Old City Hall

What fun to get to sketch this newly restored Old City Hall building in the heart of the Tarpon Springs historic downtown district.  Starting early in the morning to beat the heat, I still tried to line up with the shade of a small ornamental tree while inking and applying watercolor.  The sun is stronger in Florida and the heat more intense on the pavement so this subject was best painted early in the day.  By the time I finished I was ready to seek out white sand and waves - which I'll never get enough of!  Painting number 3196 in 3196 days. 

Tarpon and Safford

The historic district of Tarpon Springs is simply wonderful.  Old train depots are a favorite subject, and this one is right in the middle of town!  I noticed the same positioning in Dunedin, too.  No spacing away from other businesses as is often found in the midwest.  It is so very interesting to get to paint all these wonderful places!  Making a family trip out of this painting event, my mom has joined me to visiting my brother and his family.  So, I have been painting each morning and returning for family time in Palm Harbor.  I'm so lucky to get to get to do this every single day! Painting number 3195 in 3195 days. 

Day at the Beach

I love everything about these white sand beaches!  The color is so fun to explore with paint - and a challenge!  It is long between paint outs at the beach for me, and I forget how the powdery sand blows onto palette, painting, and skin, slipping between toes as I move to and from my painting.  The sun bounces off water and sand, burning my eyes a little as I work, and still I love everything about it.  It is sheer joy to put to paint what I see before me, and I'm learning the nuances of the beach in the moment.  I know when I go home I'll have sand in all my gear, and I'll probably be painting sand into my next paintings as I work out all out of my brushes and paint!  Painting number 3193 in 3193 days. 

Howard Beach Morning

This morning's quick paint could be any place within Howard Park, and after a quick spin through the area I headed to the end of the peninsula.  I seldom get a chance to paint white sand beaches, so I am taking every opportunity to explore the local color. I find it challenging to get the sand color as light as it is on these white sand beaches, and still make sense in the painting.  Just behind me, hundreds of birds gathered on the beach, standing in and out of the water, chattering away.  I did have to stand in the full sun to capture this scene, which I try to avoid. It's hard to get accurate color with the sun washing out the landscape, and messing with my eyes.  I never quite know what I have in this strong light until I bring the painting inside.  It's funny how the colors can change so much in artifical light. This was about an hour and a half paint, giving myself time to frame and turn in. I think I'll come back here for another after lunch.  I'll long for these beach days in the middle of winter!  Painting number 3191 in 3191 days. 

Morning at Sunset Beach

After yesterday's battle at the preserve with Florida's biting yellow flies, today I thought a day at the beach was in order.  After framing two earlier paintings, and turning in one, I headed to this new beach on my way to another favorite, wanting to check it out.  Well, I stayed for two paintings and didn't make it to Howard Park at all.  I first walked the beach, stepping through the warm gulf coast water, sand between my toes as I wound through the palm trees.  This Sunset Park is lovely, and so very paintable!   I set up in the shade of a palm, listening to the waves lap at the shore, visiting with others as they enjoyed the beach.  There are many birds here, more than the other beaches I've painted this week.  The breeze was calm and the temperature perfect for the entire process.  This painting has truly been a day at the beach!  Painting number 3189 in 3189 days. 

Anastasi

My very first time to the sponge docks was amazing!!  The Anastasi had sponges strung up to dry dockside to the market area.  This historic piece of Tarpon Springs is a treasure - both for painting and shopping!!  The sweet aroma of greek food wafting over from the restaurant just about drove me crazy before I could complete this painting!  Our meal at Hellos was outstanding, too!!  Painting number 2622 in 2622 days.

Morning at Brooker Creek

Each new painting adventure leads me to parts unknown, each with it's own beauty to translate into paint.  This beautiful spot is the Brooker Creek Preserve, and I am standing on the boardwalk bridge over the known alligator habitat.  I saw many birds, fish jumping, and heard large animal noises from under the bridge - but I never actually saw the gator.  A very peaceful place, it was so relaxing to stand here and paint, soaking up my surroundings.  This painting was my favorite of the three day event - so I entered it for judging, and we could only enter one.  What an honor to win an award on it at the Tarpon Springs Paint and Photo reception last night!  I definitely want to return next year to paint again!  Painting number 2611 in 2611 days.

Morning at Howard Park

Oh my, what a day!  A deeply overcast morning gave way to this bright and beautiful afternoon - and the perfect beach scene for this quick paint!  Painting large at 10x20,  I really wanted this format for this scene.  So many wonderful people visited while I worked, and I had a fabulous time capturing the scene.  I had to pack up a little early to make it back to check in on time, but the extra distance was really worth the work. I just had to paint this beach!  So honored to win an award for this!  Painting number 2609 in 2609 days.