Two Gulls
watercolor 20x26" matted and framed,  
$500.

I was with a group of plein air painters
at beautiful Brenton Point, Newport,
Rhode Island on a somewhat stormy
morning. As I unloaded my watercolor
materials, these two gulls landed very
close by.  Due to the weather, I wasn't
sure I'd have  time do any seascape, let
alone a portrait these birds, but the two
of them stayed perfectly still, as if
posing, long enough  to get a
likeness--though admittedly from the
feathery tail end.









Jazz at Chan's
relief print  8x10" image, 16x20"
matted and framed   $200.

This is an original,  limited edition print,
enhanced with pen and ink. First, the
drawing is etched into a printmaking
plate with a sharp grooved
woodworking tool. Then, the carved
plate is lightly inked all across its
surface.  Printmaking paper is placed  
over the inked plate and rubbed with
the heel of my hand to leave an
impression. The last step is to add pen
and ink over the white un-inked lines of
the print. A long and, I hope, not too
confusing explanation of how a
perfomance I saw at a jazz club and
restaurant well known in Rhode Island
became a  memory preserved.







Nude Facing Away
charcoal drawing   16x20" image,
26x20" matted and  framed   $200.

This charcoal drawing was done  
during a  figure/ life studio session. I
believe there is nothing better for
improving  art technique than drawing
the human body. To me it's the
measure of  draftsmanship. Our eyes
are far more forgiving about the shape
of a tree, or the height of a building, but  
cannot  easily ignore even slight
distortions of the body or head. If an
artist can accurately portray the human
figure, drawing everything else
becomes much easier. In this sketch
I've hedged my bets a bit by avoiding
this model's face and many parts of her
anatomy, but  by doing so, I hope I've
evoked a bit more mystery in what's
unseen. You be the judge.
Craig Masten
Artist Website
Printmaking--Limited edition original prints:
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Copyright 2008 Craig Masten  All Rights Reserved
Watercolors
Welcome to my
Website. I'm pleased
by the opportunity for
you to view my work,
read about my
background, and know
some of my reasons
for doing art. I
frequently update  
pictures in the Gallery.
the News, and other
pages. Most of all, I
hope you'll enjoy
yourself and visit often.
Mount Hope Bridge, Lifting Fog
oil 16x20" unframed $1200

When moving from the east bay of
Rhode Island onto Aquidneck Island and
Newport, you cross this  two lane
suspension bridge. My painting was
done from the perspective of a small
grassy area near the massive, yet
somehow delicate metal pilings, with
morning fog just burning away in
summer sunshine. The bridge was built
for another,less populous age. Traffic
now demands wider bridges with more
lanes. We'll never see such graceful
structures as the Mount Hope, its
narrow high towers, the old fashioned
lamp lights, and a ribbon-like roadway
high over the water.  
Featured Picture
Once again we enter
the holiday season
with November cold,
endless leaves to
rake, nights that
begin too soon, and,
of course, Christmas
music and
decorations ever
earlier--this year I
heard the music  
before Halloween. I
thought a little
watercolor I did of
the Power Station on
the Providence River
would be an
appropriately  
warming sight,
familiar to anyone
who lives in Rhode
Island.
The Providence Power Station
watercolor  11x14" matted and framed, $125.