My Kind of Critics!

My approving critics ( I didn't get their names)

      What a beautiful day to be out painting!  Today I painted with some new friends, also Art League members, at a site called "Wide Water" just below the Old Anglers Inn in Potomac, Maryland.  I wish I had taken more photos of all the action during the morning... kayakers practicing their rollovers, hikers, guys on some sort of surfboard looking thing that they poled along, and exuberant Labs going for a swim.  Exuberant Lab #2 did a real number on painting friend Bobbi Pratte.  She got soaked but fortunately her painting survived uscathed:)  As I was finishing for the day I turned and found I had a few onlookers.  They graciously gave me the thumbs up!  I really like talking with people when I paint and I love getting the immediate feedback.  These truly are the critics I enjoy! 

"Wide Water" 12x16 oil on panel (raw state)

   

      This is "Wide Water" in its raw state.  I need to finish the left side of the painting and get a little more push pull going on with the light and dark.  My sky got a little muddy and could use some brightening. That's because my brush wasn't clean enough when I wanted to lighten the sky where the sun was brightest. This painting is very similar to the one I did in August at River Bend which is on the Virginia side of the Potomac.  The difference, besides the fall colors, is the water was very much higher and faster today than in August and provided more movement.

     Behind me were Bobbi Pratte and Susan Johnson and as I look at this photo I wonder if I didn't miss an opportunity here.  Perhaps I should have painted them painting.  Look at that dappled light and the strong light on the river and the deep shade under the tree!  Well, there is always the studio.  I may play with this one.http://www.jeanschwartzpaintings.com/
 

Bobbi Pratte (left) and Susan Johnson painting, my easel in the center