Value of Painting on Location..."Plein air painting"

I was looking back over my sketchbook for a trip in the Fall of 2011 that my husband Marty and I took to New England to explore the turning of the leaves. Over the next few posts, I would like to share some of those with you.  

I am realizing that I get most inspired to draw, paint and take photographs when I go on trips. That may be because I do not want my time away from home to end. When I look back at my photographs and paintings from trips, I feel excitement all over again like I am being transported back to the most memorable moments. And, I find myself telling stories about that moment in time...how I felt, what I did, what I most wanted to capture. 

Marty and I started our exploration along the Mohawk Trail in Massachusetts. We were in a rental Yukon SUV and we were determined to find something to sketch & paint despite the rainy, cold weather. We came across the Hall Tavern Farm near Shelbourne. We stopped on the opposite side of the road from it and put all of our watercolor paints, water and brushes in the middle of us on the console. We started to paint with the car running, heater on, and windshield wipers going at full speed. The scene kept changing because of heavy, low clouds sometimes hiding parts of the buildings from our view. But, it was so challenging and so much fun! 
About midway into our time there, a man pulled alongside of us and stopped to study us. He could not imagine what we were doing! We smiled at him and kept on painting. I am sure he thought we were crazy and pulled off and continued on his way! 



This is the painting that I completed in about one hour. I believe I captured the feel of the heaviness of the clouds. 

This was Marty's very first plein air painting adventure. He will not allow me to show his work but I was impressed! He was hooked and continues to join me as I paint on location here at home and on our trips. What a blessing that is to us both!