Mountain plein air painting

August 3, 2009

    Painting outside on location with the summer sun hard on my shoulders, a gentle breeze stirring the air and a peaceful view in front of me transports me into pure heaven right here on earth. Add to that other contented artists doing the same thing at the same time and I feel blessed. But this last plein air adventure brought wonderful enlightenment each day too 

 I had been invited to participate in the Painting the Landscape/Preserving the Land plein air paint-out in Frisco, Colorado hosted by the Continental Divide Land Trust. Day one I chose to paint along the Dillon Reservoir at Giberson Bay – a nice little spot with views across the lake to towering mountains. I set up rapidly and painted this one:

 

Along the Bay 9 x 12 Oil Plein Air

   By now I am really in the swing and instead of moving to another location, I swung around 90 degrees and, holding an 8 x 10 panel in my hand, I began to paint another. Suddenly out of nowhere there arrived a bus load of primary school kids out for a summer adventure. “What are you doing?” they asked. “Are you an artist?” “How do you do that?” Their wonderful inquisitive up-turned faces absolutely captivated me. These were Denver inner city school children; a wonderful mix of ethnicity and I am sure of economic circumstance too. The old teacher in me surfaced immediately and I engaged them in conversation about art, school and themselves. I demonstrated some, found quite a few wanna-be artists in the bunch and was rewarded with very real respect and a gracious attitude. When I announced that I needed to pack up to leave many joined in to help haul all my paraphernalia back to the car. I was overcome with memories of my years as a middle school teacher. If you let them know you are really interested in them, trust them and show respect, they, in turn, will treat you the same. Isn’t that really the Golden Rule in action? 

 

Away from the City 8 x 10 oil plein air

Please note that I have titled this painting in honor of those delightful school children. May they thrive and achieve all their desired hopes. I have dedicated this painting to the Denver Inner City School System. 

 But that’s not all……

 The next day I hurried off to the beaver ponds at the estuary end of the lake. Great location and I quickly started this one. Suddenly, the light became flat and I lost the early morning feel in the painting, so I will rework the ponds in the studio. I really like the colors in the mountains as the sun began to fill the far valley with light.

 

On the Easel Beaver Ponds 9 x 12 oil plein air

 Then, what to my wondering eyes should appear but….an old friend dropped by to watch me paint; all the while he blew-me-away with his desire to share and chew the fat. This old friend is my ex-husband, with whom I shared my Montana adventures in the early 1970’s. Our time together while I painted presented me with more emotion and joy than I can easily share. We talked about our kids, our grandkids, parents still alive and our spouses. We are both happily married now and know and enjoy each other’s spouse; we see each other for family affairs and enjoy those times, but to spend an entire afternoon together is a first and was absolutely delightful in every way. He helped get my things back in the car, went to the gallery to help me unload then treated me to a glass of wine. And he told me he always knew I was a good artist, always knew I had it in me! Holly Cow! THANKS, JIM!

 

On the Easel Willow Preserve Pond 9 x 12 Oil plein air

I’ve a lot to repair/repaint with this one – concentration while my ex watched and talked was difficult at best. And if you remember I paint in my right brain – communicate and socialize in my left. Guess which one was engaged that afternoon?

I’m keeping this one short – sort of – as I regroup in the studio to get some good work done for up-coming shows. Next blog just may be about the choices and differences between small and large paintings. 

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 Ciao!

 Ginger