Gathering

April 2009

Over the Lake

 

With two of the Great Lakes at our doorstep, lake winds frequently blow across the farm fields of Cambria. One cold April morning eleven artists gathered, determined to brave strong winds and paint the emerging spring landscape.  As puffy purple-gray clouds raced along the horizon of Lake Ontario, gusts swirled around the house and  barn making shelter difficult to find. Some of us crept into the cow shed hoping to find relief from the wind; others found a refuge of sorts on the front porch.  No mater where we we tried to hide, the sharp cold bit through layers of sweatshirts and fleece.

  
Towards noon we drifted, one by one, into the kitchen ready to settle for warmth and a mug of steaming hot coffee. Gathering around my grandmother’s ancient oval dining table, one that stretched out long enough to accommodate all of us, our conversation glided from laughter to profound seriousness in a matter of minutes.

Always in our hearts, and on the tip of our tongues, art threads its way in and out of the conversation. It amazes me how artists manage to relate everything to art. A seemingly small thing, such as passing a plate of bizzells around the table, inspired a discussion on --- you guessed it --- the art of bizzell making. It seemed everyone had a story or a tip to share for making perfect bizzells.

In spite of the nasty weather, some amazing work emerged on this cold April morning.  Something speaks out through the painting when working in a place outside the studio, adding  another dimension to the work. As plein air painters, the ever changing back drop of community and new locations infuses itself into our work along with the people we meet; and when we look back over the paintings we created on this day, we will remember the laughter and stories that we shared.