“Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.” — from Desiderata by Max Ehrmann (1872–1945) What’s in a Boat Name? This morning there was no fog, no hint of cloud, and I could see, in my mind’s eye, the harbor in Moss Landing. It was filled with sunlight and happy boats. There was no hesitation, no doubt in my mind, I was peaceful and secure in this image. I quietly finished my tea, packed a lunch, and headed out, leaving the peninsula behind and skirted around the bay through morning farmlands […]

I am psychic. My prediction of yesterday came true. More on that later in this post. A few thoughts first… Let me make this clear, I am not an expert on plein air painting. But I am an expert on my experience of plein air painting. So I proceed with this blog knowing that what I say is inherently flawed and inadequate, that some artists will wonder what all the fuss is about, that some of my realizations are common knowledge and self-evident to a smarter person so what’s the big deal, and I’ve got a lot of gall to […]

“Irene’s Way “, 11″x14″ oil on canvas board by Robert Lewis To say that I know how to paint boats would be a very big mistake. After five days of painting nothing else, thinking of nothing else, dreaming of nothing else, eating nothing else, I admit I’ve made progress. But my experience tells me over and over ( not that I ever learn! ) that the moment I feel smug enough to say I’ve made a breakthrough, Plein Air bites me hard. Meaning that tomorrow’s painting may be a complete disaster. So, I will be coy in my assessment of […]

“Boats at Moss Landing “, 11″x14″ oil on canvas board by Robert Lewis At 6am I looked out my window at the garden and the garden wasn’t there. It’s only 20 feet away but it was gone. Fog had rolled in, a thick garden-eating fog that lay up against my window breathing hard, trying to find a way in to get me. I pulled the curtains quickly, turned in panic, thinking about painting. I can’t paint in the fog, my mind screamed! Then I remembered. I had made plans to go to Moss Landing today. Moss Landing, where I believed, […]

You have to be ready for anything when you paint plein air. In my quest for more boat, boat of any kind, boat large, boat small, anything that floats, is drydocked, or run aground, I asked my father to help me. Dad lives on a boat in the Monterey harbor in Monterey, California. You’re thinking yacht, aren’t you? Ol’ Dad lounging on deck with his G&T and some California girl at the helm, sailor hat tipped down over one eye winkin’ at you. Uh, not quite. Now downsize that image to something the size of a camper on a pickup […]

Determined to paint boats and learn their intricacies, I am gradually getting to them. Yesterday, on my way to paint boats, I was distracted by the water. Today, I avoided the distraction but, as you can see, have still to focus in closely on individual boats, though at least I’m making progress in that direction. Perhaps tomorrow I will actually stand in front of one and paint it, and just it! My father lives on a boat in the Monterey harbor, not in this marina though. But having a license to live on his boat in the harbor gives him […]

You’d think that getting your painting supplies to Maryland would be simple. And it is, if you are willing to spend, spend, spend!! I checked the American Airlines site early this morning to see what their baggage requirements…uh, or should I say, restrictions are… Here is a photo (right) of the wonderful thrift shop luggage I purchased for $5. I scaled all of my painting supplies down to fit into this bag. Half box French easel, wet canvas board carrier, and tool box full of paint and medium, plus my hat and a roll of paper towels for the first […]

This 9″x12″ oil study was painted plein air today at beautiful Esplanade Park in Pacific Grove, California. The weather was perfect today. My son, Skyler, painted with me and, even though we were tucked away in the trees of this park, the shore was so busy with people enjoying the sun that we had a few visitors, patrons and students. Beginning this week, I’m determined to get business out of the way and start training for Plein Air Easton.