Blog
Where to Stand?

Someone (whose name I cannot remember at the moment) famously said the following about plein air painters: "A good painter decides first what he wants to paint. A great painter decides first where he wants to stand." I am not a "great", but I must say that I am quite often more satisfied with my paintings when I have chosen a comfortable place to stand. Perhaps physical comfort frees up the brain to focus on the creative work, rather than on the basic necessities of dealing with the heat, mosquitoes, sun, etc. This little painting was done on location in the village of Beze, France. I had spent the morning sweating and suffering in a hot, glary location--because I was drawn to a certain motif that could not be captured from a better spot. Thie morning painting was not a success. In the afternoon I gave in to my desire for comfort, and found a shady spot, protected from the wind, where I could see this scene. I was much more satisfied with the afternoon's effort than with the morning effort. Lesson Learned.