Fast forward to this past weekend, when I set out excitedly on my first paint out with a local group of plein air painters, OPAS. We arrived in Georgetown, a pretty little town, about 60 km west of Toronto. I was anticipating lots of nature areas. Instead I found narrow streets with historic homes.
Oh no! I have no experience painting architecture. What was I going to paint?
I wandered up and down the streets, searching, and taking in the ambiance of the town at the same time. Tiny wooden houses on tiny lots in one area, grand Victorian homes with verandas, large trees and lush green lawns in another, old stone churches, and odd looking structures now converted into retail stores. Someday I may come back to paint them, but not today.
The only things that caught my eye were the many stone planters filled with vibrant colored flowers, that seemed to be everywhere. A bustling farmers market filled Main Street. I found a planter I liked on the outskirts of the market, parked my supplies in the shade of a big ice cream truck, and started.
People walking by stopped to see what I was doing. A band on the other side of the truck began playing those oldies, but goodies, that I grew up with. I found myself humming and moving my brush to the music. People who saw my painting when I first started, kept coming back to see how the painting was progressing. A vendor offered me cold water. Everyone was so friendly, and their praise was really encouraging.
Unfortunately, the sun does not stay in one place, and my shade soon disappeared. By noon, the temperature had soared to 90 degrees. My painting still needed finishing touches, but I needed to get out of the heat. As I was packing up, a lady from the local newspaper came by, and asked to take some pictures. I jokingly said I had no idea I was going to be a celebrity. What a treat! The perfect ending to a perfect day.
