Frustrating start leads to happy ending.....

I went out to paint plein air painting this morning.

It was in the mid 70’s at 7AM. The goal was to be out painting by 9, at the latest. I have to tell you that even plein air painters don’t ALWAYS feel like painting...and this was one of those mornings for me. But, the rest of the week looks overcast and rainy and sometimes, you just have to make yourself DO IT!

Some days inspiration abounds and others you just paint. Today I just needed to paint! I got started and of course the subject of my painting, a car, moved. Luckily I had sketched it, but I hadn’t taken a picture of it yet. These are the things that you have to re-learn when you start plein air painting again, early in the season. I shook my head, laughed it off and kept plugging away.

Sketch of scene I was thinking of painting. Concentrated on the car because I figured it might move.

I also found myself having to wipe out a few areas and restarting them. Again, it’s just me getting my feet wet...getting my “feel” back. Not the most pleasant process but I know what’s going on so I don’t sweat it. A few times out in the field and it’ll start to gel, but I do have to make myself get OUT THERE and go through this part of it every year. And every year even though it’s the same, there are some differences too, so that makes it interesting, I guess, hahaha.

clearing out that dusty attic of my brain....

In my last blog I mentioned clearing out the dusty attic of my brain. That’s what this part of reacquainting myself with plein air painting feels like. Shaking off the dust off of those non-plein air months, letting the sun in, exercising muscles that have been placid.

BUT that’s not the best part of my story today! I started telling this story because today I was hi-jacked. Often people will talk to me, that’s no problem. Downtown, people often ask for money and that’s a bit uncomfortable, but today I met Myeshia. When I left the house this morning, I said a small prayer that I didn’t want to be hassled for money today...I was just not in the mood but I try to be open to others when I am out there no matter my mood. 

As I’ve said, I was struggling with my painting, color mixing was off a bit, things just not “flowing”. A few people stopped to chat but I was not hassled for money. :) Then Myeshia stopped and was just so happy to see me painting and loved what I was doing. She does mosaics and was headed to The Creative Vision Factory in the next block and wanted me to see her work. I politely declined but she kept asking. She was just SO excited about her work and wanted to share it. I could tell it would mean a lot to her for me to take a few minutes and look at her work so ...I decided I could take a few minutes and check it out!

The Creative Vision Factory was full of people and there are still some covid restrictions in place so I got a quick tour. There is lots of space for people to create and there is a schedule for people to sign up for times to come in too. It is full of art that people have created and they sell it help support their non-profit efforts in keeping the place going. Myeshia has a really good eye for color and design and had many mosiacs that were very vibrant and quite wonderful. I am glad I got to see them!

Isn’t that what art is? Sharing our talents and our time. Give and take. A little humanity for each other.  I wish her well in her creative endeavors and I know the Creative Vision Factory will be there to help her and many others along the way.

I got back to my car and headed home. I finished my painting in the studio, which I rarely do but hey, ya gotta go with the flow, eh? Now when I look at this painting, I’ll think of Myeshia

work in progress. Unfinished version of painting. Mosiac Morning Sarah Baptist

Completed urban landscape oil painting by Sarah Baptist of Shipley street in Wilmington Delaware with wonderful shaft of sunlight

 The Creative Vision Factory
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Mission
The Creative Vision Factory fosters the creative potential of individuals on the behavioral health spectrum in a studio art environment that cultivates integration with the local art community through a program of exhibitions, workshops, and communal workspace.