day 4 -- hitting the wall

The previous three days of intense learning, time in the sunshine, hauling gear around, setting up, tearing down, painting, listening, stretching, driving to locations, ... it's compounding as the days pass and today I hit the wall. I painted two small paintings (one I scraped down). 

Today I tried to put into practice what Elio has been saying about directional strokes and rhythm of forms and within forms. Coupled with a more liberal application of paint and I feel like I succeeded in what I set out to do. These are baby steps, but what a delight to take these wobbly ones! No wonder I feel like a need a nap!

hump day at Cascade Locks

11 x 14, oil on board

looking into the glare to paint it -- a challenge!

Elio Camacho

How do you select a plein air painting subject? Today, I walked along the edge of the island at Cascade Locks Marine Park and was captivated by the glare on the water. I thought, "That will be hard to paint! Pick something else. It will strain your eyes. It will be hard to see colors. Pick something else." But, nothing else interested me like the glare, so I jumped in.

I'll get a better photograph of this painting another day, but you can see how I am really piling on the paint. I like the painting. And I liked my experience of painting it. Well, except for the part where the wind picked up my palette and all of the Quinacridone Red paint went into the grass. Oh, and the part where my trash bag blew up and into my palette and became very friendly with my Ultramarine Blue paint. But I enjoyed looking at the scene and mixing the paint and laying it down. All of that was fun.

The great thing about painting in the Columbia River Gorge is the fantastic Columbia River! Makes me think of this great song, done by many artists, but this is the fantastic Eva Cassidy. Take Me to the River!

Elio Camacho workshop!

little car with a very full trunk ... I know I forgot something!

Elio Camacho painting at sunset

acrylic frame turned into my traveling palette

Over the last several years, I have heard so many good things about Elio Camacho and his workshops I just had to sign up! Lucky for me, I got in before he discontinued giving workshops. Wow. I feel very lucky to be here.

Here's my first painting today, from the Women's Forum lookout, facing east toward Beacon Rock in the scenic Columbia River Gorge. It's a fair painting, but I failed at seeing and putting in enough color in the water. Among other things. More tomorrow!