Reflecting on plein air painting

I have had time this week to further reflect on my week in Pinetop participating in the Paint the Aspens Plein Air Event. Although I paint plein air at least once a week here in Scottsdale, last week was the first time I spent an entire week just painting in the great outdoors. As I reflected several points coalesced in my mind:

1. Painting is even more stimulating and enjoyable when you have no other commitments pulling you back home by a certain time. Knowing your only time constraint was the changing light was very refreshing.
2. I have always loved being in the great outdoors. I loved trailriding with my horse for the same reason. I realize that I loved riding my horse across the state of Michigan for the same reasons that I so enjoyed last week...total immersion in doing something I love in the great outdoors.
3. Painting consistently through the week I realized that I was figuring things out that I may not have discovered with a short one time session. For example...making aspens look more like aspens without painting every leaf.
4. I found myself looking at my work and thinking about values.....values in the desert scenes I have been painting as opposed to values in mountain pines and aspens.
5. I love when a painting comes together as a final product...but I love the process of painting even more.
6. Spending a week with fellow artists talking art for hours was stimulating.
7. Watching other artists work and discussing their strategies and decisions allowed me to learn more than I have learned in many formal workshops I have taken.

These are just some of the thoughts that have been circling in my mind and I needed to write them down.

Life is good!!