Abbot Hall Enwrapped

Marblehead, MA

Marblehead’s iconic brick and stone civic structure, Abbot Hall, situated in the center of town on its highest ground, was undergoing much needed exterior weatherizing, pointing, and general maintenance. Back lit by a bright summer sun, the near circus-like quality of the sheer construction wrapping with the linear scaffolding, offered numerous unusual shapes, with the shifting hues and shadows, lines and edges, and diffused, concealed forms. The color contrasts of the subject’s warm, reddish colors with the surrounding sky, trees and foreground buildings, enabled the palette for this plein air work. A rare sight, which may not occur for another 50 years or more, was a strong attraction worthy of capturing it in paint.