Palette Knife Painters, International: Plein air on the Columbia River by BECKY JOY

Monday, September 5, 2011

Plein air on the Columbia River by BECKY JOY

Approaching Fall 6x8" oil $200. To buy click here.

I'm finally back home from my Oregon trip, visiting family, friends and participating in the plein air show in Hood River along the gorge. I met some new friends and got to know some a little better. It was a great trip. I really enjoyed all of it. I stayed with a couple on the Washington side of the river, a beautiful home and very nice enjoyable couple.

We painted for 5 days in a different location each day, a vineyard, a working farm, trust property, along the river at a park (which is the location of this painting), and the marina, which I didn't participate in that day. I went back to my parents to visit family. Each location was unique and beautiful. All that I painted were small. I was very limited on size and packed my frames in my suitcase, which of course meant that my clothes were really at a minimum. It was more the painting things than personal belongings. I got the important stuff there. I think if I did it again I would ship a little larger frames up there beforehand. I feel more comfortable painting 8x10 to 11x14 when painting in plein air. Oh well, I learned and it wasn't bad, but I would have liked the bigger canvases better. Also, I forgot to take some good photos of the paintings that I left there for the show.

I had talked to my good friend Jerry Fenter, an artist and writer that lives on the gorge. (Actually, we met for coffee that turned into lunch). Jerry told me that I should try to get up to Mount Adams to see the wildflowers. The day after I finished painting I took my mom and her walker on a 1 1/2 mile hike up the mountain to the meadows at the flanks of Mt. Adams. Jerry was right. The flowers were absolutely spectacular this year. I didn't paint since I was with my mom, but got plenty of photos that I may work on for some paintings.