Art & Life: Ospreys in the Fog

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Ospreys in the Fog

Ospreys in the Fog, 16x20, oil/panel

$500, unframed

On Wednesdays I paint with a local plein air group and we've had terrible luck with the weather this year. For the past two weeks we've been rained out, and yesterday threatened to do the same. We met at Chaffinch Island, (which really isn't an island but rather a penninsula) in Guilford, CT. at 9:00 am. It was very foggy and misty. Most of the other artists hung around for a while and then when it did start to drizzle went home. But I'm the stubborn sort! I set up right away and began painting, trying to beat the rain. It did start to drizzle about an hour into my painting so I just put up my big umbrella and continued on. The rain only lasted about 30 min. and then it began to brighten a little. I've painted at Chaffinch Island before but this is the first time I've been back in about 2 years. It's funny how your perceptions change as you mature as an artist. I always liked to paint at Chaffinch but thought the subject matter there was rather limited, not very much to paint. I was even thinking that on the way there yesterday. Yet when I got there and began scouting around for something to paint it seemed that there were endless possibilites for interesting compositions! Chaffinch Island hadn't changed but I certainly had! My ability to see had become more acute, and my vision better equipped to analyze, arrange ansd simplify the elements of the landscape into a work of art. There were many possibilities but I couldn't take my eyes off the Osprey family on the nesting platform. They were noisy and lively and very congenial for being so close to us! These nesting platforms are a common site on the marsh, most are built and maintined by the Connecticut chapter of the Nature Conservancy. The osprey seem to be thriving thanks to their conservatoin efforts.