For Artists Who Love the Outdoors

I started this series of plein air work ten weeks ago with three paintings of Superstition Mountain, so I wanted to come back to it for this final piece before we head back north. There is so much that I want to try and capture in these pieces, and I feel that each time, I've been able to catch something of the mountain, but not its essence. This time I went in closer, climbing part way up the trail to the Flat Iron, before I set up my kit. One thing that has happened over the 10 weeks, is that I have gotten stronger. My backpack doesn't seem to weigh so heavily on my shoulders; I really hardly notice it as I hike along. That doesn't mean I'll be doing 12 mile hikes with it any time soon, but it does mean that doing this outdoor painting has given me a new energy and enthusiasm about tackling specific subjects, and that distance isn't an issue, or not the issue at any rate.

I set up about 10:30 a.m.and left about 12:15 p.m. so I had a good length of time. I set up by a flat rock which afforded a good clear flat area to set up my tripod and pochade. One thing I have to get now that the sun's rays are stronger is a good umbrella to protect me from the sun. There are a number of them out there, so I need to do a little research and find one that clamps onto my tripod. Right now I try to limit my stay to 1 1/2 to 2 hours to ensure that I don't get heat stroke, and I wear a wide-brimmed hat, but I really do need to smarten up and get an umbrella to give me some shade in the desert. We all think we're infallible until we get in over our heads, and then we learn nature's lesson, whatever it is, and learn it the hard way. 

You'll notice that I've gone back to aquabord for this piece. I waffled about which to select, and in the end went back to aquabord. I know it best, and feel confident when I want to get an effect that I know what will bring it about. Aquabord can give me more control than freedom, but I brushed in the sky and peaks quite loosely and really kept a looseness in my work right through the morning. I came back to it again this morning and put in some finishing touches. Those are always for me, the same thing. I leave the setting, and work on the piece. I introduce more strength in the horizontal lines, more shadow to give depth, lighten sun-drenched areas of rock and grass. If I think about it, I tend to work down the board when I first paint en plein air, to make maximum use of gravity, and when doing the touch ups, I move around the piece, to try and keep everything unified and consistent. 

Our mountains in North America aren't smooth and old; they're rough and broken rocks piled and lifted in ways which defy often gravity. They need to be strong and sharp-looking. You can hurt yourself on these mountain trails, and that should come through in my painting. At least that's what I'm trying to get across. At the same times, these peaks are quite breath-taking and need to inspire awe and delight. Danger and beauty together. If I've been successful, then that's what you'll see as you look at these pieces.

One of the things I'd hoped for when I set up these blogs, is some response from you, and I haven't heard anything yet. That tells me that I'm not hitting on any chords which really engage you in these blogs so far, and I'm hoping that perhaps in this one, I'll change that. Please do respond and give me some feedback to my work and my comments. I have been really pleased with the response in general to my new website; looking over the weekly stats tells me that I'm getting hits from all around the world, so that's exciting, but I need also to hear from you so that I get some idea of how you are responding to this blog and my work.