"Both Sides Now", 6x6 Inch Oil Painting of Clouds

NFS

This is my Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge Painting: Theme:  July.

Remember as a kid - lazy summer days laying in the cool grass staring up at the sky ... looking at the shapes?  My best July memories.

I've spent a week totally off the grid - painting with 4 other painters in Maine.  It's been a tradition I've been happy to join (my 3rd year) - going back decades to other women who painted with fervor in Maine together Summers during their lives, but have now passed on.  We are immersed in art.  We talk late into the night about our joys and struggles with the artistic life as well as our technical progress.  Our mediums of choice, today, and yesterday... and tomorrow.  We compare easels, paint colors, methods.  We talk about inspirations from the past.  We take a day to visit the Farnsworth Museum, and see the Wyeths as well as their new show (Frank Benson - swoon!).  We visit a gallery and pretend we want to buy a rather famous artist's work so they will drag out a few more....

We eat sumptuous dinners with mind-blowing desserts.  We imbibe (wine and Cosmos were this years picks).  We read.  Talk about our dreams.  Our wonderful spouses and children.  Share recipes.  And paint, paint, paint.  Fabulous!

And every day we paint.  Inside, outside, every which way!

And for some far away fun, check THIS out... and scroll down to see Ray Rempel in an "I Love Kelley's Jellies" T-Shirt, painting plain air!  Go Ray!  Kim, your Dad is great!