October trees

Here we are again. this is a 9 by 12 and I am happy that it is smaller than my other things. Most of the painters in the group have been there several years so it's easy to get frustrated and impatient with myself. i am learning all the time which is what is so fascinating about plein air. I think some of us are so hooked on going outside and being with nature we are getting more tolerate of the rain and the cold and the clouds. I know I am accepting the cloudy gray skies better now.  At first i just wanted to go out when it was sunny and warm and cozy. Now it's what can i get on the paper this time. What color will I find? who cares about the clouds. I agreee with Brenda Boylan I don't like frozen fingers but i don't have to wait for the sun all the time. 

fall tress

Well this is an 12 by 18. Smaller than i have been working. I worked somewhere on Sauvie island when the group was there near a fishing dock. I got pretty frustrated but looked at it at home and worked on it some more. It's still not perfect but i think i like it better. 

Here I went out with the idea  that i was going to try and work smaller so i could go faster with some of the studies because sometimes working big is not necessary. I find sometimes when I work big I'm done with the idea but I have to spend more time than necessary on it because of the size. I tried this outside and did most of it there and was happy to make that much progress on it because it was smaller. Now i can take it home and perhaps if i'm still interested in the subject can work on a larger piece.