Cole Farm on the Hill #3, oil on linen, 10″ x 26″ • started April 24, 2012; finished April 28, 2014 • collection of Mary Gay Baldyga
The spring of 2012 was very productive. Several older paintings were revisited, some were even finished, and a number of new paintings were started. Among the newly-started was today’s featured piece, based on a color snapshot taken by my brother Wally in the early 50s; the view from our front lawn looking up the hill to Cole Farm Dairy where our grandparents lived. A few weeks ago my cousin Mary Gay Baldyga who now lives in Connecticut inquired if I had any paintings similar to one I had sold last year of that same Maine farm we cousins grew up knowing so well. My first thought was to offer to reproduce a copy of the admired-but-already-sold painting, an idea which my cousin agreed to. However, in a consecutive email I included a photo of an unfinished piece of the same farm, with the comment that I would work on getting my painting chops back in order by adding a few finishing touches to this particular painting. My cousin’s response was that she liked this piece even more than the earlier one, and offered to buy it instead. Breathe a great sigh of relief! Trying to copy another painting, even ones own work, is always a challenge. Plus, if a painting, unfinished though it may look to me, has attracted enough attention to evoke an offer to buy, it’s a great stimulus to adding those few touches, those telling details that transform an unfinished work-in-progress into a fait accompli. It’s varnished. It’s packed. Today it will be in the mail and out of my hands. Thanks Mary for your support…
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