What to do when it’s pouring rain outside (suppose to continue for another seven days), just keep right on painting . . .
Anchored in the Cove is an oil pastel (11 x 8.5) painted on black heavy textured cardstock paper. Mainly OPs brands Senneliers and Holbeins were used in this painting as well as tools – painters knife, tortilium and a razor for shaping and scraping. While the black paper was used to give the cove woodsy area depth, I don’t particularly like it when using whites and yellows with OPs – very difficult to layer in thick coatings without seeing through the paint. This was the dilemma with the boat, I would have rather used some other colors for white – but it was good experience, learned a thing or two and I’ll leave it at that.
This scene reminded me of the cove back in Maine at the end of our street. Maine coves are usually heavily wooded with big boulders stretching to the water line and often times you’ll see boats resting in the cove. This boat in the painting is pretty typical of the type for the local fishermen, the yellow in the boat window is their “rain slicker” as they are called in Maine (raincoat). I’ve got mine on this week!!
Click onto the image for a larger size.
The reference image was from Linda Willason a fine photographer with pmp.
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Oil Pastels by Mary 
You have a talent
Thank you so much Luke for your compliment!
I say as it is
Thank you!
Such a charming painting, Mary. Love the boat! Makes me miss my days growing up in the Northwest surrounded by lakes.
Thank you Janell! Glad the painting took you home for a bit ~
Love the colours and atmosphere of this one, Mary. Sometimes it is fun to work on dark paper, isn’t it.
Hi Cara, thank you so much – do love your thoughts on this painting. If I’m going for a certain look with oil pastels, I find a dark background will give me the depth I’m seeking. Also and especially with this scene I wanted a rich dark background, I laid down a very think layer of Sennelier mars black oil pastel – then layered and blended the OPs from there. As you can see it enhanced because of the black paper and the oily sennelier mars black. Yes, it’s a lot of fun developing scenes like this – always a mood gets captured.
Love the rich background, like an Old Master’s
A beautiful comment, thank you so much for your generous feedback.
So wonderful! I love her w the blue of the oat pops from the background!
Thanks Elizabeth, so glad you like the blue – you are right it does pop. Would love to have given her a medium jade look, but it wasn’t to be. I’ll have to work on developing that shade with OPs. Thanks again ~
I was just going to ask you if this was a scene in New England when I reread your piece and realized it was in Maine. You translate the sense of a place so well. This is lovely!
Thanks so much Elisa – the great State of Maine. You read the scene perfectly!! Time for a clam chowder ~
This looks like a fantastic vacation spot! I’m booking a holiday here right away. 😉
Ha, so funny – they would love visitors, and many of them! Outside of lobsters, I think tourism is one of the larger economic driving factor of the area. So pack up your bags and head on up the Coast to Maine, “the way life should be.”
Mary somehow you have managed to make a rainy day seem not so bad after all! Love it. 🙂
Thank you Susan – maybe there is something about painting on rainy days. I had a good time exploring, scraping paint off and layering it back on – it was very interesting.
It says ‘a wet day in Maine’ loud and clear, Mary, but no less lovely for that 🙂
Thank you Jo! Along the coast in Maine you have many gray, foggy days – so when you do get sun, you gotta just love it. Have a great week ahead.
Thanks, Mary. Lots fitter today (but cloudy) 🙂
Excellent Mary!The color, textures, VERY fine work!
Hi Elena, thanks very much. I used a painters knife a lot with this painting – have to scrape off big chunks of OPs to be able to scrape a thick swab of paint onto the surface over other layers. The scene is typical of Maine – glad you enjoyed the piece. Have a wonderful week of exploring ~
I love the warm color on the rocks and sprinkled in the trees. Tranquil.
Thanks Jeff, nice to meet you!
This is a beauty Mary! The contrast of the smooth reflections in the water, with the craggy rocks is terrific. And such lovely rich deep colors. I think this is one of my all time fav’s of yours!~Rita
Thank you Rita – the aspects that appealed to you is what I was after (very cool). Nothing like Maine for painting inspiration ~ thanks so much! Have a great weekend.
This is really lovely and having spent quite a bit of time in Maine….you have got the feeling and atmosphere so beautifully.
As for the rain….yes, just keep painting:) Janet.
Thank you so much Jane – a special place that I miss and loved painting. I have another scene that I’ve been planning to do as a 16×24 as a present for my husband. Actually with the chilly weather we are having around here, I’m in the mood for some fresh Maine clam chowder!
I love fresh Maine clam chowder:)
We were talking about it again last night and trying to decide if we may take a trip back east!!
I am hoping to get back to Isle-au-Haut in the Penobscot Bay, Maine one of these days…it’s where I spent quite a bit of time, painting. My daughter, lives in Cambridge, Mass and so there’s always an incentive. 🙂
Very, very nice!
Thank you JSD, much appreciated!
Very Nice, Mary!
Thank you Tofan!!
it looks like an actual photo, it’s that good… this is a different feel, rainy weather inspired emotion caption… you went to another place with the green, took me there with you… just wonderful.
Thank you Heath for your generous thoughts on this piece. Really enjoyed your description and that the painting spoke to you. Thanks again ~ have a great weekend.
It looks so real..the dark background and the reflection of the boat. Thanks for sharing your wonderful works with us, Mary… 🙂
Hi Maniparna, thank you so much. The coast of Maine has this darker and rich tone to it because of being heavily wooded around the shoreline – which I love.
It absolutely is producing the image of a thick, heavy wood…nice work… (y) 🙂
Thank you – have a wonderful weekend!
Same to you… 🙂
I looove this one. The water and the trees are absolutely perfect, I could stare at it for hours!
Wow, awesome Simla – thank you very much. Love your reaction – nothing like a quiet little spot to drink in, that is the Maine coastline.
Send the rain to us, but keeping painting the likes of this!
Thank you for such a beautiful comment. I’ll keep the rain and hope it keeps on coming (actually it is for seven more days, everything is drinking it in so fast!).
Ah, Mary, the contrasting boat with the dark background works beautifully!
Happy Thursday! 🙂
You always make my day my friend! Thank you Marina for your wonderful words and description – I really wanted dark back there and the black paper was perfect for the mood. Thanks and I hope you have an awesome Thursday!
Beautiful, love the reflection on the water. What a lovely piece, simple subject that evokes a tranquil feeling of being on that boat on the water.
Hi Isabel, thank you very much – your reaction is just what I was hoping for, tranquil. That is the Maine way of life – quiet and peaceful.
I don’t wish you bad weather – but – if it’s going to help produce paintings such as this…. 🙄
Thank you GP and lovely of you to visit. Very nice to meet you ~ wonderful blog, btw.
Thank you.
Mary – a lovely painting again ! You can really sense this little boat is lilting and bobbing to the side as the waters move in and out . The towering rock walls and crevices of the cave are SO realistic … can you hear my echo … Hellloooooo Mary 🙂
Keep dry … rain slicker … that’s a new one for me !
Hi Poppy! Don’t you just love it – Rain Slicker, you’ve got to have one! I bought mine from LL Bean about 25 years ago and wouldn’t be caught without it http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/82678?feat=610-GN1&page=bean-s-neoshell-bounder-jacket&attrValue_0=Deep%20Yellow&productId=1342390. The style has changed a bit, but it’s a hardy piece of outerwear that is a must by the sea.
So glad you enjoyed the painting, lots of elements in this piece that remind me of Maine – makes me homesick to think about it. Helllooooooo Poppy, back at ya!!
Love this, Mary! Lucky for us you’ve been inside painting while it’s been raining.
Thank you Geralyn for your lovely comment. The rain will be continuing for the next seven day, yikes!
Fabulous painting, Mary. Lovely reflections, and the boat is just perfect. I would so love to watch you at work. 🙂
Thank you Sylvia – loved reading your thoughts and feedback. I don’t know about watching me, I’m a little like the mad professor when painting – oil pastel sticks flying all over the place!!
Hehehe. Yes, I can can just imagine you, and I’d love to see that. 😀
And, you should see my carpet! My husband is like, whatttttttt?!
Yikes…..carpet! It must look like Joseph’s ‘coat of many colours’. 😯
Just beautiful.
Thank you Nicodemas!
Yes the reflections are lovely👍🔺
Thank you Laurel!!
The scene is so beautifully painted. Love the lighting, colors of the boat, water, and the rock!
Hi Amy, thanks so much – so glad you enjoyed the painting. The boat color, well that is a whole story altogether, I had no way to get a close match of Jade and Hunter was too close to the trees and water, so I went with blue – gosh darn I hope the fishermen don’t see this, it is not a typical color for their vessels, lol! Thanks again ~
I love the color of the boat. Now i know why i love this painting. Thank you for taking time ti explain.
Thanks Amy. Wanted you to know that I noticed last night that my following you, became un-followed. Sorry about that I’ve corrected it.
I often noticed the missing posts. I think it’s the problem we all have to deal with… 😦 Thank you for letting me know, Mary!
Perfection Mary!!!!
Thank you my friend. I do see aspects to work on in this piece, but that will be for another day – for now it was my rainy day project, lol! Hope you are well – your big day is coming up soon!
I love it the way it is Mary from what I can see on my end! I adore the blue boat!!
Yes it’s approaching fast! I’m working on a whale painting right now for the baby’s room. Will post it next week. I have to work in layers on this one and need time for the paint to dry.
Have a great weekend despite the rain. I pray you are safe from violent storms.
So cool, the whale painting will be awesome and can’t wait to see it. Ha, the blue boat – I’m sure the gritty fishermen of ME aren’t too pleased with the color!! Have a great weekend.
That is beautiful, Mary! How lucky we are that you share your talent with us. That looks so real, just like a photo. The reflection is fabulous!
Thank you Jill, really appreciate it. I’m not a boat person artistically and I think there might be a challenge coming sometime this summer to paint row boats, maybe. It was a great scene to paint and one that I know so well from my days in Maine. Thanks again ~
Love the dark water and the reflections of the trees there. Wish there were a bigger version to see, it’s hard to gauge the reflection of the boat. Makes me long for cottage, hiking… a cold beer on the dock 🙂
Thanks Pauline! You can click onto the image for a larger version – will meet you on the dock for a cold one!
It doesn’t really ever get that much larger when I click.
Hi Pauline, I went back in and looked at the size. I posted it at the larger size already – sorry you are right it won’t get larger when you click onto the image.