On the campaign trail

Cavalier King Charles on his throne, 6x8" watercolor

Cavalier King Charles, three views, 6x8" watercolor

The tough thing I’ve found about campaigning is you have to keep asking people to vote for you. I will be so happy when the end of this day is here, and I can stop asking people to give me a Like in the BoldBrush Painting Competition. I think I’ve come up with at least ten instructions on how to cast your vote for my painting, and the one that seems the easiest to understand is the one my nephew Chris posted on Facebook,

Please help my aunt out...click on the link and hit like. Thanks!!!

http://faso.com/boldbrush/painting/57348

The painting in the competition is an oil, not the painting above. Because this is a blog about plein air painting, I decided the featured painting should be one that was at least painted on location. The paintings of the Cavalier King Charles above is the pet dog of a friend’s grandson.

If you cast your Like for me today or if you already have, I give you my sincere thanks.

After dinner painting

Wilkins’ Home at Christmastime, 7x9 ½ watercolor

I have asked myself why in the winter I do fewer plein air watercolors. Can’t answer that. An oil painting generally takes longer. Since I get out there with little hesitation to do oil paintings in winter months, the misery of standing out in the cold is not a good alibi. Maybe it’s because winter colors tend to be more somber, and my watercolors are more whimsical in their approach.

Nonetheless, I managed to get one watercolor done after dinner yesterday. I went to this house thinking I’d paint the giant turkey balloon I’d seen in the yard. What I found instead were Christmas trees, Core Sound Christmas trees — lots of them. The entire extended family was out in the yard, each family member with their own tree. Several rows of trees, representing the different generations of family, were positioned. I was told by one of the family members that this is a Thanksgiving ritual and now a family tradition.

Dobbin House

Dobbin House Tavern, 7x10" watercolor

Went on a Wayne Community College organized tour of Gettysburg last weekend with a fun group of Goldsboro people. I believe this was their eighth tour led by Goldsboro Civil War aficionado Randy Sauls. He knows the battles of the Civil War at Gettysburg like the back of his hand. The entire group had dinner at this 1776 home that has been converted to a tavern. What an amazing treat! The entrées were pricey, but oh so worth it. After the Saturday tour, one of my tour mates lent me his stocking hat, jacket, and fingerless gloves so I’d be comfortable painting this scene late in the day on Saturday after our battlefield tour. I had the world’s smallest stool with me, so I could sit close to the ground, giving me easy access to my brushes and water container.