Island Kids -a plein air painting from Balboa Island, CA. SOLD

oil 9x12 inches magnify Sorry my posts are slow in coming. I'm still getting my energy back two weeks after my sinus surgery. No oil painting (breathing solvent fumes) for me for another week. I can't tell you how anxious I am to get back to it. Meanwhile, this painting has a story. I set up to paint in some late afternoon shade. While drawing in, I planned to watch for people on the bench and include them. Along comes two moms with kids in tow. The kids are interested in what I'm up to. They walk right up and start asking questions. I tell them I'm drawing in, then mixing the colors I see while watching that bench for people I could put in my painting. "Can WE be in your painting?", the boy asks bursting with excitement. Well, sure. But I have to take your pictures, so go ask your mom if that's okay. Well the moms were as excited as the kids. I told them I needed one adult on the bench for a size difference. They went back and forth a bit about which of them "looked better" to be in the painting! I settled it by picking the one with the red hat. Turns out this is a Balboa Island family. They were "home." No wonder they were excited. I painted this in two afternoons. During that time another friendly island resident told me all about the little upside down sailboats. Each boat is assigned to a nine year old on the island who is taught to sail by a sixteen year old who learned the same way. The children's names are on the rack. The masts are sticking up in the center of the rack. I've spent a lot of time on Balboa Island over the years, but hadn't ever thought about what childhood would be like growing up there. So different! Back to the painting, I thought the helmet added whimsy, and their little dangling feet and shadows added charm. The grandparents came to the gallery and bought the painting. This will go down as one of my favorite plein air experiences.