Bit of painting au plein air, or in this case, al fresco, major al fresco. This is the third time artists have gathered to paint outside. The first time, there were four of us, the second, last week, only Patrick. But this time, seven people came, including two new people, Edward and Zander. Half the people who indicated on Facebook that they'd participate didn't show but 50% did and this is superb.
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| Will in foreground, Patrick John and Patrick G. |
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| Patrick G. surveys the view. To the right, Edward's work. |
This adventure painting outside in the winter is not for the faint of heart. People had their easels set before 9:00 am and did not pull up stakes until mid-afternoon. By this time, the sun had shifted to where we were at Laurier L'esplanade but the temperature had also dropped and I was glad of the snow pants I was wearing and two pairs of gloves. A chair would have been good as standing for hours in the cold is tiring.
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| Carmela, Will and Zander in deep concentration. |
Again, one of the benefits of painting in the cold is that the paint does not run or drip. And it stays on one's brush or palette knife very well, almost too well. It doesn't want to let go! And somewhat amusing, when one puts down a brush, to change colour or to sip coffee, it freezes to the palette board, or, in my case, the piece of coroplast I was using as a flat surface upon which to place bottles of paint and rags.
Several people chose to sit or kneel on the cement, no doubt wishing they had an easel or other means of holding their canvas. I have an ancient bundle-buggy to which I tape or clothes pin the coroplast. I use a bungie cord and cloth strip to further stabilize my "canvas."
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| Will started this work fresh today. |
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| This is one of the works Will started last time we painted outside. |
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| Patrick G's implements of art. |
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| I made a sign promoting the I LOVE YOU art show vernissage next Thursday. |
