Monterey Watercolor

I didn't get much painting done while I was gone (in Monterey and then Colorado), but I did spend the afternoon I was in Monterey painting my view. I used my travel watercolor brushes and my Monsieur Notebook (which can't handle really wet washes by the way). 


It was challenging to capture the different kind of textures and greens going on. I think I need to do more nature painting :0) 


I'm having a nightmare trying to get the internet hooked up in my art studio, but will try to keep up with my posting in the mean time. 


I hope your 4th of July was great and you're enjoying the summer so far! 

Fresh Air Painting - St. Patricks Church

I brought my new journal to the park yesterday and did a plein air watercolor painting of St. Patricks Church in San Francisco. It was a great day for it, and there were lots of people laying in the grass enjoying the sunshine. 

I've always wanted to do more public sketches or paintings, but felt self conscious about it. A couple of blog posts* I've read lately encouraged me to give it a try. 

At first I felt weird and tried to hide my drawing when people walked by, but when I started painting I couldn't do that and I started to feel more comfortable. 

I just have to remember that people are curious and are most likely not critiquing my painting when they look over :0) 

* Art by Wiley,  Muddle on Through, and Everyday Treats have great posts about drawing/painting in public. The Everday Treats one is particularly inspiring because her son was so amazed with a women painting in the park that he came home wanting to be an artist. 

I hope your week is going well!