" Seeing" is Believing... and Believing .... Is Everything - Part One

There is a double entendre intended in today's post title. Used as a well-worn and overly used adage, it might come off as sounding a bit pedantic. However ... when placed in context with how I have tried to present the concept of "seeing" in terms of creating in past posts... a second and more important layer of meaning is intended. And my whirlwind weekend of painting activity led me try and pass forward some further thoughts that you might mull over... and apply in your own thinking.

The weekend was hectic... no frenetic is a better word to describe the state of action. Unwittingly, I had "double booked" myself and had made two painting commitments to two given parties for the same time frame. Both were extremely important to me... but setting one aside entirely for the other was absolutely impossible for me to consider doing. So I did both! To further raise the bar... I hadn't really painted, as my blog posts indicated for almost a month and self-doubt was edging its way into the picture. Both were situations that demanded being prepared physically and spiritually to participate effectively.

Rather than try to "splain" the whole weekend of activity in a single post, I have decide to spread the "Idea" over two and give each part a single focus to help describe the weekend as it unfolded for me. So, please bear with me...  there is a useful and meaningful (I believe) conclusion to be reached and to be shared by the end of the two parts.

I had accepted an all day Saturday.... introductory... first time plein air teaching session for three adults and two children here in Rockport. My family were long time friends through our cottaging lives with Brian Towe and I had in all truth, I accepted the opportunity mostly because of our past connection. I knew of his wife, her sister only briefly through the process of actualizing the proposed paint out. I had yet to meet the two young people. Along with the very "iffy" weather forecast for the Saturday... so many variables plus my absence from actually painting myself placed me on high alert.

Oh yes... did I mention that I had signed up as well... to participate in a full three day weekend  Paint Out competition with my long time friend and painting pal Frank Edwards? That would take place in the city of Belleville... some two hours west of here. Now you can perhaps better understand the dilemma that I had created for myself . What a pickle!

This is how I decided to engage as a singles player... in a doubles tournament... volley for volley! The truth was that I had to do in my own mind was to somehow honour both commitments... and I did. I went in truth to Frank and told him my sad tale. We agreed that I would paint Friday together in Belleville... as planned and looked forward to by us both. Then I would return to Rockport that same evening and prepare to carry off the Saturday painting class with Brian and family. I would then return to Belleville on Sunday to complete the Belleville Paint Out with Frank. Are you dizzy yet ? Stay tuned.... it gets better! HA HA!!


Friday at The Belleville Plein Air Paint Out

Pictures will tell the story and make the telling of the story easier for all of us

Frank... "brushin" his way thru' the heat and traffic on our dam first site perch above the Moira River

This was the deep view that we selected together to commence the weekend action plan

This fisherman joined me from below my perch for the entire painting session... a pleasant close up encounter with this Great Blue Heron. At least he had a cool place to work!

My view of things and set up

My finished sketch for the morning ...."Rolling Into Belleville on the Moira" - oil on canvas 20x16 inches

Site number two... Looking north from Victoria Park and Belleville Yacht Club towards Belleville town centre

My finished 18x24 inch cradle board sketch of the subject... second of two completed on the Friday

Day # One in Belleville was both exhilarating... and challenging for us both. Despite the heat and having to feel my way around until I found my painting groove... it was wonderful to be painting with my painting pal of thirty years again... after a decade of being apart because I lived elsewhere. That fact made me a winner... right from the get-go... and I know that it was the same for Frank. It was another great adventure... "out there" painting en plein air as.... The Lone Ranger and Tonto!

Stay tuned for the Towe Family Saturday Paint Out in Rockport and the conclusion of the Belleville "gig" in my next post.

Until then... Good Painting... and "Happy Trails"... to ALL!!!