Plein Air Painting with Friends

Hi folks,

Well, another perfect day in paradise, painting outdoors with friends. Picked up some morning jo at Dunkin, and joined Barb and Lee at Royal Palm Pointe to start the season's plein air painting sessions on Wednesdays. The day was perfect and we each set up our easels under green canvas umbrellas and began constructing our compositions. We enjoyed chatting and watching the children play in the fountains while we painted. Being a much slower painter (and way too chatty) than my colleagues, they were finished and packed up by 12:30 and I remained by myself, "In The Zone," until after 3:00. My buddy Rita came by at 2:00 and convinced me to not go home and get ready for our Art Club Website meeting at 4:00, but to join her for a swim and a glass of wine and leave from there together. How could I resist? Posted is my partially-finished composition which hopefully I will post finished tomorrow. Although right now it's at the really ugly stage, I've learned not to get discouraged because they almost always get better (with some exceptions unfortunately).

Also posted is yesterday's finished painting of "Tuscany," started at the Sebastian River Art Club, and painted from a picture my friend Julianne brought.

Posted too is a picture of my friend Cathy who passed away earlier this year. Her husband Phil called this morning from Texas, and I told him of this lovely photo of her I took while we plein air painted at McKee Gardens in Vero Beach, and sent it to him. That smile is vintage Cathy, in happier, healthier days. She was one of the most pleasant, likeable people I've ever met--never a harsh word or a complaint, always happy and smiling. A terrific artist too.

So at 7:00 Bob and I bid adieu to the sun, sitting on our adarondak chairs with a glass of wine out by the canal's edge, winding up a busy and fruitful day. Bob did a lot of stuff too ... but who cares? (only kidding!)

Judy