Tappan, New York

"Awakenings"    oil 

This painting was inspired while I was scouting for locations of the Hudson River School paintings. I spent the day dragging my youngest daughter up Tallman Mountain, around Piermont, and into Sneden's Landing in hopes of establishing a site that corresponded to an Albert Bierstadt painting. It had started snowing heavily so we retreated to the car. As I returned home to Tappan, seeing her charming face in my rear view window I decided she needed a reward of some sort for all her patience. Of course hot chocolate seemed the best idea in my book, so I turned around in the DeWint House (one of the oldest surviving structures in Rockland County)  to head to the local Starbucks...a sweet caramel hot chocolate seemed what I needed as well. As we drove down the lane we were surrounded by trees dusted in pink snow signaling the end of the day. At that moment she announced the trees look like cocoa.....!!! Guess we were thinking the same thing!!!

I thought to post this painting as yet another snow storm 
is blowing our way today!

It is on exhibit at The Outside In  
at 249 Ferdon Avenue in Piermont New York.  

Please call 845 398 0706 for pricing and details.

Rockland Renaissance: Piermont Haze

Piermont's Haze  12" x 18"  oil

      I spend alot of mornings in Piermont. There are so many spots to take in the view. I like to visit in the morning when the fog has rolled in and all is still quiet. This particular morning, I stood staring trying to figure out the color. The tree had spectacular yellow leaves but veiled with the fog, it took awhile to figure out the hue. It was also a challenge to avoid contrast and keep all the colors the same value.  I did many versions of this scene but think this one worked out best.

 I had just been reading on Jasper Francis Cropsey and remembered his "Hazy Afternoon." I was not able to pinpoint the exact location but did find out he painted in Piermont, so I took artistic license to match "Piermont's Haze" with "Hazy Afternoon."

 "Hazy Afternoon"   by  Jasper Francis Cropsey    1873

Rockland Renaissance: Haverstraw Bay

"Haverstraw Bay"    oil   6" x 11"

I  find it very difficult to drive along the Hudson. I constantly want to pull over and sketch, start a painting and photograph. The sun was just setting as I was coming from Bear Mountain from a meeting with Artists on the Parks, a plein air group that is devoted to painting the area parks. The sun just shimmered along the water. I tried to get that feeling of movement....of the light making its way across the water. I loved the muted tones of the town in the background. I had fun trying to make the yellow and blue tones work together without incorporating any green.  I'd like to revisit this scene and do a larger painting....soon......

Sanford Robinson Gifford   "Morning on the Hudosn, Haverstraw Bay"  1866

Rockland Renaissance: To Be Or Not To Be Indian Point

"TO BE OR NOT TO BE"      oil      16" x 29"

In researching locations for this grant, I was amazed how many area parks are still preserved thanks to the efforts of the Palisades Parks Conservancy, Palisades Interstate Parks Commission, Keep Rockland Beautiful and other efforts of the Rockland community. I did feel it neccessary though, to include this visual. As I sketched it, I realized I wanted to do something to push the idea a bit further, hence, I decided to paint on stainless steel. The areas left unpainted show the galvanized metal.

Francis A. Silva  "Late Afternoon on Haverstraw Bay" 1871

This show is now moving to the Nyack Library in Nyack NY for the month of February.

Rockland Renaissance: Cotton Candy Skies

I always try to do thumbnails before I paint. I admit, sometimes I am too excited about the visual infront of me and I jump into the paint only to find out later, my layout is weak. I never mean for the horizon line to be smack in the middle but all of a sudden there it is! So I have to wipe away and redo passages etc.....It really helps to sketch out your ideas, play with the composition, just take the time to figure out how you can get the impact you want - and yes, sometimes that means drawing on napkins!

"After the Floods"  oil     6"x6"

This was a study I did on site. I really like painting this size, it feels so intimate and I love finding the right frame to accent such a size. I loved the way the skies were looking this day and after drooling over some of Frederic Edwin Church's paintings, I needed to emphasize the magnificent skies of the Hudson Valley. I did some other studies in the studio and then approached a canvas 24" x 24" that ended up with a totally different color study. See below:

"Cotton Candy Skies"   24" x 24" 

I completed this painting during a residency at the Art Students League Vytlacil campus. The space was wonderful , the lighting was perfect , the entire atmosphere was so amazing that it was hard to return to my studio. I love painting this big!
  

This painting " Oil Sketch" by Frederic Edwin Church inspired Cotton Candy Skies and After the Floods. If you are in the Newe York area, check out Olana in Hudson, NY. Church purchased eighteen acres on the hilltop above his Hudson farm- land he had long wanted because of its magnificent views of the Catskills and the Hudson River. In 1870 he began the construction of Olana, a Persian-inspired mansion which was his home and studio. Church was deeply involved in the design, completing his own architectural sketches. This highly personal and eclectic castle incorporated many of the design elements he acquired during his travels abroad. He was an enormously successful artist, and when he was stricken with arthritis, he learned to paint with his left hand! Talk about a passionate obsession! See htt://www.olana.org - its well worth the trip!

I used this painting as the cover for "Rockland Renaissance" a book of the images used for this grant project. It is available for $29.95 through blurb.com
http://www.blurb.com/b/4001818-rockland-renaissance

available in paperback and hard cover

Rockland Renaissance: Hudson Breeze

Hudson Breeze #2   oil    9" x 12"   SOLD

Hudson Breeze  oil  9" x 12"  SOLD

This project had me exploring in areas I never thought to go. Trying to find the location of a Francis A. Silva painting,  I discovered  one particular spot and returned to it over and over again. I just love the way the colors change at different times of the day creating such a change in mood.

On the Hudson, Nyack 1871 by Francis A. Silva

Rockland Renaissance: January on the Hudson

JANUARY ON THE HUDSON  oil    16" x 16" by Sue Barrasi

View of Hook Mountain Near Nyack  1866 by Sanford Robinson Gifford

Hook Mountain is so distinct. My average weekly travels take me from one side to the other, where I often stand mesmerized by the view. It is stunning from Piermont, which I frequent often. From the Piermont library the view is amazing, the Pier offers its own unique view and Nyack as well.

As I started this series I thought to play with the square composition to give a more modern approach in contrast with the Hudson River School format. The square can  be quite challenging but it intrigued me. This day was quite chilly and my bones felt numb, so I pushed the color of the waters, to emphasize the void of warmth!