Bike Race spectator on Mt. Washington
In my EEE class last week, I painted one of my studies for the Mt. Washington Bike Race painting, and since it is my favorite painting for the week, I start with it. The official title is “On the Top of the Rockpile”. Mt. Washington is, for those of you not from New Hampshire, referred to affectionately as the Rockpile because above treeline, it seems to be nothing more than pile of rocks–quite a few of them loose rocks, which makes the going tough for hikers. Here at the tip top, the boulders are more civilized. I painted this painting on a 9×12 art panel that had been first painted with an acrylic cadmium yellow. You can see some yellow peeking through a thumb print and some smears in the upper right corner. I had dropped the painting, face-down, on a cat-and-dog-fur loaded carpet when I got home after class. The figure escaped undamaged, and the rocks conceal any hairy texture (is the painting now “mixed media”?), but I tried to wipe the sky clean of fur and dirt.
The biannual trip to Bartlett for the artists’ getaway fell on last weekend. “Fell” seems appropriate because the weather was pretty darn awful. We could not visit the Rockpile, or any other tempting peak. In fact, another guest at the Bartlett Inn reported that the Cog Railroad on Saturday started up Mt. Washington but had to back down because of the high winds. Most of us painters sat out Thursday altogether; painted under a roof Friday (pavillion at Swift River Lower Falls), managed to get a few windy hours in before rain started on Saturday, and finally got a rain-free, partially sunny day on the appropriately named Sunday. I usually come home with 5 or 6 paintings from a Bartlett weekend. This time, only three:
Lower Falls
Mt. Washington Valley with Moat Mt. and cornfield
The view above is from the lawn of the Red Jacket Inn. The painting will be exhibited at the Red Jacket once it is finished and framed.
Alpaca Farm in North Conway
I got out my big Beauport easel and a 16×20 panel for the alpaca farm. I intend to add a close up of an alpaca, using one of my photographs. Here is one of my models:
Head Shot
I had to minimize the shadows with my photo editing program (iPhoto) in order to see her amazing face. She came up fairly close to me several times, but each time I could not get my camera in focus quickly enough to get the straight on gaze that I would love to have in the painting.
Not all of the alpacas were this lovely chestnut color. I love that red shade because the edges generate such a warm glow.
Gray Alpaca
White Alpaca
Here are two others, who were not disposed to come so close to me. They are shown galloping toward their owner at the back of the barn, who called them in by shouting “Ladies!” At all other times, their muzzles are buried in the delicious grass.
Aline Lotter is currently exhibiting:
at the Gallery at 100 Market Street in Portsmouth; at the Sage Gallery in Manchester; at the Manchester Artists Association Gallery in Manchester; at the Bartlett Inn in Bartlett; at the Rockport Art Association Gallery in Rockport, Massachusetts.
Link to website: www.paintingsbyaline.com
Paintings by Aline 
Never mind the chickens. How much to alpaca eat? They are beautiful. So are your paintings EllieP.
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I love Alpacas. Found them tough to paint when I had a chance. They did not stay long in one place in this Fl sun. Looking forward to seeing your paintings.
Mary
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It’s hard to imagine such a thick-coated creature surviving in the Florida climate!
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I hope your chickens will be free range chickens.
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Well, I was thinking because of zoning laws that I might have to keep them in the house. But the chickens at the alpaca farm were definitely free-ranging, and that was what was so delightful about them. They would roam everywhere, in loose groups, maybe in a set routine. I didn’t stay long enough to figure it out.
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hi Aline! love your barn painting! can’t wait to see it with the close up alpaca added! they are such interesting looking creatures. too bad about the weather at bartlett – you did well to come away with 3 considering the weather!
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Don’t apologize for your new-found love of the chickens, in the pot or in the coop. They are smarter than folks are led to believe. I had one and trained it to do many tricks, only the trick was on me, for my chicken also learned to crow!
You’ll find many unique shapes and colors of chickens in the upcoming country fairs. As far as the government goes, I believe you need an acre to keep them, but Agway will surely give you the straight dope.
Just say that I am egg-ing you on! Love, Yvonne
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Yvonne, you are hilarious!
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I like the look of this new blog. The Alpaca Farm (ranch?) painting looks great!
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It’s pretty funny that most of the comments are about the chickens, which I talked about only in my email message announcing this posting. I apologize to the few subscribers who may feel left out of the loop. Suffice to say, I revealed that the alpaca farm (ranch?) was also the home of many varieties of beautiful chickens, who captured my heart.
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You did a fine job creating your new blog page. Easy to read. I love what I will call ‘King of the Hill”. Very nice sky and ‘rockpile’. Even though the biker is dead center it seems the best place for him to be. Sorry it did not fall butter side up. LOL Don’t change my email address to the one posted with this comment.
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I protest. “Dead center” he is not. But thank you for agreeing that where he is seems to be the best place for him to be. I had this very exchange with Patrick McCay (EEE class teacher)–he first expressing concern about how close to center, I pointing out not exact center, he agreeing it looked OK. Peter Granucci teaches not to be afraid of placing focal points in the center of the canvas, if that is where we sense the focal point should be.
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