The Harmony of Letting Go
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Goals are good, right? But too many goals in too little time are not so good. Finding your rhythm can be like navigating without Google Maps. But seriously, I did have a route planned out, with steps and bullet points and everything. Sometimes though, all that mapping flies out the window and things just take more of those little squares on the calendar…
So #pleinairpril got off to a great start, on Day #1 I was out there painting in the back yard. And then about 14 days went by with only a few sketches in between. But so what? Some people will do those daily social media challenges, but some of us just don’t groove that way. Plus there’s juggling other deadlines, school breaks, art applications, events, family, etc…
I opted to honor my reality and my energy level, and head to the park on Day #15 and celebrate the fact that I was out there on a sunny day after a week of rain. I achieved more by letting go of my pre-planned list, focusing on only the essential deadlines that could not shift, and then getting back to brush on canvas. My plein air journey has been much more harmonious after injecting some adaptability.
Some of those shifts? Getting this post up a week late, and the still-in-the-works plein air meetup. It'll happen, but in May or maybe June. It'll be worth the wait!
The sun finally burns off the clouds to blast through a small grove. It's all about that yellowy green grass and bold shadows!
Contemplating the right blue in the pond reflection - is it purple blue or green blue or gray blue? This is an important question!
My trip to the Roozengaarde tulip fields offered the ultimate test of my experimental umbrella setup. Crowds, wind, direct sun... it was a new experience to paint in front of so many people, but fun too. My setup lost to the wind, about an hour after this shot and I had to take it down... but it was awesome while it lasted! I'll definitely be searching for a better shade fix before summer. Learn more about the 2024 Tulip Festival HERE; it's amazing and I highly recommend!
Wet works from the field!