Summer Plein Air

Allentown garage in Arlington Park, Buffalo

Center and 7th in Lewiston, NY

Considering a Cruller, the Niagara Falls Hiker

Summer is outdoor painting season whenever there is time and decent weather. Each of these three paintings had a different reason to be made. The 'Fairweather Paletteers' of East Aurora met up with Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters in Allentown for the garage view.  It had a red tricycle in the driveway but the scale was wrong, so I overpainted it and hope to find another tricycle to put it back, larger this time.

The second was a demonstration painting at the Lewiston Art Festival, a view of their wonderful street gardens. It took two mornings to get the light right as I was facing west and the sun moved the shadows quickly.

The last was painted in the park across from the NACC in NIagara Falls, included two well known landmarks. Freddie's Donuts has been there longer than I have lived in this area, and the Hiker was placed early in the last century, at the corner of Portage and Main Street. I hope no one decides to clean up his gaudy blue patina.

Allentown Garage, 11x14 oil on canvas

Center and 7th, 7.5x10.5 oil on Arches Huile

Considering A Cruller, 9x12 oil on Arches Huile

Third Street mashup

  Annually, the NACC has a fund raising auction of paintings created on selected Sunday evenings at Wine on Third. This year I had planned to capture some of the building architecture up close but when I arrived the tents were up and the sidewalk was full of painters and friends as well as patrons. I decided to work across the street.

Originally interested in the perspective view of Third Street, I became attracted to the signs. As long as I have lived here, there have been complaints about signage, especially for tourists. This was my view and the painting in early progress. It is a sanded canvas, originally a picture of Chautaqua Lake swimmers and boats which I turned upside down-you can see a boat and docks where the 2 hour sign will be, and a bit of the tree line on the bottom of my painting. Fortunately I was across the street from the crowd. People who saw this work in progress were quite confused about me and where I was headed with 2 pictures happening on one board. Not every painting is worth keeping and my power sander helps me reuse those boards.

 I am considering a few details yet, such as larger bolts on the signs and maybe some of the reflected light on the signs. Or maybe not.

Falls View 12x18 oil on board  c.K Schifano

The Falls at Water Level

I discovered a new access to the water level of the lower Niagara. Close by parking and no climbing necessary, I expect to paint here often. Perhaps in early Spring we will have a larger glimpse of the Horseshoe Falls, the trees and leaves will not be as dense on the cliffs but I will have to bundle up. The lower river stays full of ice and very cold water for quite a while.

This is at the winter dock storage for the Maid of the Mist ships. The seasonal docks are just beyond the trees. The water here is the Horseshoe Falls.

At Water Level, 11x14 oil on birch panel

My beach paintings go on exhibit, 9/1-9/20, 2015

I currently have a display of 15 plein air beach paintings in Long Beach, 250 East Park Avenue. Galleries for practicing artists are rare on Long Island as people can purchase art in nearby NYC (or else WalMart). Last year, the curator for The Coffee Nut saw my work, so I am pleased to have my paintings selected for the busy end of the summer season crowd.

These photos show some of the paintings that are on display September 1-21. This is where they belong, in the salt air where they were born. All are Plein Air and all have lightweight frames as I will be bringing them home as carry on luggage when the exhibition is over. 

Youngstown Yacht Club, 'Art on the River'

I think I return to this show just for the spectacular view of the lower Niagara and entry of Lake Ontario at sunset. The event is only a few hours, on the Thursday evening before the Lewiston festival, but my table has views up and down the river with unbelievable sunsets and light. They always manage to have great weather.

Adirondack getaway

A quick trip to the Adirondacks to visit Frances Gaffney involved several walks to Antler Lake, a bit up the road from her home. It is just stunning in all directions, we went one morning to paint and I chose the blue canoe in the third picture. Unfinished, I need to complete the painting in the studio, right now I am considering adding Dexter, her visiting grand-dog.

Antler Lake Reflections

Big Sky, Green and pink.

Turning around from the lake, some temptations

wonders of nature

The Lewiston Art Festival

As a rule, I only sell my work at one weekend outdoor major street exhibition, the Lewiston Festival of Art. The emphasis is on fine art and it is a juried event. I did break my rule this summer by doing the Niagara Falls Music and Art Festival. I am not planning to do that again, indoor events at local venues are so much better. This was my 9th year at the Lewiston Art Festival and I was pleased to be featured twice in the NFP newspapers, one image before the event of my tent last year and another this year when I was painting there. Thanks to Larry Austin for some fine photos! And yes, I will be back there as long as the judges jury me in.

2015 demonstrating plein air

2014 photo used to advertise this year's event

the tent set up August 8 & 9, 2015