The first time that I saw this little dory up in Bearskin Neck, Rockport, I took a dozen pictures of it. The old worn wood, the humble planks, even the name, "Rat" made me love this little boat as though it was an old friend or familiar piece of clothing.
So to paint it again today, for the second time, was a pleasure and not a chore. I looked at the photo that I had taken a few years back and asked myself why I wanted to paint this humble little boat again. What was the purpose or statement in my painting going to be? The answer came quickly. It was the reflections, of course, that grounded the boat to its home- the Atlantic Ocean in Rockport Harbor!
Without the water reflections, the boat would just kind of float in the air, without substance or a sense of grounding or place in space.
This is one of the things that I learned from Kenn Erroll Backhaus's workshop last week. Decide on a purpose , or statement, before you start a painting. I had never thought much about a statement before. Oftentimes I would just paint a subject, rather than a statement. This concept of "finding a statement before you begin" made a world of difference in my approach to this little painting.
Why is it called a "rat" boat? I have no idea but maybe it's obvious. The boat is.... well.... a bit ratty!
Here is my first painting of the little Rat Boat.
THis painting was juried into Randy Higbee's annual 6x6 inch square show in Costa Mesa, California.
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