Another morning painting at the pond with a Common Snipe peeping away, and various other birds singing. I got this tiny painting done before teatime! The dog didn't even notice I was gone.

A post by Roberta Murray on Instagram

Storm Dodging

The Driveway - 8x10" - Oil on panel

Wow, I didn't realize it has been over a month since my last post. I've always said that I can paint, or I can write. I can't do both; and since it's summer (almost) painting is in full gear. Our plein air season is short in Canada, so I have to make the most of it. 

I got a new Strada easel (thanks to my photography royalties) and had to take it out for a test drive Friday night. Only problem was we had stormy weather. It had been raining and blowing most of the day. There was a break in the storms and the sun was casting some beautiful shadows across the driveway, so I set up and went to work.

No sooner did I start then more clouds rolled in obscuring the light. Then the wind picked up and the rain was right behind it. I tried to finish up inside but I had done a bad job. The next night the weather was exactly the same, so I took another stab at it.

I changed my composition a bit from the first night. I didn't like the angle of the driveway. Much happier with the results now......though looking at the photo I see I have a few edges at the end of the driveway that need to be softened.