Chasing Shadows

Friends –

At the top of the month, I found myself spending time with about 30 inventive artists (mostly little) at the RipeArea Festival held at Wakamatsu. The event was the creation of American River Conservancy and Myrtle Tree Arts and some otherwise talented creators.

Activities were spread out throughout the grounds, and my spot was a rather hidden corner along the lake path. My goal was to share the patterns that nature herself comes up with for survival and beauty and to encourage everyone to let those patterns inspire their plein air paintings.

I was delighted that around 30 peeps painted with me, mostly of the younger-than-12 variety. But there were adults as well, including one woman who caught my attention for her direct and focused approach. She was there most of the time, while others came and went. Meanwhile the sun was moving and changing the shadows and colors of everything which is one of the biggest challenges that plein air artists have to face.

My assumption had been that this lovely woman was working through the changes of light, and perhaps that was partially true. But when she finished and she shared her work, I was delighted to see her canvas board filled with distinct shapes of nature's invention - fractals, spirals, flow, symmetry…. It was profound and I was humbled.

Chasing Shadows is an 11x14" oil on board that will be available as reward for a donation to a conservation-based non-profit, once it is framed.

Margie Lopez Read