An Attempt At Plein Air

Time really flies in the blogosphere... I haven't published an art-related post for just over 3 weeks - and it seems like forever.

Haven't been painting recently - partly because we went on a 10-day vacation to Utah and Arizona, for some glorious views and time-out.

I still have the sights carved on the inside of my eyelids: the majestic rocks of Zion, the awesome hoodoos of Bryce against the snowy background (yup, there's still snow on the slopes), the sensual spirals of Antelope Slot Canyon and the overall sublime vastness of the desert. And all those textures, shapes, lines, colors - a true feast for the eyes, especially when the eyes belong to an artist. Mother Nature sure has an incredible exhibit out there!

I am documenting it all on my other blog. I took hundreds of photos, and yes, I did take my sketching kit, but it turned out into one of these trips that were too hectic to sketch.

And yet - on the very last afternoon in Zion, while The JohnnyB took his nap, I sat in the garden of the incredible B&B (Harvest House - highly recommended!!!), thoroughly enjoying the tranquility of the sorroundings, and tried to transfer to paper the feeling of having The Watchman cliff facing me eye to eye.

I reached for my sketchbook, but then saw the watercolor postcards pack that I carry with me on every trip, but never used them.

"OK then - postcard it is!", I decided. I'll make one for my sister and send it to her.

Ambitious? Of course!

And... probably not the sharpest idea to try and capture such a sight on a 4"x6" piece of paper!

I made two attempts, of which I am bravely posting the least disastrous one. It was fun - but it makes me think the world would be a better place if I stuck with painting people...