Brookeville Plein Air

Brookeville Home (307 Market St.), oils on linen panel, 12" x 9."
SOLD

Last Saturday was Plein Air Olney's third paint-out of the season, held in Brookeville, a historic town north of Olney, MD. The painters were to register between 8 and 9 AM to have our panels stamped, and most of us were there on time, trying to get an early start to beat the heat.

During my years as an Olney-Sandy Spring resident I'd driven through Brookeville hundreds of times, but oddly enough, I'd never actually walked around the place. I had not realized there were all kinds of interesting gravel side streets with homes tucked way back there. I met up with Hiu Lai Chong, the hottest young painter around (she's won the top prize for both the Easels in Frederick and the Ellicott City Paint It competitions this year), and we walked around together looking for spots to paint.

We both settled on this house at 307 Market Street, as the Brookeville Walking Tour Guide informed me later. The house, built before 1809, has the look of an old Georgetown row house in the Federal style, but with a lot of side yard. The morning light on the old brick and the vine-covered facade brought out such wonderful colors, it was irresistible. A little shade across the street was another plus.

I set up very close to the curb where Georgia Avenue curves around sharply, and some workmen across the street kept yelling at me that I was sitting in the "death seat" because any southbound car taking the curve a bit too fast was bound to hit me. Fortunately, no such thing occurred, and I was able to finish my painting a short time after noon, when the light had changed completely. I went back to my car and got my sandwich so I could eat lunch in the shady yard of the Brookeville Academy where the wet painting sale would be later on. I had no energy for another painting and the heat was mind-boggling, so afterwards I just got my painting, put it in a frame and set it up on my easel (after cleaning the palette).

The reception and sale started at three, with a lovely spread of home-made breads, jams and watermelon. I wish we'd had more visitors and buyers, but considering the heat and vacation season, we were glad to have as many as were there.