Susan's Field Study Journal

Here’s the first small painting, almost done.  I’ll be adding small objects today.

Here’s another one nearly done.

See “More Week 7” link at top of page.

Thursday, February 17th

I arrived safely in Huihini on Monday and have been astounded by the lush vegitation, rich French-polynesian culture, smiling people and amazing skies and water.  It’s the cyclone season here, which means constantly changing cumulus, cumulonimbus and nimbostratus clouds against high cirrus clouds – in other words, big rain clouds against intensly blue skies streaked with high thin clouds.  Rain squalls come through (warm rain!) for five minutes at a time, several times a day, changing the sea to a purple color.  Then instantly afterward, the sun reappears and the sea returns to a luminescent acqua color streaked with deep cobalt blue.    In the morning and evening,  the skies soften to an amazing periwinkle blue, lit with rose and gold.  I’m already in despair about trying to capture anything close to the intensity and clarity of the colors here.   

I started working on Tuesday and have three small paintings in process.  It’s been a bit of a struggle to shift again to working in acrylics after painting in oils for the last few years.  It’s coming back, but I wish I had different brushes.  There’s no art store here, only a hardware store with house painting brushes.  So I’m making do with what I brought.  Here are some pictures of where I’m working  and of paintings in process.    I’m planning to add some small objects, such as shells, birds, etc.   Right now I’m just working to get the soft effects of the skies with acrylics. 

I’ll hopefully  post some finished images and pictures of local culture tomorrow.

Keep working and stay in touch!

Susan

First painting in process.

Week 6 Report

These images are several of the oil paintings dealing with sky imagery that I’ve been working on.  I’ll be continuing to explore this theme during my field study.