Plein Air:
A few days ago was a very memorable day out Plein Air painting...great company, great art, great experience...I could not ask for a better time.

Here is a visual:....The weather was warm with a slight breeze and lots of shade. The scenery was excellent...water, mountains, pretty sailboats, marina and animals. The birds were singing; a mink fished; a pelican preened; Mama duck with not so little babies, still in protective mode; baby birds chirping for food; Green Heron standing proud and Grebes talking back and forth. No bugs (well, no real irritating ones...just a few wanting to become permanent with the paint), no mosquitoes, no surprises...just a great day all around. Thank you fellow artists.

Our View

Pelican 

Green Heron

Mama Duck

Grebe

Mink

Martha:

Acrylic

 Colette:

Watercolor

 Joni:

Watercolor

I didn't get finished...I usually don't paint when I have a class...but the day was so inviting !!!

I finished it in the studio

Quote: "Find something you are passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it."                             Julia Child.
Plein Air:
In a few hours I will be out with a class to paint Plein Air....(painting outside). Plein Air never use to be anything I like to do....in fact...I never painted outside. Then, as things go, one day it became a passion. There is something about the air, the smell, the sounds and the relaxation. Yes, it seems relaxing to me to paint outdoors...even with the heat sweat, bug bites, bird gifts, surprise sprinklers, endless questions from passersby and the poor decision to set up on a dirt road that is used often by log trucks.
I will be conducting my class at a local urban park that is on the lake with all the excitement painting outside can contain...water, trees, water fowl, marina, boats, mountains...mosquitoes, seagulls, temperatures in the 90's...ha, ha !
One reason Plein Air painting has been in my life is because of where I live. The below photos are from my deck...so you can see there are lots to keep me in canvas and paint. I'm finding it hard to leave home today because the views are super...but there are other vistas and people to paint with...so onward.

Give Plein Air a try.

Helpful hints: Wear clothing for the weather, always wear a hat (the glare of any natural light is hard on the eyes and makes your paints appear different in value), drink lots of water, don't have the sun shine on your palette or painting surface,  smile at the questions... keep your back to a tree or rock...then when someone comes up to you to ask those questions, you don't jump out of your skin, as the tree keeps them from sneaking up from behind you. Don't leave anything behind, especially those solvents (pack them home, don't pour it out on the ground). 

HAVE FUN.