Loving Local Plein Air

Last weekend I participated in a local plein air paint out, it was a wonderful experience and we were so lucky with the weather. Early on it was supposed to rain, but it ended up being Sunny 70s and light breeze, gorgeous!

 Scouting the area before the paint out is critical, it is always good to know where you are going to paint so that you can get started right away. My friend and I know the park and area very well and yet we still spent a few hours scouting for painting locations.

Friday morning we got our canvases stamped. I always get too many canvases stamped, about 3 of each size from 5x7 to 9x12. This way once I get outside I can choose my size, it is just hard to know what will appeal on any given day.

Our first spot was on a little pedestrian bridge over a stream surrounded by green trees. It was a lovely location, but we both struggled as it was a lot of information on the eye and a lot of green.

After a lunch break we did a quick walkabout to find another view to paint. I had loved a little fence that was hit with sunlight. My friend had seen some trees that appealed to her. We both set out to paint our second paintings. The sunlight was lovely and our little spot was quiet and nice. I thought my second painting came out much better than my first.

I really wanted to get a sunset painting, and the sun doesn't set on the longest day of summer until 915 PM. So after we finished our second paintings, I went back home, refreshed my palette, and turp and washed my brushes, walked the dogs and rested for a bit. Then at 730, I gathered my things and a water and drove back to the park, I already knew where I wanted to paint my sunset painting. Interestingly, the sunset was over at about 845, because there were trees west facing. I did two sunset painting studies this night, fast! The colors and clouds change and move quickly.

The next morning we met up at my friends backyard, which looks onto a marsh/lake. We had fun painting on her neighbors deck, I painted a little boat that was docked there. I am unfamiliar with boats, but I was happy with my painting--I  had fun with the colors and shapes. We stopped our first painting at about 3 pm, I went home to rest and prep for my next sunset painting. I promised my husband dinner, so we left the house at 630 to have dinner near the park.Then after dinner, I took my paint gear and went back to capture the sunset. I used a lot of paint and was really happy with this quickly captured sunset.

When you do a sunset painting in summer you pretty much don't get home until 10 pm. It was tiring! And, once I got home, I had to pack my next day lunch, refresh my palette, wash brushes --all the next day prep. And, Saturday night I had to choose 2 of my 4 paintings that would be in the show and sign and frame them!

First this was a great experience, second we got so lucky with the weather. Third, I was happy with the paintings that I produced and confident in my creations. And boy a nice frame really does make a difference!

I did not win any awards, but still it was a wonderful fun experience.