“Broadwater Pond #2” Day 1 - Oil22”x28”
Unframed - Oil on Canvas
Laura Marie Anderson © January 5, 2007
Today I got started on Broadwater Pond #2. This one will concentrate on that lovely turquoise water. Note the fisherman – Karl and the dog – Sam near the center of the painting. Usually, I take all signs of human existence out of my paintings, but am touched by our ability to share these times hiking while stopping to fish and paint as we do.
Yesterday Karl, Sam and I hiked up to Snow Creek Bridge. Sam led the way marking the trail and Karl followed behind breaking the trail. I brought up the rear fighting with my snow pants trying to get them to stay down over my favorite hiking boots that are not high-top enough. Up past the falls the snow started to get deeper and deeper. We went from 8-10” to about 15-30”. Since fishing in steams is illegal in the winter, it was a short hike. We sat down and shared some peanut butter and honey sandwiches that Sam was kind enough to carry in his pack. He loves peanut butter. And a Frappicino that I slipped into my pocket on the way out the door. A great slushy it made as Karl put some of that fresh snow in the bottle. Karl is always surprised by what I might pack with me on a hike. One overnight hike to Sylvan, a fairly easy break in hike, (about 10 miles round trip and 5000 feet up) I brought along the hardcover book “Rembrandt’s Eyes”, 751 delicious pages, because I was in the middle of reading it. A wonderful book to have to read at Sylvan Lake.
We brought back with us memories and a few photographs in my camera. The photographs wash out so, it is amazing just to make a few color notes, like the green that graced the side of one of the Pinnacles, and then to get home and be able to see none of that green. A wonderful example of why I prefer Plein Air painting.
Since starting this painting with these undercolors, I have decided that perhaps I do paint like a watercolorist and have decided to squash the fear and take out my watercolors and paint two almost identical paintings of Broadwater Pond. One in oil and on in watercolor. A grand experiment with nothing to lose except my fear. I have painted about 4 watercolors in my adult life. I would like to be able to be able to do them well enough to take them to Arch and Froze to Death and… all the really high hikes where carrying an extra ten pounds for oil paint seems ridicules. Normally I carry about 15, unless I carry the French easel for a larger painting, like Hell Roaring Falls #2 and then I carry about 33 pounds. I think with watercolor I could slim the weight down to 2-3 pounds.
Technical notes for the day: Medium for this painting Stand Oil and Gamsol, each day increasing the Stand Oil. Colors, Phthalo Turquoise Blue (B15:4 & G7) Ultramarine Blue, Transparent Red Iron Oxide, Quinacridone Violet, Anthraquinone Red (R177). All transparent colors. Ground two thin coats of Gamblin Traditional Ground rolled on with a foam roller and sanded.
