Plein Aire Painting
Today was the first day for plein aire painting. We spend our summer months in Durango, Colorado and one of the special treats for me is to go out with ten or fifteen painters and spend the day painting a small piece of gorgeous Colorado landscape. I am not a great watercolorist but I do enjoy being outdoors, the companionship, and the challenge.
When I loaded up the car with all the easels, paints, and water jugs it was chilly. But, with not a cloud in the sky I was plenty warm by ten A.M. Enduring wind and sun, everyone paints till noon and then shares lunch together. The group is very eclectic and many of the artists are quite successful, selling much of their work. At three o’clock we all quit and line our work up to be evaluated. How different the paintings are! The immense variety of “vision” and “imagination” reminds me that we all see in very different and wonderful ways.
My particular vision won’t be exhibited anytime soon in an art gallery. However, the opportunity to study a small snippet of nature closely for six hours was invaluable. Our impressionist forbearers pointed out that the light on an object is in continual change. Yet, how often I simply ignore the cinematic character of the beauty around me. In the course of today’s painting the water in front of me changed from multiple shades of green, to blue, then brown with red and violet highlights. As the day went on, the newly lime green aspens were reflected in the water only to be erased by ripples with near white tops mirroring the gleam of a bright sun.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Psalm 19:1
I spent the day studying the handiwork of God-I am truly blest.
Blessings
David