Sunset and Clouds July 27th

As I drove home I saw and passed under a HUGE cloud as I went east on I-90. I could see the sunset shaping up behind me, but mostly I wanted another view of that immense cloud as I headed to my sunset-watching spot in East Greenbush. Here it is, seen while going east. 

This was the view, looking west from East Greenbush. Here are all the photos, on Flickr.

That Whooshing Sound was July

I’ve been trying to upload photos to post here and failing. I’ve been getting ready for the 11th Annual August Poetry Postcard Fest 2017, scanning watercolors and printing postcard fronts and trying to get into a more wordy state of mind. I’ve been trying to hold my own against the forces of evil in the world. I’ve been trying to figure out when to get my car’s oil changed. I’ve been trying to figure out the new GoPro camera I got as a video and backup camera for an upcoming trip. So, you know, busy. I might have killed a few orcs along the way.

I’ve been chasing clouds:

First, very “limited palette” sky with very dramatic darks:

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That dark sky reminded me of this and vice versa while I was scanning this watercolor for digital and postcard use.

Last night’s sunset in the next post.

Lessons Learned: Plein Air Category

If you’re painting en plein air, your brushes should not be grass green. Ask me how I came upon this notion! I’m tempted to dip the ends of all my brushes in safety yellow or blaze orange just for ease of finding. And no, I didn’t find the brush I dropped and I spent too much time looking. If it turns up in the corner of a bag or something it will be a freakin’ miracle.

I’d headed over to The Clark for a 9 AM curator-led gallery walk of the Picasso print exhibit. That was very interesting and informative. I’ll go back some other early morning to go through again and look at everything with some new ideas. Afterwards, I enjoyed the rest of my coffee and headed up toward the back hill. It was hard to pick a view – there were great clouds in all directions. I took my roll-up stool with me because it poured last night. That was a good decision, unlike the green-handled brush. At least it wasn’t one of my new brushes – I’d still be there looking.

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Still making progress

Not quite done, but mostly.

Ooooh – Package Day! Unboxing

There was a promo code for Blick the other night, the stuff itself couldn’t be discounted any further (I always choose stuff like that!) but there was free shipping. That gave me a $3.00 fedex option so I took it. Talk about immediate gratification.

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Only did a few washes with the brushes but man they hold HUGE amounts of water as promised and so beautiful in the hand. The larger one (not the largest to be had, by any means) is a size 6.

Weird Memories Found

I have a weird childhood memory of going on a picnic with the Frezon grandparents and, no doubt, Aunt Marie and that we were in dark woods and at, not a stream, but a spillway. And over the years I’ve told myself that it was along the Black River which is up in Rensselaer County.

Today I didn’t explore all of Black River Road (although I did later go down, and by down I mean steeply down and often at right angle turns a road called Toad Point Road (aka County 88) which magically dumped me onto rte 22) but I did drive up to Cherry Plains State Park and voila, there was a spillway. It wasn’t so dark although if we walked into a bit of woods I think it would have been dark enough to remember.

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Monday, the odd day off

Had good intentions to do what had to be done. Managed a load of laundry, putting out the trash cans and some painting.

Things Seen While Wandering

Along the road into Papscanee Preserve.

Some of the corn near here had small ears despite not being very tall.

New colors

I came home with three new colors. The brits are always saying throw some raw sienna in the sky. Mine looks like an orangey brown, theirs looks positively yellow. The good news is that it mixes with cobalt or ultramarine to a warm browny grey.

This shows mixing the three new colors: rhodolite genuine, aureolin (cobalt yellow) and raw sienna with cobalt and ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson etc. Get an eyeful of that pink!

Stasher’s Dream Come True

I stopped at Arlene’s this morning on the way to work. Those of you who know my collection of thread sample cards will totally appreciate my excitement over this coming home. But seriously, it answers once and for all my questions about lightfastness and, more importantly, transparency! At long last. Unlike thread sample cards, these “dot cards” can actually be used with brush and water to try out the colors on your own paper.