November 2024

Where the seagulls gather

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Seagulls at the mouth of Chico Creek

This is the season for salmon runs in the Northwest, so I took my easel to the mouth of Chico Creek near Silverdale, where the salmon are running up the creek. The air was filled with hundreds of seagulls feasting on the dead salmon that were lying on the creek bank, and the light was bouncing off the tide pools in the marsh grass.

I was lucky to get a break in the weather. The afternoon was chilly, but the skies were mostly clear. A beautiful cool November day.

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High tide and a blustery day

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The lagoon near the Gardiner boat ramp

When I started painting this watercolor at Gardiner lagoon, the incoming tide was pushing water up into the grass of the estuary. The weather was blustery and clouds were flying overhead. By the time I finished, the water was almost up to my easel. You never know what will happen when you go painting.

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The tide flats at Gorst, WA

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The tide flats at Gorst, WA

I parked my car behind one of the car sales lots in Gorst, WA, and stepped into another world, a world of muddy tide flats, winding creeks and streams, and marshy bogs. With my satchel of watercolor gear over my shoulder and a large umbrella in my hand, I stumbled through the tall grasses and crossed the muddy creeks until I found just the right place. A few fence posts stood as witnesses to some long ago dairy farmer who ran his cattle here.

I poked my umbrella stand deep in the ground and set up my easel under its canopy. Although showers came and went while I was painting, my easel and I stayed dry. Well, almost — you can see some raindrops in the upper left corner. I used the fenceposts as a way to frame the tideflats and kept most of the washes loose.

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Where the people meet

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Seabold Hall on Bainbridge Island

When Bainbridge Island was a patchwork of farms and orchards early in the last century, people didn’t get around much. So they built community buildings like Seabold Hall for community events, like dances, potluck dinners and holiday celebrations. It still stands, well taken care of, and it still hosts community functions.

I set up my easel in the grassy lot next to the hall and started to paint. There wasn’t much car traffic, but lots of people came by on their daily walk, many of them with a dog or two. I found it very calming and peaceful. The day was cool and partly cloudy, just the right conditions for a plein air painter.

I think I got the perspective right on the building, but I lost control of the washes on the roof. I enjoyed adding the figures, and I’m happy with the looseness of this painting.

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The bend in the road

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There’s something attractive to the eye about a bend in the road. The gentle curve, the disappearing lines that meet at the horizon, the trees bending overhead, especially when the fall foliage is turning red and yellow.

I made this painting under my umbrella on a rainy morning. The FedEx guy stopped and said, “All right!” The Amazon driver said, “I like your painting.” Another young guy in a pickup said, “I never realized my street was so beautiful.” It was nice to get affirmation from younger guys.

The fall foliage will soon be gone and the trees will be bare and forlorn, Meanwhile, I’m trying to learn how to paint the foliage. Here’s another one.

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