A Portfolio of My Chestnut Ridge Park Drawings

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Philip Koch painting and drawing at Chestnut 
Ridge Park, May 2015

In May of 2015 I took my first official trip to Buffalo, NY as Burchfield Penney Art Center's Artist in Residence. I asked Scott Propeak and Tullis Johnson, two of BPAC's Curators, where I might go to get some panoramic views of the area. They both suggested Chestnut Ridge Park, an area south of Buffalo that had been a favorite of Charles Burchfield's when he worked on his landscapes. Their suggestion was right on target.

I began at the crest of the hill in the Park that commands a view looking north toward a distant Lake Erie. A whole series of drawings ensued. Though I had grown up in nearby Rochester I had never done serious art in Western New York State before. These repeated views from Chestnut Ridge reflect my delight in finally working from the landscape where I grew up. I just wanted to keep doing drawing after drawing.




Philip Koch, Chestnut Ridge: Lake Erie, vine
charcoal, 12 x 9", 2015

I often do pastel drawings back in my studio based on my on site charcoal drawings. The charcoal above led to the two pastels that follow.



Philp Koch, Chestnut Ridge: Lake Erie Blue, 
pastel, 10 x 7 1/2", 2015




Philip Koch, Chestnut Ridge: Lake Erie Orange,
pastel, 10 x 7 1/2", 2015


While making a drawing is considerable faster than my usual medium of oil painting, it's still time consuming. But I like that. It gives you extended opportunities to sense other possibilities out of the corner of your eye. The longer I stay in a place working the more apt I am to discover something else I have to do a new composition about.


Philip Koch, Chestnut Ridge: Spring Trees,
vine charcoal & white pastel chalk, 12 x 9", 
2016




Philip Koch, Chestnut Ridge Panorama, vine charcoal,
 10 1/2 x 14", 2016





Philip Koch, Chestnut Ridge Forest, vine charcoal, 
13 x 13", 2016






Philip Koch, Chestnut Ridge May,  vine charcoal, 9 x 12", 2015





Philip Koch, Chestnut Ridge: Gold Sky, vine charcoal, 9 x 12",
2015




Philip Koch, Chestnut Ridge: Buffalo Skyline, vine charcoal,
9 x 12", 2016

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