Rapids

While I was in North Carolina I drove north in the Nantahala National Forest, north of Andrews, NC. There's a lot of river rafting going on there. I pulled off at a turnout and loaded my gear to walk down to the river -- not a problem because there's a nice safe staircase there. I set up next to the river as the rafters went by. I painted this in about an hour with the objective of making short directional brushwork. There was an interesting phenomenon happening while I painted. From time to time a mist would rise up from the water -- very hot moist air above very cold water. So right over on the left where my darkest dark is, it would occasionally be blurred by this mist. I could have and maybe should have worked a little longer on this one, but I felt like I said what had to be said and packed up. This is oil on canvas, 8" X 10".

Fire's Creek/North Carolina

This is another little plein air painting, 8" X 10", oil on canvas. I usually wear cowboy boots while I paint outdoors. I had to climb down a 20 foot incline at about a 45 degree angle in those high heels. Cowboy boots saved me for all the hours I stood to paint (I was one of the few who oil painted morning and afternoon at art school) while I was in art school so I'm not about to stop wearing them, but they are not that easy to scale an incline like that. I was able to set up amid the mosquitoes (I carry an insect repellent with me) and carry on amid the kids with their inner tubes floating by and people walking their dogs. Anyhow, it was a great day to be out -- in the 80s and humid but cool by the river. This one took about an hour and a half. Fun fun fun no matter what.