What’s different about a plein air artist from “normal” people? Painting on location can be wonderfully lovely, but sometimes it has its challenges. There’s something addictive about the experience for those of us who love it. Here’s a couple of snapshots of outdoor painting.
“Fishing the Stillwater” was a treat to paint. The approaching winter cold in SW Montana was held at bay that day, the fly fisherman appeared as if arranged, and the approaching night’s wintry storm had not even a breath of wind to bother us… a truly peaceful scene.
Read a text I sent another plein air artist this summer that prompted her to call me laughing to commiserate. “Ah, painting outdoors. A great start painting in Barry’s pasture. Hills, cows, flowers, crops… A lovely yellow biplane appears low overhead. I wave anticipating the customary dipping of the wing in return. It starts spraying who knows what? I piled my gear into the trunk in a destructive heap. I lost my lens cap. My I-pod broke even before the plane arrived. Geez! But I still feel happy because I got a great start and photos to work from.”
