Plein Air Saturday - High Banks Metro Park

I spend the morning at High Banks Metro Park, just north of Worthington Ohio with my plein air group. This was the first outing of the year. It was a beautiful morning, but at 8am, was in the high 30's when we started out. BRrrrrrrrrr. My shoulders and hands got really cold for awhile. There were about 15 painters out today. The mediums were oil, pastels and watercolors. We met later at 11:30 for a group critique. A few pics of the group's work are shown following my work, and there is a link at the bottom to a slideshow put together by the group's organizer.

There isn't much color in the Ohio landscape yet. Keep in mind that I used my artistic license to recreate the scene in front of me. Didn't necessarily end up looking that much like reality. But that's what's fun about art. I don't claim to be a realistic painter.

Below is actually my second piece of the day. I finished it at home. It needed a second rock to the bottom right, as for some reason, I planted that one right in the middle and it threw the composition off. A photograph of the scene follows the artwork.

High Banks #2, 5" x 7", pastels on suede mat board

Below is the one I like the best of the two. In the beginning of the session, I was having trouble viewing the easel and the pastel pieces, as the sun was coming from my left and blinding me. I forgot to bring a hat and couldn't work in sunglasses. As the sun rose, it became easier. I always forget to stand back a ways and check my work in progress. Later, as I viewed this one from 10 feet back, I really liked what I saw. I like the sense of depth and the direction your eyes follow around the piece.

It needed a fourth rock to the bottom left, as again, I planted the major group of three rocks right in the middle and again threw the composition off. A photograph of the scene follows the artwork.

High Banks #1, 5" x 7", pastels on suede mat board
SOLD - Dec 2012

Here are some shots of the other painter's work.

Mine are shown in the middle with the arrows.



Here's a link to photos that the group organizer compiled: Bill

I had alot of fun. Next week we are meeting at Creekside in Gahanna Ohio.