The area of Massachusetts I live in is rich with cranberry bogs. The bogs are often located near a significant water source because bogs are flooded to protect them from frost and, in some cases, for harvesting. One such water source is Tihonet Pond. This sketch is of what I think is a drainage ditch from the pond. My hand has progressed enough that I can use it to draw and paint.

Left Hand Self-Portrait with Bandage

Left Hand Self-Portrait

Left Hand Self-Portrait. I've had surgery to release my carpal tunnel. For the last year it has become more and more compressed. Lately, I could only paint for about 10 minutes before numbness and cramping took over. So,I cannot use my right hand for 2 weeks.

After looking at this for a few days, I decided to increase some contrast in the sky below the large cloud. I also did the same in the ground; really pushing the light areas where the sun broke through. I think I would like to paint this again in a larger scale (approx. 30" x 40") to see how the drama of the cloud views.

I really stuck with the wash and continued to work fast and loose. I'm satisfied that I reached my goal of avoiding tight detailed elements.

Spent the week in Quebec City. On a drive out of the City and up the St. Lawrence, the clouds were magnificent. At one point a storm was brewing. I took dozens of photographs. I like the drama of this view with the huge storm cloud encroaching on the land. Today I blocked in the composition and cloud forms. Worked fast, wet and loose. This session took about 15 minutes. My goal is to develop the values without including a great deal of detail, hard contrast, etc. 11" x 14"