Dreamboat Nocturne by Neal Hughes

I painted this scene while I was participating in the Cape Ann Plein Air Competition in Massachusetts.  I was in Gloucester looking for subjects to paint for the following day as the sun was going down. When I came across this boat I quickly realized it would make a great noctune painting. I was joined by 3 or 4 other artists during the evening and I believe they were all painting this same boat. It took until the wee hours but I completed this in one sitting. It won the Artists Choice Award (Voted the best painting by the other artists) and First Place Award (selected for the top award by judge, Don Demers) in the competition.  Needless to say I was thrilled by these honors.