Plainsboro Artists' First Plein Air Session, at the Preserve

This morning was the first plein air meeting of the art group, at the Preserve, weather very friendly, cool but bright sunshine, and a nice turnout, who pretty much scattered all over the Preserve in search of subjects before I got them in the frame.  

Left is Art Lee, very established found object sculptor, and all around good guy, right is Donna S. the endlessly working and arranging gallery curator and director of All Things Art at the Libe. And a watercolor painter in her own right.

Been waiting all winter to see these trees again.


I spent a good morning trying to recover my drawing skills, long in abeyance, and do a bit of line and wash. I used pen, conte crayon, watercolor pencil, and  caran d'ache watercolor crayons.  Only moderately happy with results.  

 Some of the group working by the lake

Largely I spent the time remembering how to slow down and look!

Interested walkers peered over to see what was up

here's a little girl being hauled away after watching for a while, and the birds were in evidence: the swallows have returned, diving and zooming.

A handy bench provided an outdoor studio space.  

Note the denim bag, made from upcycled jeans, the pockets very useful for small items. 

So I need to draw more, but this return was fun.