En Plein Air
St Peter Port, Guernsey
Tuesday 29 March 2022
I’ve always been a bit scared of painting outside. I mean, what if someone actually came up to me and spoke to me? Or worse still, actually said something about my work? They might even say something kind! Shock horror. Usually, I love to hustle away with my art practice, un-noticed and unseen. But last Saturday, by a series of fortunate events, I had the morning to myself and an opportunity to paint on my own outside without interruptions, so I took it.
On arriving in St Peter Port, I found the quietest spot farthest away from the bustle of the main town and started to set out all my things. I thought I had remembered everything, but it seems not. It turns out it’s quite helpful to have a palette board for mixing paint, a board to put you canvas on, and a cloth to wipe up any spills when you are out in the fresh air. I had none of these so just had to make the best of it. Note to self: next time make a list of things you are going to need!
A pencil line drawing first soon frustrated me with the amount of detail I was adding, so I continued with a neutral wash over the canvas with my current favourite media - acrylic gouche. Mixing the paint frantically onto a scraggy brown paper bag, I looked for the darks and the lights, adding blocks of colour, trying not to get too bogged down in the detail. Gradually, a scene emerged but it felt humdrum and dull, so naturally, I reached for the neons. This was the point when I started to really free up and let the paint and brushstrokes take over.
Before long, I was immersed in the scene and finding it not exactly relaxing but at least exhilarating. The wind whipped around me for the morning in a cold Spring frenzy which, on reflection, has translated into the painting. Feeling the bold elements in my face, I absorbed myself in the process: a series of experiments, my low boredom threshold and time constraints all pushing me towards a hurried and bright conclusion. After all, I had a sunny lunch date with my husband to get to!