The water still seems to be on my mind.  While I don't actively think about it, I am drawn to images of it.  While sketching I was reminded of the summer that I tried my hand at painting water.  It seems I have unfinished business with water.
Water
Water an Update
Maybe one day soon I'll try my hand at painting it again. 

Last week I took some time to go back to the ocean.  It had been too long since I played in the salt water and listened to the sound of the waves breaking on shore.  I've enjoyed our lakes here, but it's not the same.  I was fortunate to get a very warm week so late in the season.  The water was warm and so was the sun.  Perfect!  One day even had a storm roll in.  I'm not sure my photos do it justice though.  It's hard to capture the feeling of it - the clouds were large and crept in closer and closer, lower and lower, the wind blew hard and the sky and beach turned dark.  Rain and lightening too.  The next morning was a chance to walk the beach looking at what was washed ashore by the storm.

I hope it won't be so long till I get back again.

I took a trip to our local art museum, The Chazen, and did some sketching.  Then I hit the beach where I did a few more sketches.  Practicing and looking at other artists work.  What a great way to spend a day.  This is the way I wish I could work all the time.

In August I said that I was going to start studying water.  I've been working at it and have made some progress, but there's still a lot of experimenting happening.  There's a long way to go.  Here some sketches and studies I've done. 

I had some time off work and decided to try my hand at painting water. My first attempt however was far from successful. I ended up with a series of colors with no form. I realized how challenging water really is. To see the whole and the details at the same time. It's transparent and reflective. Fluid and dense. Constantly in motion with broken patterns. Water will take a lot more study.

I've dug up every spare canvas I could find to start making studies and sketches. Visiting creeks, streams and lakes to watch the water and hopefully learn to understand what I see. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Here are some recent photos I've taken (of water).

“Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more.”  Vincent van Gogh

Today was the first truly warm spring day.  65 degrees and sunny.  It was impossible to stay indoors.  So I headed out with my camera looking for fresh inspiration.  This is what I found.  They really do make me want to take up my brushes and start painting.