Above It All

"Oak Street Summer"

16 x 12 inches, oil on canvas

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This was painted on the top floor of a parking garage. I scoped out this location years ago when I had a job watering plants in office buildings. Instead of a watering can, yesterday I had an easel to lug in and out of my car! What a welcome change. And speaking of cars, the best thing about painting in a parking garage is that you can park right next to your setup! What bliss.

Spooky Plein Air

"The Old White Church"

8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

$350

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The Walker Church is the destination for the Plein Air Painters of Lane County this week, and yesterday dawned so incredibly lovely and sunny that as soon as I opened my eyes I knew I would be driving the 20-odd miles south to check out this new spot. The church was about as deserted as you'd expect on a Wednesday morning, and also in the middle of nowhere - the closest neighbors being some cows, a shuttered trailer, a gravel pit, and a junkyard - always love seeing that sea of derelict cars, don't you?

There were Lilacs and Iris in profusion in the small cemetery adjacent to the church, and tombstones for everyone from pioneers to the recently dead jumbled together in no particular order....and as I hiked around through the long, blowing grass, a windchime that sent chills down my spine!

Soon after the chills, I heard Patti's car crunching up the dirt driveway, and soon we were exploring together, exclaiming over the lovely old houses and picking out our painting spots. By lunchtime, we were freezing (It was about 50 degrees out, even with all that glorious sun), and so we headed to the nearest town for some hot soup and coffee.

More Lilac paintings coming soon!