Dear Artist Friends,
I thought I told you I was on sabbatical—but I kind of lied. I’m actually in Wayne, PA, taking part in a plein air painting competition. It’s been wonderful catching up with old friends and meeting new ones.
This painting was done on-site at Ardrossan Farm in Villanova, PA—a beautiful, rustic spot that’s incredibly painterly. The weather was great, but the one challenge was painting directly under the sun. My canvas was fully lit, almost blindingly bright, and I forgot to bring an umbrella this time. That said, painting in direct sunlight is possible. My tip: keep a value scale next to your work. It really helps in judging the value of your colors, so you know your mixes aren’t turning out too dark.
By the way, this painting took third place in this competition. I want to thank the judge, Mark Boedges, and the Wayne Art Center for this honor.
Best regards,
Qiang
