Plein air Carolina style

Strength in numbers, 11x14" oil on panel

“Can't ya see the sunshine?”

Would have been better to get out in the morning Thursday before the day turned into such a scorcher. Not only did painting buddy Robert’s pick-up truck lift us into a bit of a breeze, it kept us above and away from thousands of fire ants. As we were packing up, I said to Robert, “That’s some piece of [plein air] equipment. We’ll have to keep it (his truck) in mind.”

Being elevated lends itself so well to much plein air painting. The first marshes I painted, I was lucky enough to have access to someone’s deck overlooking them. Had it not been for Robert’s truck, the field of sunflowers would have been reduced to a streak of yellow. Peering down makes for a deeper expanse of mid and foreground.

Whimsical whirligigs

Whirligigs at Fearrington, 7x9½" watercolor (SOLD)

The very same day I painted the Fainting Goats, I did these two watercolors. Vollis Simpson’s whimsical whirligigs put me in a whimsical mood, so once the idea entered my head, I couldn’t resist painting Partly Beltie skies. Read more about celebrated North Carolina whirligig creator Vollis Simpson by clicking NYT.

Partly Beltie skies, 7x9½" watercolor

Blue

I don’t think subscribers received my last blog post. Scroll down after this one and you’ll see the goats. Lots of them. Probably why you didn’t receive it — goat overload. Didn’t think about the byte thing.

The road leading out, 11x14" oil on panel

I’m into blues and purples, and it was a blue day when I painted this, but this shows up way more blue than it should. And no matter how I manipulate it, I can’t seem to tone down the blue. This happened with another recent painting as well. Click My backyard 2 to see way too blue hydrangeas. Pity, as it’s one of my better paintings. Recalling I photographed both paintings on the same day about the same time, I finally realized what happened. I either photographed them too early in the day, under a cloud, or in too much shadow. Woe. I may photograph them again in different light.

Fainting goats

Feeling divided, 3x3" watercolor

Lots to show this time but very little to say for a change. This is as close as I come to having kids. Soon I hope some of these goats will follow the cows home to Fearrington Village from whence they came. Many of the goats at Fearrington are belted like the Village’s Scottish Belted Galloway cows, but are a black-and-white-marked domestic breed known as fainting goats. Imagine designing a couch for them.

I need to lie down.

Bed and breakfast, 4x6" watercolor

Billie lunches with his better half, 4x6" watercolor

Billy fat, 4x6" watercolor

Check out the goatee., 6x4" watercolor

Different strokes, 6x4" watercolor

Double-spaced, 4x6" watercolor

Essence of goat, 4x6" watercolor

Drawing straws, 4x6" watercolor

“Here’s looking at you, kid.”, 6x4" watercolor

Hitting the hay, 4x6" watercolor

It’s hard to be coy when you’re a goat, 3x3" watercolor

Lunch at Fearrington, 4x6" watercolor

Tête-à-tête, 4x6" watercolor

Rainy day watercolours

Beltie gathering place, 7x9½" watercolor

I lived in England 1952-1956. Years passed and in 1985, en route to London, I began laughing as the plane I was on landed at Gatwick. My travel companion asked, “What’s so funny?”

“It’s still raining,” I replied.

One nice thing about painting watercolors en plein air on damp days and in high humidity is that the paint stays wet. Both of these paintings stayed damp long enough for me to lay down saturated grounds before later going in with the calligraphy that defines everything. Wanting to get some fuzziness to the cows, I laid in some calligraphy for them when the paper was only partially dry. Because there is drying time in this style watercolor between the soft ground coat and the hard-edge calligraphy, I rarely include in these paintings people, animals, motor vehicles; anything that moves.
Click to see the third calligraphic watercolor I did outside The Belted Goat (also at Fearrington Village).

p.s. Do you think Prince Charles would accept a plein air invitation? :-) I know he paints in watercolour.

The Roost at Fearrington Village, 7x9½" watercolor

Strength in numbers

Beltline 1, 3x9" watercolor

When I look at just one of these, I see mostly black and green marks. When I look at all of them, I see a herd of cows; specifically, Belted Galloway cows, otherwise known as “Oreo Cows.” I drove all the way up to Fearrington Village near Pittsboro, NC yesterday, not only to participate in a paint out, but to deliver to a customer what may be the last of my Old Well watercolors. I had my oils with me, but with a thunderstorm threatening, the sun couldn’t stay out from behind a cloud for more than minutes at a time. Oh well, scratch the oils, I love painting the “Belties” at Fearrington Village.

When I say strength in numbers, I am often reminded of something photographer Annie Leibovitz once said.  She felt the strength of her photos lie not in any one photo she’s taken, but in her collection of photos.

Down and Up, 4x6" watercolor

A Pepto Bismol™ moment, 4x6" watercolor

Facing West, 4x6" watercolor

Heads and Tail, 4x6" watercolor

Ring Around the Rosie, 4x6" watercolor

Shakin’ Tail, 4x6" watercolor

The Lone Oreo, 3x3" watercolor

Two down, one to go, 4x6" watercolor

Playing doubles, 4x6" watercolor

Two’s company, three’s a crowd, 4x6" watercolor

Wide belts are in, 4x6" watercolor

Beltline 2, 3x9" watercolor

Raleigh stops

Sarah Charlotte and Taylor, 16x12" oil on canvas

Monday was a made-to-order day for plein air painting. It was not, however, my intention to paint yesterday. First on my agenda was delivering a freshly painted informal portrait [commission] to dear friend Ed Davis, who tonight will gift the painting to his wife Pam for their 30th wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary Ed and Pam!!

Ed and I grabbed a quick lunch at my favorite, The Roast Grill, then I was off to drop new works off at The Little Art Gallery. Mentioning I might just go to a movie before a commitment that evening, gallery owner Rosanne reminded me of some Raleigh hot spots I might consider painting.

I’ve painted Hayes Barton Pharmacy and other haunts in the Five Points neighborhood before, but this may be my favorite of the ones I’ve done. I love the prettiness of the pastel colors. The painting will soon join the other works I have at Raleigh’s Little Art Gallery.

Hayes Barton at Five Points, 7x9½" watercolor