Every year I look forward to what I call the "start" of the plein air season. For me it begins with a trip about 8 hours south from me in a beautiful little antique town called New Harmony Indiana (http://www.newharmony.org/) where I get an early peek at spring and where the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association holds a competition! There are a number of opportunities to enter starting with what is called the "Field to Finish" competition. Every year you can do a simple sketch during the competition with the thought in mind of using it as a resource for a completed studio painting. Then the next year you submit both pieces to the Hoosier Salon (http://www.hoosiersalon.org/newharmony.html) . The opening of this body of work is the kick off for the event! They hung mine in the window this year!!!
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So Gentle the Harvest 18x18 oil $700 Available at the Hoosier Salon, New Harmony through May! |
My husband grew up in this area and so it is never an art only trip. We stay with his mom and visit with the rest of his family and friends. This year when we arrived we all had some health issues to deal with. I had to go to Urgent Care as I woke with a screaming pain in my jaw and face. I was diagnosed with TMJ...an issue with the jaw joint and nerve. It defiantly put a damper on things and made it difficult to concentrate on painting.
Monday-Wednesday saw some great weather in the 70's and even 80's. Daffodil's and tulips up and forsythia were in bloom when we arrived. By the time we left the dogwood, lilac's and red bud were all out and the place was greening up fast!! I got to warm up the brushes a little on tuesday!
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Forsythia 12x12 oil sold |
However all that great weather blew out of there on Thursday which is when the competition began. Had I known I would have brought my snow pants with me!!