Art by Saltiel: FCA Workshop

Saturday, September 25, 2010

FCA Workshop - Part Four

September 17th; another grey, cool day and the group goes to Full Moon Farm. For me it was the most delightful of all the sites. This is the view from the field in front of the house. I'm told that, on a clear day, you can see Washington's Mount Baker between these headlands.

Mike Svob http://www.mikesvob.com/ with plans to paint a boat, set up on the beach, to the left, where he could see a marina. By days end, with the tide in, this beach was gone!

I've known Mike since he billeted me, in 1992, when I flew to Vancouver to attend the FCA's annual Board of Governors meeting. I'll never forget that trip; Mike not only introduced me to sushi, he took me flying in his small aircraft and showed me the coastal mountains up close and personal. Prior to that, I had taken one of his workshops and so today, as he gave his demonstration, I wandered off and found myself utterly seduced by this ...

I was sure I had painted my under painting quickly enough, but, by the time I got back to Mike and his students he was finished his painting!

Artists then dispersed to find all sorts of magical spots and things to paint.

Early afternoon, the grey sky began to lift as Bill appeared across the field. We'd been apart all week and so just like in the movies (but without any running) we made our way to one another and embraced. Then, I took him to where I was painting, clustered with three other artists who also couldn't resist the view. Mike was multi-tasking, eating lunch and doing his rounds.

The sun broke out completely, transforming the setting entirely so that the scene looked nothing like my painting or the mood that I was originally attracted to. When this happens (and it happens often) all you can do is rely on your memory, finish as quickly as you can and definitely resist the urge to repaint everything ...