I just got back from a participating in a paint out in Melrose, Florida over the last several days. We had the gambit of sun, wind, rain and heat. Florida is heating up as we are experiencing temps more associated with the end of April as opposed to the end of March. Still it's a nice out in the mid 80s with a decent breeze keeping it from getting sticky. I painted for five days straight and managed about eight paintings with a few "wipers".
This was the first one from last Wednesday from the local park at the lake's edge. 8x10" oil on panel. This is looking toward where the lake they call "Melrose Bay" feeds into larger Lake Santa Fe. The inlet is marked by a string of cypress trees the sticks out separating the two bodies of water.
This is a little 6x6" I painted starting Wednesday afternoon, but I got rained out after getting about 75% of it done, so I went back the next afternoon and finished it. I called it "Deere John" (Corny I know).
This was a little 6x6" I painted Thursday Morning from a person's boathouse looking across the lake. I loved the shadows and the light hitting the treetops and the bank. When I started, the boathouse in the painting was totally in shadow, but I liked the little touch of sun it got as I got closer to finishing, so I added it in. I usually do a thumbnail sketch of a scene before I start, and I was glad I did on this one because the water was really beautiful with this one highlight, and the rest was dark glass when I sketched it, but it was gone very quickly as the breeze kicked up. I was pretty happy with this one, especially once I got it framed and on the wall in the gallery exhibiting the work. The light on it really made it snap. This photo doesn't do it justice.
This last one is one I began on Friday, and again I got rained out before completion. So I went back yesterday and finished it. What caught my eye about this scene was the back lighting of the trees and how super bright the light was on the grasses. I sort of broke a "rule" with this as ordinarily objects shouldn't be placed symmetrically on a line, but I think the elongated shadows and the tree branches help counteract that. I think it works anyway.
I worked thicker on this one and I was mostly pleased with the result. I think I got what the light was doing pretty well. I always see things I could change, but I got my idea down in this one. "Pecan Grove" 9x12" oil on panel
Thanks for looking! C&C always welcomed. These will be up for the next few weeks and I hope there are some sales.
Randy
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