Plein Pain

Painting with Ease is Hard

I have been having the greatest time at the Gathering of Artisans workshop retreat. I posted about them in my last two newsletters here:

https://jadedjoyologist.substack.com/publish/post/69531743

As promised, here is the update on the workshop I attended with instructor, Gabriel Stockton- Painting Plein Air With Ease. Plein air painting means painting outside.

After a few graceful brush strokes and lots of advice on keeping it simple, the instructor sent us out on our mission to find a scenic place and paint it. Then we were to come back in an hour and a half for our class critique. Ridgecrest Conference Center is a beautiful facility with lush gardens and interesting architecture set beneath a backdrop of blue green mountains and dynamic skies. So, no, I couldn't find anything to paint. I loaded my arms with too much stuff and trudged along the paths looking for a place to paint. I was clearly overthinking it. Pretty soon I was hot and tired and lowered my standards. I found a pretty place, but not a pretty scene. Even the picture I took was meh (as my niece would say).

Um, okay.

I set up my complicated easel and started sketching. Instantly someone showed up and started watching me struggle to draw a diagonal line. I could feel his disappointment over my shoulder as he watched me erase and redraw bad lines. We were both relieved when he left. Finally, I scrawled out a scene, ignoring everything I knew about perspective and composition. It was time for the fun part, painting. Halfway through another spectator offered me polite words of encouragement. As time ran out, I sped up, somehow feeling like I needed to finish.

Phew! That was brutal. The critique was painful although the instructor was very good at using positive statements. When I got back to my room I immediately recycled the paper into two new paintings. Tearing it in half felt pretty good. I wasn't going to show the painting but after repurposing it, I felt a little better and decided it is okay to show mistakes, or as Bob Ross would say, “happy accidents.” Against my better judgement I have included it with the reference photo.

Inverted perspective?

Now that the shame has worn off, I love how comedically lopsided the build is with backwards perspective. No wonder I always struggled to teach my students perspective. Buildings are really not my thing.

During the class, while we were all intently watching Mr. Stockton show us how it's done, a butterfly landed on a students hat. That was my inspiration for the replacement painting.

Looking for the perfect view.

I think this one is a little better. Don't go chasing butterflies. I feel like she is looking out for that perfect view and without knowing, beauty lit upon her.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalms 38:7

Things are always better if we wait on God's time and seek his views.