Black Dirt - and 'Rough at Hand'

Black Dirt

Oil on canvas, 10x20

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Above, a happy corner of the Wallkill River School, with paintings from "Rough at Hand," my show that is there through February. You can see "Black Dirt" on the left-hand wall.

Early buyers bought three of the four small paintings I had hanging on the left-hand wall. Luckily, I had more paintings with me than I could easily hang, so three new ones took the place of the three that sold. There are joys great and small to productivity, and this is one of them! 

Top, "Christmas Eve." Bottom, "Tuscany."

My friend Michael Piotrowski, a wonderful painter, who will be showing at the gallery in April.

From left, Gittel Evangelist, me, Gene Bove (fabulous artist, showing in March) and Ellen Levine. Gittel and Ellen, bless them, braved the awful weather to come to the opening reception.

From left, Michael Piotrowski, Gene Bove, Ellen Levine and Gittel Evangelist. Jane and John Pette, readers of this blog, also braved the weather. The Pettes and I were strangers before the show opened, and friends by the time they left.
I was sad for a while that so few people came, but the weather was truly horrible, and I'd have been bereft if someone had gotten hurt, coming to my reception. The slight attendance (the gang pictured here, and the Pettes) meant I did have time to talk with everyone who attended - a rarity at openings, usually! 

Here's what you see when you enter the gallery showing my work in "Rough at Hand." On the mantle is "Scottish Highlanders," 48x60. Bottom is "The Watcher," which is 30x40, I believe.
You can just see the framed photo of my mother on the mantle. Whenever possible, I bring her photo to the shows and leave her to watch over things while I am gone. 

Upper, facing, is "Rusty Refrigerator." Lower, "Into the Sunset." 

"On the Way to Warwick." 

Digging the Black Dirt

In the Black Dirt. Oil, 8x24

What a treat I'm giving myself! I'm in New York for most of the week, painting in the Black Dirt region. And having a ball.

Last week, when I came to take down my show at the Wallkill River Gallery in Montgomery, I found myself with a few hours to spare. I drove to the Black Dirt area to see if there was a painting there. I figured there wouldn't be, as it was winter, but what the heck, I'd look.

To my amazement, there were paintings galore! There's stuff growing out there, even now! Onions, mostly, is what I assume. And sod, also. But there are plenty of swaths of that gorgeous black dirt, as deep and rich and fertile as growing soil anywhere. According to the Internet, it's the richest farmland in New York state, and looking at it, one would be hard-pressed to argue.

The region was once a huge glacial lake, says the Hudson Valley Network, and over time, it drained until it became, in essence, a swamp. Layer upon layer of peat and silt built up there, and for a long time, farmers stayed away. The land flooded far too easily. But immigrants from Germany and Poland arrived, saw opportunity, and found a way to take advantage.

It's just a painter's paradise, especially now, with many of the fields empty.

But it is cold! Yesterday, I painted with Shawn Dell Joyce and Gene Bove, on the grounds of the Gurda onion farm. I wore a sweater, a jacket, a thermal shirt, flannel-lined jeans, a hat, gloves and a scarf and still, I was chilled to the bone by the time I got to our empty house in Cuddebackville. Today was warmer, but I made two paintings and am just starting to feel my fingers again.

I'm hoping to paint here for a few more days. It's feeding my hungry, hungry soul.