Spring is here!

Spring! 5x7 pastel available $15.00

This is my first plein air painting for 2017.  I'm still very new to the whole plein air experience, and what an experience this past Saturday was!  My son and I headed to Adkins Arboretum - a great place for hiking and getting ideas for landscaping.  They use only native plants and will have plant sales throughout the year of just native plants and classes on how to use them in your yards.  Well, because I'm still new to plein air painting, I decided we should head far into the woods so I wouldn't be on display so much with the other Arboretum visitors.  We hiked about 30 minutes into the woods and came across this blooming branch over the stream.  There just happened to be a bench right here at this scene, but there were two ladies sitting and talking - I didn't want to set up in front of them so we hiked down the trail a little ways, sat on some fallen trees and waited for them to leave.  And waited, and waited, and waited. Finally!  We had the bench and the view to ourselves. I packed as light as I could, so I planned on doing the painting on my lap.  I found a good place to sit on a little hill and set my supplies out all around me. Then, my first bite.  And then another and another - bugs were flying in my eyes, my hair, down my shirt.  I don't know what kind of bugs these were, but they did NOT want me there!  But I was determined to complete this painting.  I'd paint a stroke, and swat bugs and paint a stroke and swat bugs.  It was terrible!  I finally decided to pack it up when I notice blood spots coming through my shirt.  I was left with a chest full of bites!  I had no idea painting could be so dangerous! Seriously though, the lesson learned - always carry insect repellent!  I know I will not forget it again.

Tonight my plein air group is heading to St. Michaels to do a nocturnal painting.  We're going to meet for dinner before hand, and then set up when the sun sets.  This will be quite a challenge - We will be wearing head lamps to be able to see what we're doing.  I'm sure it will look quite funny to on lookers - a whole group of people wearing head lamps.  I'll post all about it tomorrow.