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| Oak Creek Reflections 5x7 oil |
We've had a cold snap here in Arizona, as has much of the country. But if we get a cold start to the day, things always warm up nicely once the sun pops up. That's what I love about winters in Sedona.
Saturday morning, I was scheduled to paint with the Plein Air Painters of Sedona and the Verde Valley at the Page Springs Fish Hatchery, which lies along Oak Creek. (Check out our website at http://www.meetup.com/Plein-Air-Landscape-Painters-of-Sedona-and-the-Verde-Valley/ and, if you're local, feel free to join us!) It was all of 17 degrees. As you can see from the photo, I was dressed for it.
Unfortunately, my oil paints weren't. They were rather chilled, and using them was like trying to apply putty with a brush. Worse yet, when I decided to add a little medium to loosen up the paint, I discovered that the lid of my medium cup was sealed tight with dried medium. But I always carry a small painting knife with me, and that was just the tool I needed for painting. When you have putty, use a knife. The knife worked well in the cold, as you can see from the images.
The other painters worked in pastel, which is something I can't do when it's cold. My fingers just don't get limber enough. Believe me, I've tried!
By the time I started my second painting, it was getting toasty. I decided to save my brushes and continue with the knife.
If you're thinking of coming out to Sedona for one of my workshops, don't let this post discourage you in the least. A cold start doesn't mean a cold day. Unless we have a storm, which is rare in the winter, it'll be warm by the time we get to the field. Looking at this week's forcast, I see the lows will be below freezing - but the highs will be in the mid-50s. Just perfect for plein air!
By the way, we have fired up the eBay engine and will be offering a few things there for sale. Of note this week is an auction for a Paint Sedona workshop week. Also, I have several truckloads of art magazines that I need to dispose of. We are bundling these up and selling them, too. Check out all the auctions and follow them at http://www.ebay.com/sch/pleinairpainterman/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
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| Oak Creek Blues 5x7 oil |
