I'm Back

I am so funny looking. Like a square.

Florida Art

Notes From the Pochade Box

I had a whirlwind five days at Merritt Island Wildlife Reserve and the Canaveral Seashore. I learned a lot about the environment there and the habitat. This year I brought binoculars, thoughtfully given to me by my friend Charles Shaeffer. It made such a difference in my level of enjoyment, to be able to observe many different birds this year.

I did get a start on one painting, see above, which I finished in the loft studio yesterday.  I got about 2/3 done on location so it was just a matter of some glazing and tweaking the values a bit to finish. I have a feeling that it would have been a much easier painting to do with oils over on the coast. It was difficult to manage the wind there with the acrylics. In fact, I have decided to try a few oils out on location, so I have loaded my 9x12 box with acrylics and my new box with oils. I really like this new Judson box a lot. It holds a much larger canvas. It is light weight and well built. It is similar in style to the Open Box M in that it is shallow and not as useful for storage, but I like it. I am debating whether to get the larger version. I'll use this one for awhile first.

I also learned to spend most of my time observing and thinking about what I saw, rather than struggling with the wind trying to paint. I am 62 years old with fairly advanced Rheumatoid Arthritis. It is getting harder for me to battle the elements. I am comfortable painting at Fair Oaks because I am provided with a nice golf cart to travel around the fields with my gear. It is safe and shady there and I don't have to go long distances with my equipment. It's time for me to be smart about my time in the field and to take care of my joints. More painting in the studio and more time with field observation is warranted to make me a better painter. Painting needs to be fun, not a battle.