Capitola

I was getting nervous as the Capitola Plein Air event approached at the end of October. There was tremendous performance pressure. There was also the worry about framing everything and having mats ready for whatever size I painted. I tried to paint to standard mat sizes on the last day because I had to frame that afternoon, and present. The other days, I painted to the aspect ratio I wanted, hoping to either a. find a similarly sized mat in my large collection of paintings that I could switch out, and b. have the husband run to downtown to have (a) mat(s) custom cut. Both needed to happen, and both did.

Now that there has been some distance from the event, I can say that it was truly amazing, and I feel that I grew in my skills as a watercolor artist for the following reasons:

1. Deep immersion - unlike doing a painting in my studio, feeling the pressure of time and chores at home, I was far away from home, unable (and unwilling) to clear the dishwasher and put away the laundry. I could see the hours ahead just for painting, and could fully immerse myself. That distance from distractions is necessary (just like Vipassana) to get the intensity of immersion.

2. Quantity - after the initial feeling of performance pressure, there came a time fairly quickly - perhaps after the first painting - when I was just DOING - painting and producing because I had the time and I was there. I kept going, without self-critique and fussy fixing. Just pure prolific production. At the end of the day, when I got home, I looked at my work with a slightly more objective eye.

3. Taking risks --> boldness - When I was too lazy to move my easel after one painting of a particular view, I did another one - looser, bolder, because there was nothing to lose, and I already had one version. In such cases, I found subsequent paintings to be better than the first because I was detached from the outcome AND had my wiggles taken out by the first tight painting, and been warmed up by the first painting of the day. At home, I stop after the first painting, giving up future successes that same day that inevitably come with continuous practice.

4. There is an urgency in plein-air which just doesn't come in studio paintings. The light is changing, you're uncomfortable, you need to move to the next painting, you need to produce and complete - all in all, this urgency lends to a looser performance than in studio.

I did 16-17 paintings in Capitola over the 4 days, and framed 14 for the show on the last day, Sunday, November 3. On that morning, 40 artists put up 3 paintings each --> 120 paintings. Then they left the room for 1.5 hours so the judge, renowned Bay Area artist Paul Kratter, could come in and choose a first prize, a second prize, and 12 Honorable Mentions.
I received Honorable Mention for this painting. It sold at the event, along with the one under it.

I would do plein air events again though it was exhausting and intense. It is the only way to get all 4 aspects listed above.

Some people commented about the whites, and how I must have had to plan them. That is true. I really thought about this painting's composition and the role the white would play. It needed to have continuous passage and yet represent something (not just random white spots). It was the sand which became the alternate rows of Venetians, instead of the bright gaudy colors, which then became the sky as it weaved through the painting. The painting still gives the impression of multi-colored buildings, but it is not an exact representation. Funnily, a flirty man came up and watched me paint and then, after looking back and forth between the painting and the subject that I appeared to be looking at as well, asked me which exact part/building I was painting. I said I was making things up, just using what I saw as possible shapes but putting them wherever I wanted to create variety. He smiled and as he walked away, said someone ought to paint my eyes. Blush. Of this painting, Paul Kratter said that the bottom rim of the water is too symmetrical, the shape too elliptical, and should be varied for interest. I agree. 

The lovely woman, Jeanne, who bought this painting, said she was drawn to the flag. 

I appreciate her eye - that is indeed an important part of the painting. I also like the shape of the pigment on the sheet, especially the jagged edges at the bottom.