Wednesday, October 14, 2009

After the Rain in Maine

(Posted by Maggie)
One of the great things about teaching workshops, especially plein air workshops, is that we get to go to beautiful places.

For years, ever since I first saw pictures of its coastline, I'd wanted to go to Maine. This past summer, I finally got there, to teach a plein air workshop for Pastel Painters of Maine. Unfortunately it was one of the wettest summers on record. It was raining when we arrived, and raining off and on when we checked out the painting locations. It rained the first day of the workshop, so we painted indoors, which wasn't a bad thing as we had a chance to work on techniques.

Then the sun came out and we went out for the next few days. It was like a different world. The blues of sky and water were brilliant, the greens were vivid, the seaweed was ochres and oranges. We even got a little sunburned one day.

I painted this spot in pastel as a demonstration for the class, and I thought it would be interesting to return to it and try it in oils. I think rocks are easier in pastel, or maybe I'm just more used to painting them in that medium. But even though they were a bit of a struggle, it was fun painting these in oil, and the finished painting feels like the place.

Above: Tidepools, 6x8, oil/panel, ©Maggie Price, $95





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