Spring continues to melt away Winter's strength forcing him to retreat to north-facing sanctuaries.The smell of fresh earth foretells new activity will soon replace the still of winter.
Choirs of birdsong fill the fresh air... crows... red wing black birds... robins and geese with excitement and vitality. All the world is alive again. Little wonder that the Christian faith will soon celebrate Resurrection... for Spring is surely just that!
On Tuesday my youngest son Bryn, aged 12 years accompanied "Me" on a plein air sortie out into the Oro-Medonte. He has a project to complete along with other members of his grade seven class to research the life of a Canadian Artist and to study their style, then to replicate one of their paintings... or create one "in the style of" the artist they have studied. Bryn asked if "I" might be his focus.
"I" am honoured... and humbled that "He" would choose "Me"!
The day turned out perfectly... in every respect. Sunny... windless.. t-shirt weather for "Him". We packed a lunch and our gear into the van and headed out early in the morning... in search of a subject that "He" would choose. He remarked that it was not an easy task to decide upon a particular site-there were so many possibilities. After an hour of "cruising-not choosing", he announced that we could go back to a barn complex on the Big Chute Road near Severn Falls. That was fine with me because I had "eyed" that one as a possible stop... on too many previous occasions. Today... would be the day!
We set up side by side.. to affect easy tutoring and watching and jumped eagerly into the lay in process. Not surprisingly... "He" took to it and had great success on his own really. Bryn is that kind of independent thinker... curious... confident and committed to whatever task "He" undertakes. The 8x10s quickly took shape... and within the 2 hour window that "I" usually work with on location.
We packed up our gear and headed home around 3:00 pm... eager to show off our "catch-o'-the-day"... and we were indeed received with enthusiasm and encouragement back in the studio!
We will leave the paintings on the easel for a day or two and then add the final push n' pulls to finish them up. The two jpegs shown on this post are the "raw" field results... Bryn's on top... mine on the bottom.Note the individual decisions that form differences in Bryn's approach and mine. He was not merely copying ... or following. Those differences are important to note... and to retain.
The venture was a great March Break adventure for us both. Sharing time with one's children one-on-one... is both special and everlasting to both hearts.
Do take the time... whenever "You" have the opportunity.It costs ...little or nothing! Time is your best currency when "You" wish to travel with your child!
Good painting to all... and Happy Spring... wherever "You" are!!
Hi Bruce,
ReplyDeleteI wanted to say how much I enjoy the pencil sketches and your impressionistic color and brush strokes... very lively!
Chad Smith
Thank You Chad!... for visiting and for your kind comments. Much appreciated! I intend to visit your site regularly too. I find your plein air work painterly and exciting as well!
ReplyDeleteGood Painting
Regards,
Bruce
Bryn is off and going. I'd say he is the recipient of great mentoring. You have to be very proud of him. My grand son used to go out with me on occassion but living some 250 miles away and now into highschool it is hard to continue to do so. I really enjoyed it and I think he did too. Alas, he is a great basketball player and tops in his highschool as a freshman so I fear that is for a while his dominate reason for living.
ReplyDeleteHi Gary!... Thanks for vsiting and the nice compliments about Bryn's work. I'll pass them along to him!
ReplyDeleteYou're right on the mark about highschool taking the stage at this time in their lives! It is an exciting time ...if one looks back... a whole new and exciting world socially and experientially.
"I" went through the same process where athletics formed the core of my life and being... and it has been the same for each of my children. It didn't take much time however, to return to the easel... or living room table as it was in those days.
We follow parallel journeys my Friend. All that changes is the face and the locations! HAHA!!!
Good Painting!
Warm regards,
Bruce