Down by the River

With the official end of the indoor season of Avon Valley Artists  members  were given the option of painting outdoors or continuing at St Marys Church Hall. There are some members who are not enthusiastic about painting outdoors so were receptive to this suggestion. It was agreed it would happen on an ad hoc basis with members doing their own thing rather than a common subject. I wasn't too happy and said I would be painting outdoors, weather permitting, and those who wanted to do so could contact me and I would tell them where I planned to paint.

In the event I was the only outdoor painter this week and when I called in at the hall afterwards found nine members happily painting away. The weather has been terrible recently - cold, wet and windy, more like late autumn - but on Thursday was just about acceptable, at least for a short period.

Intially I picked the area close to the hall and alongside the River Avon, known as the Shallows. It was slightly windy and on the cold side but I was well kitted up with  warm clothing and also wore a pair of woollen fingerless gloves  my sister made me.This keeps hands warm but allows free use of fingers and consequently brushes.

A suppose you could call this a kind of warming up session as I decided to do a quick painting, probably best described as a sketch, rather than attempt a two hour masterpiece! This was the result.

Looking down towards the Riverside Pub. 16" x 12" Fabriano Artistico 140lb Not.

It took about 40 minutes and was accomplished mainly with two brushes, an Escoda 1214 Size 12 retractable and a Rosemary retractable rigger. A restricted palette was used with greens mixed from various blues and yellows and greys primarily Ultramarine or Cobalt Blues with Burnt Sienna. I am moderately pleased with the result as it was never intended as a serious painting..

Afterwards I called in at the Hall as I was only two or three hundred yards away, actually on the river bank, and had a chat with fellow AVA artists who were busy painting. Whatever the weather grandparenting duties might prevent me painting  next week and definately the following one but we shall see.