On the road
This painting is really part of my Woodstock-Saugerties series (2007-2009). The view is between the 2 towns, on the overpass of the NYS Thruway you get a good view of Overlook Mountain, which rises north of Woodstock. There is about 10 miles and a vast difference between Woodstock and Saugerties. They are as different as red and blue American, which i see as red/orange and blue/green America.
This painting is from a very hot summer day. The highlights were shimmering. I got up early to do the laundry in Saugerties. And by 9 am, it was already a scorcher! Here’s “Hot road on a summer morning” from 2008
For me, the interesting thing about this view is not only the way the mountain looks, and I hope to make more paintings of this view in all kinds of weather conditions. It looks like Shangri-La with the mist rising above. And it is Shangri-La. A mythical place that is part real, part illusion. But the interest for me is the crossroad in this painting. Which way to go? Get on the thruway and zip down to NYC. Or stay on rte 212 and be in the center of Woodstock in 10 minutes. Which way to go?! And there’s a gas station, implied on the left, so you have the fuel to go where you choose. And you know one thing. It’s 9 am, and it’s already 85 degrees. Your choice!