Looking Fear in the Face

Paint outs have never been my cup of tea!

A "paint out" is like a 5K for a painter: you register, they stamp your canvas (to prevent smugglers and cheaters), you drive to the designated area, strap on your equipment and paint/run your little heart out until the time limit.  Then you dash to the car and frame your piece,

head over to the designated turn in site; sweat, try to not look at others' work (yet), and

then gather for some much needed wine and cheese while the judge announces the winners and

visitors do some buying.

All for a good cause!?

I'm comfy in my studio (no bugs, good weather) taking my time, layering the paint (hard to layer wet into wet) and generally working from a predecided sketched composition.

Outdoors the 360 degree panarama of beauty is a tad over-stimulating.

Anyway,

I did it!

In addition to braving the elements you also get interrupted by observers who have lots of questions.  Gaylene and Susan were always friendly and informative even as the clock ticked their time off.

Craig Franz boldly chose a large canvas for his work.  Necessary supplies include hat,

trash bag, bug spray, sun screen, water, lunch, umbrella and paper towels...AND

your paints etc.

This was the view I decided to tackle, a small portion of a stream at Tate Park on the Greenway in Banner Elk, NC. I figured I "knew" rocks and if I bombed out the soothing sounds

of the stream would calm me down.

I decided to have one goal that morning: to participate and have fun.  All other bets were off and anything in addition was icing on the cake.  I paid my money, I painted my piece, I made new

friends and I conquered the beast.  In other words: I had fun.

I'm itching to get this piece back into the studio to tinker a bit with it and add some "layers" but I am satisfied that I finished it and am actually geared up for the next one.

Thanks to the Avery County Arts Council and the Art Cellar Gallery, Banner Elk for

sponsoring this event.

Another painting monster looked right in the eye!!