Rob’s Waterco☺ler

Swimming at Swinging Bridge on the Maury River

Inspired from a weekend trip to the Goshen Boy Scout Reservation during the 2010 Centennial Camporee.

15 x 22 Impressionist Watercolor on Winsor Newton 140lbs paper.  Artist grade pigments

What a wonderful weekend for swimming in the shallow rapids of the Maury River at the Swinging Bridge in Goshen, VA.  The water was ice cold but is was over 90 degrees outside.

I completed my 1/2 sheet watercolor of this very interesting Americana type of scene.  Many things are out of place with this picture, but makes perfect sense with all the correct perspective and facts.  The boy is nobody in particular, placed in any town.  The toddler bike is not his and while there should be a motorcycle somewhere, it is not there.  The boy’s hands and head are protected  and mom is probably happy about that.  The rest will heal eventually and bandages are cheaper than leather.

15 x 22 on Winsor Newton 140lbs paper.  Of course the pigments are artist quality.

One of the most exciting and dramatic events in the underway Navy is replenishment at sea. In 1998 I shot a  picture of this scene from the USS Cape St. George CG-71 and have painted it into an impressionistic and dramatic sunset.  We were in waiting station (300-600 yards behind the CV) and the sea was a bit lively and catching the warm light.

15×22 300lbs Arches paper with 7 Winsor Newton watercolors: Permanent Yellow, Scarlet Lake, Antwerp Blue, Cobalt Blue, Terra Verde, Indigo and lots of Burnt Sienna.

During my 2004 deployment we carried two SH-60 LAMPS helicopters.  This painting was inspired from a photograph of a live fire shot with both helicopters flying; one shooting a Hellfire missile and the other observing along with the ship.  15 x 22 watercolor on 300lbs paper. The water is Antwerp Blue and Cadmium Yellow to make a nice turquoise and I added a bit of wax before I started for some interesting white skips in the water.

In June 2001 my family and I were fortunate to be able to participate in the last wedge rally for a ship launched on the inclined ways at Bath Iron Works, Bath ME.  Subsequent to the launching I was the commissioning Electronics Officer and took the ship through several deployments, including Operation Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.  Below is a news article clip that explains the significance of the event.  What is not explained is the day before the launch, all the shipyard workers, crew and guests drive wedges between the ways and the structures the ship was built on.  This painting is from that event, know as a wedge rally.

CHANGING WAYS TRADITION YIELDS TO EFFICIENCY AT BIW On Saturday, the Mason will be the last BIW-made vessel to slide into the Kennebec River during its launch.
By   DENNIS HOEY Staff Writer
Portland Press Herald (ME) June 21, 2001
Page 1A

At precisely 3:25 p.m. Saturday, Bath Iron Works will end 117 years of shipbuilding tradition. That is when the 5,800-ton Navy destroyer Mason (DDG 87) will be released from its cradle, beginning its descent along greased, inclined building ways. The vessel will reach speeds of up to 12 mph before its hull crashes into the Kennebec River. It will be the last time a Navy destroyer is launched at BIW using the inclined building ways.

The finished watercolor done wet-in-wet style.  1/2 sheet, cold pressed Winsor Newton paper.

and some along the way shots…

And some pictures from the results of the hard work…

Been working on this for a few days.  Inspired from a 2004 trip with the USS Truman Carrier Strike Group.  Formation traveling through the Straits of Hormuz.  View from the flight deck of a Flight 2A Aegis DDG with the back nets down.

HB, 2B and 8B graphite on 100 lbs Lana paper, 14×17

Came home from work and needed to at least finish the rough of this 14×17 drawing.  Now it can sit a few days until I figure out what to do with it next, or be done with it.

Stoney Man Trail Hike – Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park

3 mile hike in the Shenandoah – No worries!

Yes I am still here. I have been going to school full time to refresh/update some of my IT skills. Also working a new job that adds an hour to my commute. Plan to start painting regularly again soon…On a side note, the break has been good

I started this 30 x 40 inch oil painting over a year ago.  It has been sitting on my easel facing the house front window waiting to be finished.  It is pretty bad when my kids tell me thier teachers like the painting in the window (when will it be done…lol).  Well over the holidays I did some substantial finishing to it.  It might be done

Below is the previous version (circa April 2008):