Chokecherry Canyon
12” x 12”
Acrylic on Canvas
I can’t think of a better way to spend the day than being
outside and painting. While you may have to contend with wind, rain, snow, or
heat—wind is the worst—there is something really satisfying about capturing a
landscape while you are immersed in it.
When I’m along a lake or stream, I like to use water from
those sources as my painting water to incorporate the place into my piece.
Sometimes when it’s windy, I accidentally incorporate local soil or rocks into
a painting. 😊
I recently attended a “paint out” with a regional group of
plein air painters. I’ve enjoyed discovering new places to paint and meeting
other artists. The group spreads out in a location and paints for about 3 hours
and then comes together for a critique. It’s been a good exercise in working
quickly to capture the essence of a site. Of course, using a small canvas helps
with that effort.
Chokecherry Canyon was a nice surprise. It’s an ATV
recreation area and luckily, there were no ATVs buzzing down the canyon the day
we were there. Filled with interesting rock formations and hoo doos, it
provided plenty of great spots to set up our gear. We had clear blue skies and
ideal weather, which though unseasonably warm was appreciated by all. And, the
wind didn’t come up until it was about quitting time.
