Since I all my plans didn't quite work today, I was determined to at least get some painting done finally. So I braved the 98°. This challenge put forth by James Coulter on Daily Paintworks, instructed outdoor painting for an hour only. It was almost 10AM when I finally stepped out the door to paint my blackeyed Susans which were planted by my neighbor Shirley for me by the gazebo. They looked tired so I watered around first to give them a chance to perk up a little bit. After I carried everything I needed outside I realized I was using a different tripod/easel which was not compatible with my artbox. So I ended up just holding my artbox on my lap and proceeded to paint after I set my mobile phone timer to 60 minutes.
"Blackeyed Susan in 98° Heat" 12x9 oil on canvas
This next photo was the beginning and after that, 30 minutes later I had what I thought was gonna be the finished painting within an hour. But I actually feel pretty good about the painting after 50 minutes of working in the heat and the ants that made their way to under my sundress. I now realize one doesn't wear sundress plein air painting. But I enjoyed being outside, hearing soft movements among trees and ground from birds and other moving things. Butterflies visited the flowers but I didn't bother to paint them in. Of course I actually could have painted them since they were so wiped out by heat and were very thirsty. But my brushes wouldn't have done them justice. I still have 10 minutes I didn't use, I wonder if I should tweak a bit more? I finally got in the house after hauling everything back in at 1PM. Suffering for the love of painting outdoors is fun as long as I have air-conditioned house to come home to ;)
^^First stage of the painting^^
"Cherries and Cream Reflections" 2.5"x3.5" watercolor on paper
I painted this last week for the DPW Reflections challenge.
I am brave enough to report that I've failed my 30-day painting challenge. I had to forfeit because my dear artist neighbor Shirley sold their house and were moving to another state. I helped her for two weekends at her garage sale. She had given me artist furniture and other supplies and I had to make room for them in my art room. And since my art room was already busting at the seams, I had to move most things out so I could rearrange and sort through things. When I decide to organize, I try very hard not to just pile everything back in. I really sort.
One view of the old pile. It doesn't look half this bad anymore. But my rotator cuff problem has flared up again. As I was painting today it reminded me of watching Serena Williams play tennis with a lot of grunting. But all I was trying to do was raise my hand up to my eye level. Hey, the painting looks pretty good though :)
