"Hazy Morning-Higel Park", plein air, 12x9, oil on linen
It's been a rather monstrous week for a Paint-Out, but maybe that's just my opinion.
Monday- the first day of the paint-out was a drop-dead gorgeous Florida day, by any standard other than this years! I had a bunch of things to do in the morning, and didn't get around to having my canvas stamped until after lunch. Then I started driving around and looking for that perfect painting spot. Turns out, every Floridian and snow bird that has been fed up by the Sunshine State's dismal last 4 months of frigid temperatures, decided to head out to the same perfect spots that I was in pursuit of!
There was no parking at any of the beaches to be found, and driving at 15 miles an hour along the Gulf while the hours are ticking away was torturous for an impatient person like me! I finally decided to go to Red Lake, off Casperson Beach, where I figured there would be some parking and a good scene to paint. There was. I started the painting around 3 in the afternoon and although I had a nice start and thought it would be decent enough for the exhibition, I couldn't finish it on site, which is a requirement of the competition. None of the weather conditions over the next couple days allowed me the chance to finish it either, unfortunately.
The next day,Tuesday- the bright sunny skies were totally displaced with a heavy haze and the early morning painting hours brought torential rains. I was out and about by 11 when the skies cleared, and although I hate to paint around noon, when there are no shadows, it didn't much matter on a hazy day. So I set up at the boat ramp at Higel Park's Marina and got comfortable with the beautiful, cool, dreamy light conditions. The hull of the sailboat in the distance kept changing course as it drifted, but other than that the scene seemed a good choice in terms of composition.
I'll discuss more about the "Paint-Out in Paradise" in future posts, but this much was for sure- with the exception of Monday, it certainly twasn't paradise in these here parts! Yesterday's gale force winds about knocked the socks off 'ya, let alone allowed a person to paint a decent picture!
Okay, that's enough whining for now.
If you live in Venice Florida, I would like to invite you to the opening reception of the paint-out, which is tomorrow night from 5 to 7 at the Venice Art Center. I saw a preview of the artwork when I dropped my paintings off this afternoon, and I guarantee that it will be a visual treat!
Hope to see you there!
By the way, if you wish to purchase this painting, you'll either need to contact the Venice Art Center, or else wait until the exhibit was over, and hope it doesn't sell. I've sold paintings in the past two years of the exhibit, so if in doubt, just call the art center at 941-485-7136 , to purchase by credit card.
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