Try Something New

 A great view.

We have some wonderful parks near where I live and I think I have painted them all. My "Go To" Parks have many trees which is a lot of green (and much sameness). I feel a little bad in that I wish they had more structures (more shapes more colors) to paint. For inspiration I am going to try someplace new!

I am not an adventurer and travelling far to paint is not for me, but I think I need to look around more and find some new great places or scenes, perhaps with more structures.

A goat on a walkway

my painting

Today I ventured someplace new--to a farm with a barn and animals. It was a lovely day if a bit warm in the sun. A few of us set up by the playground as that area had the best farm views. We heard constant chatter of kids playing and running. A few boys in bright tees even chased after the goats by the pond. 

It was a good day and I was happy with my red barn colors. Red against the green grass and green trees (complements) is so much fun. This photo of my painting on the right is as far as I got. My friend Candace suggested that I add a little tree before the small red barn, it was a good choice. I also didn't add all the fencing around the front and side of the barn. My whites were mixing with my reds, so I decided to let the painting dry and will go back and add the whites of the barn later.

Making the Best of It

My Plein Air Workshop in Traverse City was cancelled but we had reservations and vacation time!

Clinch Park Painting

For the third year in a row an Art workshop that I have signed up for has been cancelled.Each art workshop was at a different venue and featured a different art instructor, it leaves me wondering, 'Is it me?' #Seriously?

A cancelled workshop, well that may not be a big deal you say, but this was a destination workshop; we planned to travel--rented a place, husband took vacation days--we were impacted. We decided to keep our rental and my husband's much needed vacation, but now instead of me attending a workshop we had to figure out what to do.

I need to preface all of this with the fact that I am thankful for my patient husband.

Shelter From The Storm

We packed the car and headed up to Traverse City, I included all of my plein air gear. On the way my husband and I discussed where we wanted to go, what we wanted to see during the week.

Day 1: OPA Show & Plein Air Painting
One of my first choices was seeing the Oil Painters of America (OPA) show at the Crooked Tree Gallery in Traverse City, I found some new artists who inspire me. What a lovely venue.

The day was overcast and we feared it might rain. We found a great spot in the park by the bay and I painted for a few hours. Of course, less than a half hour after I started painting, the boat I was painting drove off... a real plein air experience. I saw people board the boat and I painted like a madwoman!

Pierce Stocking View

Day2: Pierce Stocking Drive & Glen Arbor & Fishtown

Bright Light White

Pierce Stocking Drive is gorgeous, I got many reference photos for future paintings (pack a picnic on this scenic drive). North of Glen Arbor was nice, again I got some great reference pics here and in Fishtown. This was a reference photo kind of day. That evening I painted from a photo that I took as we were on the road most of the day.

Day 3: Breakfast at our favorite place, Betsie Bay Lighthouse, Frankfort
I got some great pics of the Betsie Lighthouse and spent a few minutes looking in the rocks at the shore for Petoskey stones. Then we went to downtown Frankfort park and I set up in the shade and painted the Betsie Bay (boats). After painting, I promised my husband an early dinner at a new restaurant in town. Follwed by a search for barn reference photos (future studio paintings).

Frankfort Painting

Bay Beauties

Day 4: Suttons Bay plein air then Grand Traverse Lighthouse then Mawby & Shady Lane Wineries
Earlier in the week we drove by this farm and I knew I had to go back and paint there. We went back, parked on the side of the road and I painted! It was warm so I only painted a few hours, then I packed up and we went to the Grand Traverse Lighthouse. After that we stopped in to two of my favorite wineries -delicious! We were hungry so we stopped off at a great restaurant in TC, nice view and great food! #tiredlongday

Pull Over to Paint

Day 5: Traverse City then Old Mission Point
My husband had an emergency work call so I had breakfast at our favorite cafe (while he sat in the hot car on a call). Then I walked downtown taking photo references and of course I ended up in a bookstore. Finally at noon, the emergency calls were over and we drove out to Old Mission Point. We found a nice beach spot near the water, and had our picnic and read...relaxing and beautiful.

Day 6: Traverse City Beach Day
We took our umbrellas, books and chairs to the beach, another nice day just reading and relaxing. I intentionally left the paints at home so we could just enjoy and relax together.

4 paintings +2 wineries+ 4 lighthouses = 1 great vacation.

I was happy that I got time with my husband & time painting--the weather was lovely...
Yes, I think we did make the best of it.