I recently participated in the 2017 Plein Air Paint Off, hosted by the Fuquay-Varina Downtown Association. The event was held on April 21 and 22. A few days prior, I scouted out my assigned location, the Sunrise Community Park located between East Academy and Raleigh Street, in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. It is a private park that the locals call "The Fish Pond." I decided on the scene below anticipating the afternoon light, even though the sky was overcast on that day. I took reference photos of the resident geese so that I could incorporate them into the foreground.
Day 1 - Registration opened at noon on Friday, within an hour I got my gear set up and commenced to painting for 5 hours. The weather for Saturday was potentially going to have high winds, overcast skies, and eventually a thunderstorm. I had to get the scene captured on Friday because I might be painting from my car and my memory on Saturday. Some wonderful clouds rolled in during the afternoon and the colors were glorious. I had lots of visitors who came by to see the progress and through conversation, began to learn a little about the history of the house I was painting. The lake is called "The Fish Pond" because the "Fish" family owned and built that house. As I heard the story of the wonderful lady who still lives there and the Bible studies she gave for children, I started to connect the dots. I realized that this was where my friend, Barney Fish, the owner of Elmo's clothing store, must have grown up and that the woman with such a respected legacy is his mother.
For several hours the sun was still too high for the effect I wanted, but by the time I got the overall areas laid in, the drama of sun on the far right side of the house finally arrived.
As the sun began to slip behind the treeline, I was satisfied with my painting. I had a strong base to add detail to the following day, even if the weather cut my painting time short.
Day 2 - The following morning sparkled and glowed with all the promise of a hot spring day.
I intentionally wore bright clothes so that the people out looking for the artist's locations would be able to spot me easily. The wind was more intense, but I followed the same strategy I had used the day before. I would work on the trees when the water was ruffled and switch to the reflections when it calmed down. I also took the liberty of pulling some of the more interesting tree forms into the painting, even though they were outside the actual window of the scene.
Neighbors in the community came down throughout the day to enjoy the lake. I had a lot of visitors and really enjoyed talking with them. People are often afraid they will interrupt my "zone" when they approach me painting in public. I used to be more nervous about being watched, especially if I didn't like my painting. I realize now that people so seldom get the opportunity to see the process of artists creating. It is a visual concert that inspires others of all ages to explore art and creativity. Now, I plan that into my outings and I never feel interrupted by the rich social exchanges that inevitably result when I paint en plein air.
When I was satisfied with my trees and reflections, I started laying in the geese and ripples for the final details. We ended up having our full time allotment to paint, which worked very well for me. I am a slow painter and need that time to create the details I enjoy. The first raindrops fell as I packed my gear into the car and headed for the drop off location.
I was immensely satisfied with the painting. It captured the landscape and light that I was striving for, as well as the sense of beauty I received from the social aspect of the experience.
I was delighted when I discovered at the auction that I had won 3rd place in the competition. I can't wait for next year! Thanks to the Fuquay-Varina Downtown Association for organizing another great event for our community!