Blog

First off, I wanted to thank all the wonderful individuals that joined me at Loring Park this past weekend.  It turned out to be an absolutely gorgeous day.  It was one of those days that even if the finished painting wasn’t one headed for the Louvre, at least the process of painting it was an enjoyable happening.

I made the decision to visit with every person who was in attendance.  After doing my lay in, and before I finished the piece I made the rounds, visiting with everyone and making suggestions on the paintings they were producing.  As always seems to happen, there were a couple folk who strayed a bit further from the group seeking the perfect composition…I assume.  One individual was Emmy, who found a bench to her liking and spread out her equipment and had just completed a watercolor just as I came up.  I could see why this place called to her, the shade of a large tree spread overhead, and the view of she had of the small lake was so inviting.  Her piece on half sheet of paper was larger than I feel comfortable working outdoors, but small by her standards as she informed me.  It was what she said that intrigued me most.  “Well I wasn’t expecting much, just having fun”, she said with the brush still in her hand wet from the last stroke on a really neat painting.

I think it was the innocence of the work, the desire to express the impression and joy she felt.  I noticed that in Brian’s work too.  Again it was large; it too was very colorful, chromatic, pulsing with intense hues.  It seems that color is a vehicle that helps drive home the stunning wonder of nature.  I fight to keep it in control, for I know that nature’s palette is quite subdued, but how refreshing to see the brilliance of those that don’t paint much outdoors and their scrimmage with nature.  The results were better than I was expecting, and they were certainly having fun!