I'd love to say we were busy painting or creating amazing things for the site but it just wasn't that kind of weekend. It was very very productive though! I spent Saturday picking up some trees to plant and then dropping off some paintings for an upcoming Gallery Show!
First thing Saturday morning, like 6am, I drove to pick up 56 trees from a local conservation district one county to the east. They have the most AMAZING fruit trees as well as a solid selection of natives so we purchased some and I got there early to get them. The sun was just up and the day was bright and full of promise. There ended up being so many trees that I had to move the dog to the front seat and then cram some of them to make it all fit. Then I stopped by Charles's house (my Dad), to pick up the pieces for the Lapeer Arts Association show.
He custom frames everything and I'd dropped the paintings off prior so he could frame them. Of course they were absolutely beautifully done - he is such a pro! I took everything home, double checked all the pieces, unloaded all the trees and reloaded the art work into the car. I took care of some chores while waiting for the Gallery's drop-off hours and then headed three counties south the drop the work off. As I headed down the highway, the clouds that had moved in gave way to rain and even some brief storms. The traffic was heavy-ish and driving 70 mph in my aging suv with limited visibility was tiring. I scooted through a couple of towns, missed a turn, and ended up in front of the gallery. As always, the exchange of artwork and filling out of paperwork was a pleasant and subdued affair. I was the only artist there at the time so I had a chance to see some of the other art work. It was nothing short of wonderful! I little self-doubt crept in but I shrugged it off and left the pieces and drove home.
I decided to take the backroads home as the highway was just too....hectic. And, if I'm being honest, rural Michigan in the spring is simply lovely. So I made my way home in the spotty rain showers, relishing in the sweeping vistas of newly greened fields and multicolored buds and leaves in the forests. The day started with leaving before 7 am and ended up with me at home by 8pm. It was a day with a lot of driving but that drive home under flay grey skies through little towns, wide open farm country and a smattering of forests as restorative and peaceful. So often, and especially when it's sunny, I am thinking about painting in my head. What color would I use to grab those shadows? What is the darkest thing I am seeing? Is there any actual white in that? Sometimes a subdued color pallete and the wheels on pavement are a soothing way to close out a busy day.