The light was different today. Just when I thought I had the formula yesterday - ha! it has changed again. Waves seem to take so long to paint 'cause you have to wait for them to roll in to see what the tone or colour was! Patience Patience....
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Even overcast days can have some light! It is good to get back to painting this morning. There were lots of opportunities to not go. Clouds, tides, wind, desire for sleep! But it is always worthwhile. There was a lovely combination of purples and greens that greyed everything off. Soft. Might put some vegetation in the foreground to finish it off in the studio. As you can see by the camera's image - much richer in real life. What a fabulous couple of days of escape I have just had with friend and fellow artist Anne Yang. Travelling to Beaudesert to a lovely property near Christmas Creek the views were just stunning and the weather beautiful. It makes a difference staying overnight at your painting spot if you can so you can get the early morning and late afternoon light. At 5pm we threw the painting gear in the car just in case we found something awe inspiring. . As the sun was just setting the last light created the best long shadows across the landscape it was just right for painting. The next morning the small creeks were the spot. The clouds were changing the scene so quickly the water had to be done first and the grass and shadow last. Can't wait to get back there for more painting! There is something strange that takes me over at 4:30am in the morning. Some would think it is insomnia and roll over and go back to bed but for some reason the dawn calls me! My first day back to reality after 6 weeks of holiday and I could not resist going for a plein air trip to paint the sunrise. Thankfully I have learned to keep my plein air kit packed and ready to go. Coolum Beach is home to me. One good thing about arriving there before 5 am - you get a great carpark. With a flurry of setting up easels and pastels and choosing paper trying to beat the ever rising sun all of sudden there is peace. I am ready and here it comes. To paint the sunrise - you gotta be quick. I mean REALLY quick. No time for drawing up just pick up a pastel and go! I realise that I had not replaced a key colour that I dropped in Greece and had to compromise a little. No time to spend regretting not replacing it just paint. By the time one early riser on his morning walk passed by on the boardwalk and when he returned 10 minutes later - it was finished. Not sure if I was finished or the sunrise was finished but either way what is not captured on the paper is captured in my memory. Time to stop and enjoy the view.........Ahhhhh welcome home! The old buildings in Greece are full of character and history. So many layers of old paint! This one was a challenge to paint with the light changing so quickly and all the colours in the shadows. Loved the underpainting technique again as it is so quick before the light changes. The window was finished in 20 minutes including drying time. It is full moon at the moment and you could see the moon glowing through one of the windows of this building last night. Just beautiful. Only one more day of painting on our Greek Island trip! 15/10/13 Well the view has changed again. New day New island. It is like we are on a new holiday every few days. Very picturesque. The artists were taking photos continuously when we arrived. The weather is great and really looking forward to painting up a storm today! This is the view from our balcony. 13/10/13 I had a PFD day today. “painting free day”. Spent the day with Glenn and it was well worth it. After a lovely fresh bakery treat we caught the bus to the Agios Pandeleimonas. A Monastery in Tilos. A great view with winding roads up into the mountains. Spectacular view. Scary bus ride. Greek roads, Greek bus and Greek driver make for an interesting workplace health and safety documentary! We then went on to the centre of the island and went through white washed streets and saw a church of Saint Michael. A lovely old greek lady told us all about it. Glenn got to go into the secret area where women were not allowed. She then showed us through the elelphant museum. dwarf elephant bones were found in the hills in the 1970’s. The only elephants found in europe. Lunch with the artists was great today. Almost well again but wishing there was hot water.......None in Tilos so far..... |
AuthorEnjoy My adventures into the joys and tribulations of Archives
February 2022
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