Sketching the Florida Intracoastal: Part Two – the Paintings
11×15″ original watercolor, Loggerhead Marina, 140lb cotton rag paper: SOLD
Carrying on from Part One: the Moleskine – here’s the paintings from our cruise down the Florida Intracoastal.
11×15″ original watercolor, 140lb cotton rag paper
It was the last sketchbook drawing coming out of Miami that got me super excited. I wasn’t so inspired by all the pastel condominium towers as we passed through the city, but as we were pulling out, a great storm started forming. As the city receded into a dark band on the horizon, we passed through a flotilla of sailboats. I loved the look of their sails standing out against the sky. I was more than a little surprised to see them jauntily sailing around with that weather coming in. They’re clearly more confident that I was.
The colors of the sky and water, were more than a little surreal. Cobalt Teal Blue
10×14″ original watercolor, 140lb cotton rag paper
The uniquely low-lying keys continued to offer this kind of composition. But, oddly, it started to look familiar. I used to see these paintings in galleries all the time back home. Just replace water with wheat, and mangroves with a wind break of trees.
10×14″ original watercolor, Pumpkin Key Sunset, 140lb cotton rag paper
Halfway down from Palm Springs, just before we left the tip of the panhandle, we dropped anchor at Pumpkin Key. The best sunset of the trip. Well, it’s hard to say *best*, there were so many – but the best I could sit and paint with a perfect view. The Captain tossed a crab trap overboard, baited with leftover BBQ ribs and next day we had fresh blue crab for dinner.
Next time – landfall at Key West!
Citizen Sketcher 
I love the liquidy splotchiness you have created in the water.
Painting water with water is the best hey?
Ha ha ha! Yes that was an idiot comment, wasn’t it?
Naw :) It’s just true – some things excel in watercolor. I never understand the people who use it to make realistic hard edged work. It seems ill suited to perfectionism, and great for organic things :)
Heh heh…unless of course you’re Anders Zorn, Mary Whyte or Liu Yi!
I love everything about your FL landscapes. Congrats on offering some for sale!
beautiful skies – have you come across Narrow Dog to Indian River? about a trip down the same waterway in a Dutch barge – http://www.amazon.com/Narrow-Indian-River-Terry-Darlington/dp/0385342098
Hah – that would be a great way to do a sketching trip – the slow boat :)
beautiful :-)
Hi Marc, I’m a big fan of your blog and your work. I hope your paintings sell well! I’m glad you don’t have ads on your blog. I was wondering whether you have one of those Amazon affiliate link things? Or do you think that would remove from your credibility? It seems unobtrusive. I love the way you get so excited about your gear. And I’ve bought a lot of products because of your recommendations!
Hey Sylvia – thanks for the good words !
I do get excited about gear – it seems most artist love to talk tools – we love to imagine the things they’ll help us create hey?
Since you mention it, yes I do use affiliate links – I started when my book came out, just because – well why not – if people are ordering the book, I might as well get a few % back :) It’s a long road becoming a working painter :) You certainly cannot live from the books alone. Artists cannot be too picky about what they do to fund their art.
But anyway, I guess I don’t worry too much about credibility – I just work on my painting and share whatever I find out with my experiments :) Its good to just keep it on that level. Do what I enjoy and talk about it with friends :)
Good works, M. Reminiscent of Reid’s sketches. Very colourful and loose. Keep it up.