"Laid to Rest" -- plein air field study -- oil on canvas panel -- 8x10" -- Margie Guyot

After painting "Blue Umbrella" (see previous post), I drove over to the Tillotson's Orchard, near Ellsworth. I'd been there last week to pick cherries and had seen a wonderful, big orange truck. Planned on painting it. Alas -- it was gone!

I drove over by the barn, where I saw these 2 old GMC trucks, abandoned in the grove of young aspen trees. I parked at a 90 degree angle to them, threw open the liftgate on my Flex, set my Soltek easel inside the cargo area, and was able to paint in the still-falling rain. I find images of old cars and trucks to be more interesting than the same old, gloomy scenes of rain on the lake.

After painting, I walked over to a big pile of rotting, fermenting cherries and scooped up a few handfuls into a bag. Got home and gave them to my chickens. Later, as I left to drive up to Harbor Springs, I could hear some excited cackling going on back in the coop.

"Cherry Pie" -- plein air field study -- oil on canvas -- 5x7" -- Margie Guyot

I'm calling this a plein air field study because it WAS painted en plein air. I was participating in the 4th Annual Crooked Tree Art Center's Paint-Out yesterday up in Petoskey. Right after painting "Bear River Bridge" (see below), the rain started. I'd had foresight to buy a slice of cherry pie on the drive up. I had the perfect little, ornate frame and canvas. There had been a 60% chance of rain predicted, so I wanted to have something I could paint under shelter.

I set the pie on a blank canvas board and painted the whole thing under the shelter of the liftgate of my Flex. The rain poured down, ruining the many sidewalk sales also underway in Petoskey, but I was happy as a clam.

Of course I sat in the car upon finishing this painting, enjoying some Starbucks coffee I'd brought from home and this cherry pie! Waste not, want not.

"Bear River Bridge" -- plein air field study -- oil on canvas -- 9x12" -- Margie Guyot

Last Monday my friend Evelyn Wujcik and I had to drive through Petoskey on our way up to play in the Harbor Springs Community Band concert. I asked Ev (a fantastic trumpet player) if she knew of any pretty places in Petoskey. She showed me this great little park on Lake Street. Besides this beautiful bridge, there are also a waterfall, boat harbor and historical buildings. Thanks to Ev, I knew right where to go. I knew the rain wouldn't hold out for long and I couldn't afford to be driving around, searching for something to paint.

A crew of volunteers were cleaning out trash from the Bear River and shoreline. Besides the usual junk, they carried out a waterlogged full-sized mattress!

I stood under a giant maple tree to paint this view. It's always a rare pleasure to find a spot interesting enough to paint that isn't also in the blinding, hot sun!

I think it took longer for me to draw in this bridge than to paint the whole picture. Very complicated, but lovely architectural details. It was very overcast, but I tried to brighten up the colors a little.

During the salmon runs, this river is lined with fishermen. It's quite a sight. The Bear River empties out into Lake Michigan at this point and it's amazing to watch the big salmon and steelhead trying to head upstream to spawn. Huge boulders all along the sides, thundering sounds of rushing water, clean, crisp air -- it's a wonderful place.

"Late Day -- Two Ponds" -- plein air field study -- 6x8" oil on canvas panel -- Margie Guyot

Yesterday had been a flurry of planting poppies and flowering tobacco in my garden, then hours of digging through paintings for Tvedten Fine Art, the gallery up in Harbor Springs. They called me about noon, saying they'd like more work on Monday. All needed to be varnished, signed and framed. Yikes! That took hours and hours.

About 8 PM I thought I'd drive down to Antrim Creek Natural Area and paint a lake scene. But when I got down there, nothing looked interesting. At least, interesting enough to paint. Too serene, too blah. I got everything back into the car and drove along Old Dixie Highway, looking for long shadows and patches of sun.

This spot is right at the NE corner of Old Dixie Highway and Rex Beach Road. I pulled my car up and parked right in front of a No Tresspassing sign. The signs always say you need permission to be on the land, but they never tell you who to ask. So I picked my way through the brush and set up my Soltek in front of this lovely pair of ponds. Fortunately, I'd thought ahead and had sprayed myself liberally with mosquito lotion, as they were ravenous.

I really love finding spots like this, with contrasting light and interesting shapes. Most of the scene was in shadow. The sky was changing to a pale viridian (it was nearing sunset) and the golden streaks of sunlight were raking across distant fields. It's so much more fun to paint either early in the morning or late in the day because of the dramatic lighting.

I decided to use a small panel (6x8") for this because I'd realized that I had a plethora of small frames.

Painted this entire piece using my favorite #8 flat brush.