Chokecherry Canyon

 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.