topiary cats

topiary cats

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Unexpected Rain Bombs Plein Air

Zoe from my egg tempera class wanted to go out plein airing, and I said I'd take her.
So we planned the date and I took her to my favorite tree in The Ramble.
Weather check was consistently good, even if a little chilly.

Central Park was just gorgeous and all the birds were out singing.





So off we went to paint.

And the unexpected rain started, and it was a lot.


My palette got soaked, it was bad.
Water does interfere with oil paint.




Still, we painted through it.
I changed my palette when the rain finally stopped......


Until.......

Zoe checked the weather again and more rain was expected in 20 minutes.

I speed-painted to a sort-of reasonable finish.
It's not where I wanted to go with the painting, I feel like it's about halfway there.

But this is the adventure of plein air and why we do it- for those unexpected challenges and hardships.

So, on Zoe's first outing she got onlookers, unexpected rain, and her painting face-planted paint-side down.  All the good firsts for plein air, now everything will be easier for her.


8x10 oil



Tuesday, April 09, 2024

I also missed the eclipse

I'm ok with missing the eclipse... honestly I'm just too paranoid about eye damage.

Daya did see it at school, and she thought it was overrated.

Friday, April 05, 2024

I Missed the Earthquake & Hidden Faces

Yep, I missed it.
My colleague in London pinged me on Teams asking if I was ok, he heard there was an earthquake.

I said.... there was an earthquake?

Apparently we had an earthquake right as I started my morning workout, specifically when I was skipping with my 2lb rope which is an earthquake all by itself.


 ******
I went to The Met this evening to see the Hidden Faces exhibit.
My favorite painting is in it.

Janae and Mark texted me while I was on the bus going up Madison Ave, saying Do you feel the aftershocks?
Of course I did not because the bus is its own earthquake.

So, I missed everything and honestly I don't care.

We had an earthquake a while back when I was working in Times Square.
Daya was in the office with me that day, and I thought she shook my chair but it was an earthquake.

Everyone forgets we are on a faut line here and do get rare but not unheard-of quakes.

*********
Here is the Hidden Faces exhibit.
It is excellent.







































































































































































I bought 2 books. :)