The Road to Saugerties

This atmospheric winter scene depicts a favorite vista of the artist, overlooking a popular range of mountains in New York State’s Catskills known as “The Blue Mountains,” showcased and spotlighted on Route 32-N, between the sleepy Hamlet of Palenville (known as America’s very first artist colony) and the Village of Saugerties, another town seeped in history and alternative-culture. The artist has elected to paint this scene, and from this specific vantage point/perspective, on numerous occasions, for the dramatic and provocative atmospheric effects that are prevalent and ever-changing, depending upon the time of year, time of day and often dramatic weather events. This work remains his favorite “impression” of the expansive vista, depicting the immediate aftermath of a pre-dusk, winter storm. This painting was rendered in the artist’s studio with oil on stretched canvas, at least 50% of the paint having been applied in a very direct and painterly approach with the benefit of palette knives. The artist works from a series of photographic studies and charcoal field studies/sketches, mostly.