I was invited to a second sketching picnic by the Porongurup Art Group a couple of weeks ago. This time we all met at a farm where Steve, the owner, had happily allowed us free rein to paint and sketch whatever we wanted. And there was lots of material, from a 100-year-old timber shed to one of the best chook sheds I’ve ever seen. There were also horses and hills and trees and rough sawn post-and-rail fencing and tractors and dogs and a cottage and a big, rusty shed and did I mention the chook shed yet?
The place was amazing.
It was a cloudy evening but the sun would peek through occasionally tempting us with just how delicious the place really was.
While the clouds cast their shadow over everything, I sat and began sketching the scene around the lovely chook shed. Then the sun burst out so I stopped sketching and snapped a few photos for later. Then I continued sketching until it burst through again.
Eventually there was a big enough hole in the clouds for the dazzling evening light to hang on for ten or fifteen minutes. I ran around like an idiot trying to snap photos of the place from all corners and all angles. It was worth it.
The ultimate portable easel?
The Chook Shed, A5 © Andy Dolphin, 2010This was the only sketch I did that evening. I’m pretty pleased with it and can’t wait to get back there under clearer skies.
I have a painting ready to go from one of the photos I took. Hopefully you’ll see it here in the coming weeks. (Update: Here it is – Shed from start to finish)