Clearing Skies over the Prairie

I love coming to this prairie to paint!  With beautiful vistas in every direction, the Jerry Smith Park is a gem for the Kansas City parks.  I arrived with plenty of time to scout my location, and it didn't take me long.  Hiking back to the car for my gear, I realized as soon as I saw my pochade box that I didn't grab my palette from the freezer.  AGAIN!  This is the absolute closest event to my house, so it only took me 20 minutes to drive home to retrieve it!  With 20 minutes back, it cut my 2 hour quick paint down to an hour and 15 minutes.  It was 5 minutes before start time when I realized the mistake!  It was a beautiful morning and I did thoroughly enjoy myself, once I had my paints.  I will now leave myself a note when all I pull from the trunk is my palette!  Another lesson learned on my daily plein air adventure!  Painting number 1963 in 1963 days.

oil on panel, 9x12
Party at the Prairie Quick Paint
purchase here

Path by the Pond

What a fun morning in a very cool park!  I didn't even know this place was here - and it is only 20 minutes from me!  This was originally a farm, that is now a 380 acre park, complete with prairie, outbuildings, and a fabulous, secluded fishing pond.  It was the "Party in the Prairie" plein air event put on by the KC parks department. There was live music, horse drawn wagon rides, hot dogs on the grill, and plenty of people enjoying the park.  Michaela entered her first quick paint with me this morning - and we BOTH placed in the top 5!  SO exciting!  I love that we can share this over her summer break.  This pond was stunning in the morning light,  and was certainly worth the extra hike to get there.  I will be returning to this spot to paint often, and I see a Workshop on the Prairie in my future!  Painting number 1607 in 1607 days.