What a beautiful day. The weather was perfect and animals were showing off their finest. My artist friend Sheri and I had a great time walking around the zoo and talking art and taking pictures and just having a great time. I did some sketches close to noon and then had to go home to do some chores but what a great day. There is so much to see and paint. I think I have spotted a couple of places that would make great paintings. The flamingos come to mind and the happy cat is another. I will need to learn to paint really fast because as I was sketching the subject would move just as I needed to get the important shapes.

Here we are at the Lair O the Bear open space park. What a great space. Have painted here many times and just love the variety of trees and terrain. It is really lush with tall grasses every where. I guess, because it is the start of summer. This painting of the stream was a challenge. I never painted river rock before but have wanted to for a long time. I never thought I could, so I gave it a try. Not bad for a first try. I could work on some stronger shapes and define the temperature changes, but not bad for a first time.  

Here are 2 paintings completed en plein air in Helper UT. The workshop there was really intense with bright sunshine and long days of immersion in plein air painting with Doug Braithwaite. I just loved it. The other artists were personable and a lot of fun to get along with. Great conversations on and about art which was thick with instruction and inspiration. I highly recommend any one interested in improving their skills to take advantage of this work shop. The 3 major artists who teach there are more than just capable, they are the professionals of there fields. Dave Dornan, simply amazing, Paul Davis has command of drawing and figures, Doug Braithwaite who paints landscapes with such ease it makes other artists jealous. I said I would write a daily blog about this workshop, but the information was so vast I could barely keep notes let alone write a blog, besides I couldn't log on to my network to write about it, which is a good thing because at the end of the day, around 10 or 11 at night (and a few beers) I was totally exhausted. Oh, to be young again and get by on 4 hours of sleep. If circumstances allow I will be back to this little, tiny, railroad town to take more instruction.

Iris Gardens, an over whelming sea of color. I love it. The weather was a little cloudy and the colors were popping out of the ground, like neon. If you have never been there I highly recommend going, especially now when the flowers are in bloom. The past few days have been hot, in the unforgiving sun, but today, with the clouds, the temperature was just right. I love Iris flowers and the colors and variety was breath taking. How much fun can you have, painting in a sea of color.

After having our 5 minutes of spring, the summer season is a welcome change. It might get old around august but for now the sun and warmth is much better than the wind that has plagued me the past few weeks. Confluence park is a fun place to paint. Lots of compositions to choose from and the people moving around gives the sense that the city is alive and well.