June 7-8, 2025
In the Field
Day One
The workshop started at 9:30 AM and met at Magnusson Park. Both mornings, 5Ks were going on in our exact meeting spot. It was a bit chaotic.
This was my first time using this easel setup. A week before the class, I bought a Gorrilla 9x12 pochade box. I also ordered a glass palette that I put a lot of faith in fitting in the box—which it did, phew.
This isn't the most compact or lightest setup, and I'm sure it will evolve over time. Fortunately, it all worked well for this workshop. And it'll likely be what I mostly stick with for at least the summer.
With my first painting, I wanted to keep the scene I painted fairly simple. I opted for a peek-a-boo view of Lake Washington with a trail leading to it.
Day Two
Another 9 AM start. Another 5k. Another morning tutorial followed by hours working in the field.
It was another sunny, clear day with an even hotter high temperature. The area we were in had very little shade, so I used my tripod to keep an umbrella above me the entire time.
The nifty thing about a pochade box is that it's easy to use without a tripod. I have a small camping table I brought with me and painted sitting. It's not ideal, but it's better than getting burnt out before the day ends.
I was pretty satisfied with my first painting, so I chose something that would be more of a challenge. The best thing about workshops is having an instructor around to give advice.
First day pochade easel setup
I started a second painting on day one that I didn't complete. I was already pretty tired and not as enthusiastic about this one.
The group from the workshop while showing off our final pieces from day two.
Back in the Studio
With these being my first plein air paintings, I decided not to fix anything when I returned home with them. Over the following few days, I'd grown more fond of them, letting go of the areas I was fussing over while painting them. It's always interesting to see how much more finished a piece looks simply by moving it from an easel to a frame.
Eventually, I'll varnish them and find a nice spot to admire them. For being the first paintings I've completed working outside of my studio, I'm impressed and pretty dang proud. And now I'm even more psyched to get outside and create more!
Day one's painting in a frame.
Day two's painting in a frame.
Fin.
