I had started four paintings so far, wasn’t really satisfied with any of them, although one just needed a little touch-up and would be good enough for the show.
Today, it was down to business!! I was up at the crack of dawn, and decided to drive down the Big Sur coast until I saw something that grabbed me. After about 10 miles, I rounded a bend, over a hill and before me was a stunning view. The sun had just peaked over the coastal mountain range, and was bathing a field with light. The distant hills were also seeing the first touch of light. Below is the scene.
I set my easel up right by the road with my SUV to shield me from traffic and the morning sun. Below is the setup and the almost finished painting.
The painting turned out great…I think one of my best plein air to date.
I continued down the coast to another spot and did another painting in the late morning.
After that, it was back to the motel to touch everything up, frame them, and drop the two works off at the show. Below are a couple quick snapshots of the paintings I entered.