Upcoming Plein air Monday afternoon Oct 31st 2011

Some pro's painting at San Miguel Viejo last Monday. It was a bit breezy but fun.

Gail up on the higher slope, Karen, Donna and Yvonne.
We'll meet at the Gallery at 2:15pm Monday to go out to the same area, near San Miguel Viejo. This time we'll be painting the view through the trees. The corn fields are turning a beautiful  golden color.Hope you can make it, Donna

Some New Plein Air Paintings from the Countryside OCT 26 2011

'Casa en El Campo'  Watercolor  11 X 15 "

We met the folks that live in this place while we were painting one day in Potrero. A very friendly family that invited us to a corn roast on their Milpas.What fun!

   

'Path near the Church', San Miguel Viejo oil  8 x 10"

'Off to another Pasture' watercolor 11 x 15'' 
It was fun painting the sun and shade in this one. We're finding all kinds of interesting people tending horses, cows, sheep and goats .They pass through a little amazed to find someone painting in their midst. Cows definitely have the right of way on the back roads.You have to keep your camera handy at all times.

Plein air Monday at 2:30 pm Oct. 24th 2011

Our Monday plein air class will now be in the afternoon as the mornings are chillier altho' not bad, the afternoons are definitely warmer and pleasant for painting. Monday we'll be going back to San Miguel Viejo but not to the church site this time. There is another location out there that will be fun to paint along the edge of the presa.When the water levels are higher it is a lake,but at the moment it is now fields of corn with a fringe of trees for shade.It's a  beautiful pastoral setting. Time to work on those subtle shades of green.
Remember to bring a hat, drinking water, perhaps a snack, an apple or trail bar to keep up your energy.
White is not a color that you should wear plein air painting. First of all you get reflections of light bouncing onto your painting from your shirt. Secondly too hard to keep clean! Just wear something semi neutral and bring a smock or apron. Paper nappies are handy and a grocery bag for your garbage.Only bring what you'll need for the afternoon of painting and leave the kitchen sink at home! :-) 
Meet at the gallery about 2:15pm  We'll be sharing a ride. Please let me know if you're coming. Donna

The presa is very low at this time. What would be lake is now fields of corn and other crops. In the  photo below you can see the higher  water levels.

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Looking across from San Miguel Viejo towards Los Frailes

                                                    

Painting plein air in the countryside .Oct 4th 2011

Tom painting in a sleepy little place called Neutla.

It's been awhile since I've written. We've been putting together a couple of upcoming workshops. The first one in February 2012 here in San Miguel . And the 2nd one in the Burgundy area of France June 2012.
The information about both of these are on my website. If  you wish to see more information about either workshop. go to the workshops link at the top of the home page.

This is an interesting pale pastel pink Church, perhaps a bit lumpy, but fun to paint .It's in a place just outside of Comonfort.  The cloud shadows showed up the mountain slopes well.

The cows moved in as we started painting the pink church.Later on a woman from one of the nearest homes came out to us with freshly roasted corn on the cob to feed  us! Wow!

The field workers deciding if Tom got it right!

It's been a lot of fun finding some new places to paint in and around San Miguel. From the use of magical Google Earth, Tom has become expert at finding interesting roads with potentially good painting locals .The weather has been perfect for plein air painting.  Sunny days with just enough clouds to make nice shadows on the hillsides.The people are really not used to having painters show up painting their corn fields and little towns. It's really quiet too! The country folk have been inviting us to share food and full scale corn picnics.The locals are saying the corn has not grown as well this year due to scant rainfall, but it's been great eating all the same. They have so little but are so happy and hospitable.One fellow in Nuetla came to talk to us for awhile then went home and talked to his mom about us. He returned with an invitation from his mother to bring us home for comida! They are unbelievably kind. Everywhere we've been painting we're finding new friends.
I'll post some finished plein airs soon. saludos  Donna