First Plein Air Day of 2014!

"Victorian on Cleveland"
10 x 10, Oil on Linen, Mounted on Panel
(c) Lesley Powell 2014

We finally had a beautiful, sunny spring day last week, and I could not wait to get outside to do some plein air painting. I organized my gear, loaded it in the trunk of my car, and was off. I was determined not to succumb to "driver-itis"--a common affliction of plein air painters, in which the painter drives around for hours looking for just the right scene to paint, and ends up not having any time left to paint! (There is definitely a life lesson here, in the perils of "driver-itis").

Painting gear in the trunk...

I was taking a short cut from my studio toward my intended motif, when all of a sudden I saw in front of me the most interesting Victorian house, with the afternoon sunlight creating wonderful shapes of color. Aha--this could work! I did some quick calculations. First, was there a safe place to stand, away from traffic? Could I shade my easel from direct sunlight? Check,  and Check! Best of all, I was near a kindergarten, which added two unique benefits: (1) I could hear the gleeful voices of little children (in the background!) while I painted, and (2) I knew that somebody was close at hand for safety's sake, in case I encountered a problem. Altogether a perfect spot!

I had a great afternoon. It is such a challenge, and so exciting, to see the colors outdoors in natural light. Can't wait for more...stay tuned! Meanwhile, you can read more about this painting here.