IPAP Worldwide Plein Air Painters 9th Annual Paint Out - Day Three

Sunday, September 11, 2011
Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden, SeaTac, WA

Susie Short and Ann Breckon painting watercolors .

Today is day three of the WORLDWIDE Paint Out.  My painting partner for today is Ann Breckon. We enjoyed the sounds of songbirds and water falling gently over the rocks in the little stream while we painting our watercolor skeches. The weather (sunny 86 degrees with a nice cool breeze) was perfect!
As usual, I visited with the guests in the garden as much as I painted so my sketch of this little waterfall and water lilies still needs some finishing touches.

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Today also marks the 10th anniversary of the attack on America on 9-11-2001. As we listened to the airplanes taking off and landing at the nearby SeaTac Airport, we were reminded of the changes that day made in our own lives.

We are so blessed to live in this amazing country and have to freedoms that the brave men and women in our armed services fight and give their lives for us to enjoy.

THANK YOU!

Words not quite adequite for all the represent, but sometimes simply the best way to let them know they are appreciated. We will never forget the sacrifices made on 9-11. 

Watch for the scans.....I'll post them in the next few days.
Till then...keep those brushes wet!  
SUSIE

Demo to benefit Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden

Plein Air Demo @ Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Even though I'm a little late with my post, I want to report on the fun day at the 5th annual Ice Cream Social and Plant Sale at the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden. This year's Celebrity Guest was Ciscoe Morris, who hosts "Gardening with Ciscoe" on KIRO 97.3 FM radio and KING 5/NWCN television, and is the author of the best-selling garden tome, "Ask Ciscoe", as well as a weekly column in the Seattle Times. As always Ciscoe was very entertaining and loaded with information on plants and gardening.

My donation to the event was to paint a scene from the garden on location (en plein air).  I started my demo around 11:00 am and completed the painting in the photo above by 3:00 pm just in time for the silent auction. I enjoyed meeting so many nice people while sharing the art of painting on location in such a beautiful setting.

Wendy Morgan from SeaTac had the winning bid and proudly took my watercolor painting to its new home.

Thanks to Laura Sweany and the nice folks at Highline Seatac Botanical Garden for inviting me to participate in this fun event! I look forward to doing it again!

Susie

Plein Air Weekend - Day 1 - Friday

Since my plein aire "Short Trip" to Mt Rainier was postponed due to the weather, I decided to take advantage of the time I'd set aside for painting and visit some wonderful gardens in the area. Roses were my intended target but at these gardens there are other attractions that can be very tempting to paint too.
Friday July 29, 2011
Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden
Say Hello to Madeline! This adorable little artist painted along with me in Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden. Madeline will celebrate her seventh birthday August 5, 2011. I hope she gets some painting supplies for her birthday, she's got talent!!!

This is the spot in the garden where I painted with Madeline during the morning of July 29th.  I was having too much fun chatting with the people visiting the garden and didn't finish my sketch before the light moved changing all the shadows. At the right is the sketch I painted before the light shifted, as you can see it remains a work in progress. If I can't make it back to the garden soon I'll finish it in my studio from the photos I took or better yet, paint the rest from memory. The sketches in my sketchbook are basically my "notes" to remind me of the colors, textures, and mood I experienced while on location.

Friday afternoon I moved to a shady spot with a good view of the water fountain near the heart of the rose garden. The fragrance in this area was heavenly! On the right you can see the first stages of my sketch of the fountain with the purple clematis climbing on the trellis in the background.
As you can see the sun was brightly shinning and the cast shadows made my subject even more intriguing and challenging.


 My painting style includes a technique that is sometimes referred to as "alla prima."
Definition: ...with little or no preparation...in other words, I don't draw my subject before I start painting. I like to say "I draw with my brush as I paint."
As shown in the second photo  I was able to add some of the roses and background to my sketch before I quit for the day. Again, the finishing touches will be added later. But I did get in most of the details on the fountain and I'm pleased with my little sketch.

These nice ladies were enjoying the garden and stopped for awhile to watch me paint and were kind enough to take my photo while I was painting.

Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden is located next to the community center  north of the airport
13735 24th Ave S, SeaTac, WA  See Map
If you speak to the nice staff when you visit  tell them "Susie sent you!"