Fallen Tree and the Forest Floor|Plein Air Painting in the Park

The landscape painting above was painted in a park just over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.  One of the great things about the neighborhood that we live in now, is the closeness to the Mississippi River.  I thing there is something really great about being able to see a scene like this, and know that I’m about 2 miles away from a major downtown area.

We had some very unusual weather the morning that I created this little painting.  It started off raining, then the sun came out. Then rain and sun, both at the same time.  It finally looked like things were going to clear up, or at least stop raining.  I made my move.  With pochade box in hand, I made my way down to the  river.  I came across this spot, and set up my paints.   About an hour, I heard what I thought was a loud truck, or a train.  It turns out, it was thunder.  I didn’t realize that until I got smacked in the face with the first of many huge drops of rain.  I quickly tucked my painting into it’s carrier, and made my way for the car.

Looking back on it, I figure that getting rained on while painting just ups my credibility as a plein air painter.