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Week before last I participated in the 15^th Annual Sonoma Plein Air Festival. I’ve taken part 14 of the 15 years, so I have a good idea of what to expect. However, I always seem to forget how short an amount of time we have to create a minimum of five high-quality, original paintings. We check in Monday morning, find scenic locales, do quality paintings, frame them and then bring our favorite to the Gala late Friday afternoon.  Saturday we’re expected to have at least five paintings to exhibit (and hopefully sell) in the Sonoma Plaza. For the first time, we were allowed to bring studio works to augment what we’ve done during the four days. And in the last few years, the event territory has been expanded to include Marin and San Francisco as well as just Sonoma County. Much more territory to cover, so many more decisions to make!

 

I realized that if I were to participate with a minimum of stress, I’d have to have a good idea where I intended to paint before the event began. First morning, after check-in, I did a vineyard scene near the town of Sonoma that I’ve wanted to paint for years. That afternoon I did a vertical view from a winery where a friend pours in the tasting room.

 

 

 

Rolling Terrain   9 x 26   pastel

 

Tuesday, I could get up at first light and be on the freeway into San Francisco before traffic, or wait and enjoy a leisurely morning until 9 a.m. after traffic. I chose the latter to allow me to get chores done. (The one drawback of being at home for one of these events: the call of laundry, business, watering the garden, etc!)

 

After the drive into San Francisco I did a sunny view of the Golden Gate Bridge, easel set up on a hill above Fort Mason and the Marina Green. Next came an afternoon view of Stow Lake and a Chinese pavilion in Golden Gate Park in the afternoon fog.

 

 

 

Sunny Day Above the Bay   10 x 22   pastel 

 

 

 

Twilight Rowing    12 x 24   pastel

 

Wednesday I had to deliver art to an upcoming fundraiser, so checked out nearby views I’d admired while driving by. It was drizzly, and the view included very sloping terrain down to the left. Forget that; maybe later!  Midday, skies still overcast, I set up on the edges of a stunning dahlia garden, Aztec Farms, outside Petaluma. The fog never dissipated, so I could take my time.

 

 

 

Cloudy Day Colors   9 x 26   pastel

 

That evening, I took it easy and painted a home garden view of richly-colored Teddy Bear Sunflowers, exotic yellow ginger blossoms and pink “naked ladies” (amaryllis). A familiar scene and … home for dinner! Sweet!

 

 

 

Worshipping the Sun   16 x 12   pastel

 

Thursday morning I finished the garden scene first thing. Lunch for all the artists was offered in a lovely backyard near Glen Ellen. It was great to see a good number of the other participants. I rarely paint with anyone else during these events, so it’s always a treat to touch base part way through.

 

Then decision time: do I head back to San Francisco (over an hour’s drive without traffic) or take a much-needed nap? Nap wins. I spent the rest of the day finishing up the paintings I felt were worthy of a frame and could hopefully sell. I also went for a twilight drive to check out a nearby location with towering Eucalyptus and much smaller Crepe Myrtles trees in three different colors.

 

Up at dawn, I headed out to the Crepe Myrtles. Wouldn’t you know it, the first morning of the week that’s not foggy. Well, I have to make of it what I can. So it’s going to be a dreamy sunrise scene with a rosy sky. Cold and very sleepy, after completing the underpainting I head back to my studio.

 

Time to make the final decisions. The sunrise pastel and the vertical vineyard failed to make the cut. Too much work would be necessary to bring them up to the quality of the others I admire.

 

Touch ups and photographs and I’m off to the framers. This is a huge luxury for me, when I do this local event. I have my framer waiting to put everything into frames and close them up. As these are pastels, glass and frame spacers (to keep the paintings away from touching the glass) are necessary. Wires attached and I’m ready to exhibit.

 

I’m delighted to say that three of the five new pastels I did went to new homes. Altogether a successful event. And one that stretches me to my creative limits!