FINAL PLEIN AIR WEEK UPDATE:

My six day Red Shed Garden residency ended yesterday and I was able to complete six paintings! I’m very happy I was able to make so many works. It’s fun but also very challenging to paint out in the elements every day and to make an average of one painting a day. But overall I had a really great experience. I picked the perfect week in the year - it was mostly in the mid-70s and I got lucky with the rain - it rained a couple times but only at the very start or end of the day.

Saturday Painting - Irises and Path, oil on wood, 7 x 5 inches

On Saturday I finished the painting I started on Friday and was able to make two more small paintings. The weather was intense on Saturday, 90° and very high humidity. I’m still recovering from all that heat and sun. But it was really nice to have so many friends come visit and to get all the support I did from folks at the garden.

Saturday Painting - Irises, oil on wood, 7 x 5 inches

Once the works are dry (about 3 weeks from now) I’ll be making the paintings available with a percent of the sales going to help raise funds for the garden. I’ll make a new blog post when the time comes to share details about the fundraising sale. Thanks to everyone who visited and for all the support! I had a great experience!

DAY 6, SATURDAY, MAY 21st UPDATE:

Friday painting: I’ll be finishing this painting today and work on at least one more

Today is my last day of my plein air week! I’ll be finishing the painting I was working on yesterday and hope to make at least one or maybe even two other works this afternoon. On top of these high expectations is the fact it’ll likely be 91° today! Thankfully no rain in the forecast. I’ll have to be sure to paint in the shade as much as possible.

I wasn’t able to finish my painting yesterday because of a late afternoon thunderstorm. I took shelter under an awning and painted there but it was just too dark for me to see well enough to finish my painting.

Be sure to stop by if you’re in the area to see my painting, say hi and check out the garden. Weather should be good, aside from being a bit hot. I’ll be there between 12-5pm. I’ll do one more update tomorrow that’ll show what I do today.

Late afternoon thunderstorm made it too dark for me to see my work or my view well enough to paint

Wednesday - Thursday painting: Flower Garden, oil on wood, 11 x 24 inches

DAY 5, FRIDAY UPDATE:

It took me two days, but I finally finished my wide painting! The weather yesterday was very overcast, which I think shows up in the painting a bit (even through the sky is blue). The scene is of a fig tree (center left), purple plum tree (center right) and lots of irises in bloom.

Today I’ll be working on a new painting today. The weather looks like it should be good until at least 5pm.

Come visit if you can!

I started working on a long wood panel on Wednesday that’ll I’ll be finishing today

DAY 4, THURSDAY UPDATE:

Yesterday was another good weather day so I decided to work on a larger painting, or more specifically a longer painting. I’m only half way through painting it, so I’ll be finishing it today once the rain clears this morning.

The temperature for the next couple days will be in the high 60s, low 70s which is ideal. However the temperature on Saturday is expected to reach 91°! That should make for an exciting last day plein air painting.

DAY 3, WEDNESDAY UPDATE:

Tuesday’s Painting, Alliums and Fig Tree, oil on wood, 12 x 9 inches

I had another great day painting! The weather was perfect yesterday with a light breeze and temperatures in the 70s. I decided to paint the alliums in the garden which are these big, fun, goofy, Dr. Seuss flowers that rise up so high, they’re nearly eye level with me.

So that I wouldn’t be painting in the sun for 9 hours again, I changed by painting technique to using mostly a palette knife which greatly sped up the process. It ended up only taking me 3 1/2 hours to do yesterday’s painting!

I’ll probably end up using the same process again today, but on a bigger panoramic panel which should be exciting.

I’ll be in the garden from 12 - 5pm today, be sure to stop and say hi if you’re in Williamsburg.

View of my easel just before I started painting yesterday

DAY 2, TUESDAY UPDATE:

Monday’s Painting - Irises, oil on wood, 12 x 16 inches

I had a good first day painting yesterday! I got to paint all day despite a pretty dire rain prediction for early afternoon. I heard plenty of thunder all day, but it didn’t actually get to raining until the very end when I took shelter under an awning in the garden where I was able to finish the last little bit.

My biggest challenge is to make sure I can finish a painting in 5 hours versus the 9 hours it took me yesterday. 9 hours is a bit too intense. But the good thing about plein air painting is that the limitation of time really focuses me on how to paint more efficiently which usually makes for a more interesting work.

I appreciate everyone who stopped and said hi to me yesterday! Including the FedEX guy who stopped his truck when he saw me, came into the garden, and talked to me for ten minutes about what kind of art supplies he’s thinking about getting his girlfriend 😆. If you’re in Williamsburg, be sure to stop and say hi anytime this week. I’ll be at Red Shed Community Garden today from 1 - 6pm.

DAY 1, MONDAY UPDATE:

I’ll be at the garden today from 10AM - until when it rains.

Hope to see folks there!

ORIGINAL POST:

I’m excited to spend next week plein air painting at my local community garden! From Monday, May 16th through Saturday, May 21st, I’ll be at Red Shed Community Garden, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I encourage anyone in the area to stop by and see my work in progress and to enjoy the garden’s amazing trees, blooming flowers, and the community vegetable garden. If you want to make art in the garden as well, feel free to bring your art supplies and come join me. I’ll be there every afternoon as long as it isn’t raining too much.

I will update this blog post daily with the work I’ve made, share my experience and update my schedule in case you’re interested in visiting. My hope is to make five paintings in six days!

Visit me in person:
Red Shed Community Garden
266 Skillman Ave., Brooklyn, NY (View in Google Maps)
Mon., May 16 - Sat., May 21, daily, 12 - 5PM (weather permitting)

Follow along online:
Come back to this blog post for daily updates starting on May 16th.

Below are a few Red Shed Community Garden artworks I’ve already made: