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COAST TO COAST (p.4)
Once Mott has determined the subject, he makes quick notations with blue or gray paint on the gessoed panels; as he progresses, he paints over these marks. He often leaves areas of the panel either unpainted or thinly painted to let the tone of the gesso work into the painting. Nearly all of his paintings are completed in a single session, but he may make graphite sketches on-site and later paint from the memory of a particular time and place.
.....One of Mott's favorite locations was Mono Lake, California. The two days he was there the wind was blowing hard,
 but that did not stop him from finishing a half dozen of his best paintings on the trip. Another group of works that stand out among Mott's oeuvre - the nocturnes - aren't tied to a single location. Sometimes these paintings are little more than a horizon and sky lit by moonlight or a single streetlight. In their abstraction the pieces may remind one of the atmospheres of color in work by Mark Rothko or the more romantic Albert Pinkham Ryder. The tendency toward a monochromatic scheme is also reminiscent of photographer Alfred Steiglitz's cloudscapes in his Equivalents series.
 .....After 11 weeks on the road, Mott returned home. He was not able to visit all the people with whom he had corresponded, leaving room for other voyages around the country. In fact, he has already completed two additional tours of New England and is contemplating a local expedition through western New York for next year. Of the experience, he says, "I like interacting with people, and somehow, having this special purpose - painting their surroundings and painting every day - facilitates a strong relationship with my hosts. Their interest in what I am doing helps me a lot - energizes me.


Salida, Colorado, No. 2: Sunrise View of Rockies,
oil on panel, 4 x 5 ½. Collection the artist.

Upon waking up to this scene outside his window, Mott quickly got his paints and spent about a half hour on this painting - and then he went back to sleep.


Burlingame, Kansas, No. 7: Kansas House,
oil on panel, 8 x 5 ½. Collection the artist.

When Mott came across the scene depicted in this painting, he captured it in a quick two-minute graphite sketch. He did the painting from the drawing later that night.


Decorah, Iowa, No. 1: The Stone House,
oil on panel, 8 x 5 ½. Collection Adrian and Kay Strand.

Although only in the early stages of renovation, this property had the look of a European country estate. Of the painting, Mott says, "I thought this view conveyed that quality best and would encourage my hosts in their big undertaking.


Stoughton, Wisconsin, No. 1: Oak,
oil on panel, 8 x 5 ½. Collection Susan and Lee Greenler.

By the time he made it to Stoughton, the artist had figured out that his visits worked best when he completed a painting as soon as possible. For that reason, he notes, "Shortly after arriving and meeting my host, I painted this oak—the first picturesque scene that caught my eye."