Sunset at Buffalo Harbor

Acrylic on Gessobord
8" x 10"
Chris Breier © 2017

I visited the Buffalo Harbor on a Sunday evening with my brother, it's a great place to take a walk and relax. The weather was great and the sun was close to the horizon. I brought my camera so that I could take reference photos to work from in my studio. I was looking for a scene that would include the boats and the reflection of the sun in the water.

Yachts and Mills

Yachts and Mills
Acrylic on gessobord 3/4" thick (cradled)
16"x20"
Chris Breier © 2017

I happened to stumble upon this boatyard when I was walking around the Buffalo waterfront. The buildings in the background are part of General Mills which is still active. Depending on which way the wind is blowing, I can often smell the aroma of Cheerios when I walk around the city on my lunch break. I assume they also make the chocolate variety because the neighborhood occasionally smells like brownies.



The large shadow on the left side of the building is from a billboard and the horizontal shadow below it is the shadow from the Skyway. I was going to eliminate it, but it's a subtle way to incorporate the Skyway into the painting. It's somewhat of an icon in the city and you can tell when the winter weather is especially severe because it closes down.

I like how this painting captures Buffalo's industrial history and the recreational aspsect of being located on the Great Lakes.

The gessobord is 3/4" thick with the edges
left unpainted. It has a wire attached
to the back so it's ready to hang.

Boat Hulls

Boat Hulls
Acrylic on gessobord 3/4" thick (cradled)
16"x20"
Chris Breier © 2017

I had spent the evening taking pictures of the Buffalo waterfront when I spotted these sailboats at a local boatyard. The sun was setting so I had to hurry before the boats disappeared into the shadows. I kept snapping pictures but I couldn't get anything that I liked. I was close to running out of daylight when I had the idea to find a different vantage point, so I squatted down and took a few pictures. Bingo! All of the distractions on the ground were out of sight, and the blue sky provided a simplified
background.



Most of my paintings are on 1/8" flat panels but for this painting I used a "cradled" panel that's 3/4" thick. I left the edges natural. There's a wire on the back so it can be hung without a frame. If you prefer a frame, the Ampersand Float Frame is a simple solution and you can do it yourself, or you can take it to a picture framer. Here are the instructions for how to install the float frame.

Most of my paintings are on 1/8" flat panels
but for this painting I used a "cradled" panel
that's 3/4" thick. I left the edges unpainted.
There's a wire on the back so it's ready to hang!

Botanical Gardens Golf Course

Botanical Gardens Golf Course
Acrylic on gessobord
8"x10"
Chris Breier © 2017

Last winter I visited the Erie County Botanical gardens and when I was finished touring the greenhouses I explored the grounds outside which includes a golf course. There's also a few ponds that attract ducks and Canadian geese.

There wasn't any snow on the ground but it was still cold and very windy. It wasn't very pleasant for photography, but I still managed to get a few good reference photos to work from. I focused on the mix of trees in the foreground and the strip of bright green grass in the background. I simplified some of the branches to strengthen the design and to create a bold pattern.

Tree Composition

Tree Composition
Acrylic on gessobord
8"x10"
Chris Breier © 2017

I took a walk around the neighborhood for the pleasure of it. I wasn't looking for exercise or looking for subject matter, but then I spotted the way this sunlit tree and I decided I wanted to make a painting from it. I've always had an affinity for trees. When I was younger I had a book that could be used to identify the various species that are found in the Northeast. The funny thing is that I can't identify this tree by looking at the painting, I'd have to go back to take a look at the leaves and bark.

Trees Along Lake Ontario

Trees Along Lake Ontario
Watercolor, ink, and pencil on paper
8"x10"
Chris Breier © 2017

That small strip of blue along the horizon is Lake Ontario. According to Wikipedia "Ontario" means "Lake of Shining Waters" in the Wyandot language. I find that it's impossible to capture the massive scale of the lake in a small two dimensional painting. Lake Ontario is 53 miles wide, 192 miles long, and it's the 14th largest lake in the world. It's so large you can't see the Canadian side of it, although if it's a clear day with low humidity you can see the top of CN tower in Toronto. In this painting I focused more on the landscape of the park and used the lake as a backdrop.

Misty Afternoon

Misty Afternoon
Acrylic on Raymar canvas panel
8"x10"
Chris Breier © 2017

I thought the afternoon was going to be a dud because it started raining when my brother and drove to the lake, but it cleared up a half hour after we arrived. The rain soaked all of the benches and picnic tables but the misty atmosphere improved the mood of this painting. It was one of those days where you could literally see the moisture in the air and feel it on your skin.

This park has a variety of trees, some of them are evergreen trees and I wanted to capture the feeling of being in a park after a rainstorm. I will consider this a successful painting if you can smell the earthy smell of the woods and the scent of pine trees when you look at it...
 

Trees at Krull Park

Trees at Krull Park
Watercolor and pencil on paper
8”x10”
Chris Breier © 2017

A hot and sunny afternoon. Some local peaches. Stopping at a local popcorn stand. An afternoon of free time at a serene park by the water. What more could you ask for? It’s these simple pleasures that I enjoy most and it’s often the subject of my art. Sometimes I paint on location but I also take photos so that I can work in my studio. When I paint a scene I not only get to enjoy it while I’m working on it, but also when it’s hanging on the wall. When I hang it on the wall it gives me a boost whenever I glance at it.

The Pond at Glen Park

The Pond at Glen Park
Acrylic on paper
8"x10"
Chris Breier © 2017

I enjoy painting outdoors during the summer when the weather allows. On this occasion my brother and I decided to paint at Glen Falls. On previous painting excursions I have painted the waterfall at Glen Falls but this time I decided to focus on area with the ponds. A small strip of the pond is visible in this painting and it continues under the arch of the bridge. My brother and I refer to the park as "Duck Paradise" because that's where they like to congregate, although on this occasson they were hanging out at the other end of the pond so I didn't get a chance to put them in the painting.

It's a serene place to visit and and that's what I aimed to capture with this painting. It's a small oasis in the middle of the bustling village. Many people who work in the area spend their lunch breaks there. As a painter, it's a great location to spend an evening painting outdoors while listening to the sounds of rushing water and quacking ducks.

The majority of this painting was completed outside with a few finishing touches applied back in my studio.

I have also painted part of the gravel path at Glen Park,  Autumn trees at glen Park, a watercolor painting of the waterfall, and another plein aire acrylic painting of Glen Falls.

Nature Walk

Nature Walk
Acrylic on gessobord
8”x10”
Chris Breier © 2017

I've painted this lake many times over the past few years. Anybody who follows my work should know that I get a lot of my inspiration for my paintings from taking walks in nature or near bodies of water. I enjoy the solitude and the seclusion from the stress of modern life. I believe every body should take time away from cell phones, email, social media, and work each day to daydream and think about things.

Before the Falls

Before the Falls
Acrylic on gessobord
8”x10”
Chris Breier © 2017

During the summer I often wake up early to take a walk over to Island Park to visit the library, or buy fresh tomatoes, sweet corn, and blueberries at the farmers market. I enjoy walking early in the morning, especially on a warm and sunny day. The birds are active and shops are beginning to open. The sunlight is at a dramatic angle, and it's warm but not uncomfortably hot. I often bring my camera with me to capture some of these scenes so that I can use them as reference material for paintings.

This vantage point is of Ellicott Creek as seen from the only bridge to the island. The creek flows around the island and then passes underneath Main street before going over Glen Falls.

A House in the Woods

 

A House in the Woods
Acrylic on Gessobord
8”x10”
Chris Breier © 2017

I spotted this view of a white home on the shores of Ellicott Creek and it gave me the impression that it’s a lone house in the wilderness. In reality, it’s part of a suburban neighborhood but working on this painting made me think about what it would be like to live in the woods in the middle of nowhere with a creek in the backyard. I would survive, as long as there was enough room for a painting studio… and a garden.

Ellicott Creek at Dusk

Ellicott Creek at Dusk
Acrylic on Gessobord
8”x10”
Chris Breier © 2017

What attracted me to painting this scene was the surreal mood that the woods can take on right after sunset. I wanted to capture the luminosity of the sky and water so I used acrylics in a transparent manner similar to watercolor. I know from my experience with watercolor that if I overwork the painting it can lose the brilliance that can be achieved with transparent washes, so I focused on the essence of the image and aimed to get the colors and the values correct without making too many corrections. The original painting is available.

Williamsville Train Depot in Winter

Williamsville Train Depot in Winter
Acrylic on Gessobord
5”x7”
Chris Breier © 2017

I like to take walks early in the morning when most people are asleep. It’s a way to get some mild exercise and to think about things. Walking outdoors in the winter can be uncomfortable but it can also be beautiful when it’s sunny. I took the reference photo for this painting when the sun was just about to come up over the trees which gave them a warm glow.

The Williamsville train depot was built in 1896 and it was recently restored by the The Western New York Railway Historical Society. The depot is open to the public and it’s used for special events such as car shows, hayrides, and small concerts.

The original painting is available.

Sunlight and Trees

Sunlight and trees
Acrylic on Gessobord
5”x7”
Chris Breier © 2017

This is another painting from the bike path. As I was walking I noticed how the sunlight was illuminating the trees so I walked into the weeds to take a few reference photos. The sunlight brought out the warm colors of the bark which works well against the blue reflections in the water. I took the time to take a number of photographs so that I could try out a number of compositions, but I used the one that positioned the creek so that it was curving off to the right as it receded into the distance. The original painting is available, bid on Sunlight and Trees in the auction.

Walking at Dusk

Walking at dusk
Acrylic on gessobord
5”x7”
Chris Breier © 2017

I took a walk just before sunset and by the time I made it the point where I normally turn around, the sun had just sunk below the horizon. On one hand that means there’s going to more mosquitos to deal with, but on the other hand the sky had turned into an impressive display of color. I took a few reference photos so I could create a painting of it in my studio. It took a number of tries to get the colors of the sky right. I used thick brushstrokes in some areas which created subtle texture and the painting has a glossy finish. Bid in the auction for Walking at Dusk.

Buffalo Theatre District in Autumn

Buffalo Theatre District in Autumn
Acrylic on gessobord
10" x 8"
Chris Breier © 2017

Last fall I had an afternoon off from work and I spent the day walking around downtown Buffalo looking for subject matter to paint. I turned the day into a photo expedition, it's generally easier to paint city scenes in the studio. It would be impossible to set up my easel in the middle of the street to capture this perspective. The warm colors from the foliage add some much needed warm contrasts to the cool shadows created by the buildings.

Splash 18: The best of Watercolor

"Buffalo Savings Bank" can be found on
page 87 of Splash 18: The Best of Watercolor.

I am excited to announce that my watercolor painting "Buffalo Savings Bank" has been selected to be included in Splash 18: The Best of Watercolor.  My painting is on page 87 and you can read the caption below. The book will be released on July 21, 2017.

The January 30 in 30 painting challenge is complete!

A sample of the 30 paintings
that I posted over the past month.

This is the second time that I've participated in the 30 in 30 painting challenge. I had a lot of fun with the subject matter, I even painted a vintage bicycle and a lighthouse. I appreciated all of the encouraging comments on facebook and my blog. To continue to see my paintings follow this blog or follow me on social media (Facebook, Google Plus, Pinterest, and Flickr).

Buffalo Waterfront

Buffalo Waterfront
Acrylic on wood panel
8”x10”
Chris Breier © 2016

The original painting is for sale. This is a view of the city of Buffalo from the observation tower at Erie Basin Marina. I took the reference photo last fall when I took a day off from work to take advantage of the warm weather. I spent the afternoon at the waterfront walking around and taking pictures. The walk to the top of the tower was part of my exercise for the day. When I got to the top there were a number of birders with binoculars and cameras on tripods taking pictures of the birds flying over Lake Erie.