Blue Hills. Painting #55. Painted From Memory, Without a Reference

Blue Hills is painting number 55 in my collection. It’s an original piece created using the wet-on-wet technique and classic Bob Ross-style elements. I painted it on a smaller canvas—simply because that’s all I had at the time. I was still living away from home, and this ended up being the last painting I completed during that period.

Inspiration

The scene was inspired by one of my favorite places: Maine. I’ve painted a few Maine-inspired pieces before—check out Mopang Lake and Peaceful Waters if you haven’t already.

I’ve always wanted to revisit this one on a larger canvas. I had a vivid scene in mind, but the small format couldn’t quite capture it the way I envisioned. Still, it was a great opportunity to practice composition and tonal work. I didn’t use any photo reference—just intuition and memory.

Notes From the Easel

Figuring out the right values was a challenge, but also one of the most satisfying parts of the process. There’s something deeply rewarding about mixing until you hit the exact color or value you’re aiming for.

The day I painted Blue Hills was absolutely gorgeous. I worked outside with a cool breeze and plenty of natural light, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The easel I borrowed from the owner made outdoor painting easy, and it got me thinking: once I get a standing easel of my own, I’ll definitely try painting outdoors again. Maybe even venture into some en plein air painting! That should be fun!

Final Thoughts

Here’s a neat little tidbit: This Blue Hills painting is currently my most liked photo on Instagram. As of this writing, it’s sitting at 158 likes—which is wild considering I usually average around 40. I’m not overly focused on likes, but it’s a pleasant surprise. And hey, who wouldn’t want to own the most liked painting in my feed? If you’re interested, it’s available in my Art Shop.

As always, hope you enjoy it. Follow along the journey and get connected with me on social media.

Happy painting!