Back in the Studio

I finally got back in the studio after almost a week. Breaks like this can be good for me, but they are hard on me as well. It's funny how much mental and emotional effort it takes to get myself in front of the canvas. And yet, to not do it is far more painful. 

So I jumped back in to Beach Cherub and got a good start on her face. There's more work to do, but too little time. I am off to a fun adventure today, though. So hopefully I'll have some great references to bring back to the studio.

Possibilities

I had a crazy weekend that flowed over into Monday. When I headed to the beach I found myself there with no sketchbook and no camera. The pictures are pretty bad, but I'm still hoping to get a painting or two out of them. I love watching the wind surfers. I've got to find me a wet suit so I can get out there and do it myself!

Preparing the Kayaks - finished

As I sat at Netarts Bay sketching and journaling I couldn't help but hear the group of kayakers near me. They obviously hadn't checked the tide charts and had arrived to find a low tide. They spent a good 30 minutes trying to decide if it was worth it, or if they should just go home. It sounded like one was a guide or instructor and the others were of vacation. I so wanted to tell them to just go for it! It may not be the perfect conditions, but they were there, they had their gear, and they may not get the opportunity again. I was so relieved when they finally made the choice to make the best of what they had. By the time they were ready to get in their kayaks I had to go. But I did get a few sketches and photos and now a painting of them preparing the kayaks.

How often do we spend our time trying to decide if the conditions are just right? How right do the conditions need to be? When is it worth it to just take a risk and jump in the water? I think we miss too many opportunities to make great memories when we spend too much time weighing options and not enough time getting wet.

Testing the Waters

I ended up with a few extra hours on my hands so I went to Netarts Bay to check out an area where I'd never been. It was low tide and there were several people clamming and playing in the water. There was a family with boys who were having fun testing the water... in and out... in and out. It was fun to observe their interactions and the pure and simple joy that comes from playing in the water.

Cloud Mountain

See that snow-capped mountain in the background? That's a cloud formation! It is actually sitting out over the ocean.  These crazy cloud mountains are a phenomenon here on the coast that I discovered when I moved here. 

How often do we see what we are used to seeing, or what we are looking for, instead of what is really there? Creating art is really all about creating a perception. Sometimes nature does it for us.

Ocean Lily

I was walking to the beach in Manzanita, OR when I came upon a row of lilies. They are blooming everywhere here on the coast this time of year. But the ocean just made the perfect background and I had to stop in my tracks and take some reference photos. Once the background dried, the lily actually came together in about an hour. Fun, fun fun!