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« A Feast For The Eyes and the Heart - The Irvine Museum - And My Family | Main | The Gelson's Series »
Plein Air Adventures
by Marian Fortunati on 2/2/2010 12:25:19 PM



The CAC's monthly paint out was rained out by the spate storms that came through SoCal in the last few weeks so some of us emailed one another decided to try to team up and go out on a different day.

Maria Klar had suggested that we meet at Leo Carrillo State Beach and since I'd not been there painting, I jumped on the opportunity.  I drove out with Sharon Weaver and there we met Maria and Nita.   WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY!!!  When Sharon and I arrived, it was calm and warm and clear.   we each set up and began painting.  By the time Maria and Nita arrived just a short time later, the wind had kicked up a bit and the temperature dropped some, but it was still clear and beautiful.

I had decided to take a larger (11x14) RayMar board... I wanted to stretch myself a bit. It was also (gulp) linen.  I really enjoy painting on linen but I'm so darn cheap thrifty.  Since not everything I try turns out wonderfully, it KILLS me to spend the extra bucks on a support with out knowing it will be WONDERFUL.  (OMG!!!  ;o) )   I know............ I need to get over it.  Interestingly, since I've started experimenting with different supports, I've found that I like plain MDF boards that I've coated with toned gesso, canvas boards AND linen boards... I like them ALL... but for different reasons.  It adds another layer of decision making before I start out... but that kinda adds to the fun, too. 

If time spent trying to get something down on the support counts as progress, I know I've gotten to be better as I've been painting outside over the last few years.  I used to go out with a small board or canvas - usually 8x10 or smaller and I'd labor for well over 3 hours and end up with ..... well it was the best I could do... but ... well, you know.   Now I can go out for an hour with a 6x8 like last Thursday and come up with something I liked.  After about 2 1/2 hours on Friday I felt I had gotten a decent painting and was fearful of doing more and messing it up. 
I walked to the port-a-potties then to the car to get our lunches and came back to see how the others were doing.   Maria was finished and the others were wrapping up.   I left my lunch with Maria to watch and went back down to the rocks to clean up my stuff.  There I found my brushes all over the rocks!!  A seagull had apparently flown down to snatch what he though might be a snack and LUCKILY dropped the bag of brushes on the rocks and not over the side of the cliff!  Just then I heard a loud yell.  When I returned to find out what was going on, I found that as Maria had turned her head away, another fearless gull had grabbed my PB & J sandwich bag right out of a big paper lunch bag and flown off with it!  We stood on the cliff and watched as the gulls fought over my lunch, (Maria even took a photo!) then later we walked down to the sandy area where my lunch was no more and chatted as Maria and Sharon ate their lunch.

No worries... I'm a LONG way off from starving to death and it only made the day more memorable!!





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Post Details:

Permalink | 7 Comments
Topics: Landscape | Making the most of retirement | Plein Air 
Technorati Tags: Landscape | Making the most of retirement | Plein Air 



Ruth Housley
via marianfortunati.com
Hi Marian,
I really like the photos you took as well as your painting. Very nice and I hope you and Sharon had a nice day.
Ruth
AutumnLeaves
via marianfortunati.com
Marian, your story just had me laughing aloud. Gulls are so funny, I think, and definitely fearless. Your plein aire painting is gorgeous! I have to say that photo of the scene you painted is so beautiful; that cresting wave just glorious. Sheesh, I run out of adjectives when looking at awesome art.
Dad
via marianfortunati.com
lOVELY PAINTING; BUT. THE PHOTO WITH THE WAVE COMING IN, AND THE STRIATED CLOUDS, WOULD MAKE AN EVEN BETTER SCENE.YES THE GULLS ARE FEARLESS. I'VE SEEN THEM TAKE SCRAPS AWAY FROM THE MUCH LARGER PELICANS. LOVE, DAD
Sharon Weaver
via marianfortunati.com
We do have fun don't wee. Love the gull picture. Those guys are fearless.
travelingsuep
via marianfortunati.com
A fabulous painting and a great story.
Marian Fortunati
via marianfortunati.com
Thanks, Ruth, "Autumn", Daddy, Sharon and Sue..
I appreciate the visit and the time it took for you to leave your thoughts!

We had an absolutely terrific time that day.. Going outside to paint is always an adventure.. that's why we keep doing it I guess!
Judy P.
via marianfortunati.com
Love the painting, and the adventure behind it!
Also thanks Marian, for those lovely note cards; beautiful scenes, and I like your heightened color sense.









 

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