Soft Morning at Brookside Gardens

Tea House at Brookside Gardens, oils on canvas panel, 12" x 9"

The morning was overcast yet bright, what the Irish would call "a soft day," when I set out for Brookside Gardens to join the Howard County plein air painters for our weekly outing. After the recent rains from Hurricane Irene everything sparkled with fullness and bloom. The leaves of the dogwoods and maples were starting to show that bronzy color that signals the transition to fall.

I had walked around on Monday morning after hanging my show at the Visitors' Center to scout out the location for today's painting, and decided to focus on a view of the Japanese Tea House framed by the pink flower heads of fountain grasses--this view is so distinctive it's an icon for the gardens. Two other painters were already there, Rita and Brenda, but Brenda didn't feel well and left shortly after.

The skies began to darken before I'd even laid out the paint on my palette--we might have to work fast today if we hoped to get anything done. The first peal of thunder was distant, and we kept on working through the few drops that came. Then the sky brightened a bit, giving me hope it might clear up. The thing about working fast is how loose it forces one to be--I was slapping the paint on as fast as I could, trying to get the colors and shapes down.

Around eleven several more peals of thunder, this time close enough to be alarming, finally sent us packing. It began to rain before I had put everything away and raced to my car. Driving home, the rain let up but puddles indicated it had poured earlier. By the time I got home it had cleared and the rest of the day became sunny, but it was too late to go back. I finished he painting at home from memory, covering a few spots of blank canvas here and there and defining a few edges.

Wooded Landscapes at Brookside Gardens

Golden October Afternoon, oils on canvas panel, 12" x 9."

My show at Brookside Gardens Visitors Center, titled Wooded Landscapes went up this past Monday August 29, and will be on view until Sunday October 16. 

There are fourteen paintings, most of them done en plein air, and some painted right there at Brookside. I chose my favorite painting from last year for the show image. If you happen to be in the vicinity, please stop by to see it and enjoy the beautiful gardens.

Brookside Gardens

1800 Glenallan Avenue

Wheaton, MD 20902

Laytonsville Paint Out

Laytonsville Fields before Hurricane Irene, oils on panel, 9" x 12."

Last Saturday Plein Air Olney's Laytonsville Paint-out was called off due to hurricane Irene, but I didn't read the Email in time, so I set out that morning. I had figured since the hurricane was not expected to make landfall on the North Carolina coast until early afternoon, there might be time to get some painting done in the morning before the weather deteriorated.

Tara and the organizers were at the Town Hall and gave the seven or eight of us who showed up the news. Since I was already there, I decided to try to get in some painting anyway. The fields around Laytonsville were lush with the late summer bounty, and the skies so dramatic! A light drizzle began to fall around eleven, but by that time I had most of my panel covered. I took some reference photos before packing up.

A pair of tiny goldfinches struggled in the wind at the edge of the soybean fields and I wondered where they would find shelter during the storm...

Tridelphia Reservoir

Tridelphia Reservoir, oils on canvas panel, 9" x12."

Yesterday I went back to paint at Tridelphia Reservoir with the Howard County Plein Air group. This time we met farther up the lake at another area new to me. Several artists I had met before were already there, and I was tickled to see an old friend from Lee Boynton's class: Rita Curtis. Rita is a very accomplished painter who is just starting to promote her work on Facebook. 

The water level at the reservoir was much lower than it had been a few weeks ago when we painted at the Greenbridge boat ramp, and these big rocks were exposed all along the banks--three large rocks projecting where a finger of the lake recedes seemed like the perfect focal point for a painting.

Lately I notice that I'm able to get down the variety of color and texture that I want in these plein air oil paintings. The ability is not consistent yet, but happens more frequently--I'm becoming more fluent in the language of color, as Lee would say. Though I probably should have put in a bit more violet in the reflections where the trees farthest away are.

Rained Out in Accokeek

Piscataway Creek at Low Tide, watercolor, 6" x 9-1/2."

Last weekend at Accokeek a group of friends had planned a kayak picnic to see the full moon rise over Piscataway Bay on Saturday evening. To travel light, I had taken only my watercolors.

The weather didn't cooperate--thunderstorms in the afternoon and into the evening forced us to call off our picnic on the water. In the afternoon, Linda and I went down to the newly-installed boardwalk at the park to try to get in a quick sketch. I was maybe ten minutes into my sketch when ominous steel-gray clouds began to crowd the sky. I hoped the storm might blow over to the east of us, but a minute later, I glanced overhead, and it was obvious we were in for it. I packed up as fast as I could and beat feet to my car. The downpour had not arrived yet so I grabbed my camera and went back to the creek to photograph the scene. The first drops started as Linda and I took photos; we ran back as the rain picked up, and by the time we got back to the car it was pouring. I finished this sketch from memory in Patrises' studio. It's interesting to see how much darker and somber the photo looks. To the naked eye there was a lot more color and light, particularly yellows in the marsh grass.

Instead of the picnic, we had a wonderful dinner at Josephine Withers'--her house is most usual; I remember reading about it in the Washington Post many years ago when it was first built, never dreaming I'd ever meet her and get to see it in person. She is an art historian and counselor, and a fabulous cook--her garden-grown tomatoes & veggies were a special treat.

Tickseed Sunflowers, watercolor, 10" x 7."

Next day, I went back with Linda to Piscataway to try for another sketch. The weather was once again threatening, and light sprinkles punctuated the morning, but gradually, the sky cleared. By the time I was finishing this one, the sun had come out and was heating up the day. It was one of those DC weekends: if you don't like the weather, just wait a few minutes.

Call of the Lotus

About a month ago Herb and I went down to kayak at Mattawoman Creek--though very hot, it was wonderful, except for having to wear those bulky life vests! We rented a tandem kayak from Up the Creek at Mattingly Park. I'm going back down again this weekend to visit my friend Patrise, and hopefully we'll do a moonlight paddle as the full moon rises this Saturday.

I wonder if the lotuses are blooming? We'll find out soon enough.

I'm off to Accokeek to paddle!

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.

Greenbridge Boat Ramp

Greenbridge Boat Ramp, oils on panel, 9" x 12"

Today the Howard Plein Air group met at another location new to me--the Greenbridge Road boat ramp by Tridelphia Reservoir. I was running a bit late and by the time I got there, the other painters were all set up and working. They had chosen the north-facing side of this shallow cove where one could stay cool in the shade--the weather reports were calling for the thermometer to hit a hundred by afternoon.

The greenish-blue tint of the water looked so inviting set against the white-hot light reflecting off the reservoir, it was tempting to jump right in and forget about painting. But the local authorities frown upon that, since this is our drinking water.

I set my easel on the slope above the cove and included the figure of one of the other painters on the shore along with the boats. I was surprised by how easily the trees went in, they practically painted themselves. The water and reflections were harder, gauging the right values and colors. A cooling breeze coming from the trees helped to ameliorate the mounting heat as noon approached.

As I was finishing I happened to glance at the water and there, easily visible in the clear water of the cove, was something very large swimming close to the surface. A golden brown color similar to the tree trunks, and wide--it must have been a catfish--but of such a size, it was downright spooky! The thing actually left a wake. Maybe swimming here is not such a good idea after all.