Riverwalk, East side of Barstow. 7/25/14

Well only 2 of us made it this week. John couldn't make it, Vivian was on vacation, Carol had to rake her recently rotor tilled lawn smooth before it rained. Only Gary and I showed up. Gary couldn't find frame park. He looked at a map and thought the Riverwalk was frame park. Luckily he had my cell phone number and called me. I was just wandering around at Frame park wondering where he was. He doesn't have a gps so he's one step down in technology from me. (My gps is old and the old computer I set up the updates to download on takes over 8 hours of babysitting to download the updates. Needless to say I haven't updated the maps for years. It's good enough. I just call and get directions if I need to.) We both have flip phones so in that way we are both technological dinosaurs. Oh well, painting is more important. I think the schedule next week puts us on the Riverwalk but that's ok. There's plenty to paint there. 

I'm looking at the last two weeks of paintings. Only 2 paintings but they're not too bad. I used the same colors on each. Burnt Sienna, cerulean blue, cadmium yellow medium, titanium white. (Gary uses this really pretty turquoise green.) My paints survived the week in the fridge even if I didn't spray them with golden open media. I got the bottle out but didn't put it in a spray bottle yet.

I am almost done with one work project so can probably make Tuesday night plein airs again. We'll be at McKinley Marina unless Al changes the location. I think last week he was in some competition down in the 3rd ward, so since he was already down there he wanted to plein air paint there. I guess only Roger and Al showed up. The weather was threatening rain all week but you can paint in the rain if you can find shelter. If you let the weather keep you from painting you will hardly ever paint in Wisconsin. I think our weather is unfriendly most of the time. It's either too hot and humid, buggy, raining, snowing, cold, or damp. It just depends on the time of year.

The River walk on the east side of Barstow and across from the DNR building, has an area in the river where there is dam like structure that water goes over like a water fall. It appears fairly shallow and clumps of waterweed pile up there. The ducks were standing on the clumps of waterweed right at the edge of the falls. One was sleeping! Further up the river were 3 fountains strung across the middle of the river. I assume it's to aerate the water.

An nice older gentleman told us that he caught bluegills and muskies in the river here. His second wife is a school teacher and they have traveled quite a few places, Warsaw, eastern and western Europe before and after the Berlin Wall, France, Italy, Spain..... One of his sisters was a World War II codebreaker. I think he worked in the automotive industry. He kept us company the entire time I was painting. Quite a few people came walking by and were complimentary about our paintings. I invited them to look us up and join us. So who knows maybe someone will show up one day.

Waukesha has done a good job with their riverfront. It is very accessible, open, and pretty. Parking is free and easy during the weekdays. That's the opposite of Milwaukee. Milwaukee parking can be difficult depending when and where you go.

Army Lake, East Troy 7/18/14

Vivian invited us as her guests to this private camper ground. It is very nice. She said the 70+ year old guy was very excited that we were coming but he didn't come to look at what we were doing. Gary and Vivan were there when I arrived. John arrived next. Then Carol arrived after we started painting. Judith arrived as I was leaving.

Vivian lives in a camper there in the summer. Gary paints everyday. He showed us his heavy duty umbrella clamp and plastic grid that he uses to get things in proportion. I took pictures of the items and plan to look them up to see how much everything costs so I can save up for it or use a coupon to buy off the internet. I would like an umbrella to clamp to my guerilla box. It can be hard to find a scenic view when you're trying to stay in the shade. Plus the shade moves quite fast.

[EasyL by Artworkessentials.com.  artworkessentials@gmail.com
Umbrella with Lumopro clamp. This is a great clamp.]

Today I turned my easel to keep the painting out of direct sunlight when the shade moved. I wore long pants and long sleeve cotton shirt with my insect repellent sprayed floppy camouflage hat. (I like being able to look up how words are spelled on line.)

I worked in golden open acrylics. Burnt sienna, white, c.p. cadmium yellow medium, cerulean blue. Made nice greens with the cad yellow and a really nice gray with the burnt sienna.

Despite walking and talking a lot. I think I managed to get a mostly done 8x8 painting done. I will evaluate it in fall to see if it needs more. There was a spruce on the edge of my painting. Spruces are kind of bluish white green trees. The reflection of the trees into the water on the far side of the lake kept changing height depending on how the wind was blowing. At first I thought it was the angle of the sun but then it got long again. So it must have been the wind on the water. I need to bring smaller brushes to add in detail easier.

John told me of spraying his acrylics with golden open thinner to keep them wet. I think that will work better than water so I will try that next time. It's been so cool this year despite sun and wind I have not needed a damp towel for paints in the palette. Plus the paints are not drying as fast as I would like. I wonder if the thinner will help me make long thin lines without gaps too?

We basically all hung out painting in the area around the big parking lot. Maybe next time we'll go paint over by the small parking lot where the antiques and cabins are located. Gary painted the island, Vivian painted the lake too.John painted the canoes. The orangish red canoe was Vivian's. Carol painted Vivian blue trailer without knowing it was her trailer. I don't know what Judith ended up painting as I had to leave as she was showing up.

Gary's was telling us a little bit about his exhibition and plein air adventures. He started painting when he was 50. He told of being disqualified for using gouche on watercolor for watercolor competition and being dinged for using an acrylic underpainting under an oil painting. He likes to do a black and white underpainting for the values in acrylic. However when he paints the fur of police dogs he uses oils over acrylic painting because he can get a nice long stroke without gaps.

Vivian can't use turp due to work related health breathing issues anymore so is learning how to use a different media. She likes the slow dry of oils.

Prospect Hills Settlement New Berlin Historical Park 7/11/14 outing

I ran a few errands before arriving a little after 8:30am here. Quick said Hi to everyone, Gary, Vivian, John, Terry, and Carol. Judith showed up right before we left. She had wrist surgery on her left wrist but is right handed I believe she said. Gary's been busy painting with the WIPAPA and others. His goal is to do 50? paintings a year. So about 2 per week. He said he did 4 last weekend. So that's good. Carol didn't feel good so she just came and visited.

I did a quick water color sketch of the outhouse. I kept moving to stay in the shade. It was hot in the sun. One of the few somewhat warmer days this year but probably not 80 F yet. The sketch turned out OK. Terry has outhouse pictures in her bathroom downstairs (basement?) Gary's painting looked quite nice. Terry painted flower garden. John and Vivian were still working on there paintings when I left. While we were looking at our paintings an older gentleman wandered by to look at them but didn't say anything.

All that rush to leave and then none of my appointments showed up. What a waste!

Greendale outing on 7/8/14

Work keeps enroaching on my scheduled painting time. I dropped off my paintings for the Schauer Show in Hartland at 3ish but then made the mistake of taking 83 south. A lot of construction which wouldn't have been too bad except I went too far south into Waukesha so ended up cutting back north. I was avoiding the southbound 45 mess which was already backed up when I went to Hartland. I should have taken 94 east to moreland, which is where eastbound 94 starts to back up during rush hour, then moreland south until I got to howard/grange or so to take east to greendale.

Well by the time I got to Greendale I only had an hour to paint so parked my car in the parking lot across the street from the library and went over by the Gazebo. I figured they could see me there from the library but I guess not. Al came by about 15 minutes before I had to leave and said Roger, Cathy, Ted and Amy came but I did not see them because I had to leave for work.

I decided to do a watercolor sketch as I didn't have much time and it was less stressful than acrylics and less messy than pastels. I got the shapes penciled in and a light layer of watercolor put in then my hour was up and I had to leave. It was a good start. Maybe I will finish it later.

Weather was about 70 and cool in the shade with a slight breeze. I sat at a picnic table with my multimedia sketchbook and my prange and sparkly watercolors. Everything fits in my backpack and is quick and easy to setup, use, and take down. Just practice, that's all.

Greenfield park outing 7/1/14

I guess 2 other people were there but we never did find each other. I had to leave at 7:30pm so couldn't walk around and look for anyone. I just went down by the water and started painting. Al said Pat and Roger? were there. Never saw them but Greenfield park is quite large. Al couldn't make it as he had an obligation. I'm looking at the Milwaukee Sketch Club blog so I can remember where I was and when, as I'm a little behind on this blog. That's OK. Anything worth doing is worth doing imperfectly or you will drive yourself crazy or be so paralyzed that you won't get anything done.

The weather was probably about 70. I set up my acrylic box on the ledge in the shade down by the water and painted the trees across the lagoon. The wind was making the light highlight the windblown leaves. I made the mistake of cutting the painting in half with water in the lower half and the trees in the upper half but I had a good fun time painting. I can always paint over it.

 People were just the right amount of friendly walked by and looked. A couple said it was pretty. One thing nice about Wisconsin, people are very nice. I think even if you painted a bad painting they would say something nice. I remember one time when Carol and I were painting the backs of some old buildings with pastels in Waukesha by the Riverwalk, a drunk walked by and said, "Whoa, look at them colors." Carol was doing her underpainting in complementary oranges. It's a way of making your pastel more lively. You keep the values but if the grass is green you paint the right values in red then put the greens over the top so the red peeks through. You can do the same thing with acrylics and possibly oils but not watercolors I believe. I think it would make the water colors muddy. However I have used complements to make edges and shadows in watercolors which seems to work.

I'm starting to get a few paintings that I need to rework. I'm thinking of covering it with tinted acrylic clear so the underpainting faintly shows through to see what kind of effect that has. I bought some more 6x8 canvas. It is so hard to work small. So I don't think I will be using my smaller canvases.

It's been a very cool year. The golden open acrylics do not skin over. In fact I need to hold off spraying the to keep them from getting too watery.

a quick watercolor sketch in marinette county about 7/4/14

I was up north the previous weekend for the 4th of July holiday. I went with my relatives to see the Wausaukee parade. I love that parade. They had a lot of old cars, tree trimming exhibition, and a water balloon/squirt gun battle between the parade spectators who brought a cooler of water balloons and the baseball teams who had squirt guns and water balloons. It was fun!

Anyway I digress. I did manage in between the fun to do a quick watercolor sketch with my sparkley pan water color paints while we were sitting around the campfire as dusk approached. I just did a freeform water color of the the woods. I like prange and prange type water colors when I travel.

I got interrupted a couple of days ago when I was writing this post. Not sure where I was going with the above thought.

Sunday we celebrated my niece's birthday so I made her a card of this sketch. Everyone liked the sparkles too.

MSC at East Troy City Center 6/27/14

It wasn't so bad getting there at 8:30am despite construction on I-43 around Mukwonago. Basically took I-43 south, went north on 20, made a left at the lights (main street) and followed that to the town square. The town square is like a big round-about where traffic goes in on direction around it. I had a hard time planning what to paint. John and Terry painted the flower shop. Vivian and I painted a shop with bright blueish red striped awning and pink planters in front. We all sat in front of the newspaper office which was either closed or moving down the street. Several people said hi. A guy with a camera came and asked if it was ok if he took pictures of us painting for the chamber of commerce website. We said yes, and I pulled my hat down over my face to hide it better. So who knows we may have pictures on the chamber of commerce.

It started out cool at 65 F but by the time we left about 10:30 it was sunny and approaching 80F. Acrylic paint dried like I expected. I loosely covered the palette with its cover as there was a slight breeze and I was standing in the sun. Sprayed the acrylics a few times with water. I normally use golden open acrylics outside. Blocked in the shapes with burnt sienna, Made the awning and planters with alizarin crimson and titanium white. Made greens with ultramarine blue and hansa yellow opaque.

4th of July parade is on Sunday the 6th in East Troy.

All of us have easels in this Friday morning group. Vivien and Terry used a french easel. Vivien regular oils and Terry water soluble oils. I used my guerilla box on a tripod with golden open acrylics. John has his stool, table, and water color easel. He starts with a fairly complete drawing without shading, the uses his water colors to shade and bring color to the drawing. 

I am working small (8x8 maximum size) for the upcoming mini art show at artbar in December. It's hard to go back to painting small. I can't get detail easily. I like to use medium size brushes. The last two times out we  painted buildings so have used my flat brushes. Both of the last two paintings are not finished. 2 hours is not enough to finish the paintings. However, I will get quicker with practice. I want to put a clear coat over these last 2 paintings, then go over the top with regular acrylic paint until I am finished. Probably proportion will need a little fixing too. They will definitely change a little as painting from photographs is not the same as painting in the field.

Terry was at some fundraiser last night where they had to paint a flower bouquet in 90 minutes which was then auctioned off. Terry's a contact person for the WVA, Wisconsin Visual Artists to the end of her term, but someone else is taking over that job now.

Next week no Friday morning painting because it is the 4th of July. The next Friday morning outing is to the New Berlin Historical Park. In fall we may go to Army Lake and Rochester, Wisconsin.

Painting at the VA, 6/24/14 Tuesday evening

The weather said thunderstorms starting at 3 but it was wrong. About 2 pm dark clouds rolled past and it drizzled heavily but didn't really rain. By 5 the sky was mostly sunny and clear. We did lose 3 riverwest painters as it was foggy down by the lake. However about 6 of us showed up. Al and Roger together. Cathy drove herself. Joe and another guy whose name I forgot.

It was very humid. My acrylics didn't dry. They stayed very watery. Cathy's and Al's watercolors were very wet, leaving puddles on the paper. It is always a challenge to work in an uncontrolled environment. Parking was fine. Some people parked next to the building across the street from the fountain. I parked in a lot to the north of the fountain and up the hill. There was a policeman making sure that people using the VA grounds were parking there and not people going to the Brewer's baseball game at the stadium. You could see the top of the baseball stadium through the trees from the fountain. So parking was fine. Two interesting women were at the fountain trash talking when I arrived but they left while I set up to paint. Probably not too easy to find a bathroom but we didn't stay long enough to need one so that was ok.

My painting turned out ok but it was a struggle to work with paint that wasn't drying because I like to layer. Usually I put a damp paper towel in my palette to keep the acrylics from drying too fast but this time I had to take it out and put the paint directly on the palette. I used burnt sienna for under drawing and in final painting. Ultramarine blue and burnt sienna make a nice, interesting dark color. So 4 colors used; burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, Hansa yellow opaque and titanium white. The ultramarine blue and Hansa yellow made a good green. Right before we left the shadows became very interesting as we approached sunset.

This Friday, East Troy Center. Next Tuesday Greenfield park. I also want to see if I can paint Alice Saturday morning.

Cutler Park, Waukesha 6/20/14 morning canceled

I had a 8am meeting in downtown Milwaukee so couldn't make it. No one else came either. It rained medium heavy. If we had went there is a band gazebo and a library where we could have taken shelter from the rain.

Next week is the VA on Tuesday evening, don't know where we will park but at that time of day there should be parking. Friday morning is the East Troy Center. There's a square in the middle of town where the state road drives around. The square is surrounded by historical buildings. Last time we were there some guy left his dogs in his truck. One jumped out and came and drank my painting water. So I went to my car, got a bucket out of the trunk and filled it with water for him. The dog was very friendly. I sat on the ground to paint.

I need to start using acrylics so I can get a stash of paintings for the mini bar show. Watercolors and pastels are fun to work with but a pain to frame. Plus I have been working too large. I need to decrease their sizes to smaller than 8x8 for the mini art bar show. I haven't started on the MG painting yet. We have to use a paper bag in it. I have some ideas but I need to get started. I have been trying to clear some other things off my plate but that deadline is fast approaching.

Colectivo Coffee, Milwaukee Lakefront, 6/17/14 evening

It was a bit challenging getting there as the lakefront ramp was closed and rush hour traffic was very backed up. I ended up driving down Prospect Ave then taking LaFayette to lakefront. Bicyclist was doing the same speed or faster than me. I parked in McKinely Marina parking lot. Always lots of parking there. Weather was very fine so there were lots of people. Sunny, slight breeze, just approaching 80 F.

I walked across the street to Pat who was sitting on a stool on the grass. So I sat down next to her. We were in the shade but not under a tree. The lakefront is east of the city above and considerably lower. I had worn a long sleeve shirt and pants but bugs were not an issue until right around dusk when the flies started biting Pat's ankles. Pat used water soluble pencils. Nylah came back with a cup of coffee and sat it on the thick decorative wooden post. Nylah used watercolors. So did I. I had chosen watercolors when we decided to paint here because I thought we might end up sitting at the tables in the midst of people. Pastel is a little bit intrusive because I like to tap the board hard to remove excess dust. So I like some room around me when I'm working with it.

Al, Cathy, and Roger showed up. I believe they went and sat somewhere possibly at a table to paint their watercolors. Al was surprised how noisy it was. He likes to listen to his tunes. Rush hour traffic was very heavy and noisy. After they got done, Al came and told me Bonnie was here and said "Hi." So I went over to the table in front where she was sitting. She was working on a pastel of her friend. She had brought 4 friends and they worked in watercolors. One just came for the company as she was painting abstracts with a prange watercolor kit. I think she felt intimidated with painting in public.

Only a 2 people came up and commented to us. One was an artist from a small town near Orlando, Florida that has the biggest and oldest art festival? Florida has a lot of artists.

I used my prange watercolors, with a good brush this time, and my sketchbook. I usually bring a small, flat, plastic, screw top container for the water and a cloth rag. It all fits in my purse, is light, and easy to carry. I think the sketch turned out ok. I am still learning watercolors.

I took the streets home. Traffic was heavy so ended up driving past MSOE before I was able to cut over to Wisconsin Avenue. Going downtown is a little stressful. So many people and so much traffic!

East Troy Electric Railroad Substation/Museum 6/13/14

There was a bit of construction on I-43 just past Mukwonago but traffic was ok. We got there at 8:30am. There were 3 of us. It was a nice sunny day so the shadows were very interesting. Coolish and windy. Stong enough to blow over John's stool and easel. I wore my flannel shirt over my cotton shirt, a bandanna around my neck, my trustee raincoat and floppy budwiser hat. My regular glasses darken so I compensate for that when painting. I peek under them every so often to make sure that the values are ok. Unfortunately I can't see well enough to paint without them but at least my vision can be corrected with glasses.

None of the electric trains were out but the nice volunteer pulled one out for us. They start running the cars at 10am on Fridays and 11am on Saturdays during the summer. It appears according to their website http://www.easttroyrr.org/ that with one fare you can ride as long as you like. How cool is that? All the people working there are volunteers. They are looking for people to drive the trains, collect fares, work on the trains. The working trains are in a big shed in East Troy. The ones that need to be refurbished are in another garage/barn near Elegant Farmer, Mukwonago. That's the other end of the railroad.

We were able to paint the stationary train until 10. John managed to finish his water color. I just ended up with an unfinished pastel sketch, but I like it. Terry was smart. She painted the shed interior focusing on one car that they weren't going to be using today along with the toolbox with an oil can on it. She started with the oil can and after he got down using it she had him put it back where he started instead of behind the toolbox. She was using water soluble oils and a french easel.

One of their cars had a plow on the front to plow the tracks when they run the Christmas trains. When we left the railroad museum was open but the ice cream shop was closed. I wonder if it gets crowded here in summer. There was a Quonset shed across from the museum. If you walk a couple of blocks away there was a lot of interesting old houses.

Hart Park, Wauwatosa 6/11/14 5:30pm

I really like Hart Park because it is close, you have the bridges, the river, the buildings, the field with bleachers to paint. No trains came by that I noticed. Lot of activity there and people exercising, running, walking... going in and out of the building. I think you could probably find a bathroom in the building if you needed to. Large parking lot. On one side of the parking lot they have these pavers that let the grass through. We stayed near the parking lot as this is an older crew. Mary was probably close to my age. She seemed nervous or maybe anxious. I just paint for fun, so if it turns out great. If not, I had a nice social time.

I arrived a little bit before Al, Kathy and Roger. Pat, Joyce's friend and Nylah were already on stools sketching and painting when we got there. Mary showed up a little while later. Cathy sat at table. I was going to sit there but couldn't figure out what to paint and there was a stiff breeze blowing which felt a little cool. I wandered around with Roger and Al picked a spot on the river bank. Mary came with us. So Al, Roger, Mary and I ended up sitting together on the steep bank of the river. It drizzled a little bit but not enough to wreck my watercolor sketches. When it was time to leave we had to help him up the bank as he had gotten stiff sitting on the jutting piece of concrete. I really admire that guy. He's a real goer, trouper and paints well.

I think I would like to come back and paint the white stone bridge that is near the street on the east end of hart park. I don't know when I will come back but I have pastels in my trunk and I'm going to keep the watercolors there too but I think I should put a better brush in. I sketch with a cheap prange water color kit in a multi-media sketchbook. Usually I switch out the prange brush and give it to the kids. The provided brush worked better than I thought it would but it would be nice to have a better brush. Two brushes are ideal, one to apply the paint and another to wick up the excess. I like to paint with both hands.

It was probably in the 60's. I wore my red and black stormy kruner hat with the pull down ear flaps. (Had to take my bun out and pull my hair into 2 ponies to fit this hat on my head, but my husband bought it for me and I love this hat for that reason. Stylish I am not.) I was wearing a long pants, t-shirt and flannel shirt already. However since it was cool and drizzling on and off, I pulled the lined flannel shirt and an old worn clothe raincoat with hood out of the car. The raincoat is a good windbreaker. Didn't need gloves. My hands were warm enough. Some gnats but not enough to bug us. An ant crawled around in my watercolor tray for awhile when we were painting sitting on the ground. No mosquitoes yet. No biting flies. I didn't see any ticks but that's less likely here. Al and Mary talked about last week's pride fest where clothing was quite skimpy. I guess it's ok in the city but I need to wear long sleeve shirt and loose cotton pants (not leggings) in the woods to avoid getting bit up. Sometimes I wear netting. I don't like wearing too much Deet as it makes me sick so I limit the bare skin. I tried "natural" bug spray but it makes me break out in red itchy blotches. Permatone on my pants works ok for ticks.

All in all, a good evening painting. After we left it started to rain a lot harder and I think it has continued through the night to this morning.

Elegant Farmer 6/6/14 7:30am

On the corner ES and J in Mukwonago. Easy to get to, head south on 83 from I43, turn L on bayview road (1st set of lights), then L on next set of lights (Main St.) and keep going until you see the smiley face barn on the right. The apple orchard is right across the street and the parking lot is very large. They open early at 8 am and get quite a few people in there. There are a lot of new houses in brand new subdivisions here.

There is a station for the electric train here. It used to be a working train but is now just a tourist train. The other station is in East Troy. It looks like that's where we are going next week according to schedule.

Life is encroaching on my painting time so I went early. Luckily John is an early bird, all those years of getting up at 4am and now that he's retired he still get up early! I met up with him for the first time in months. It just got warm about 2 weeks ago. Before that it was still cold and none of the trees had leaves. He now has a blue 2013 ford hybrid that his grand daughter who just learned to drive wants when he gets rid of it. His previous car was blue too. I think he likes blue. He'd like to see Kandisky exhibit at Milwaukee Art museum. He had an article/story published in Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs "Across the Fence" November 2013 Edition. http://www.wfscstamps.org/ATFP/ I couldn't find it but maybe will look for it later. I remember him telling me the story, it was very interesting. He's collected quite a bit of information on this prison club. He found that you can download the information for $2 from the prison club site.

The orchard was very green and not that interesting to us that day so we set up to paint the station. John likes to paint buildings. I like to paint with company. It's a social, relaxing thing for me. If I end up with something fine. If not, that's fine too. I used pastels which means I hang them by taping them on the wall till they fall down, then put them in the pile on top of the cupboard, and when the pile reaches the ceiling I give it all to my sister to do whatever she wants with them. I take photos of them. Can't keep everything. My house is too small.

Donna and Vivien didn't come as they were at the Beloit Plein Air. http://www.friendsofriverfront.com/plein-air . Good luck guys!

I got a call about 8:30 from Carol and Terry, "Where are you guys?" They parked where you go into the store. I'd like to go into the store as I hear they have cherry juice but I'm always running late so haven't made it inside yet. Anyway I walked across the parking lot and waved at them so they could see us. I like to park at the far end of the parking lot so we don't disturb their business. It is a big parking lot probably to accommodate the tourists who ride the electric train. John has taken his grandkids on it.

It was a good painting day. I didn't need my flannel shirt and just wore my t-shirt. I think it's almost time to put the flannel shirts away for southern Wisconsin and just wear cotton long sleeve shirts. I like to wear long shirts and paints along with a wide brim hat. I think it's not as hot as when the sun is beating down on you and it helps protect from the bugs though none are really out here now. Right now the little black flies and ticks are out in full force in Northern Wisconsin. I'll probably keep out one flannel shirt when I go to northern Wisconsin because sometimes the nights are cold. July not so much, but in August it tends to get down to 50 F or lower. My husband wants to retire up there.

Time to go. Life enroaching.

Some painting setups:

Joan D'Arc Chapel, 6/3/14 5:30pm

Last night I drove east on Wisconsin Avenue until I got to the Marquette University CampSus area. I turned left on 13 st. Could have parked there, 2 hour parking but chose to keep going as there was a car behind me. They didn't park. I should have parked. Oh well. Continued driving to Kilbourn turned left and parked in 2 hour parking from 7am-7pm. (Didn't park on Wells and surrounding area as it has metered parking, probably due to what appears to be a hospital.) Walked north on 14 street which goes through campus as a pedestrian path. Marquette campus is quite large. A few people were out and security car was in view most of the time. Then crossed Wisconsin avenue, re-entered campus and went west until I found chapel.

I arrived on time but before everyone else so I walked around the chapel area and took pictures from every angle. The trees were quite bushy and hiding it from view. The gardens had just been planted and were less lush than last time we were there. Several statues if you want to draw them. I decided to paint since I was already here. Pulled out my pastels and started. The chapel is so light but I didn't want to block in with light color right away so started with reddish brown outline on the orange paper. A big gull started drinking out of  the fountain right in front of me. He didn't fly away till my friends showed up.

Al, Roger, and Kathy showed up. Roger sat near me but Cathy sat further up and Al wandered around. He paints fast. He probably made multiple quick paintings. They like to work in watercolors. Al told me that you can't mix complementary colors in watercolors as everything turns to mud. In pastels I often will start with an underpainting or blocking in with complementary colors. I think it makes the painting more lively. I scribbled a lot last night instead of using side of pastels. I like to paint my impression of things and the colors that no one else but me sees. So I figure I push reality a bit. I do not see each individual stick, twig and leaf. I just see masses of swirling colors and shapes that change from minute to minute.

I am looking at a picture right now that I painted in the dead of winter at frame park. I made the mistake of having it critiqued by the wrong person but I still like the picture. It reminds me of the day I painted it. I can feel the cold seeping into my somewhat warm car. She told me the red bush did not look the way I painted it. How would she know? She paints from photos and is quite good but she still wasn't there. The red bush was far in the distance. I could not see each individual twig. I just saw a mass of color as I sat in my car and painted that freezing, cold day. I think right now it is just important to paint and reflect. I've stopped going to critiques as I do not want to be discouraged from practicing.

Last night as I walked away from the chapel I noticed a shadow on the underside of the stone lining the round window that I hadn't noticed when I was painting it. I mentioned it to Roger. He said I could always paint it in "later" but then he knows me. I don't go back to the plein air paintings and try to fix them. The plein air sessions and indoor sketch club sessions are my scheduled painting time. Right now my life only allows those times to paint and that is OK. Slowly but surely my skills are improving.

A lady named Pat showed up and Al introduced himself to her. Joyce had told her about it and she said that she really enjoyed herself. She worked in what looked like colored pencils in a black spiral bound hardcover sketchbook.

Cathy said she found so many more interesting things to paint here. And it is true. There is the traditional chapel but then you have the urns, the statues, the buildings like the engineering building. If you're fast enough you can even sketch people. They tend to stay quite a while. I noticed they liked to walk by and look at what we were painting but most were too shy to talk.

About 7:30 we finished and left. I walked back to my car. I think I brought just the right amount of stuff to carry in the Artist and Display bag; sketch board, roll of green painters tape, 9x12 canson mis tients pastel paper pad, really old box of nupastels, 2 boxes of rembrandt pastels (All in their original, worn cardboard boxes tied with a piece of string and put in ziplock baggie so if pastel falls out it's in the baggie and not the bottom of my carrying bag), rag (I use it to rub off/ blurr pastel mistakes, small water bottle (to drink and clean my hands), garbage bag to protect pastels in case it rains, baseball hat. Left hooded sweat jacket in car as it was warm enough. I was wearing t-shirt, long sleeve cotton shirt, pants and tennis.

There is a lot of places to sit around the chapel, both stone and wooden benches. I think it is an area to reflect. However if there wasn't seating, I usually just sit on the ground. Carrying and using an easel is too much hassle sometimes. I just wanted to ease back into plein air painting. Even though pastels are a bummer to frame I love to paint in pastels. They feel very natural to use although they can be messy which doesn't matter so much if you are outside. If it's real windy just remember to sit with your back to the wind so you don't get pastel dust on your face and clothes. I went to the edge of paper on this drawing so may not be able to use a standard matt without losing a lot of the picture. Could switch out one of my framed pictures on the wall with this one. Getting a little bored looking at those old pics.

It was still light out and nice. Probably in the 70's, sunny, slight breeze. Perfect weather to sketch outside.

Next week the Milwaukee evening crew is planning on painting at the coffee shop at the lake that used to be called Alta Terra but is now called something else.

MSC outdoor painting season begins

We have two events planned this week. I just sent out an email to see who might be going tonight. I sent it to Al and Tom.

The first event is downtown on the Marquette University campus, Joan of Arc chapel, starting at 5:30. Many people like going downtown. I am not thrilled at going downtown as the traffic is difficult and the parking can be challenging along with expensive. However at that time of day the parking is not too bad as long as you don't mind walking. Although some people do pay to park closer. It's light out and there are some people out and about so I don't feel too unsafe. Larger downtown cities make me nervous so I really don't enjoy going downtown but once I meet up with some folks it is OK. I try to make sure my car is empty as I've had my car broken in twice downtown when I was younger going to MATC. I'm glad my car is not pretty. Also when I was younger in my teens I rode the bus downtown to go to the Marquette dental clinic and met very interesting people while waiting for and riding the bus.

The chapel will be back lit at this time of night. The landscaping and flowers at the university are quite pretty. Yesterday we had some vicious thunderstorms roll through. I hope we don't get the same tonight. As there is really no shelter that I know of to paint from. perhaps we can hide under the under hang of a building?

I feel like painting pastels on paper. Right now they are the least stressful medium as they are easy to carry and use. (I paint to relax, slowly improve my skills, and mingle with my artist friends.)  I generally bring my board, tape and a box of rembrandt medium soft pastels and a box of harder pastels, a rag, some canson paper in a pad and that's it. Also a bottle of water to drink. I am a value painter so I just make sure the values are right. I generally do a quick underpainting in complementary colors using the side of pastels lightly before going to colors found on location.

Friday morning we are going to the Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago. There is a nice apple orchard across the street. we have already missed the blossoms but it should be greening out nicely. In the last couple of weeks we went from brown and cold to very warm, green, and wet climate.

You never get bored with the change in seasons here. Your color palette changes with the seasons. The browns and grays of winter enlivened at times with the reddish bark of some bushes; The light, bright, airy, greens of spring; The very green summers tending toward scorched and faded at the end of summer; Then the fiery colors of fall with the changing leaves, but if we get storms the leaves fall fast and we are into the browns.

Already life is nibbling at my scheduled painting time. I will have to go earlier. maybe arrive before 8 so I can get a painting done by 9 when I have to leave. I just sent an email to my painting buddies, so I will see if they are still planning to come.

Thoughts regarding making plein air painting schedule for this summer

Well I finally finished the Milwaukee Sketch Club's Plein Air Schedule
http://milwaukeesketchclub.blogspot.com/2014/05/milwaukee-sketch-club-summer-plein-air.html 

I sent out the survey before I went to Poland in April, but only 2 people replied so I made my best guess as to what everyone would like. (Didn't get much chance to sketch in Poland, so that was a bit of a disappointment.)

I figured Tuesday evenings were really popular last year for the Milwaukee County Crew, so tried to keep everything centrally located and partially towards east and southern areas where I think a lot of people are based. Whatever I thought people would like. Since we are already coming on Tuesday nights people are in the habit of sketching on that evening. Also places where I thought it would be relatively safe to paint in the evening. Someone at the sketch club banquet asked me about painting at Forest Home Cemetery. I think it's ok to paint there during the day, especially morning, but I don't think it would be a good idea in the evening. I also like to pick places where parking is free as I am on a limited budget.

The Waukesha County Crew I just scheduled the day/morning they said was best for them.  It surprised me that Friday mornings were best for them.

I had people asking for the guide so I quick finished it and got it out. People seem pretty happy with it. No complaints or comments so far.

It's just a guide anyway. People can paint when, wherever, however they want. Anyone can show up. It a great way to meet people who are not members of the Milwaukee Sketch Club

This is going to be an aimlessly wandering post as I only have 15 minutes to write. Maybe I will go back (hah!) and organize it later.

I decided to use this blog to be more personal and analytical about the plein air painting adventures I go on, kind of a mix of thoughts, so my new goal is to write as soon as possible after painting. Hopefully it will be useful to anyone that stumbles across this blog.

Well that's all for now