Blog

I have been writing a web blog entitled "Painting the Hamptons" since July of 2012. At that time, I was fascinated with the idea that blogs were the becoming the new magazines. I was reading a number of blogs and felt that beginning a blog focused on art and painting in the Hamptons would also urge me to get busy with my own painting. My first Plein Air painting experience had been in 2002 and I was definitely more focused on my day job than the pursuit of art. After over ten years of blogging, sometimes frequently, sometimes not, I realize that the act of writing about painting and my life in the area of Long Island known as, "The Hamptons" has both enriched me as an artist and opened unexpected avenues of discovery. My first blog post, below, "A lifetime of learning to see"  reminds me how important it is to see not only the beauty or harshness of our surroundings, but each other. I m so grateful to have met so many wonderful people in my quest for knowing more about the place in which I live. 
A Lifetime of Learning to See Painting the Hamptons July 3, 2012
I mostly see the world in paparazzi-photo-like flashes. In the rush to get on to the next task, I often observe my surroundings in quick snippets with only the destination or "to do" list in mind. Every once in awhile though, a particular sight or vista will freeze me in my tracks. A "wow" and a few deep breaths later, I am saving a mental picture or taking out the phone camera. I love art that captures this beauty and will probably be in a lifetime quest to try and figure it out.

There have been many fantastic artists working and living in the Hamptons over the years. In September of 2002, my husband and I took a plein air workshop with Casimir Rutkowski in Montauk. We had seen the class advertised in the East Hampton Star. Around a dozen painters met up in one of the Park parking lots in Montauk and followed Casmir down the Ranch Road to the bluffs and beach overlooking the ocean. We were to the east of Eothen, Andy Warhol's former Estate. The Estate was still for sale at that time and a parcel of land had been donated to the Nature Conservancy. We were on that land, within sight of the Warhol cottages.

Casimir Rutkowski was an East End artist from the 1970s until his death in 2005. It was wonderful to paint with him in a favorite painting spot. We all set up our easels and began to paint, with Casimir bouncing from one student to the next offering advice and encouragement. I asked, "How do you decide what beautiful view to paint?" Casimir proceeded to draw with his pencil on the back of my canvas with cerebral commentary regarding the energy of the object and space.

I proceeded to squint and dab, staring at the ocean until I started seeing little stars. Thankfully I brought a hat and a bottle of water! Here was my first plein air attempt. Thank you, bless you, Casimir!

For older posts at Painting the Hamptons go here