Monday

Another sunny day, let’s hope it continues.  But the weather report is calling for rain after Wednesday and it looks like it will stay around for a while, at least till we leave on Sunday.  

I went off this morning to paint one of the gate towers.  Back in the 1600’s these towers circled the city and had a gold ball on top, so that the moonlight would illuminate the way into town for the in-coming ships.  Now 400 years later they have filled in all the open water and build around them, so they are more or less in the middle of the city, but still next to a canal.

Christian, our apartment mate across the way gave us a book about Monet’s painting trip to Amsterdam one hundred years ago.  One of his pieces was from the same vantage point I took for this painting.

This afternoon I walked around to the other side and did another angle with some boats in front.  It was on a large bridge with a lot of pedestrian traffic and sure enough I was engaged in conversation the entire time.  Still I’m happy with the results, they may need some more work, which I can do back at the studio later on.

Now it’s “Duvel” time………I would hate to feel what a six pack would do !!! 

Richard Boyer

Sunday

The weather actually agreed with me today, sunny the entire day! 

Mike, Carlie and Rick decided on a bike ride through Holland’s countryside. They rented some bikes around the corner and headed down to the train station, there one can take a free ferry ride across the river north of town and ride off into some flat country.  They ended up doing a 36-kilometer rural tour through small villages and past the occasion windmill.  Part of the way they followed along the shoreline of the inland sea “Ijmeer” and no they didn’t any kids with their fingers in the dike!

I thought maybe doing some more paintings while the sun is here would be more prudent. Who knows how many days we have before the next dark rain clouds roll on in.

I walked down to the end of Prinsengracht today and saw a lot to paint there.  Unfortunately the crowds were in full force, maybe because it was Sunday or because of the sunny weather.  So I settled on a scene looking up Kaisergracht with a large church on the right side.  For me it was a quieter spot and the shade of a tree kept me from the rays of the sun, so I was able to spend more time on it. 

For this afternoons painting I walked back up the street some more to a side canal and set up there, once again making the best use of a tree for shade.  Unfortunately the glare off the water made it harder after a while.  I finally walked back to the apartment at six in the evening.  Shortly afterwards the rest of the group came back and we decided for a cold beer at the corner pub.  It was well worth it, especially when it’s up around 9%.  Yup, just one beer and you feel much better.

Forgive the photo quality.  I got back late and shot a quick picture of it on the flood with glare and all.  Its late now and we are hungry.  I'm making dinner as I blog. 

Richard Boyer

Saturday

Well we had rain again today, what a surprise!

Rick and I walked back out to the Amstel River to paint, set up and then the rain started to pour down.  I pulled out the umbrella and huddled in close next to the easel in a futile effort to keep the painting and myself dry.  I looked more like a wet dog that was left out all night than anything else.  This wind and rain went on for close to 45 minutes and then the sun came out.

I give up on trying to copy the light faithfully, if I wait a few minutes it will be different anyways.  This painting of the bridge I left as it first was with the dark clouds overhead.  That was the rainstorm we had to wait out. 

As I worked on finishing it up, the dark clouds returned to sprinkle us once more. 

I walked up to where Rick was and pulled out my mangled sandwich from the backpack.  The afternoon painting turned out to be more agreeable with the weather.  It was windy, but at least everything stayed dry.

 

Richard Boyer 

The weather here is driving us nuts.  Yesterday the Internet called for sunny skies today and this morning it was in fact sunny.  I even put on shorts and a tee shirt, expecting the rays to warm me as I painted away. 

As soon as we got out the door, the clouds rolled in and we were looking at flat grey skies with a chance of drizzle.  We lucked out with no rain, but had to deal with dropping temperatures.  Halfway through the painting session I was freezing and shacking, welcome to summers in northern Europe.  Now I know why I like Provence better, at least there the weather is more dependable.  Sixty something degrees with a stiff wind out of the west is no fun. 

 

You will notice the painting starts out in some sunlight; I decided to keep it in that nature, as opposed to the gloom and doom of overcast skies.  Michael Lynch, who is a very good plein aire artist can get away with it, I can not!  The sun was actually coming out every once in a while in the beginning. 

Well after I finished it as best I could in low light, I decided to run back and get some warmer cloths.  Rick, who brought along a heavy coat, wanted me to bring that back as well.  And as Murphy has it, as soon as I walked out the door with my winter gear, the sun came out.  I was sweating as I walked back to the Amstel River, where we set up.  The “law” set in once again as I put up my easel for my afternoon session, heavy dark clouds came back in to welcome me as I started to block in the scene across the bridge from where I painted in the morning. 

I started out with an overcast kind of look, but soon the sun peaked out for a bit and I saw the colors.  I decided to try for that feel and waited for the occasional light to poke through as I recorded it down in the painting. 

Tomorrow who knows how the weather will be?

Richard Boyer

Thursday

Last night we ate Indonesian, a lot of it.  We walked through the rain around the corner to a small restaurant and pilled inside at a small table.  The sky was opening up similar to standing underneath a waterfall and the idea of being inside at a cozy table made it more appealing.  Especially when they just seemed to be bringing out plate full after plate full.  In the end there was no way we could finish it all. We stumbled out and walk it off, a lengthy walk that took us down to the Red Light District.  Amsterdam is famous for it and must do a good business since there were hundreds sitting in every window and yes the entire place is illuminated in red lights!

With all the cute girls giving the guy’s that special wink and seductive glance to pull them in behind closed doors, we felt like the center of attention.  As Mike put it, “she must really like me, she gave me that special look!”  That’s the look that will last for fifteen minutes and cost you fifty Euros for a quickie.  I keep suggesting they could splurge for my birthday present right there if they wanted to?  That’s when I got a different kind of look from the group.  We slowly walked along both sides of the canal where they were out in full force and decided at midnight it was enough. We headed back up to Princengracht, where our humble abode is. 

 Today the weather was once again bordering on torrent rain, but oddly enough we never felt any.  With dark rain clouds overhead, we saw sunlight maybe a handful of times, as the wind blew.

 I did this small 12x16 under changing light, so I’m not sure if I want to bring more sunlight into it or just have it stormy.

 The rain clouds are clearing out as I write this with the next few days to be sunny.  Christian our apartment owner across the atrium, told us about a small village north of Amsterdam, where the buildings are all made out of wood from the 1700’s.  Most places like that burned down, that’s why they used brick instead to build them back up. Any ways we might rent bikes and venture out there, as he put it, there are no tourists there! 

Richard Boyer

Wednesday

Well we went back to the same place again today, the scene of the crime.  Not that we were thinking of seeing the perpetrator, unless he was a complete moron and would try the same place twice.  But in that area there are so many potential paintings.  I have a feeling we could spend a week just in that small part of Amsterdam. 

Rick set up painting some flowers out in front of a houseboat; within minutes he had met the owner and was invited to have some wine.  I went farther along and did a view out into the Amstel River, the sunlight was glistening off the water with every boat that passed by.  I put my easel by the waters edge next to a parking slot, so periodically I was asked by a driver if they could back his or her car into the space without bothering me.  I just had to move off to the side while they did their best at parallel parking.  As long as they pulled up in the parking stale I had enough room.  I was doing my best the keep in the shade provided from a large tree.   Out in the direct sunlight I would have been roasting alive. 

 

A few hours later the light changed as the sun came around, so I called it quits and decided to find Rick to do lunch. We make sandwiches every morning and take them with.  As we ate I noticed another scene just down from where Rick was working.  Some hotel had flowers hanging down from every window with a large red awning by the entranceway.  The light was illuminating the façade and flowers.  We set up for the afternoon painting right there on the sidewalk.  

One thing I find curious is that people will automatically consider us as locals and come up with maps in hand asking for directions.  Including a Brit who announced he was looking for the Red Light District, not for himself, but for a buddy of his………right ! 

It’s my birthday today, so Mike said he wanted to take me out to dinner tonight.  That should be fun, just as long as it isn’t one of these coffee shops.  The so-called coffee shops in Amsterdam, don’t really deal in coffee, they are more the Starbuck’s for marijuana and hash in basically any form you could imagine.  They are all legal here as long as they sell you small amounts.  They have one down the street and every morning we see a few ripped tourists hanging out front in a catatonic daze.  None of the locals do it; it’s manly something for the tourists. 

Richard Boyer

Tuesday

It’s a grim day today and not because of the weather.  My camera was stolen, my pride and joy, my Canon D20.

Rick and I headed down more into the city center to paint a drawbridge, around Muntplein.  The weather was still not blue sky, so we figured maybe something close up like some wooded boats would be better for the first piece.  Possible then by the afternoon the skies would be clearer for a more traditional landscape of Amsterdam.  We headed off to a quiet side canal.

I set up along the canal edge between two parked cars and Rick a little farther down to make use of a bench.  I started working and noticed some guy watching.  He then moved on.  I had my backpack and camera both below my easel, basically in front of my feet.  The camera was out just because I like to have quick access to it if a boat comes down the canal. 

Time went by and I noticed the same guy sitting down about 15 feet away from me eating a sandwich.  I figured he was just interested in watching the painting session.  He vanished again after some time; the camera was still there in front of me on the ground.  I caught a few other glimpses of him watching from a distance as I painted.  Then he was gone, I looked down and so was the camera.  I was lost as to just how the asshole did it, since at no time did he ever get close to me!!!

The blunt realization hit me and I frantically searched around for the camera knowing full well it was most likely halfway across Amsterdam.  I gave up on the painting and headed back to the apartment.  The first order of business was to get the camera replaced.  There was no real point in sulking around, I needed a camera for this trip, no if ands’ or buts’!

I used the laptop to search for a camera discount place here and started walking.  About two miles south was the “Kamera Express” store, Holland’s answer to our Best Buy in the States. So for a 1,600 Euro I got set up with a Canon 7D, with the same lens as I had before.  

It looks like I will need to sell a few paintings to pay for this God Damn mistake.

 

Richard Boyer