A Little Plein Air from the Porch

S'zanne (Her Blog http://www.studiozanne.blogspot.com/2013/05/china-cove-kaleidoscope-of-color.html) needed to get her paintings back from the last Austin Pastel Society Show in Georgetown.  I had brought them here as she couldn't be at the striking of the show.  Enid (enidwood.com) picked up paintings for other artists and had the containers for S'zanne.   Anyway, after an e-mail discussion we decided to meet at Enid's and paint.  Artists usually don't need much of an excuse and this past Friday it worked out for us.  It is always soooo good for me and all artists to get together and visit with light critiques of our work. Painting can be solitary.

There was an ever so slight chance of rain so we painted on the porch.  Ah, such a good day.  Enid surprised us with lunch.  Thanks, Enid! (Maybe she should have us over weekly.....hmmm.)

I have really pared down my equipment for plein air.  I have pastels, easel, surface to paint on, water and watercolors, tape, wipes, liquid gloves, sunscreen, etc., in the black bag.  The smaller bag has water, snacks and a Coke.

I missed getting a photo of enid, but that is one of her paintings and pastels on the table.  She was working on touching up some paintings she did last week at a plein air competition in California.

S'zanne painting away.  I missed getting a photo of Singer, her Corgy traveling companion.  He paitiently kept us company.  Well behaved companion.

As I was finishing up.  It was a cloudy day.

The easel is the one I bought in Albuquerque at the International Pastel Society Convention.  I think I like it for painting.  It is a bit heavier that I thought it would be and will not hold a larger board than 16 x 20.  I will still have to take my other easel to New Mexico for larger paintings.

Here is the painting as I left it yesterday.

On the way to Enid's, I stopped to put air in my tires.  When it is rainy the low tire warning comes on, usually just when I drive by myself.  I was checking the pressure and a voice says, "Do you need some help?"  I looked up and there was Mark Ockelberry!!

Mark is an artist friend that I hadn't seen for about a year.  Mark is an amazing artist.  He has a photographic memory for details and draws buildings, people and animals by instinct and memory.  He had a kidney transplant about the time I saw him last and is doing well.  He makes wooden yard art and old barnwood frames now.  He has some drawings at the Lost Pines Hyatt Resort - the old time train stations at Elgin, Bastrop and Smithville.  Check them out when you go there.  Beautiful work.  It was wonderful to see him.  I'm not going to let a year go by again without seeing him.  I mentioned Mark in a couple of posts, read here http://jocastilloartblog.blogspot.com/search?q=mark+ockelberry  I had a page for him on my old website and on the Bastrop Fine Arts Guild's old website.  I will have to see if I can find them.  The photos don't seem to be on this computer.  Probably in storage on my website.  I will look another day.

Gene went grocery shopping while I was gone and grilled some pork chops for dinner. After that Gene and I went to La Grange to the Bugle Boy and saw Hal Ketchum.  Joanna was there.   What more can you ask from a day?  Friends, art, dining, live music and family.  Woohoo!!

I enjoyed this old video of Hal Ketchum on YouTube (Google for more info on Hal.  He puts on a fun show.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFRkH_3ZmbU