Michael Chesley Johnson - Late Summer Hues

As we get closer to the end of summer, the color of things change. Reds begin to show in the deciduous trees, and yellows begin to show in the grasses. On Campobello Island, where I live in the Canadian Maritimes, the marsh grasses have already started to change. A decidedly yellow cast has appeared, but still some subtle greens show. Here's a little sketch I did in oil yesterday to capture this transistional time. If you click to enlarge and then look at the grasses below the large tree shapes on the left, you'll see what I mean.

"Late Summer Grasses" 5x7, oil/panel

Michael Chesley Johnson MPAC PSA PSNM

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Michael Chesley Johnson - More Boats

"The Lucy B" 12x16, oil/canvas

Rainy weather drives us outdoor painters into the studio. When I'm in the studio, I sometimes find working from a single photo to be a dull exercise. I like to liven things up a bit by combining photos. Here are two photos I used for "The Lucy B," above. Can you spot the two elements I pulled from each?

Michael Chesley Johnson - Bernard Pier

I recently taught a workshop in Acadia National Park in Maine. One day, we went out to Bernard, a quaint fishing village on Mount Desert Island. The light was overall cool, which made for some very warm shadows. You don't often see this in nature on a sunny day. I "pushed" the warmth in the shadows a bit to include some lovely oranges and reds.



"Bernard Pier"
9x12, pastel
$100+$5 shipping

Michael Chesley Johnson - Salt Marsh Glimmer

This little painting is only 5x7, but I think it really evokes the sense of late summer here on Campobello Island in the Canadian Maritimes. A light fog tumbled in from the ocean into the salt marsh, throwing a cool light on the scene. But the grasses, which are just starting to change into their fall colors, lend a sense of warmth to the foreground. The cool light in the distance and the warm colors up front go a long way to creating an illusion of space in the painting.



"Salt Marsh Glimmer"
5x7, oil, en plein air - Michael Chesley Johnson, PSA MPAC PSNM

www.MichaelChesleyJohnson.com

Michael Chesley Johnson - Liberty Point Wave

Rocks can be overwhelming - especially when there are many of them! Sometimes you'll find a group of rocks with a built-in composition that works perfectly. But more than likely, you'll have to search for a pleasing design. Quite often, the solution lies in finding a point of interest, zooming in so it fills the frame, and then zooming out just a bit to include a few other elements for a successful design. I try to use the fewest elements I can.

Where I live, along the bold coast of the Canadian Maritimes, we have many tumble-down cliffs, ragged points and nameless rock outcrops. The other day I went out with my pastels to paint Liberty Point, a massive rock just off the southeastern tip of Campobello Island. First, here's a photograph of Liberty Point so you can see the complexity:



But rather than try to capture the entire rock in all its glory and fail, I decided to take a small view and succeed. I chose a couple of rocks down near the water line with a wave breaking gently over the wrackweed. It's an intimate close-up.



"Liberty Point Wave" - Michael Chesley Johnson, PSA, MPAC, PSNM
5x7, pastel, en plein air

www.MichaelChesleyJohnson.com