Defeated by the Sunol

We tried to make a Plein aire painting. It was total defeat.

Recently T and I went down to the Sunol wilderness in the East Bay. There’s a really nice spot there called Little Yosemite Valley.

I was scouting out spots to take people for Plein aire classes. Part of this is that students would need to carry an easel, so I was dragging along a six foot long makeshift easel through all this. But when we got to the river where the cool views are, there was no place for people to stand and work comfortably.

But I was bewitched by the view. You don’t always get green pools and waterfalls. So we perched on a rock and started painting.

In direct sunlight.

In 100 degree weather.

I honestly dont know how long it was. We were working elbow to elbow, with nowhere to set out our stuff. We got one easel up, I just held my painting and winged it.

By the time I finished covering up my under painting, my eggs were scrambled. That rock was a skillet. I was done.

We go to retreat into the shade, and I hit my head on a low hanging branch and went down like a ton of bricks. I was really, really done.

It was time to go home.

Cut to: us dragging out all our gear plus an easel and two wet paintings, climbing slick boulders and staggering through endless 100 degree heat.

Luckily, failure is always an option. All’s well that ends.

Stay safe out there folks.

SCL