Thursday, December 11, 2008

DAWSON CREEK PARK


A typical fall day, starting with heavy fog, promising maybe rain, maybe clearing. Several other painters are here, some working in pastel, oil, acrylic. As usual, I am amazed at the variety of approaches to the subject. Some begin with texture and variety of color. Some focus in on the cattails, or the fall bushes. I quickly block in my main value shapes, then go to work adding in variety of color.


I have set up under a large fir tree. When the promised drizzle comes, I am completely undisturbed, continuing to pick out colors within colors, adding to the sky as the clouds shift.


One by one, my companions grow cold and leave. I am wearing a winter wool hat, thick socks, and my muk-luks. Perhaps warm feet are the secret to staying warm. Or maybe standing, instead of sitting so that I move around a lot. The ducks seem plenty warm. I wonder how they keep their feet from freezing, just skin muscle and bone, hanging out there in the cold water all day. Or maybe they just don’t care, the way I don’t notice aches in my knees until I am almost finished with my painting.