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| Afternoon at Alcantara Vineyards |
Thursday morning came, and went. So did the painting I made. It doesn't happen as often as it used to, but now and then a painting just doesn't work out. One of the hallmarks of the mature artist is knowing when to scrape a painting in the field.
Trina was meeting her hiking group in Uptown around dawn, so after dropping her off, I headed up to Midgely Bridge where I'd painted earlier in the week. I knew there was some standing water in the side canyon and thought that it, along with some backlit hills, would make a winner. I took my biggest panel, a 14x18, and my cumbersome French easel, and walked back to the spot I picked out.
The canyon was all in deep shade when I began, but I felt confident enough in my skills to anticipate what the scene would look like when the sun got high enough to throw some light into it. I couldn't have been more wrong! Instead, the sun just turned the scene into a boxful of meaningless puzzle pieces. To make matters worse, it cast a strong light on the hill directly behind me, throwing an orange glare on my panel. Value and color in my paint choices became unreadable.
I scraped off the panel. I didn't feel my morning had been wasted, though. I'd seen a beautiful sunrise. But I'd also learned that the sun is a powerful agent of change and must be respected. It can make - or break - a scene.
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| The Wall of Oil |
On my way home, I stopped by the Sedona Arts Center and rehung my "Wall of Oil," adding my painting from the Page Springs Cellars afternoon.
After lunch, I drove down to Cottonwood for the "Confluence of the Senses" event. This was at Alcantara Vineyards, right along the confluence of Oak Creek and the Verde River. This magnificent estate has many beautiful buildings, lots and lots of vine rows and a fantastic location. I didn't have a lot of time, though - paintings had to be framed and on display by 4 pm - so I settled in by the Chapel and got started.
At 4, the festivities began. Music, wine and fine art provided a fun evening for both artists and collectors. I am pleased to say that my piece, "Alcantara," sold to a couple from Dallas who were planning to put it in their newly redesigned kitchen.
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| Alcantara, 14x18 oil (sold) |
By the way, the painting that sold was painted on that same 14x18 panel that I'd scraped down earlier. I wonder: If I'd painted a successful piece in the morning, would I have painted the one that sold that evening?
