Whirlwind!
It’s been a very busy, exciting, and challenging summer. My final festival exhibition was followed by teaching a 1 day watercolor workshop at PenArt, followed by taking a 4 day pastel workshop from Colette Odya Smith at PenArt, followed by a 12 day plein air painting event that starts tomorrow!
Today I finish organizing my plein air painting supplies, and tomorrow I check in, get panels stamped, and paint! Information about this inaugural event is available here – Fox River Plein Air and here – https://wisconsinvisualartists.org/plein-air-along-the-fox-river/
One of the reasons I wanted to take the pastel workshop last week was to “fine tune” my painting skills. I practiced using a watercolor underpainting followed by layering pastels. I also practiced seeing the landscape and the world around us in a new way.
Both of these paintings are from the workshop I attended last week, and both were inspired by the rock gardens in my son’s backyard when I visited last month. What stands out most to me is the use of watercolor as initial color that peaks through in random areas between pastels.
Yesterday I visited several potential painting locations along the Fox River, and depending on the weather I’ll decide if I go where there is available shelter or not (it’s suppose to be a rainy week).
The other painting I did last week was a more traditional landscape, and I worked from a photo I took close to home along the river, I may go back there tomorrow to get acclimated for this event and start somewhere familiar.
What stands out most to me was the underpainting contributing to the crispness of the final colors.
I know the time of day will impact the local color. Sunset always provides my favorite warm hues. I will hope the sun decides to come out at some point. I may even setup encaustic painting materials later in the week! Because this event is 12 days long I will have time to move around, experiment, and at the very least will produce 5 paintings (required), framed and hanging for the final Gala on September 12. It should be an interesting experience, and a definite challenge… who doesn’t love a good challenge!?