The Grass Painting with Buttercups

The Grass Painting with Buttercups

on Buðey Island in Bjarneyjar, Iceland
on June 23, 2014, sketched plein air on June 23, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, on 140 lb.
Strathmore Series 500 cold press watercolor paper

NFS

The Grass Painting

A vista lay before me of
islands and ocean to paint but
when I lay my watercolor
board down in the lush tall green grass
the sun presented another
idea; so with Arctic Terns
calling overhead, asking me
to please leave, I ignore their pleas
wondering if they might add to
the painting on one of their swift
dive bombing runs. I paint on,
washes of Prussian blue mixed with
Winsor violet, then Hookers green,
then enjoying the drying time,
by writing this note before I
play with the grass in more detail
with mixes permanent sage
green, more Hookers green and
that other green I use that I'll
remember its name after I need
to order it again. The terns
missed, good. The red shanks, named stelkur
here in Iceland, are calling me,
I think, I don't understand their
Icelandic, wish they were red shanks
and then I'd know what they're saying.
Anyway, inspired by the
island grass of now and the grass
I'd photographed earlier in
the day on another island
this painting is done. The bombs missed.
I must remember this painting
experience for the grandboys,
plein air next time. Oh, I almost
forgot - red wisps and buttercups. 

By Bruce McMillan ©2014, permission required for use

"I lay my watercolor board down in the lush tall
green grass the sun presented another idea."

 

"Arctic Terns calling overhead"

 "the grass I'd photographed

earlier in the day on another island"

The Grass Painting, Oh . . . buttercups.