Remember and Inspire.

My friend and fellow ASD member (Artist’s Society of Dearborn) Janet Kondziela, invited me to go out plein air painting with her in the Henry Ford Greenfield Village. Those of you who are familiar with this thoroughly amazing museum and interactive historical experience centered around the Henry Ford family and the early automotive industry will appreciate what a treat this was! Her invite came late Tuesday evening, so I had little time to throw together a portable paint set-up. Janet paints intuitively and loosely. Her paintings are done start to finish in one morning session. My method is to do a value sketch, working out the desired composition in pencil before I commit to a full blown painting. I decided to sketch instead.

Some artists tend toward sweeping landscapes and epic scenes, some toward small charming scenes, like Janet and her studio mate, Kathy O’Connell, who also was there painting. I tend toward micro-scenes….probably because I need them to be small in order to give some unsuspecting bird at least a support role in the painting.

This was a perfect fall day. The bright sun helped temper the chill air and just a hint of turning color was everywhere. As I mulled over the myriad possibilities for a subject, I noticed a little brown sparrow tracing a triangular flight pattern between the housing of a nearby lamp post, the ground, and a colorful banner gently fluttering above the square in the slight breeze. For one fleeting moment, the sky became overcast and I knew just what I was going to sketch. I also knew that it would make for a very dramatic painting, with the overcast sky as an harbinger of the winter to come while there is still the reminder of warmer days and celebration. The humble sparrow remains steadfast through it all. I can’t wait to go again. When I do, I plan to turn this little sketch into a painting.