Friday, March 23, 2012

Painting Plein Air on the Westsong Walkway

Harbour Garden
Watercolour and crayon
©2009 Charlene Brown

I had thought of titling this Runway Garden, as the harbour is used by floatplane airlines with up to 60 flights a day when the Legislature is in session. I quite like the planes and had even planned to include a couple in the painting, until I decided that was just too busy (as is the harbour, according to some residents.) The Inner Harbour is a wonderful place to paint, with views east toward downtown Victoria, and south to the Olympic Mountains in Washington State. Not surprisingly, other people like it too – runners, people walking to work, tourists, people walking their dogs.  Speaking of which…

South African artist Cathy Gatland, like our mutual friend Vivien Blackburn and unlike me, is not in any danger of having roving art critics helping her with her sketching… but she’s the only person I know who has been subjected to the ultimate critique… A big friendly Ridgeback appeared fascinated with a painting she was doing at the Emmarentia Dam in Johannesburg. But, as he was leaving, casually lifted his leg at it... All part of the Drama of Painting Plein Air!