The End of the Continent

"End of the Continent" 9 x 12 Chalk Pastel on Paper
Click here to purchase original

Whenever I paint a location, I try to capture the essence of the place by setting the mood with color. This painting was done from a reference photo taken in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

I took a trip to Massachusetts a few years back, and my mom and I thought it would be interesting to drive up the cape to the first place the pilgrims landed before settling in at Plymouth. Being a California native, I'm pretty familiar with beautiful coastlines; however, I was stunned at how striking the cape was in this particular area. It was a cold, windy fall day when I took this photo (so cold and windy I had to keep my hood over my face and snap quickly!)

Looking out across the marshes and ocean, it felt like I was at the end of the world. I've kept the photo out all these years, hoping to make a painting of it with the right combination of color and medium. Using chalk pastel on watercolor paper and brushing it with water worked great for this piece, as it allowed me to layer in the deeper colors and balance them with the neutral lights.

My camera didn't function so well on this trip (especially in Salem--spooky!) I only got about 30 photos from the whole week, so I guess that means I'll have to return some day and take more with a different one. Better yet, maybe I'll get the chance to paint plein air there one day.

To see more paintings from places I visit (or see every day), click here:
http://artbynikihilsabeck.blogspot.com/p/merry-weather-places.html

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