Post Freeze and Painting "en Plein Air" in the Winter

It seams as though many of my posts are about getting started after a hiatus from painting.  This one is no different.  For a plein air painter winter can be daunting and this winter has been one of the worst.

There isn't anyone in the country who is not on intimate terms with cold this year.  For the holiday season we were up in Cleveland with snow, cold, snow, cold and more snow.  Normally we have some days over freezing that are sunny.  Of course, a sunny day is an anomaly in Cleveland.  But, rare as they may be, they do exist and I can usually find one day to head out to paint.  This winter it just didn't happen.  When I am able to do it I survive by wearing waterproof hiking boots, long underwear, neck cozy, latex gloves, hat and heavy coat.  I also try to have some hand warmer packets handy.  I might add that I rarely try to do anything larger than 9x12 in that weather because my objective is to set up, paint and finish in a relatively short time frame.

Now that I am in Hilton Head again my body has adjusted and cold is anything below 55 degrees.  We arrived on the 4th (Saturday night) so Sunday was all about putting things away (and my husbands birthday!)

Then the next 4 days I was focused on identifying a wedding venue for my daughter.  (Since before Christmas this has been my primary focus.)  Which brings me to Friday 1/10 and the venue has been identified, the contract is in the works and I can take a break from an exhaustive search, thousands of phone conversations with vendors, extensive research on line and the utter and complete exasperation of both my daughter and myself.  Done, whew!!!  Of course, we have to secure a band which is another less daunting search and means I will probably be constantly listening to "Get the Party Started" both on line and in my brain.  But, this too shall pass.

So, today, I will paint.  I think a 6 x 6 for Daily Paintworks.  I might even do two.  It always takes a little self-motivation to get myself in gear.  I am nothing, if not, a world class procrastinator.  Oops, forgot that I have to get my application for the Art Market at Honey Horn done - it is the only outside show I do.  But that shouldn't take to long.

Thought I should say a little something about plein air painting when it is cold in the south, too.  Cold being anything below 65 (don't roll your eyes you Northerners!)  For garb refer to what I wrote for plein air painting up North at the beginning of this blog.  Yes, those warm blooded Southerners dress like it's 35 to paint in the cold weather down here.  Honestly, I don't don the long johns but I do wear all the other stuff.
When in Rome........................

Happy painting!