August 2022

​​Art Adventures - by Patricia Banks©
Published August 2022 in Nanaimo Magazine and Voyager Mag

​I love summer days filled with sunshine and blue skies and spending time in the garden hearing the charming sound of bird songs overhead. This year we have had two sets of sparrows subsequently take-up residence in our little yellow birdhouse! My goodness, it is amazing to watch these avian parents work so hard to raise their young: back and forth, catching bugs in the garden. Ever careful, they keep a close eye out for danger, especially as they approach their nest. They land a few feet away from it, have another look around, then dash in to be greeted by very loud chirping! Summer is also a wonderful time to be outdoors painting, taking a fresh look at the landscape and absorbing the abundant inspiration.

​Long days of warm light stimulate our senses and transform us through a sense of hope and optimism. Each season brings its own unique nuances, but the long summer days provide time to slow down and see the world through an artist’s eye. Outdoor or plein air painting time is valuable and what I call ‘intentional’ painting time. Preparations must be made before you begin, which include choosing and travelling to a suitable location and organizing, streamlining, and packing up painting gear, as well as various other items like a chair/easel/snack/sun umbrella, etc. It is important to allow enough time to have a successful painting session. This will increase satisfaction with the experience, even if you plan to finish the painting another time.

With renewed positivity, we hit our painting stride. Nature’s shapes, colours and textures are seen anew, and the record is delightfully captured on canvas! Every day spent outside painting under blue skies with the sun shining and the birds singing, is a gift. Happy Painting!