Getting ready

The art sale a week ago went very well. I sold 7 paintings in 2 days! Some were bought by returned customers. Anne is the new owner of the two pieces shown here A Cloudy Day and Meadow in Fog--thank you Ann!

Some artists do not paint scenes that appeal to them simply because they think the subject won't sell. What sells should never be the main factor in determining what to paint. Not everyone goes for the colorful, bright, "happy" paintings. Personally, I love foggy and cloudy days because I find them very comforting. They bring very good memories of field trips to cloud forests in Costa Rica, and they often invite introspection.

Follow your muse. Sooner or later you're likely to find kindred souls who will appreciate your work.

Fog at McCauley Mt, Adirondacks, 12" x 9"

Last October, I was invited to participate in a two-weekend plein air paint out and auction to support the Arts Center at Old Forge. The only day I was able to participate turned out to be drizzly and foggy. We were given some locations to choose from, so I headed for McCauley Mt. since I had never been there. I had to work from the back of my van because the drizzle had turned into rain. Half an hour into my painting, the sun came out, and a little later hordes of people started to head for the chair lifts to enjoy the great fall colors. I had good time talking to a group of Amish or Mennonite women who showed interest in what I was doing and seemed fascinated by the pastel sticks.

When I considered the painting done, I headed to another location to start another scene. I ended up donating my second painting because although I liked the first one more, I knew it was not quite right yet.

At home, I did several changes to the painting, and still was not satisfied with the results. Finally, I realized what the problem was. The change in weather conditions at the time, had made me change colors in the middle of my work, and mentally, I was fighting with what I wanted to represent. After serious consideration, I decided to paint what had struck me the most, which was the fog coming down the mountain.