The Beehive From the Beaver Pond, Acadia National park, Maine

Watercolor on Heavy Weight Twinrocker Cold Pressed - 25 inches x 18 3/4 inches x 140 lb cold press handmade - Available

$390.00 USD

Representation

Michael E. Vermette Fine Art
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207-827-7573

Artist Comments

"The Beehive From the Beaver Pond, Mount Desert Island, Maine"

Michael E. Vermette captured this image of the Beehive in Acadia National Park, just off the Great Head Trail at the beaver pond in Maine. He is using an impressive range of color tones that are translucent and pure, yet boldly presented as the faceted mountain itself that rises a respectable 520 feet above the tree line. Perhaps one of the best modern watercolors Michael has made in terms of describing the actual color variations of the pinkish granite rock, this painting has interesting pattern that is characteristic of this geodesic area.

Michael says, "I wanted to emphasize the color of the orange and pinkish rock and its many faceted changes against the constraining sky and fall foliage of the birches. I looked for this location based on a photograph on a card I bought. When I arrived at the location in the Fall, the subject in person was so much more. I put away the photo and proceeded to paint this watercolor from direct observation. This view has a lovely dark beaver pond with fallen birch trees that the beavers have been hard at work on building their dams. With a little bushwalking off the beaten path this view offers a stunning view."

This is an watercolor painting made in October at peal foliage on a calm sunny day and rendered in Michael's pure and bold range of transparent washes. Michael uses a descriptive stroke that describes lines of power, motion, and shape in describing the character of the Beehive, yet he paints with a subtlety that captures even the lightest veils of light upon the rising geodetic monolith. He painted this study on a handmade Twinrocker heavy weight watercolor paper. He uses only pure Holbein watercolor and Daniel Smith mineral watercolor pigments to achieve the color and the textural grain that is most prized by watercolor painters who have painted on this amazing paper, specially designed and sized for the watercolor medium. He also wets the back of the paper to create even more of a richer statement of color in his washes.

Michael also says, "I am intrigued with the timelessness in change in my paintings. They show a love of color and light with emphasis on the expressive painterly mark and form, which evoke a recognizable feeling, a nostalgic memory, or even emotional qualities such as the smell of salt and balsam in the morning ocean air."

Carl Little writes in Volume 30 of The Island Journal, " Michael Vermette, who emulates the vision of one of Monhegan island's great painters of the past, James Fitzgerald (1899-1971), adds impasto oomph to iconic views"

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