Cape Ann paintings and a lesson learned
Posted: July 26, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: cape ann, gloucester, Halibut Point State Park, plein air painting, rockport, rocky neck, watercolour 22 CommentsOn my first morning in Rockport, I rushed down to the harbour to paint. I have a favourite bench in a shady spot, a little bit away from the pedestrian traffic of Bearskin Neck. It’s fitting that my first painting in the town this year was of the visitor’s centre across the water. That was where I did my first boat sketch of Rockport all those years ago, and where my love of Cape Ann began.
It was a misty day when I painted this one, but the lack of light and shadow is offset by the multitude of shapes in the harbour. I can always find something to paint in Rockport.
I also spent a very hot morning painting at Halibut Point State Park, again in a shady spot across from a visitor’s centre. I love the description of the park on the Mass.gov link: a granite edge between the Atlantic Ocean and the mainland. It’s those granite edges of the former quarry that make painting there such a challenge, especially on a calm day when the rock reflects in the reservoir. Truly a place of quiet beauty when sometimes the only sound is of flapping gull wings in the still water.
I also returned to one of my favourite Gloucester painting spots: the view of Low Tide Yacht Club on Rocky Neck. Again, a favourite bench, a misty morning, the tide coming in, and no lack of shapes to paint. This one comes with a near-disaster and lesson learned: don’t take the tape off the painting until you are indoors. As you can imagine, that is not what I did. I won’t get into all the details, but the short story is that the tape came off, the wind grabbed the painting which was only lightly clipped to the plexi board, the painting landed upside down about an inch from the incoming tide and I managed to rescue it from floated away before the next gust of wind came along. This also included a fair bit of shrieking and scrambling down rocks. A story with a good ending but as I mentioned: a lesson learned.
Amazes me how you paint complex scenes so beautifully. Never get tired of seeing your sketches!
Jeanne, thank you!!
LOVE THE PAINTINGS! My first time painting a watercolor outdoors I was at the Asilimar workshop and Frank Webb was the instructor. Frank sat down and put his board with the paper clipped to it in the sand to paint his demo. Later, I set up my new little light weight watercolor easel on the pier to paint. After a couple of hours of struggle I was just about to quit when suddenly a gust of wind came up and blew the entire easel (painting attached) into the water below the pier in between to boats. It sank immediately. I screened of course! Lucky for me my scream and the splash alerted a man on one of the boats right where it went in. He fished it out using his anchor. The rest of the workshop I sat on rocks or in the sand or on a stump and painted with my board on the ground in front of me. Frank said he thought the swim in the water actually improved my painting!
Sandy, what a great story! I guess not so great at the time, though. When I took workshops with Frank Webb, he always painted on the ground. I did that for a time but then it became too hard on my back. Did you ever use that easel again?
Nothing like a bit of wind to presage disaster! And as for tape removal, I always have my hair dryer handy to warm up the sticky stuff so that the paper does not join in the peeling off process! Lesson learned the hard way.
Lovely paintings and a great story!!
Naomi, I never have a problem with tape sticking to the paper. Maybe because I remove it so quickly. But that is good to know, about the hair dryer. I have never heard of anyone using it for that.
The tape sticks when on paper too long, as well as on cheaper paper or poorly sized paper. This trick was passed on to me by someone when I was complaining of it, and it has saved many a painting on poor paper.
Good to know! thanks.
Inspiring as usual
Susan, thank you!!
Great read. And the ptgs are fabulous. Love your adventures.
Nancy, thanks.
Wonderful paintings every one. And sorry for your scare!
Thanks Tony. I recovered quickly, thank goodness. When Spyro heard me scream, he thought I was attacked by a wild animal.
These are great. I especially like the grey reflections in the water!
Thanks so much Susie.
The misty colors are beautiful
Frieda, thank you!
Shari, I love your paintings and your stories. I feel like I’m right there with you again. Rockport and Halibut Point are some of the earliest places I visited when I moved to Massachusetts many moons ago and they hold a special place in my heart. You inspire to go back and paint there again. You are so amazing in your ability to so beautifully capture a busy scene.
Carol, you definitely have to go back there! You are so close!!
Marvelous paintings so packed with details yet seemingly effortless.
Great story with a happy ending and added textures no doubt.
Hi Linda, thanks for having a look!