"Beyond the Hay Field"

Oil on linen on panel, 6.5 x 8.5 inches, $150

This hay field belongs to one of my painting students, Sarah and her nephew, Steve. Thanks to both of them for letting me paint there! I started out sitting in a little strip of shade that had formed beside a shed. I was hoping that, as the day unfolded, the sun would move in a direction that would widen that strip.

But, as you can see in the photo below, the sun didn't cooperate and I found myself repositioning the easel a few times as the strip of shade narrowed. Eventually there was nowhere left to go and my painting was at the mercy of direct sunlight. I see now why some plein air painters use an umbrella to shade their canvas!

"Misty Day at the Mill" SOLD

Oil on linen on panel, 6.5 x 8.5 inches

If you consider sitting in a steady downpour of rain fun, then painting this "en plein air" was a blast! The good news? I was under a tree which partially shielded me from the rain. More good news was that when it wasn't raining, it was a misty, overcast day. That was a good thing because, with no shadows changing along with the position of the sun, I could work on this painting for a few hours longer than usual.

This is the Old Mill of Guilford which is located in Oak Ridge, NC. Thanks to the owners who were gracious enough to let me paint there! I purchased some yummy hand-picked strawberries while I was there, too! www.oldmillofguilford.com