Josiah E Chase House, East Limington Maine

Pencil sketch / study of Josiah Chase Octagon House – Limington Maine.

I’m amazed at how on location sketches speak to me even after more than twenty years.

This sketch was completed shortly after I began painting – more than twenty years ago.  There are so many things that I observed, consciously or not, at the time that I was not able to paint – but the painting brings those memories back.  

This octagon house was in the process of being restored to its former glory.  Even unrestored there was an elegance about the house and surrounding property.  The house is surrounded by massive oak trees and overlooks the Ossipe and Saco Rivers.  The house was built @ 1858 for sea captain Josiah Chase (1819-1898) and his family.  His children left a momento (their initials) carved into one of the widow’s walk windows along with the date (which I can’t recall).

The painting below was done on location.  It was a beautiful, breezy day and I set up in the shade of one of the oak trees.  I completed another painting, a watercolor, during this visit as well.  I need to destroy the painting, it was badly damaged in a flood a few years back, but before I did I wanted to make another sketch using the on location painting for inspiration.  I’ve squared off some larger drawing paper with margins for notes, as well as for mattes, and I wanted to see how this might work.

I’ll use the sketch and notes for a larger work in watercolor and oils, perhaps doing similar views in different seasons.

I would also like to reach out to the current home owners to see if they would mind if I did some more work on location!  While researching online I found some very interesting information on Josiah E. Chase including an abstract of a journal kept by Chase on a voyage before he was promoted to captain.

Log/journal, kept by Josiah E. Chase, relating to a whaling voyage to the Atlantic, South Pacific, and Indian oceans.  Includes descriptions of types of whales seen or taken, collision at sea, death at sea, badly damaged ship sailing to Sydney, Australia, for repairs after being set on fire by members of crew at Fiji, smoking ship for stowaways, indigenous people, punishment on ship, and shipwrecks including the ship Russell (1847); and whale stamps, accounts, poetry, and crew members names mentioned thoughout log. Other places represented include Lord Howe Island (N.S.W.), Bay of Islands, and Tonga.

National Maritime Digital Library

It's all about the sea...

American Offshore Whaling Voyages: A Database

•  Voyages of Chase, Josiah E. 

Vessel Departure Arrival Hailing Port Destination Sperm Whale Bone Source

Martha (Ship)

1850, May 1853, Nov New Bedford, MA New Zealand 1724 158 700 *

Elizabeth Swift (Bark)

1854, Nov 1858, Oct New Bedford, MA Pacific 1781 0 0 *

Elizabeth Swift (Bark)

1859, May 1863, Sep New Bedford, MA Pacific 1356 80 1800 *

Hunter (Bark)

1867, Dec 1871, Jul New Bedford, MA Pacific 2441 36 0 *

California (Ship)

1872, Aug 1876, Aug New Bedford, MA New Zealand 2600 200 1500 *

James Arnold (Ship)

1878, Oct 1882, Sep New Bedford, MA Pacific 1370 180 0 *

I don’t know how families survived these long periods of absences (four year whaling voyages).  

His wife accompanied him on at least one voyage – their daughter was born at sea.  At least they had a good sixteen years after his retirement to enjoy their home together.  Imagine the stories we’d hear if these walls could talk.

fallen branch trinity college

It wasn’t until I saw some of Andrew Wyeth’s works in person at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, that I was truly moved by his artwork.  Reproductions simply don’t do his work justice.  His work is so subtle yet incredibly powerful.  For myself, I prefer more color and a broader scene as a subject.  But by really studying a subject, I know I’ve now gained an appreciation for how easy it is to get lost in any subject. 

For instance, I’ve spent countless hours observing the ocean along Maine’s coast – particularly during storms.  Haven’t painted many seascapes yet – but that is another story for another day.  What I’m beginning to understand, is that the same complexity of color, detail, nuance, composition, that can be found in a coastal scene can be found in a tidal pool, or a large rock in a field, or, in this case I decided to do the sketch above.  Something that would have held no interest for me in the past.  It was between my daughters field hockey games at Trinity College.  The players and parents were seeking relief from the heat on the fields beneath this tree.

In no way, shape, or form, am I attempting to equate myself with Andrew Wyeth – but he did inspire me to try something different.  To pay attention to, literally, what was directly in front of me. I wondered what I’d learn from trying this.

I found myself totally engrossed at the subject.  A few people came over and asked if I’d mind if they took a look at what I was drawing.  I didn’t mind.  Their comments were pleasant and polite.  They were surprised by my choice of subject and did share that surprise with me.

I was fascinated by the pattern of shadows on the lawn that ran uphill to the fence surrounding the field hockey fields.    The body language and expressions of the players and parents told another story entirely, and I’ll focus on those types of gestural drawings at another time.

I’ve already noticed how this exercise is informing my use of shadows in drawings and paintings and the importance of shadows and values to create depth in drawings and paintings.

If you haven't already done so, please see my facebook page (Robert Kahler Landsape Paintings@mainepleinairpainter) and like it if you are so moved.

Thank you

Bascillica of Sts. Peter and Paul

The Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston Maine is a beautiful and imposing structure.  The city has grown up so much so there are times where the city buildings block out the views of the cathedral despite its location high up on a hill.  Still you can’t help but notice the spires of the towers if you spend any amount of time in Lewiston and much of Auburn as well.

A few nights ago, I searched for a spot to paint the Cathedral at night.  I completed this quick sketch in the parking lot of a convenience store.  It was a very active neighborhood, but I was able to complete this on location charcoal sketch.  A few days later, I went to a location closer to the cathedral and completed this watercolor sketch.

Much of the cathedral is blocked from view by apartment buildings and the like.  Something about an old filling station in the neighborhood struck me, so I made a few quick color and structural notes for later use.  The grandeur of the cathedral juxtaposed with the dilapidated condition of the still working gas station told a story to me.  Both institutions played a very important role in the creation of the fabric of the surrounding communities.  This cathedral was built with both the labor and the donations of the hard working immigrants who made Lewiston and Auburn their home.  Each one supporting the other. 

These are both just quick studies but it was very energizing to get out sketching on location.  I decided very quickly to avoid getting trapped by too much detail in the face of the cathedral.  Not really a difficult choice for me, but I still needed to make a concious choice to go for the broad effect as this is a very complex subject.

The Cathedral changes so much in the changing light that it will certainly be worth going back to make more detailed studies in changing light.