Mt. Hook

In 1999, Don Nice offered Ellen Keiter, one of the Museum’s curators at the time, a chance to take a literal journey with an artist. He traveled by boat from New York City to the Adirondacks, painting along the way. Being on the water gave Nice a unique perspective on the varied terrain of the Hudson’s shores, including Mount Hook, just above Nyack, depicted here.

Keiter joined the trip far enough to see him paint this watercolor: “We traveled slowly, often drifting with the current so Nice could paint. It was choppy on the water, but he claimed that the rocking of the boat made it easier, not harder, for him to work. It’s important for Nice to feel connected to the site he is painting. . . . I realized that while his images depict recognizable . . . vistas, they also express something more personal. Each watercolor is a special tribute to the River.”