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Saturday, September 17, 2011

I Did It Again, This Time By Myself in Town Square on Saturday

I got up early
and drove down town to our town square, around 9 a.m. on Saturday.
There was a live jazz band setting up, people at the Pure Grain Bakery having coffee and pastries, it was warm so many people were taking their refreshments outside. I decided the Bakery would be my subject matter and I wanted to draw people today. I did this sketch in twenty minutes.

 Then I took out my new tubes of paint with their "real artist colors" like burnt umber, phthalo blue, viridian hue, burnt sienna, sap green, ultramarine, yellow ochre, crimson, flesh tint and payne's gray just to name a few. And new brushes, but I think I got too inexpensive a set as the wide brush kept falling off the brush handle! Not good. But it continued to work for me when I replaced it a few times.

I loved my morning of plein aire painting.

People came up to see what I was doing. Some just said good morning. Or Are you painting? Or You ARE painting...like that was a strange thing to see someone doing downtown. One man blessed me for doing it. One woman said she was a painter too, but she only did it at home. One little boy jumped up on the rock I had my paints resting on and said he was a super hero and was there to save the world. I thanked him.

I went on painting.

The band started up and the jazz music seemed to get inside of me in a very good way.
 Into the second hour I got my pens out and started my outlining. I love how this makes everything pop.
After about an hour and a half I had to leave as we were to pick up our grand kids and bring them to our home for the weekend, so I finished the sidewalk once we got home. There are still a few touch ups to do...but I like what I did.

It was funny, when I looked up toward the end of my outlining and found the people I had been painting had all left those tables. It was as if they had walked out of my painting. It gave me a good laugh.

When I hold this picture up and stand back I can see the layers, the depth of it. from the tree to the tables to the pillars to the bakery walls and even inside the bakery behind the big windows.

I learned I can do this, enjoy this and really move into a whole other realm.  I told my DH that it didn't bother me when people stopped to chat a bit, as it was as if they were talking to someone who was altogether other than myself. I'm not quite sure who she is, but she is very comfortable being an outdoor artist.

15 comments:

  1. This is so good. I love seeing these paintings. So impressive. It looks like you are enjoying the process too!

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  2. This is a fabulous painting Lynn, I love it! Love your choice of location too.

    You have inspired me to do some en plein air painting, it looks like lots of fun!

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  3. This is so wonderful - I love that you have discovered you are comfortable sitting out there chatting up the people who come to watch. You ARE a real artist. We all ARE. We just have so many insecurities and wonder if we are good enough. Good enough for who? Watching you grow in your art thrills me for you!

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  4. I think you have done really well painting outdoors, especially with a lot of people around. Your painting shows the atmosphere of the moment there with all its colour. Well done you.

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  5. This is good Lynn. It is good that you can paint outside despite interruptions. Wonderful to find people outside enjoying the weather. There is no place to eat outside in my little town. People would find it odd. There aren't sidewalks wide enough to accomodate tables etc. You live in a different world than I.

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  6. Lynn, you are an inspiration and it's lovely to see how you grow in confidence and skill! Sorry to hear about your camera trauma - so easily could have been taken... but how lucky to find it again - faith restored!

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  7. This is really good! I love seeing your life in sketches. I feel like I was right there with you.

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  8. I love this, painting real life! I can definitely see real character in your work. Way to go Lynn♥
    Hope you're having fun with the grandkids. :)
    Love,
    Jenny

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  9. I'm loving watching you sprout and grow.
    Good for you!

    I thought it interesting how you felt 'like someone else' while painting in public. I've only done this a couple of times, and I felt the same way.

    Your work looks great, and I'm SO glad about your camera!

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  10. What a fun morning. I am so proud of you for getting out there doing what you really wanted to do. This turned out so great. Its getting into that right brain mode that makes you feel like its someone else sitting there. I love how you said.. it looked like they stepped out of the painting. :)) You give others the insentive to try something they might want to do secretly. I see improvement in your work with each painting. Glad we will be seeing more.

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  11. What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday. I enjoyed this post immensely and the painting turned out beautifully!

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  12. It is only a few weeks ago that you were all nervous about going out into the big wide world and painting, but look at you now. It is good to push yourself into doing things that you can't see yourself doing. The best part is that your enjoying it. Like your painting too.

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  13. How fun is that? You inspire me!

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  14. What a beautiful experience, in more ways than one!!! How exhilarating!!! What a pretty little granddaughter you have (newly born)...I am sorry I missed her actual birth time... am reading backwards now to pick up what all I have missed!!!

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  15. Sounds and looks like a perfect day Lynn. Hmm, I can remember, and not too long ago, how nervous you were painting and sketching plein air and now you are so comfortable. That's great.

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Thanks for leaving your comments as I love hearing from you. Your words of encouragement are why I continue to draw!