I found this beautiful spot on Metz Road, just off M66, over by East Jordan. I’d just dropped off a bunch of paintings at the Portside Art Fair and wanted to try to get in another plein air painting for the Glen Arbor virtual plein air paintout. It was a cloudy morning – not the best condition for plein air painting – but when I looked at this creek, I knew it would be just fine.
I’m always searching for a “wow” sight. If there’s no initial feeling of “wow”, the painting will always be boring (at least, to me). And I’m always looking for an interesting composition. I loved the shapes of the water and the sky. But – could I pull this one off? The bushes and weeds were just a mad tangle! For the first 15 minutes or so, I thought I’d end up wiping this one off. Added 8/07/20 — This painting won “best of show” in the Glen Arbor Plein Air Paintout this year. Good thing I didn’t wipe it out!
Some old guy came walking by. Hah — old? — he was probably close to my age! We got to talking and I found out he knew a lot about Iowa (where I grew up). And he loved motorcycles and was retired from road construction. He asked if I’d heard all the coyotes yipping a few minutes earlier. Coyotes? No, I’d lost both hearing aids. New ones on order, though. Coyotes apparently don’t find oil painters that tasty. Thank goodness.
Margie Guyot Art 