Thursday, March 18, 2010


Here is a seascape I did as a demo today.It is about three hours work. I also led the entire class through a seascape painting of their own I am exhausted. I am having a great time, but I am pushing really hard. I have a good group as usual. It seems that people who take workshops are a pretty good lot.

I hadn't planned to paint seascape with them, but we had a really gray day and it seemed like a good time to be in the studio. I have been painting seascapes for years but I have never taught it. I did the demo and they all wanted to try it. Some of them did surprisingly well. Seascape is the hardest thing I do.

I guess I could do a series of posts on seascape painting if there is interest out there in that. Let me know. I don't know that I am an expert in it, but I have done a bunch of them.

63 comments:

Dot Courson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dot Courson said...

I said... nice delta seascape, Stape!

John Hannafin said...

Yes Please Stapleton! Love your blog since I discovered it recently and am craving some seascape info... I'm getting ready to drive from PA to FL to paint along the Gulf beaches. Hope to take your Lupine workshop... THANK YOU!!
John
http://www.JohnHannafin.com

Jim Polewchak said...

Beautiful job. I live near the shore of Lake Erie, and paint there often. It's the shallowest and the most dangerous of the Great Lakes, and generates monstrous waves in high winds down from Canada. I would really like to see some posts on seascapes, or in this area, "lakescapes", in order to paint them better. The waves are a dirty brown, and are hard to paint in a complimentary manner.

Robert J. Simone said...

That's nice work, Stape!

I would enjoy a seascape thread. I was first inspired to start painting at a seascape exhibit in Rockland, Maine about 10 years ago. I have painted quite a few of them. And some of them didn't suck. Some did, so I'd like to learn what you know about it.

Thanks!

Todd Bonita said...

Stape,
Great painting, can't beleive you did it in three hours, thats amazing. I would love to see some posts on sea scape painting.
All the best,
Todd

Debbie Lamey-MacDonald said...

Gorgeous Stape!! Amazing job for only 3 hours! Would love to see more posts on seascapes. Thanks!

Manatee Writers said...

It's a yes for me too on seascapes!

Gregory Becker said...

Yes yes yes. Seascapes. Do some posts on seascapes. I love the painting and those clouds are great. I'm a cloud lover. Did you do this from your imagination?

billspaintingmn said...

I like the colors! Stape, your being too modest..
Your paintings are a treasure to the eyes.
Your wisdom is a magnet for the wanting.
I've learned more this winter, from you, than I have through all the 60's in high school!
What ever you post, it'll be a hit.
(You set the bar up high, and I like that!)
Can you tell me where I can get some Moxie!?

R Yvonne Colclasure said...

Gorgeous!! Ditto what everyone else said....3 hours? Blows me away. I too would love to learn the seascape scoop. I wish I could afford this painting.

Mary Bullock said...

Yes, please tell us about seascapes!

Anonymous said...

Yea Stape, all year your blog has unerringly hit my need, it's almost spooky if it wasn't such a gift. Amazing to me you could be so far away and so personally helpful. (so glad my grandaughter showed me how to find you!)
I am still driving 400 miles every weekend to paint the CA coast and we have decided to keep on til June! It has been a real struggle thank goodness I can draw well. A month ago I almost quit, your kind words of encouragement kept me going. My last few attempts have small bits that feel magical even though the painting flops.
I have been through the bootcamp of the forces of nature, am truely humbled and pummeled, my brush is ready for your wisdom! Terry

Woodward Simons said...

Yep... excellent idea Stape!

I'm signed up to stay at the Sunset Hill House for "Lupine World". Can't wait!

Unknown said...

I've been out of the loop for awhile and too busy with life to paint, however I saw the wave on Facebook and HAD to come over and say very nice, I love it, and if you do a series on painting the sea I'll try and be here to read along, very nice.

Becky Joy said...

Beautiful job. Ambitious for a demo, but you pulled it very well.

Cara Marris said...

Beautiful painting, Stape.

I love your blog -- read it every morning. I would love to see a thread on seascapes. Thanks for all you share with us!

Mary Byrom said...

Stapleton, I hope this is enough encouragement ?

Unknown said...

This is one great painting. I can see how everything you tell us about design would be so important in a seascape.

I would love to see series of posts on seascape painting, since I live by the coast and am to scared to paint it yet! The California Impressionists painted Laguna Beach a lot, not too far from me.

By the way, one other thing I would love to hear you post on is optical color mixing. Do you use it a lot, and how do you integrate it into your paintings? I have been learning about it and it is tough to do well!

kev ferrara said...

What a beaut! That really has that Edgar Payne romanticism going strong! And beautiful motion in the splashing wave.

Ann Rogers said...

If this is any indication of your seascapes, I'd say that you ARE an expert!

Karen Winslow said...

Wow!! Nice job!!

Unknown said...

Hey Stape. I've been following your blog for a while but this is my first comment. I've learned a lot from you and I love seascapes, so like everybody else, I'd be thrilled to see a series of seascape posts. o_O

Also, can you elaborate on why you think they are the hardest things you do?

Thanks again for your commitment and generosity in sharing your lifetime of knowledge free of charge.

-Peeter from Estonia

Gilhootie said...

You may not be an expert, but you're certainly close! Very nice work. I too would enjoy reading your ideas on seascapes, even though I live in the high sagebrush desert.

Nita Leger Casey said...

Great work as usual,love the Seascape! I talked about you today, I was at the Vose gallery and they had a terrific new show opened yesterday " Picturesque New England ",some new to me Aldro Hibbard.

Mary Byrom said...

Stapelton, What ever happened to the seascape you did in Sugar Hill?

Love2paint said...

Stape, this is so captivating! You really grabbed the essence of the sea! Love it!

Irene Rencsi said...

This is stunning! Wish you were closer, would love to take a workshop with you.

willek said...

Anything you can say about the seascape thing is great. I will have my ear glued to the monitor.

This seascape demo is slicker than the one you did for us at Snow Camp. Did the below freezing temperature nad the two hour time limit have anything to do with that. It is amazone what you did in that extra hour!.

willek said...

It might have been Perrin. Just too long ago to be sure. The gallery looked as though the art was by many different artists but all were by the owner. Many different mediums in many different styles. Flabbergasting

Stapleton Kearns said...

Dot;
The surf is rarely that good here evidently.
.............Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

John
I will, thanks.
.............Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Jim;
Thanks.
..........Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Simone;
I will try to mail you some rocks.
..................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Todd;
Thanks.
.........Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Todd;
Thanks.
.........Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Debbie;
Thanks. If I can't do it in three hours, I can't do it.
................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Barbara;
I will do it.
...........Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Gregory;
Yes it is only from imagination, no references.
...........Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Bill;
Yes, you can get Moxie anywhere in new England
...........Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Yvonne;
Sorry, its sold.
..................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Mary;
Hi there, you have an ocean near you too.
...............Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Terry:
Thanks, thats a long way to go to paint a seascape. I applaud your effort.
..........Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Woodward,
See you there.
............Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Michael;
Thanks.
...Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Becky;
Thanks.
......Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Cara;
Thank you. I am happy so many of you have commented.
.................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Mary;
Its kinda unreal isn't it?
..................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Jeremy;
I guess I do that on a moderate scale. I can write about it.
...........Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Kev;
Thanks. Edgar Payne?
...................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Ann;
Thank you.
..............Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Karen;
Wow , coming from you that is a great compliment!
....................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Peeter;
I will tell that when I write the posts on seascape.
................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Nobody;
Thanks, nobody likes my work!
.........Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Nita;
Thanks. The Voses are the greatest!
..................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Mary;
I turned it into a dessert tray.
.................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Love2
Thank you too.
..........Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Irene;
If I were closer to where?
...................Stape

Stapleton Kearns said...

Willek;
It is hard to know what to make of an artist like that. You want to applaud his ability to do so many things, but you wonder who he REALLY is.
.............Stape

Carol Nelson said...

That is a beautiful painting. You've got so many color notes going on. More, please.

Plein Air Gal said...

So many have already said it, but I'll add one more - YES on seascape posts!
That's one gorgeous painting - one I would actually buy if I had ANY spare cash!
Sharon

Marcelo said...

Wonderful marina... It´s sooo beautiful I´m speechless....

Marian Fortunati said...

WOW... just gorgeous...
And I thought you were a "snow guy"... Guess I should have known you could paint anything beautifully!!!