Limping Through Fall
I love autumn. The changing colours etch possible new paintings in familiar landscapes. (check out my short video of the fall landscapes at the lake).
But this fall is different. I’m literally ‘limping through fall.’
Horror of the Limp
O.k. that’s an exaggeration, but here’s the reality. I injured my knee a few months ago and it simply refuses to heal. Each time I think it’s improved I overuse it and I’m back to the beginning, but what does this have to do with painting?
It’s rather simple in the end. I paint outside in the summer when I’m at the lake. I’ve painted ‘en plein air’ for more years than I want to remember. It’s part of my artist’s DNA.
Here’s the Problem
Our lake cottage is in the Canadian Shield and it’s rocky. The ground is notoriously uneven. I have to be careful walking there at the best of times, but unfortunately with my knee I have to be extra careful and as a result have restricted my movements to a few of my favourite painting spots close to the cottage.
I learned this the hard way. A few weeks ago I tried one special sitting rock further from the cottage in the forest. I sat down and painted without a problem, but then I couldn’t get back up. Fortunately I had brought my trusty walking stick.
Nature Delivers
Fortunately the weather has been superb and the views outstanding from my perches close to the cabin. I’ve painted several small watercolours (11” x 14” ) with 2 included in this post below. While I’ve been unable to go to several more remote spots I’m happy that I’ve been able to at least do some paintings.
And the knee? I will be going for physiotherapy, but my paintings from this fall will forever hold the memory of the time I ‘limped through fall.’
What’s Next?
Fall and cottage season will be over in a few weeks. We will be closing the cottage for winter later in October. It’s time to mull over my next painting project. I already have a couple of ideas in my idea bank and hopefully will add a few more before I decide. Regardless, I’ll be painting in city studio for the next 6 months and this will change my art practice once again.
I’m looking forward to sharing more details next blog. Thanks for reading. As always, don’t hesitate to drop me a note with any questions or comments.
