Notes From the Pocahade Box
I was very surprised to get two pretty decent paintings today on my painting excursion to Fair Oaks, where I am an artist in residence, lucky me. I go there to paint as often as they will put up with me. :>) In the last several years I have thought of plein air work as study work. My studio work is superior to my plein air work most of the time, but now and then i do something pretty good on location. Today was just working for me somehow and I can't remember when I've enjoyed a painting session more. Perhaps it was the lovely weather with the temperature about 74 degrees. Not too hot or too cold. Perhaps it was that I again have my Sundays to myself and can go to Fair Oaks to paint. For whatever reason, I really felt good about the paintings and the process.
The real painting work I save for the studio where I can really "get er done". My pleasure as a location painter is the joy of being out in beautiful places, sitting and observing the light and atmosphere, the birds and wild creatures I see. Whether I paint or not is not of much importance, though I usually do paint some if I'm by myself. I find painting with others to be distracting. The world of painting on location is different than paint outs where we are on display. I still love to paint on location and I feel it is necessary if you want to be a good landscape painter. I like the marriage of plein air and studio painting, the best of both worlds. I am less and less enamored with paint outs after doing them for over 10 years. I will see if it's time to let that go after 2012.
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