"Beze River Scene"
10 x 8
Oil on Linen
Somebody (whose name I cannot remember) famously said the following about plein air painters: "The first decision of a good painter is what he wants to paint. The first decision of a great painter is where he wants to stand." I think this means that a great painter can enjoy the luxury of choosing a comfortable spot to stand, knowing that he can find beauty wherever he looks. He doesn't need to stand in an awkward, uncomfortable spot to in order to see a glorious vista, because he can make even a boring scene into a wonderful painting.
I would not classify myself as a "great", but I will say that I am usually more satisfied with my plein air paintings when I have chosen a comfortable place to stand. Perhaps the creative side of the brain is freed up when one is not required to deal with heat, mosquitoes, bees, bystanders, etc.
The painting above (more details here) was painted on location in the village of Beze, France. I had spent the morning sweating and suffering in a hot, glary location--because I was drawn to a certain scene that could not be captured from a better spot. The morning painting was not a success (to put it mildly). After lunch, I gave in to my desire for comfort, and found a shady spot, protected from the wind. Then I looked around and asked myself, "What do I see that I can make into a painting?" I was much more satisfied with the afternoon's effort than with the morning's effort. Lesson Learned.
Very uncharacteristically, I failed to take a photo of the scene I painted. But later I found this image on trip advisor.com, so you can see almost exactly what I saw from my position. I focused my painting on the cluster of buildings downriver. It's hard to narrow your field when you are surrounded by the great outdoors!
Here I am on site with the finished product, as the day draws to a close:
This is such an interesting concept for not only painters but for coaches as well. As I read your post, I realized that as we center and prepare for relaxation/mindfulness/meditation, the first step is to get comfortable in our bodies. That comfort provides an environment free of distractions which enables the mind (and for the painter also the eye) to open up to many more possibilites. Great post with much food for thought!
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