I was humbled and learned a lot this weekend when I traveled to a Salt Spring Island to paint with my sketching group. There was a mix up, so I ended up driving myself out to the island. I was suppose to meet some of the sketchers in a Ganges, but as it happened, there was another mix up and the group that was suppose to come to Ganges, missed the ferry, and went to Ruckles Park where others of us were sketching. This left me to my own resources in Ganges.
I thought I had spare time, so I took one small side trip to Burgoyne Park, to take some pictures. I then went to Ganges, which had a fair, and a fall festival. No parking in the village, so I had to park on the outskirts and walk into the village. The first foray into the village was a scouting trip to see if I could find a place to paint. This is when I made my first mistake. I took my painting gear on the scouting trip, thinking I would save a trip back to the car. I had my gear in a shopping cart, except for the canvas, and a platform board that attaches to my easel. These items I had in a bag that swung around and generally got in the way.
The gear slowed me down in the crowd at the fair, and getting to the information center. At the information center, I got great information about where to go to paint. The closest spot was on a dead end street on the other side of the village. It was too far to walk to, so I needed to go back to the car anyway.
The next mistake I made was to get a wonderful lunch, but it took me too long to get the check, so valuable time was wasted waiting for the bill. To use the time, I sketched during and after lunch, which helped me pass the time, but it may have given the waiter the impression that I was not in a rush. I loved doing the sketch, but should have reserved the time for the painting I wanted to do.
The third mistake I made was taking too long to scout out my painting spot. I checked out the market and walked the whole village before I decided on the spot the information center had suggested. I spent too much time scouting. I should have been very decisive and moved out quickly for the painting spot.
I drove down the dead end street the information people suggested and found a beautiful little beach at the bottom of the street. I think this spot is only used by local people (like neighbours). I got my gear down to the beach, and set up to paint. I set up about a foot from the water, thinking that should be fine, and started painting. About two or two and a half hours later, I had moved the easel out of the water three times, and my paints and brushes back twice. I almost lost one of the brushes in the water. I just caught it in time. The lesson I learned from this is set up to paint as near to the high water line as I can. If the tide is coming in, valuable time will not have to be spent moving myself up the beach.
This quiet, private beach was all mine for about the first hour. Then one of the neighbours came down from his house to the beach, and I startled him and his child. They walked by quietly, trying not to disturb me. That was very nice of them. Next, a family came down the public access, and I could see they were disconcerted when they saw me, but shuttle by, with kind comments about my painting. Then I met Alan.
Alan is the local homeless person who sleeps on the beach. He stopped and we talked for quite a while. He liked art, and had had friends who painted. I felt as if I was painting on his front lawn, and thought he had a great place to live. I had to stop the conversation though so I could finish the painting. Getting into long conversations while painting can eat up the painting time fast. Another lesson learned.
The last mistake I made was setting up a time to meet with the rest of the club for a critique. I had a deadline, and that caused me to stop painting before I felt finished. I did join them for the critique, but another hour would have made a big difference. Painting would have been more satisfying than sitting for critique and coffee with my friends. I could have brought the painting to the next meeting, and got my critique then as well as my chance to chat with my friends.
Plein air painting is interesting and fun, but it does have its unique challenges. Wind, rain, insects, heat, cold, people, and now I have discovered tides and time. Still the colors are lush, and working from life, inspiring. The mistakes of the past become the wisdom of the future.
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