Saturday, May 22, 2010

Dawn

Only 5:20 am when I peered out and saw the calm water of Liberty Bay. I pulled on a robe and climbed out onto the sun deck and painted the dawn. Coffee came later, around 7, when I was finished. Cold, but happy. Happy to be painting. Happy it's not raining. Happy to catch the dawn.

My set up: board with paper, foil dust tray, small Heilman box, table, paper towel. Still water. Quiet start of the day. A bald eagle flew right over the boat. I heard the wind in his feathers.

8 comments:

SamArtDog said...

Stunning photos, Katherine. I always wondered at the unreal blues in your pastels; Now I know how real they are. If only your nightmare story were just as unreal.

First, let me say how very glad I am to know (bloggishly) you now. You could say, thankful. After reading yesterday's post, including your entry from last August, I thought of the comment you recently sent to me...

"But, fearlessness is EXCELLENT! Let's hear it for those who jump in the deep end, who try things before they allow themselves to wonder if they should, and who ACT instead of observe.
Yeah. I'll get out my pom poms for those kind of folks!"

Maybe you'd choose another phrase besides "jump in the deep end" and maybe your pom poms and pastels are a little bit soggy, but it all gives your advice a power I can't help but respect. I admire your courage and the wisdom it's brought to you. Thanks for giving me a dose.

Continue to have a beautiful and SAFE trip. Glad to hear the eagles are with you.

Casey Klahn said...

We should work on a new product - waterproof pastels. Nyuk, nyuk.

I remember well doing the full dunk from the boat several times as a youth, which is why I can kid you.

Much love and stay safe on your Alaska trip!

Suzanne said...

Lovely painting,Katherine.
I appreciate seeing your pastel setup with foil for the dust. Just thinking of how the boats rock and sway and you keep the perfect lines.

Celeste Bergin said...

beautiful blue painting...I like the idea of painting before coffee---though I doubt that I could do it! Stay dry and keep the paintings coming! (Hi Peter!)

Katherine van Schoonhoven said...

Hi Sam! I'm glad to know you, too. Being around the water again on this trip brings back the worries from last year's fall into the water. But, so far so good with staying dry! Thank you so much for reading and commenting here! I appreciate it so much.

Casey -- I didn't know that you had spent some time accidentally in the water, too. I know you're kidding. You know we could figure out a new art major for Evergreen College -- underwater pastel painting!! What do you think?

Suzanne -- straight lines are a challenge when everything is moving. The bigger challenge today was that crazy boat. It kept showing me its port side, then the starboard side, then the front. Like a vain woman posing in front of a mirror, she was all over the place!

Celeste -- painting before coffee was a challenge for sure. I know you'd be up for it. Let's plan an art trip when I get back into town! A plein air field trip. We could paint before coffee, paint after midnight ...

Casey Klahn said...

I know for a fact that Geoducks paint.

Jala Pfaff said...

Nice pastels happening here! I really like this one and the one in the post above it.

loriann signori said...

Beautiful soft feeling. Good for you, just getting up and doing it!