AN 'ORDINARY' BICYCLE

I am back on a winter schedule I am glad to say. That means that amongst other things, our portrait group has started again. I think we are in our 10th year. Anyway, this is Steve with his beloved bike he painstakingly restored. I think he said it was from 1893 and it was called an Ordinary because there were also fancier ones at that time.
This is oil, 16x20

PEACEFUL MORNING

I forgot to add this. Day 2 Pebble Beach in Stevenson, WA

PERFECT DAY

Day 1. Orientation and meet the other painters at the Hood River Gorge Whitehouse. 40 painters were accepted into the paintout, some from Alaska, Hawaii, Oklahoma, and ??? The following is copied off the advertising card because it explains things so well.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST PLEIN AIR 2011 in the COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.
In its seventh year, Pacific Northwest Plein Air competition is a series of art events featuring the art and literary works of accomplished painters and writers created at various locations around the Columbia River Gorge----the nation's first designated National Scenic Area. Works of art will be available for viewing and for sale during a month-long gallery show at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River. Jim Lamb is the juror.

AFTERNOON AT THE GORGE WHITEHOUSE

After lunch I lay in the grass under a pear tree and had a much needed nap.

READY FOR SWIMMING

Day 2 was spent at Pebble Beach, Stevenson, WA. Lovely quiet shady windless path between the river and the railway line. This was painted in the afternoon and when I had nearly finished a family with umpteen children came down to swim. I think this painting would be better with some people in it, but they would have to be very small to stay in scale.

TOO WINDY FOR FLYING

Day 3. I moved to a lovely campground up in the trees and decided to take a day off from the group, drive around, when I was ready to get going instead of leaving at 7.30, as I had the other 2 days. In case anyone is looking for a campground I can heartily recommend Timberlake, at Home Valley WA.
I painted this in the park at Bingen, using a tree as a wind break. I think my rendition of the trees in the wind are not nearly leaning enough. I had an annoying bystander who proceeded to lecture me on how the trees were one sided because of the wind and that usually it was a favorite spot for hangliders, but today was too windy. At least he didn't tell me that his aunt was a really good painter.

MOUNT HOOD, OREGON

This was on Day 4. We went to the Gorge Winery, WA where it was beautiful, but very hot. I did paint in the shade. This painting needs work, but I quite like it anyway.