintings I am putting into the exhibit for Bellport Day. I'm hoping that someone walking around town will connect to the idea of the boy taking lessons and want it. Bellport has a big summer population of people who sail. My fingers are crossed!

 

Paint Out - Part 1

The South Bay Art Association is hosting a plein air paint out in the towns of Bellport, Brookhaven, and East Patchogue. We can paint at any location in these towns and two paintings from each artist will be exhibited and for sale at Bellport Day on July 30. On Saturday I registered for the paint out and then went over to H.O.G. Farm in Brookhaven. There is a farm with a barn where produce and other things are for sale.

While I was working my friend, Michele DePaolo came by and sat with me chatting while I worked. She also took a photo of me in the field with my painting. She is very good at coming out during paint outs and photographing the participating artists.

 

Plein Air in Bellport - Part 1

 On Sunday the South Bay Art Association held its first Bellport Plein Air by the Bay, a paintout open to all artists. Unfortunately the day was dreary and damp, with light mist and showers. There was no rain date. 

I found a fairly covered sheltered area that had a view of some of the boats docked in the marina. I sketched out the scene and then went to do a wash of grey color for the sky...the paper absorbed every bit of the water and would not dry! If I tried adding any additional color to the paper it bled and faded. The humidity really made it super difficult to get anything to look like anything other than a faded grey. I waited and waited but the drying time was really slow. I decided to try and do the pencil lines over in ink and that worked a little better, allowing me to isolate some of the colors on the boats. I worked on this for about 2 hours before deciding that I would have to do stronger colors at home once the paper dried. So this is not officially a complete plein air painting. I punched up the color and added the reflections in the water. Since the weather was so difficult for painting all the artists were told that they could work on their paintings more at home from their photos so I am not the only one who has added to the work they did on location.

The completed artwork is going to be on display and up for sale next Saturday at Bellport Day, a big celebration in town. There will be prizes for 1st place, 2nd, 3rd and best in show.

I haven't decided on a title yet...maybe "Bellport Grey." This painting is 8 x 10.

Update on the Bellport Gazebo and the Lifeguard

Back on the 4th of July I painted at my art group's outdoor event, "Artists on the Lane." Someone I know who is part of the Bellport Chamber of Commerce told me I should submit my painting of the Bellport Gazebo for their annual poster contest for Bellport Day. I wasn't going to do it, but she convinced me to enter. I deepened the shadows on the grass and the gazebo and entered it. Guess what...it was selected to be this year's poster! Bellport Day is July 29 and I will be out of town at the Urban Sketchers Symposium in Chicago, so I will have to make sure to sign a stack of posters before I leave and they go on sale. Woo-hoo!!! I do get some kind of prize and am invited to a chamber lobster dinner. Too bad I don't get a cut of the poster sales. Here is the updated look.

This was painted on the beach at Robert Moses the other day.