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
Steeple Street at Night,  Drydock, watercolor,
11x14" matted and framed
Tis the season for artists to present work
in Little Picture Holiday shows, and my
wife Gail Armstrong and I will have our
work in several such events. One of the
oldest is at the Providence Art Club
where we also will have our studio next
door open during the weekends of
November and December to visit and
buy art. We also will have artwork on
display at "Les Petites Oeuvres" show at
Spring Bull Gallery in Newport where we
regularly exhibit, and in the Holiday Sale
at the Mystic Arts Center in Connecticut.
Last but not least, a great deal of my
work is also at Five Main Gallery in
Wickford, Rhode Island, a pleasant town
to visit during the season. Hope you get
to one or more of these places, and I will
be much appreciative if one of our pieces
finds its way onto your gift list or into
your home.  Happy Holidays