Thursday, June 9, 2011

Becky Joy at Oil Painters of America show

Hi everyone from not so sunny Coeur d'Alene, ID. Well, sometimes sunny. The weather here is typical of the northwest at this time of year. It didn't rain today, but it has been cloudy, sunny, a little rain, then cloudy again. It doesn't make it easy for plein air painting, but I'm tryin'. Actually, it has been a lot of fun.

I'm at the OPA show right now. Yesterday was my first day out painting. I went to a couple of sites, the bridge is the first one. The painting in the afternoon is still in the car. I forgot to take a photo of it. I met some of the other artists that were out painting, but today I went my own way. I went out to the old mission and beyond. I painted the top painting of the mountains, water and trees (another cloudy painting).

While I was out there, I saw a moose with her newborn calf. The calf was hidden most of the time, but every once in a while I got a glimpse of the baby as it followed the mother, coming out of the bushes. I think it was absolutely the smallest one that I have seen. It is amazing what you see as you are out painting. After painting for a while, you are so quiet and concentrated on painting that animals will start to come out into the open. I think they must think I'm a fixture and non-threatening, so out they come. Pretty neat!

This afternoon I went to the informal welcome reception where I met a few friends I've met at other shows and a couple of online painters. I also introduced myself to some artists that I have admired, exciting. Tomorrow I have signed up for the Scott Christensen demo, as have a lot of other artists. I had better get there early for a good seat.

I'm also going to the lecture "How to Get Published" with Collin Fry. Tomorrow night will be the show opening at the gallery and awards. In between will be the vendors with their products, that was fun last year.
Saturday is full in the morning, but I may have time to paint some in the afternoon. I saw an old flatbed truck close to the hotel. That might be an easy one without driving around too much.

I'll post again before the weekend is over to let you know what is going on and how the lectures and demos go. Talk to you all later.

Becky

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