Kingston Bridge

22″ x 28″
Oil on canvas

One of my favorite subjects has always been old bridges. In 1981 we were living in New Jersey near Princeton. When a friend told us about a bridge nearby. George Washington was supposed to have crossed this bridge after his famous battle on the Potomac on Christmas. Of course we waited for a record cold New Year’s day to photograph it. Through the years I’ve painted this bridge several times but decided to revisit once again. Snow pictures are challenging because the lines and shadows on white snow can make it look dirty. Without shadows the snow can look flat. After the painting was completed it just seemed to lack something. After letting it rest for weeks I put all my references away. Then using Grumbacher GEL and Liquin for glaze I tried to bring some life to the painting. It’s important to remember that painting represents a moment in time from the artists mind. The structure should be accurately represented but trees and the surrounding objects can be portrayed any way the artist chooses in order to make a painting. If you want a perfect picture use the photograph. When verifying the location of the bridge in Kingston New Jersey I found that the original bridge that George Washington crossed was destroyed to prevent the British from using it. This bridge was rebuilt in 1798 even so, It is also possibly the oldest Stone bridge in the United States.