Oh plein air how you taunt me

Plein Air taunts me

So it was the hottest day of the summer so far.  30 degrees with a humidex of 38.  And I decide to set up to paint in my backyard.  I angled my easel into the sun. Smart!  Remembered to wear my sun hat.  And started to paint.  

Sweat dripping off my brow, running down my face making spots on my glasses.  So very hot. And a foolish teeny tiny red ant decided to check out the various colours on my palette.  I had a hard time convincing it to leave.  It got its tiny feet stuck in the yellow paint.

I had on a funky hat. You know the one – with the long back to protect your neck? Lightweight and with sun protection in it.  I bought it at the Garden of the Gods in Colorado (I admit, I just like saying that) a couple of years ago.  When I finally took it off, my hair was a mess of dripping – am I sharing too much?

100 degrees of discomfort

As the day progressed it got even hotter and soon I found myself in full sun.  It was at that moment that I realized I probably should be wearing sunscreen.  Opps.  And to add to my discomfort a mosquito or three liked my sunscreen.  And to top it off, my water mixable oil paints started to change texture. Paint gone wrong.  Dried to palette and was unable to mix colours.  The white, holy moly, went all gloppy making it impossible to mix or event pick up a small amount to create a highlight. crap

But I managed to create

So these two paintings took about two hours each. They say paint what you know – and I know this space.  I am hoping that one day I will be as confident painting en plein air as I am creating in the studio.  Fingers crossed

secret commission

ouch – that I am unable to share

until next time, have a lovely summer