Dennis Bailey Paintings

The Creamer

2012-01-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

I am working on a small oil painting for the rookiepainter.blogspot.com challenge. These two are the sketches I made on the back side of my work schedule the other day. It was refreshing to do something other than houses and roads for a change!
Pencil on Copy Paper

Mr. Smarts Entry Door

2012-01-16T17:33:00.000-08:00

Dan Smart's side entry door overhang got my attention casting a long shadow along the white house. I kept the scene as close to life as possible. Dan's stone lion guards the entrance.
Collection of Dan Smart
6 x 6" Oil Paint on Gallery Wrap Canvas

Mitternacht Chateau

2011-12-02T16:07:00.000-08:00

Here I challenged myself to do a night painting from the Call of Duty:United Offensive map called "Chateau". It's played under a full moon, in the night, when it's dark, somewhere in Germany. The facade of this courtyard view is very, very similar to the chateau featured in the WW2 movie "The Dirty Dozen"...including the car in front of the entrance. It was a challenge working with moonlight and incandescent light as light sources.
6 x 6" Oil Paint on Gallery Wrap Canvas

Check out David Carmack Lewis (in my favorite column) ...great night scenes...and Stephen Magsig "Postcards From Detroit"as well..
CLICK on the Pic (any pic) to ENLARGE

6x6" Oil Paint on Gallery Wrap Canvas

Carentan, Summer 1945

2011-11-29T05:55:00.000-08:00

Another view of the town of Carentan, France from the COD game. It has been one year since the battle took place here. The window where the machine gun was has been replaced, and most likely a new family now lives in the building. The bullet-ridden car still remains, perhaps a memorial to the battle that took place in this courtyard.
5 x 7" Oil Paint on Canvas

Carentan

2011-11-28T16:22:00.000-08:00

I spend a lot of time here in the town of Carentan, France....many years in fact... since 2006. I should be painting more and spending less time in the town of Carentan. Carentan is a map. A computer generated scenario of the real town in France that is played out during WW2 in the PC game of Call of Duty : United Offensive. I am part of a clan (team) of players that still keep playing the original game. Players from around the world participate in the multiplayer mode and we have become friends over the years.Carentan is a very popular map, there are always a few noobs (new persons) hanging around to play. Original weapons of that era are used in the first person shooter. German, and U.S. weapons are most popular. My favorite weapon of choice is the German Kar 98 bolt rifle.

6 x 6" Oil Paint on Gallery Wrap Canvas

Biddeford Pool Maine Street Scene

2011-10-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

Project completed! I spent a while in Biddeford Pool, Maine working on a project for some folks that wanted their home included in a street scene of their area. Here at the waters edge along Ocean Ave. many homes face the Atlantic Ocean including the old US Coast Guard station that has been restored into this fine residence
All Oil Paint
Top 16 x 24" on masonite
Mid 11x 14" on canvas
Btm 11x 14" on canvas.

On Sardinia Italia

2011-10-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

I painted this scene via Google Street Maps for Bill Guffey's October Virtual Paint Out on the beautiful island of Sardinia. The islands topography is mostly hilly...making for some dramatic road views.The view that I painted was cropped from a larger scene of a group of buildings on top of a hill. Here I used a small canvas to do a quick painting exercise. Someday I may paint the whole scene.
The canvas was toned with a red under painting. Some can be seen in the sky.
5 x 5" Oil Paint on 1.25 gallery stretched canvas

Click on the pic (any pic) to ENLARGE

North Church Steeple, Portsmouth NH

2011-10-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

Many beautiful views of the old port town can be viewed from Peirce Island in Portsmoth, NH. This view is looking at the North Church steeple perching from just above the tree line in the inner harbor. I believe it was in a January blog I painted this scene in watercolor.Here I took some liberties and painted it on a larger scale in oil paint.
20 x 20" Oil Paint

Vincent Price

2011-10-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

The roles that actor Vincent Price played were quite convincing to me.

I believe I saw all of the films that he made during the '60's. As kids our

mothers took turns driving us to the Saturday matinee at the Mapletown

theater to see those classic horror films..

Fittingly, for the spooky month of October, I thought I'd pay tribute to one of the old stars of the classic horror film genre.

Watercolor 5 x 7.5

Pleasant Street Portsmouth NH

2011-09-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

I painted this street scene of Portsmouth from an old sketch I had done about 3 years ago. I did a ball point pen sketch of it recently... in my blog. I always thought this scene had some potential as an oil painting.
12 x 12" Oil Paint

Maine Street Kennebunkport

2011-09-04T11:13:00.001-07:00

I remember the day when I attended the Anthony Thieme exhibit in Rockport, Ma. It was the first time that I had seen any of his work in person. I was blown away. His work featured many of the fishing wharfs in Gloucester and street scenes of the town of Rockport, where he resided, during the 1930's and '40's. His ability to capture sunlight and shadow was amazing.
Mr. Thiemes' work has influenced me through out the years. Here I pay homage to you Mr. Thieme with this view of Maine Street in Kennebunkport, Maine!
Oil Paint on canvas 20 x20"

Summer Garden

2011-08-04T19:33:00.001-07:00

Bill Guffey took us to Fairbanks, Alaska to paint this months Virtual Challenge. I'm glad Google photographed here during the summertime...I guess the winters are pretty brutal.
This scene looks as if it may be anywhere in the continental states. I guess Fairbanks has a mild summer judging by this flourishing garden!
The purple building on the left and the fence point the way to the center of interest. (red and yellow houses) The light blue house on the right acts as a barrier to help keep your focus on the center of interest.
Oil Paint on stretched canvas 8 x 10"

Rural Jersey

2011-07-15T16:15:00.000-07:00

Here I am again back on the island of Jersey ... somewhere in the countryside.
via Google Street View for Bill Guffeys Virtual Paintout challenge.
http://virtualpaintout.blogspot.com/
I remember as a beginner painter how afraid I was mixing the color green. I met others who also had the same fear... chlorophobia or greenophobia ... and remember -"NEVER USE GREEN OUT OF THE TUBE!" Of course as a beginner, adding white to green always resulted in chalky paintings.
As a mature painter working outdoors, one notices the subtle differences of all the greens. The warms greens (adding yellow) against the cool blue greens (adding blue), a dab of red here and orange there...the distant blue green trees on the horizon.
Charles Movalli, my painting teacher, used to start a painting of trees in a field with a red violet under painting, laying the different colors of greens over the red violet color, resulting in some interesting colors.

Oil Paint 5 x 7"

Yellow Van

2011-07-02T17:08:00.001-07:00

Worley's yellow van sits in Earls driveway. Soon Worley and his friend will load their surfboards and gear into it and head over to the headlands. It's a beautiful July morning...some three hundred miles east, tropical storm Claire churns up the sea making for some fine breakers.
"Dude, we gotta get movin'...go grab your gear...lets go!"
Actually this is a view I found from Google Street Maps of the island Jersey just off the coast of France. I will submit it to Bill Guffey's July Virtual Paintout Challenge.
Oil Paint on canvas 5 x 7 "

Seaside Summer Morning

2011-06-25T20:01:00.001-07:00

A finished oil painting of a watercolor that I did back in April of the Stonington, Maine area.
This path leads into town to the general store, a few wharfs and a small residential area.
12 x 12" Oil Paint on canvas

Stonington Maine

2011-06-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

While in Stonington Maine I thought I'd paint this view again... I love this view of the houses, the islands and the sea. The high horizon flattens the picture plane. The house serves as a focal point..."the bathroom - green house" as as my mentor Maine artist Alfred C. Chadbourn called it.
5x7 Watercolor

School On The Hill

2011-06-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

Back in Stonington here...up the hill looking outward to the sea and the many islands associated with this area of Maine.
Oil Paint 20 x 20"

Nicely Making Way

2011-06-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

I've been pushing around oil paint ... feels good to get back in the groove again.
This oil painting is a much larger version of the watercolor painting that I did earlier.
Oil Paint 12 x 24"

Portsmouth Commercial Fishing Pier

2011-06-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

I have done a few oil paint versions of this scene... here I've painted it in watercolor.
All the offloading takes place on the back side of the buildings on the pier. At one time this was a busy place up to 60 - 70 boats offloading, now I hear there are only about 6 or 7. Due to high license fees and new fishing regulations fishermen are finding it very difficult to make a living.
Watercolor 5 x 7"

Drew Wired

2011-05-30T15:16:00.001-07:00

This is a pen sketch of my son Drew done about five years ago...he's all wired up and ready to pwnd the online gamers! He is 19 now and is still pwnding! Go Drew!

Dinghy Run Aground

2011-05-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

It may have been the George Bellows book I was reading that influenced me to do this painting. I was thinking of doing a seascape painting because I haven't really done a seascape painting in such a long while. The idea of having a boat crashing through the surf came to me as I was laying on the paint. It serves well as a focal point. I wonder if there was anyone on board ... and if so, they survived the landing?
Watercolor 5 x 7"

Owen Covered Bridge

2011-05-21T18:29:00.000-07:00

In the secluded country side of New Hampshire you may come across a few covered bridges. Many have been torn down and replaced with more modern structures. Here I wanted to convey a feeling of late day. A low sun throwing long shadows across the road.
Watercolor 5x 7"

Behind Jewett's General Store

2011-05-14T08:41:00.001-07:00

Here I am again in the East Kingston Library parking lot. A few weeks earlier I had painted the barn from this location. This was a challenge to paint because I was looking though a thick stand of sumac that had not yet taken full bloom. If I were to paint this scene again, the vantage point would be further back allowing a full view of all the buildings and the interesting shadows that formed along the hillside. Maybe I'll even add some sumac!
Watercolor 5 x 7"

Boulevard Eugene Brieux St.-Raphael France

2011-05-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

The May challenge for Bill Guffey's Virtual Paintout is the French Riviera. Using Google Maps "Street View" you can cruise down the highways until you find an interesting view to paint. The area offers many interesting views ...I may submit another!
Watercolor 5 x 7" http://virtualpaintout.blogspot.com/

Along Ocean Ave.

2011-04-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

On your way to the Bush compound in Kennebunkport, Maine you'll pass this house that sits alone by the rocks and sea. I have done many paintings of this motif using different views with oil paint. This one is done in watercolor. 5 x 7"

Liberty Street

2011-04-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

Look down Liberty Street hill in S. Berwick, Maine and you'll see the classic colonial houses built during the seventeen hundreds. Nicely tended flower gardens adorn the curb lots during the summer. Oak and maple trees cast their cool shadows across your path.
A basic lesson in landscape painting is dividing the picture plane into the foreground, middle and background and using aerial perspective ... warm colors advance and cool colors recede.
5 x 6" Watercolor

View From Bartlett Street, Kingston Plain

2011-04-20T16:14:00.000-07:00

This view has always beckoned me to paint it. Every time I go down Bartlett Street I slow down just to take in this view. I painted this scene in oil paint once, a long time ago but was never really pleased with it... I painted it as a night scene. The Kingston Plain is located in Kingston, NH and is an open area of land surrounded by antique colonial homes...a park like setting and a cool gazebo.
Watercolor 5 x 9"

East Kingston Barn

2011-04-10T13:28:00.000-07:00

I always passed in front of this barn while driving on NH rt.107 in E.Kingston, NH. It wasn't until a new library was built that I could get easy access to observe the behind. I painted this plein air the other day. Just after I painted in the foreground, a group of Belted Galloway cows entered the scene... it was too late to paint them in.
Watercolor 5 x 6.75

Seaside Summer Morning

2011-04-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

Take a walk down to the sea in Stonington, Maine on a cool, clear summer morning and your senses come alive...the smell of bacon and coffee, dogs barking and the birds singing, distant laughter of children...the cool sea breeze causes the temperature to suddenly drop seven degrees as soon as the sun goes behind a cloud. Invigorating indeed!
Watercolor 5.25 x 6.25

Scarborough Marsh at Pine Point

2011-03-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

I had some time to kill while at work in Scarborough, Maine...I lay down my book and pulled out my watercolor gear and started painting what I saw looking out my windshield. The 3,100 acre estuary known as Scarborough Marsh is the largest salt marsh in the state of Maine, comprising tidal marsh, salt creeks, freshwater marsh and uplands. The marsh is particularly important for wildlife as a resting, breeding and feeding ground. Here I used a high horizon line emphasizing the horizontal lines of the broad marsh, while flattening the picture plain. During spring, autumn and winter the grass glows orange and brown.
Watercolor 3.25 x 10"

The Gut, South Bristol Maine

2011-03-29T16:48:00.000-07:00

South Bristol is a picturesque little town in the mid-coast area of (Lincoln Co.) Maine. Half of South Bristol is located on a peninsula, the other half on Rutherford Island. Many artists have come to this town to capture some of it's unique maritime charm. Down this road there is a swing bridge that spans "the gut"...the waterway that divides the mainland from the island, here I try to capture some of that charm. Watercolor 4.75 x 8"

Twilight On The Plain

2011-03-22T18:57:00.000-07:00

I got the idea to do this painting from the collection of photographs by Mike Eves http://www.flickr.com/photos/king3959/5471153517/
I once took a course called "Painting from Photo's" and was told to take the image on the photo and paint it, taking it 3-5 steps further so that it only comes "close" to the image on the photo... that's what I did here. Here I raised the horizon, added a quarter moon, added a road and lessened the amount of trees. Watercolor 5.5 x 10"

Evening On Daniel Street Portsmouth

2011-03-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

It's a cool Sunday evening in June, the breeze off the water feels crisp. The shadows on Daniel St. lengthen as evening approaches. Folks are dining and the streets are quiet.
Here again the North Church steeple dominates the skyline. I wanted to keep the buildings simple shapes with the fewest amount of brush strokes, while working with cool and warm colors. 5 x 5.25 Watercolor

Portsmouth NH

2011-03-14T19:15:00.000-07:00

A view of Portsmouth, NH from South Mill Pond along Parrot Ave. I took artistic liberty by adding the bridge in the background even though it was obsured by the foreground trees. North Church steeple being the center of interest. Watercolor 6.5 x 8"

Wilson Feed Mill

2011-03-13T18:58:00.000-07:00

Off Canal Road in Valley View, Ohio you'll find the old Wilson Feed Mill, a family owned business for over 100 years. Here you'll be able to find supplies for landscapers, gardeners, pet food ...etc.
It was once a water powered turbine run mill...not sure whether that's still in operation. I painted this scene many times in oil paint, though this rendition is done in watercolor and intended to honor the life of Deborah Wilson Stoker that passed away last month.
"This one is for you Debbie"- Dennis Watercolor 6x 6.25

Wells Horse Farm

2011-03-08T18:00:00.000-08:00

This area is an occasional stop point when I go to Kennebunkport. Hart Road off Rt 9 goes past this farm and connects to Parsons Beach Rd. and the sea! The park- like setting is a wonderful area to take a break and breathe in the fresh salt air. I painted this today while on downtime at work...it's small .... it took me 3 .5 hours to complete. Watercolor 4 x6"

Mechanic Ave.Wharf Portsmouth

2011-03-03T20:04:00.000-08:00

One of the nicest parking spots in Portsmouth, NH is along Mechanic Ave. if you can find a space.
There are multiple views of maritime scenes here along the shore of the Piscataqua River. On this particular wharf you can buy fresh lobsters. In the distance you can see the booms of the overhead cranes at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The busy waterway serves the Port of Portsmouth as well as many leisure and fishing boats. Watercolor 7 x 7.25

All Night Long

2011-03-01T17:03:00.000-08:00

Party time at Dan Smart's house! Good food (Dan married a beautiful Italian lady who knows what cooking and eating is all about) music and friends combine to make Dan's parties memorable events. I did a portrait of his house a few years ago (it's still deep down in my blog somewhere) ... he had it hanging on his wall for about a year when I come visit one day and I see another portrait of his house, done in oil, by another painter in the same spot hanging on his wall. I said "What's up with that?" Dan says "Look how static your painting is next to this painting, and you left out most of my rocks." It's true that my paintings are a bit stark, but that' was intentional. Dan is a rock enthusiast and collects oddly shaped rocks. I told him I wanted to simplify the scene ... I left them out and concentrated more on his house.
He gave me $100 dollars and said to take the painting home and "fix it up." I had difficulty matching colors and the project wasn't working out good at all. I'm still working on it ...
I decided to do a watercolor completely opposite of the old painting... I will get this matted and present this to him. Watercolor 8.5 x 6"

Nicely Making Way

2011-02-16T13:45:00.000-08:00

Head south to the Marquesas... catch the trades and off we go. Goodbye New England winter!
Fare Thee Well! Here I wanted to create a little movement of the high seas. Two sailboats nicely making way! Watercolor 4x8"

Threads Of Love

2011-02-12T09:39:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentines Day everyone. I got the idea for this painting from an old Victorian era Valentines Day card. Two cupids were rejoicing while releasing a cloth sack full of little love hearts with wings... and off into the world they go seeking the souls of all beings. Watercolor 4.5 x5.75"

Lone Gull

2011-02-06T14:25:00.000-08:00

This painting was done from an old photo of the Newburyport, Mass. area where the Merrimack River spills into the ocean. Newburyport is an interesting town steeped in maritime history, old houses and narrow streets and of course the fine arts. The Newburyport Art Association is a great institution that has been around since 1948. 4 x 7" Watercolor

Kittery Maine Winter

2011-02-06T13:51:00.000-08:00

Add two more feet to these snow piles and that would give you an idea how much snow we have up here in New England at this time...brutal winter indeed. This scene is one of my favorites. I have based a few paintings on this scene. I used a different (less expensive) paper that took some getting used to. 4.75x 6.5" Watercolor

Ogunquit Summer Day

2011-01-31T18:57:00.000-08:00

I was in the parking lot in Ogunquit, Maine last summer and painted this picture of the area. I believe it was early summer before the throngs of summer people arrived. 8x5" Watercolor

North Church Steeple Portsmouth NH

2011-01-29T19:11:00.000-08:00

Another view of the town of Portsmouth featuring the North Church steeple. This is a view from Peirce Island that I did from a sketch I did last summer. Peirce Island offers many great views of the old port town and Kittery Maine. 5.5 x5.5" Watercolor

Portsmouth Road

2011-01-24T18:02:00.001-08:00

I did this today on downtime while at work. I forgot to bring my paper, pencils and paints today so all I had was the back of my schedule paper and my ball point pen! This is from an old charcoal sketch i did at the spot couple of years ago. Ball Point pen on paper 5 x 5.75"

String Bridge Exeter,NH

2011-01-23T13:28:00.000-08:00

The String bridge in Exeter, NH is one of my favorite motifs...many paintings can be made from around this area, having the town of Exeter as the background... the different shaped buildings make things interesting. Watercolor 7 x 7.75

Portsmouth NH Side Streets

2011-01-10T18:29:00.000-08:00

Charging up the batteries for the New Year! Have a happy, safe, healthy, prosperous new year all! 8 x5" Watercolor

Seasons Greetings

2010-12-09T18:55:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to all! Watercolor 8x8" - Christmas Eve In New Hampshire

Ocean Ave. Biddeford Pool Maine

2010-08-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

Another view of the old Coast Guard Station at Biddeford Pool including the old boathouse (on the right) now a private residence.
Watercolor

Biddeford Pool, Maine

2010-07-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

The bottom three paintings feature the old Biddeford Pool Coast Guard Station, now a private residence. The top painting is also in the Pool area just down this same road. All these paintings were done in watercolor, and will be used for future oil paintings.
CLICK on image to ENLARGE

Mast Cove Kennebunkport Maine

2010-07-13T13:02:00.000-07:00

The setting sun sheds it's last rays on Mast Cove on this late June evening. The sky is blue ...the air is chilly...the tide is high... a blast of fishy sea breeze blows by....what a wonderful evening .
6x8" Oil Paint

Church Street

2010-07-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

I come back to Newfields NH every once in a while... passing through to get to the highway. This view always beckons me, I could paint it over and over again many times. Here I tried to keep the shapes of the buildings interesting and different. It could have possibly used a few more shadows... possibly...maybe next time.
10x10 Oil Paint

New Blog

2010-06-28T19:48:00.001-07:00

http://dbflipside.blogspot.com/

Caught In Something Turning

2010-05-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

Here I go, off into the wild reaches of space and time ...into the dharma where reality becomes inconsequential. The music moves me... color follows color...cool, warm, dark, light. A spaceship appears with colored contrails and it beckons my ministration. Suddenly I'm caught in something turning.

24 x 24" Oil Paint on stretched canvas

South Bohemia, Czech Republic

2010-05-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

I took a journey through Czechoslovakia via Google Street Map and chose this view to be the subject for Bill Guffeys' challenge blog : http://virtualpaintout.blogspot.com/
I was attracted to the different shapes of the buildings... and also by how much the church dominates this scene.

10 x10" Oil Paint on Wood

Wealds Edge

2010-05-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

I just ended my imaginary trip through the forest here. The shadows of the tress grow long as the day is nearing it's end . I have traveled this path before. Soon the path will narrow until it finally reaches the sea.

6x4.5" Watercolor

Self Portrait

2010-05-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

Hello it's me ....Dennis .... I guess it was time to change my little icon to a likeness of myself...makes sense to me. I love my Boston Redsox cap, and I sport a Bohemian mustache and lower lip hair.... thanks Grand Pap!

* Bah Bah's Dream

2010-05-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

This is Bah Bah's Dream Watercolor 5x5"

* COLLECTION OF BARBARA BUCK

Parsons Road Bridge

2010-05-08T17:39:00.000-07:00

This is another one of my "downtime" paintings, sitting in my van and painting what I saw looking out my windshield. This park like area is off the road to Kennebunkport, Maine. It was a damp rainy day. It's amazing how much color red there is in a spring landscape.

4.75 x 10" Watercolor

Six Windows

2010-05-07T21:39:00.001-07:00

I was in my work van sitting in a D'Angelos parking lot in Biddeford, Maine having lunch when I noticed that the scene on the other side of my windshield seemed a bit interesting. I looked at the dashboard clock, quickly finished my grinder, and I pulled out my watercolor gear. I was looking over a six foot privacy fence painting this scene. The bottom of the painting is where the top of the fence began, I just left it out of the picture. The van is high enough off the ground to offer a decent view. What captured my interest in this scene were the shapes of the buildings, the color of the orange house against the blue house, the roof lines and the space between the windows.

3.25 x 6.25 Watercolor

Dudziaks Gym Biddeford Maine

2010-05-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

This was a quick plein air study I did up in Biddeford, Maine the other day while waiting for a client.
I only had about 45 minutes to complete this painting so I didn't even sketch it out with a pencil, instead I used a light yellow wash with my brush to draw in the shapes and I quickly added the deeper colors. I like the result...it being a bit looser than my street scenes. I may add a bit to deepen some values here and there...or I may just leave it as it is. Sometimes it's good practice to put the painting aside for a few days and then view it again with a fresh eye.

5 x 8.5 Watercolor

Seaside Neighborhood New Castle NH

2010-04-23T10:02:00.000-07:00

As you walk around this small community it isn't hard to find a painting motif. Shapes and shadows abound on the houses and ground... the winding roads offer interesting views of homes by the sea. Here I want focus on the distant white/yellow house.

5 x 8" Watercolor

Newcastle Ave. Portsmouth NH

2010-04-23T09:53:00.001-07:00

This is the view that you see when leaving New Castle Island entering into Portsmouth. This is more of a landscape painting to me... although you can call it a street scene.I kept the painting a simple composition using the road to lead the viewer into the painting.

4 x 8" Watercolor

Sunday Evening Along South Church Street

2010-04-11T16:47:00.001-07:00

I found a nice little frame with glass and mat in it at a yard sale...so today I decided to paint a picture for it, and this is it. Many liberties were taken here... the subject matter is actually in Portsmouth. I created a new street and named it South Church Street. I intended the church to be the center of interest, but as I look at it now, the white house on the right is asking for more than it's share of attention. I'll tone it down if I decide to do an oil painting of this scene.

4.5 x 6.5 " Watercolor

Maplewood Ave. Portsmouth

2010-04-09T12:06:00.000-07:00

Here are group of houses along Maplewood Ave. at the overpass of Rt.1 by-pass, just before Cutts Rd. I exaggerated the perspective to make the picture a bit more interesting...making it seem like the hill is steeper than it actually is.

5.5 x 8" Watercolor

On New Castle Island

2010-04-06T18:43:00.001-07:00

New Castle is a well preserved colonial island town, settled in 1623 and just a stones throw from Portsmouth. It is New Hampshire's smallest town. The houses are mostly old colonials and capes ...the streets are narrow and winding. In this painting the houses and the road help point the way to the center of interest...the distant house with the red roof . The format is 2 square...4.5 " x 8.5 and can be easily transferred to a 12 x 24 " canvas if I decide to do an oil painting of this scene.

Watercolor 4.5 x 8.5"

Behind Bayleys Pine Point Maine

2010-03-18T06:07:00.001-07:00

I did a quick watercolor sketch of the buildings behind Bayleys Restaurant the other day. Here I was interested with all the shapes of the sunlit and shadow areas... the cold blue sky against the warm reds and oranges of the buildings. The spit of land in the distance is actually the peninsula of Prouts Neck, of Winslow Homer fame. Pine Point is beginning to get interesting, there seems to be a plethora of motifs there waiting to be painted.

8x5" Watercolor

Bayleys at Pine Point

2010-03-15T15:45:00.001-07:00

While up at Pine Point Maine I found this interesting group of buildings along the harbor road.
The Bayleys run a lobster pound along with a restaurant here at this spot. I was mostly interested in the shapes of the buildings and presenting them in a longer horizontal format. I have been working with square canvases lately, and I needed a change. This was done in watercolor... I am working on a 12 x 24 oil painting of this same motif. I'll post it when it's complete.

6.5 x 3.5 Watercolor

North Mill Pond In Spring Portsmouth

2010-03-07T18:42:00.000-08:00

This is another view of Maplewood Ave. in Portsmouth. Here I focused on the sunlit house as my center of interest. By keeping the values of the surroundings to a medium / dark range, the sunlit parts of the house jump out.

12x12" Oil Paint on Stretched Canvas

Portsmouth Skyline From Pierce Island

2010-03-03T17:15:00.001-08:00

This watercolor painting was done from a vine charcoal sketch I did in July 2008. It is down yonder, deep in my blog if you want to see it. What I was after was the triangle composition of the buildings. I will improve it even more when I finally do a serious oil painting of this motif.
Not many liberties were taken with the buildings, it's pretty much the way you see it from Pierce Island. It is an awesome view in person.

7.5 x7.5" Watercolor

Ocean Ave. Kennebunkport Maine

2010-02-20T15:18:00.000-08:00

This view of Kennebunkport is looking down Ocean Ave. towards town to Union St. where all the stores begin. It's late in the afternoon and the shadows of the houses and trees start to stretch across the road... and all the colors begin to get rich as the sun casts it's golden evening light. I need to do more Kennebunkport scenes. There is another church on the other end of town but the bell tower has been off and is down for repairs, they still haven't completed it yet. grr

8x10" Oil Paint on wood panel

Pine Point Maine

2010-02-16T16:12:00.001-08:00

My afternoon client canceled their appointment while I was up in Pine Point Maine. So I drove up to the landing and started this watercolor of the summer homes along the harbor shore. Although it is late winter, I imagined the scene as a nice summer day. It really snowed hard on the way home ... though soon we'll be hearing the peepers chirping.... a little wishful thinking.
I finished this the other day (3/17). I deepened the shadows on the house and did a few other adjustments.

5.5 x 4.25 Watercolor

South Mill Pond Portsmouth NH

2010-02-15T20:01:00.000-08:00

The old port town viewed from Junkins Ave.... across the street from City Hall. I took artistic liberties with a few of the buildings here. The North Church steeple dominates the horizon line and acts as my focal point. I added a couple telephone poles and the shadow of the willow tree to frame-in the steeple. I had fun brushing in the foliage across the pond...that was my starting point laying on the paint.

12 x 12" Oil Paint on streched canvas

Nubble Light

2010-02-09T14:42:00.000-08:00

I cant help it but once in a while I like to paint a lighthouse. This one here is the Nubble Lighthouse in York Beach, Maine... also known as Cape Neddick Light. It's a popular stop for tourists and artists alike. I wonder how many paintings have been done of this motif. So here is my version. I did not paint it in my favorite medium (oil) ...instead I used gouache, and a small format... just a quick study.

7.75 x 5.5" Gouache

Maplewood Ave at North Pond Portsmouth NH

2010-01-29T18:03:00.000-08:00

This view has always inspired me. I must have done a half dozen attempts painting this scene in oil paint. One successful painting is hanging at Mast Cove Gallery. This attempt was done in watercolor. Here I used the foreground shore line to create a directional line to take your eye to the focal point. Although it seems to be almost in the middle of the picture , it doesn't bother me.
The placement of the telephone pole keeps your eye from going off the canvas. The shadow of the bridge points the way to the center of interest.
5.5 x 7.25 " Watercolor

* The Red Roof

2010-01-29T17:44:00.000-08:00

While at work on downtime I'll occasionally pull out my watercolors and do a painting from my reference photographs. On this cold, windy January day, I decided that this summer scene would suffice. This house is near Wentworth by the Sea hotel. A great spot to be on a hot sunny day!
6x7.5" Watercolor

* collection of Debbie Lees

Bow Street Portsmouth NH

2010-01-29T17:23:00.000-08:00

This was my attempt using a new medium - gouache. I like the opaque qualities and bright colors, but they dry really quick on the palette. It seems like a good medium to use on the spot to create quick and loose paintings...possibly renderings for oil paintings. I'll keep this set of gouache along side me in my work van. A good quality of gouache is that it's an easy, quick clean up.
8x5.5" Gouache

* Wentworth by the Sea

2009-12-18T19:01:00.000-08:00

"The Grand Dame of the Sea" this grand hotel was once called. It was built in 1874 and is located in New Castle, New Hampshire. It is situated along the ocean and the Piscataqua River.I painted this version of it from a photograph I took before renovations. Marriott owns it now and did some major renovations... it looks a little different now, but they kept the design elements to those of the original time period. It is still a wonderful looking lady! 12x12" Oil Paint

* Collection of Michael McCarthy

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2009-12-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays To All Dennis Bailey Followers and All That View This!

I'd like to be there in that house right now. It's Christmas Eve. The fire is blazing, a bottle of Pinot Bianco sits along side my lady and me ... and old Bo, my dog, there asleep on his Indo hand woven Dhurrie cotton throw rug. From out of the Bose player the soothing voices of Bing Crosby and Carol Richards can be heard singing Silver Bells in duet. Outside the temperature is minus 8 degrees the sky is clear and the air is still. The full moon glowing makes the winter landscape look as if it were daytime.
But inside it's warm and cozy. Old Bo is snoring .The wine is making me sleepy. She lays her head on my shoulder as we all slumber there by the fireside.

12x16" Oil on panel

Up For Grabs

2009-12-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

I had fun painting this picture. As a kid I was always interested in sports, especially football.
I remember an old blank ledger book that was given to me when I was about twelve years old... I pulled out my crayolas and magic markers and filled every page of it with football players, college and pro. I was mostly concerned with having the proper team colors and their uniforms correct. It was my football album, a reference to every team in pro football (and some college) as far as their team colors and uniforms were concerned. I like the composition in this painting... a sideways chevron ( > ) type composition. Oil paint 24x24"

Buffalo Swamp

2009-12-04T08:21:00.000-08:00

N.C.Wyeth is by far one of my favorite master painters. I submitted this copy of an N.C. Wyeth painting to Michelle Burnetts Challenge "Following The Masters". http://followingthemasters.blogspot.com/
The original painting was used as cover art for a story called "Buffalo Swamp, A Ballad of the Moonshine Belt" by David Runyon for Hearst's International Magazine, June 1923. N.C. was known more as an "illustrator"for all the book art he created and sold in the mainstream book industry (Scribners) during the early years of the last century. N.C. was elected into the National Academy in 1941 where he showed his work regularly. I painted the copy of Buffalo Swamp the same size as the original - 34x38" Oil Paint

* Daniel Street Portsmouth NH

2009-11-25T12:52:00.001-08:00

The sun was going down and the shadows were growing long in this view of old Portsmouth town.
This view is looking down Daniel Street from just below the Memorial Bridge. 12x16" Oil Paint on Canvas

* Collection of Jack Nahil

http://www.capearundelinn.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=28

Stonington Maine Wharf

2009-11-21T07:40:00.000-08:00

This painting was an exercise breaking down the subject area into simple shapes and working with color spots playing against other color spots. I like the quirky buildings in this small seaside town... I can't wait to go back there. 12x12" Oil Paint on canvas.

* Damariscotta Maine

2009-11-21T07:20:00.000-08:00

This is a small painting of an area in Damariscotta Maine. I was concerned with the shapes of the buildings at the bottom of the hill... having that area the center of interest. The church steeple acts as a barrier as to not let your eye travel off the edge of the canvas. I took liberties about staggering the shapes of the houses so that they do not line up with each other. I have been concerned with staggering issues lately... if you have read my previous posts. Oil Paint on MDO 6x8"

* Collection of Jack Nahil

http://www.capearundelinn.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=28

Portsmouth NH Street Scene

2009-11-13T18:36:00.000-08:00

I paid attention to not line up the roof lines and having the viewers eye travel down the road to the distant house. The telephone poles add a vertical element while the shadows add the horizontal element... and the houses do all the talking. 16x20" Oil Paint

Maine Medical Center From Portland Jetport

2009-11-13T18:22:00.000-08:00

I finally finished this view of Emerald City. I'm kidding... it is really Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. I started this back in late summer while waiting on a client I took to a nearby medical appointment. The road I took dead-ended close to the Portland Jetport runway, and up top the hill was Maine Medical Center. 4" x 7" Watercolor

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

2009-11-13T17:52:00.000-08:00

This is a detailed sketch I did recently looking up the hill from Portsmouth harbor. I used the church as a focal point and tried to arrange the surrounding houses in a way that was interesting so that no roof line lined up with another.

Home Portrait Hampton NH

2009-11-09T14:30:00.000-08:00

I was commissioned to paint this wonderful home located on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. The painting measures 24" x 36"and was done in oil paint. A bit larger than my standard size, but the client wanted a "large portrait". Needless to say this one took a while to finish!

I do commissioned home portraits for a reasonable price. If your interested please email me.
dbay158@hotmail.com

The Novel Reader

2009-10-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

This is a copy of a Vincent van Gogh painting I recently finished called The Novel Reader. I submitted it to Michelle Burnetts Challenge "Following the Masters" http://followingthemasters.blogspot.com/ This months challenge is to paint in the "van Gogh style" by either copying one of van Gogh's paintings or to do a painting of your own choice using his painting style. Rather than painting one of those van Gogh brush-stroke type landscapes, I chose one that fits my painting style. (I don't have a brother Theo that will supply me with all that oil paint!) I like the back-lit effect in this painting, having the subject in shadow and the background so full of light.
16x20" Oil Paint on streched canvas

Click ON the Painting to see a larger view of this painting or ANY painting on this BLOG

Marcy Street, Portsmouth, NH

2009-10-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

The Marcy Street area in Portsmouth has always been a favorite area of mine.The old homes along the road lead in a procession up the hill to the bell tower. This spot is directly across from Prescott Park/Strawbery Banke in downtown Portsmouth, NH. 16x20" Oil Paint on streched canvas

Elvis Doing the Gump

2009-08-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

Watercolor of Elvis from a photo I found on the internet

Outlaw Willie

2009-07-20T14:53:00.000-07:00

Last month James Parker had a challenge to paint aged people. Windows to the Words He had a few cool photos to choose from...I chose Willie Nelson. I missed the challenge dates, but i decided to do one anyhow.I always thought that Willie rocked (especially the band he used during the mid-seventies and early eighties) and could croon in his own unique vocal style...he sounds great singing duets with either male or female vocalists. I heard he built a new addition to his home to keep all his CMA, AMA and Grammy awards in...lol
5"x 6" Watercolor

Tweedles

2009-07-19T17:23:00.001-07:00

I painted this for James Parker's blog challenge "Windows to the Words " This is a little Pug called Tweedles. It's one of four dogs he posted for July. Maybe I'll do another for practice sakes.
Watercolor 6'' x 6''

LINK on here >>>> Windows to the Words

Planet Earth Is Blue and There's Nothing I Can Do

2009-07-18T13:37:00.000-07:00

************** The Stars Look Very Different Today ***************
This is the challenge painting I did from Karin Juriks' Different Strokes From Different Folks blog. I decided to make it a double challenge by doing it in watercolor. I was listening to the Ziggy Stardust album while painting this piece when the idea came to me about having this fellow "floating in a tin can" high above planet Earth. We have seen this motif done before by a hand full of painters. The one that comes to my mind is the painting of the guitar player "Corky" by The Brothers Hildebrandt. 7.5'' x 6.25'' watercolor

I wonder how many other painters will use an open door?

LINK >>> Different Strokes blog

Stonington View

2009-07-18T13:25:00.001-07:00

This is a small quick watercolor study of a painting I may reproduce as an oil painting. It is done in true Chadbournian style ( minus the drips) with the high horizon line and flat picture plane.

Squeaky The Cat

2009-07-18T12:58:00.000-07:00

Squeaky the Cat was done with vine charcoal and thin turpentine washes of oil paint on stretched canvas. No white paint was used. I took the photograph lying down next to him, hence the peculiar composition.
This is as close to realism as I get. 18'' x 24''
REMEMBER: click on ANY of the the pictures on this blog to view LARGER

House By The Salmon Falls River

2009-07-06T16:35:00.000-07:00

Here I played around with heavier pigments and I used real watercolor paper...Aquarelle 90 lb. paper. It's much more absorbent than bristle board ... it soaked up those pigments really well!
What interested me with this subject were the shapes of the building.... the dark background which makes the house stand out. I was concerned how well I could incorporate the shapes of the foreground grasses and the middle ground bushes in a way to make it interesting, and using the complimentary colors - red/green.
5x6" Watercolor

Watercolor Workout

2009-07-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

Top - Claires Hair (No No Julia)
Middle - Grounds of Holy Family in Methuen, Ma.
Bottom - Crossings at Fox Run

It's been a long while since I pushed around some watercolor...here are a few small watercolor sketches I did while on "downtime" at work...painted on bristle board.

Summer Veggie Still Life

2009-06-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

Recently I came across a wonderful blog spot by Karin Jurick called Different Strokes From Different Folks where Karin submits a photo of a subject and many of the art blog spotters do their interpretation of it. This is my first stab at it. This painting measures 8 x10" and was done in Oil Paint.

Different Strokes blog

Sawgrass Farm

2009-03-29T14:58:00.000-07:00

8x8" Oil Paint on MDO This painting was an exercise with shapes, color, and values...though my main concern here were the shapes and then the colors. As far as value, the values are well below a 10 step value scale... I'd say maybe 7 or 8. I intended the house to be the center of interest by it being the lightest shape and then having your eye move to the red barn and then to the smaller shack...the 3 combined together form an interesting shape!