Tidal Basin DC Cherry Blossoms, Silver Skies, plein air- sold

6"x8" oil on Belgian linen mounted on board, (Raymar)

"The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring."
- Bern Williams


I just got back home (tonight) Saturday evening from Washington, DC. At the invitation of one of my collectors there, I went down to paint the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin! Having lived in northern Virginia many years ago, it's one of my favorite places to see the cherry blossoms in spring time. It is truly magnificent. People from all over the globe come to our nation's capitol to see this spectacle. I went out on Thursday morning from her house(since I thought we'd get a downpour on Friday) to go paint. The sky did indeed stay gray all day, but I find it has a beautiful silvery affect on the light. The subtle colorations are beautiful if you really take the time to see. Click on the painting to see a close-up of the brush-work.

I've been working on paring down my gear for when I need to schlep it long distances if I need to, hence the tiny little box. Normally when I paint outdoors, I do a "park & paint" - drive to where I want to go & carry my (bigger) gear a minimal distance. But there are times when you need to go further.... or in the city taking the metro & walking all over, it's more than cumbersome to carry anything bigger (in my humble opinion).

It's always fun for me when people stop to see what I am working on. I especially love it when kids come by to visit. Thursday there were many classes out on 'field trips' and I got to visit with a few!