“Rockland Neighbors”

“Rockland Neighbors”,
by Robert Leedy, 2005,
watercolor on Arches 140 lb. Hot Press paper,
19 x 26.5 in.,
Collection of the Artist

This is a painting I completed during a workshop in Rockland, Maine with David Dewey in August of 2004. It was a fairly hot day and I was battling washes that were drying very rapidly on a relatively large painting surface. The majority of the painting was completed en plein aire and finished months later in the studio.

Rockland is a charming Maine town with lots of interesting architecture. The noted painter, Edward Hopper, spent a lot of time painting throughout Rockland and probably painted in the same vicinity as these houses.

In cognito and plein aire do not mix well. I attract attention wherever I set up to paint on the spot. Some people are shy and will just quietly watch you; Others will talk a lot and end up telling you all about their family; Kids are always fascinated with what you’re doing and ask all sorts of questions – most of them surprisingly good ones. This particular location was no exception: Two teenaged girls watched over my shoulder for the duration while the owner of the house on the right kept coming out to see the progress of the painting. He later made a very modest offer on the painting and ran back inside to the safety of his domain when he heard my asking price…

This painting has some large, simple shapes accented with small bits of bold color. I like the dominant shadow in the lower right-hand corner which frames the composition nicely. Notice the handling of the individual windows and how much they differ from one another. The American flag serves as a color accent and adds an air of true Americana to the neighborhood painting. The color accents were well-thought out and it is important not to have them dominate or overpower any neighboring shapes or colors. It is a delicate balancing act…

This is a cheerful painting that I enjoy looking at all of the time.