Last week I drove to Kingston to paint the estuary, but the tide was so high there was nowhere for me to stand. When I drove by this farm, I pulled over in a wide spot in the road.
Although this farm is near an urban area, it retains the character of old Kitsap County, and even had a few cows grazing. I wasn’t satisfied with my initial painting, so I repainted it in the studio. Much happier with this one.
I’m getting to know all the estuaries of Puget Sound in my area. Estuaries are the places where fresh water from creeks and streams meet the salt water of the Sound. They’re rich in plant life, and fish, birds and mammals thrive in them.
Aesthetically, they’re pleasing to the eye because of the light reflecting off the water and the varied vegetation and interesting land shapes like coves and inlets. Besides that, they’re usually free of human beings so I can paint undisturbed. I love estuaries!
A few days ago I drove Southwest of Belfair to investigate the tide flats. After some poking around, I found a duck hunters’ trail to a duck blind out on the tide flats. There weren’t any hunters, so I stumbled around the marsh until I found a good vantage point. The marsh grasses are thick and uneven, so walking is difficult. It was chilly and gray, but I was dressed warmly. My watercolor washes weren’t drying, so I took the painting back to the car and dried it off with the car heater, then I walked back to my easel and continued. When I got home, I added more texture to the grass in the foreground and some details in the middle ground.
Stumbling around in the marsh Read More »
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.
Where the seagulls gather Read More »
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.
High tide and a blustery day Read More »
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.
The tide flats at Gorst, WA Read More »
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.
Where the people meet Read More »
Big Valley was settled by pioneers early last century, and their farms and fields remain as their testimony to their sacrifice and hard work. I’m grateful that Big Valley hasn’t been turned into sterile housing projects. It’s one of my favorite places to paint.
On a lovely autumn morning, I stepped into the pasture of this farm so I could paint a view of the house, the flaming maple tree beside the big fir, and the red shed above. It didn’t look like anyone was living in the house. I wasn’t far off the pavement, but technically I was trespassing. I was focusing on my painting, when I saw a man approaching. “Are you the owner?” I asked. “Hope you don’t mind if I paint your farm.”
Luckily he was quite generous and we had a nice conversation. It turns out his family homesteaded this property and built the house in 1905. I told him how much I appreciate his stewardship of this historic site.
Pioneer farmhouse in Big Valley Read More »
Gorst, WA, is sometimes known as “the armpit of Kitsap County”. Located at a sharp bend in Highway 16 at the end of Sinclair Inlet, it’s a crazy collection of gritty businesses — car dealers, tire stores, muffler repair shops, metal recycling lots, and bikini barista coffee shops. But if you sneak behind the concrete block buildings, you’ll find the lovely estuary of Sinclair Inlet.
The grassy bottoms are bordered with willows and shrubs, and old stumps and snags remain from earlier days. Ducks and geese dabble in the small creeks that empty into the mud flats. In short, it’s a painter’s paradise.
On a cool, moist morning I pushed my way through the reeds to find this lovely scene. I had the place to myself while I focused on this painting. When I got home, I made a studio version.
The tide flats at Gorst Read More »
Every year in late October Katy and I spend a night at Lake Crescent Lodge in Olympic National Park. We always get into great conversations with other guests in the evenings while sitting in the great room with a fire blazing in the fireplace, and we love the historic character of the place (FDR visited the lodge in 1939!).
Before we checked in, I made this watercolor of a big maple tree in front of the guest cabins next to the lodge. Several guests, including some from other countries, stopped by to see my progress. It was cool and cloudy, but occasionally the sun would illuminate the white cabin behind the tree.
Fall color at Lake Crescent Lodge Read More »
I found this saltwater lagoon on Discovery Bay while exploring the back roads of the Olympic peninsula. It’s a hidden gem! I especially liked the reflections of the trees and the house, as well as the long spit with clouds hovering above it.
I nearly had the place to myself. A woman runner stopped briefly to chat, and another woman passed by with her two old black labs. Several fishermen ignored me as they launched their skiffs at the boat ramp nearby.
It was raining when I got there, so I had a chance to test out the new umbrella that Guy gave me for my birthday. It works great. It has a spike that goes in the ground to support it, and it’s large enough to keep my painting dry.
A rainy day at the estuary Read More »