I joined my second Plein Air Paint Out in Winters, Californial. It was a great group of artists that I totally loved meeting and painting with for three days.

The first day we met at Park Winters and spread out painting different areas of the location. It is a lovely spot with lots of interesting areas to paint. I would love to go back and paint the water tower. One of the water colorists painted it incredibly beautiful. I selected this barn, starting in the shade and slowly going into the sun. I got a lovely sunburn and an “OK” painting, I feel mine is a little too complicated and I think Plein Air should be simpler.

When I look at photos that I take with my Apple 15 I realize the color is never as good as it in “real life”. I wonder sometimes if my work from photos lacks the color of real life?

The best part of Plein Air painting is meeting wonderful new artists, being outside and painting from real life. Park Winters is a wonderfully beautiful spot to enjoy, have an event or enjoy the day. The hard part is that you have to be creative on the spot with bugs, invasive plants and wind, sun and sometimes rain.

The third day of the event I had a booth with my art. I decided after the event, even though I sold enough to make it almost worth while, it is hard work to put up the tent, the tables and all the art you want to share. I don’t want to do it again. I think it is fine when you are younger, but as I gain in age it is just work. I look back at when I did interior design and charged $100 an hour and then I amortize what I make an hour as an artist it is almost a joke. So the question comes to mind: Do you do art because you love it, because until you are well-known your art is almost worthless.