Title: The Coming Storm” 8 x 10 Oil on Ampersand Panel.
EIGHT people came out today! WHOOT!

I got to the site about 10:10, we start at 10:00.  I like to be early, but today I was late because hubby had the car.   Even though he got back to the house on time, it threw out my routine.  I dropped him back off to his coffee club, but I skipped picking up my coffee and Egg McMuffin and went right to the park.  I was thankful to see two artists were already set up and painting, so I took off and got my brekky!  I got back to the park around 10:30.  I spent the next 15 or 20 precious painting minuets eating and chatting with the group, but I love them and was not concerned about the painting time because after all the weather forecast said it was supposed to clear up by noon, and they are always right!  More artists arrived.

I finally set up, set out my palette and put the under painting on my board.  I quickly sketched in the outline of my composition.  The sky kept changing and getting darker, but it looked like the clouds were all staying to the south.  Where was that promised sun anyway?  My senses told me that I better treat this painting like I was in a quick draw contest and get er DONE!  I used my palette knife and stuck to the paint I already had laid out on my palette.  I moved very quickly with my small knife sculpting out the contours of the hill before me.

It was around noon when it started…  a fine mist, then a drizzle.  I got my umbrella up, and my painting managed to stay dry.  I popped it into the wet canvas carrier that’s built into my pouchade box.  The paint on my palette was running all over, but I managed to get it cleaned up. 

Here are the results! I also painted pretty thick with my palette knife. Now if I could only do that more often. — at Malden Park.

Afterwards, we all formed a caravan to the nearest McDonald’s for coffee and a great chat.