Four Days and Seven Paintings

The "Find Your Park" plein air event was in celebration of the 100th anniversary of our national park system. The St. Augustine, Fl Cultural Association participated by sponsoring a week long paint out at the Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas. It was a great week getting to meet other plein air artists and painting in beautiful St. Augustine. The sun shone and the wind blew which for me meant seeking out shade and holding down my easel with one hand while I painted with the other. It was both fun and exhausting. I'd do it again in a minute!

Day 1 - Fort Matanzas

"Enter Through the Gift Shop" - 8"x 10" - oil

"Tree on the Marsh" - oil - 5"x 7"

"Matanzas Beachette" -oil- 8"x 10"

Day 2 - The Castillo

"The Lookout" - oil - 11"x 14"

Day 3 - The Castillo

"Windy Picnic" - oil - 11"x 14"- sold

Day 4 - The Castillo

"Palm Shadows in the Old City" - oil - 11"x 14"

You may have noticed that I only put up six paintings when I said there were seven. Number seven never got photographed, so you'll just have to take my word for it. I might get around to taking it's picture next week after I recover.

St. Augustine Inspiration

 I decided to drive up to St. Augustine to do some painting. It's one of my favorite places and the weather was absolutely perfect.

Check out that BLUE sky. Isn't it gorgeous? I've always loved the look of this old church with the greenish dome. I heard a tour operator tell his trolley full of tourists that it was built by Henry Flagler. No big surprise as he seems to have built most of St. Augustine.

I was able to set up in the shade which is always a bonus. And I scored a parking spot where I could keep an eye on things to avoid getting a parking ticket. So far, so good.

My canvas here was 12"x 24". I've never worked this large in plein air before, so this was a challenge. I'll save you the suspense.  I didn't finish. Well, not on location anyway. I ran out of parking meter change after three hours of painting. So I decided to pack up and finish it in my studio.

My 'Got A Minute' video is actually more like a minute and a half this week. Close enough don't you think? Check it out and let me know what you think.  Thanks!

Blue Dome - oil - 12"x 24"
Leah Wiedemer