art and yosemite

while biking around yosemite, i stumbled on an art education center full of painting supplies and advertising free daily art workshops. each week a different artist would be there to teach a class, the week we were there it was watercolors. looking back, i wish i would have taken a class, but we were so engrossed in hiking/biking and checking everything out i couldnt get organized enough to go. i did, however buy some acrylic paints and a few canvases, with the goal of doing a painting from a special spot near our camp. i found the only brushes available were watercolor brushes and the paints were more like watercolor paints... flimsy brushes and this quick drying water based paint in 100 degree dry mountain weather, quite a challenge! plus i had no easel and had to use a makeshift picnic table. what did work was the view, fantastic! the kids were nearby splashing in the water and i had a string of nice people stopping to say hello and chat. it felt good to just tackle a painting from beginning to end, even as the paint dried out too fast, the colors werent quite right and the brushes too wiggly.

along with the art education center is the ansel adams museum, a great place for inspiration. i was lucky enough to catch an auction being held to raise money for a group that organizes local artists. i was hoping to bid on something, but the budget didnt allow. i am so glad chris and the girls hung out with me to watch, the auction was casual and fun. it felt good to be a part of something purely creative, i was inspired by all the paintings and the artists seemed happy to be there. i bought a few prints from an artist i particularly liked, her work is bright and i love her brushstrokes and technique. she has a blog and maybe someday i can take a workshop with her. someday! ahhhh to have the life of an artist and paint all day in such a beautiful place.


one of the prints i bought, love it so! those clouds!