Outdoor studio in the February Sunshine

February often rewards us with a few sunny days and offshore winds and weather out to sea, bring in big surf. It also means that the beach hut is sheltered and in the mid day sun, we were getting at least 18C of warmth.

detail of barrel rock to add to painting

I cut a large piece of canvas at least 1.5 metre square, packed up the paints taking my largest brushes and set up down at the beach.

painting station

Not a great view, Look at all those stones… but I was painting the sea!

I painted for at least an hour and a half, hardly looking at the sea, but letting creativity and all the senses take over, splattering and splashing, adding water and inks and looking up periodically to get an idea of the colour.

This was as far as I got and the painting will be finished at home.

Aah! … thought I might have to stay all night; it couldn’t be moved while it was wet and then how was I going to get it home? I brought it down rolled up. Oh how us artists have to suffer. We got the chairs out and had our first barbeque of the year and asked the family down. By the time we left, it was dry enough to move and we managed to tease it into the back of the van and then the dilema was to find somewhere to put it at home.

It’s now on the studio floor and I’m having to step over it until I can finish it, dry it and get it to the framers. No detailed pics… sorry! want to save this one for the ooh’s and aah’s at the exhibition.

Barbeque time. 1st of the year, with family.

I’m writing this two days later. It’s still dry, but boy! has the temperature dropped. Have to grab these opportunities when they come. 🙂