Listening - watching
taking a moment
drawing the world
finding the way to connection
again and again.

For upcoming classes and events
visit my website – BarbaraBash.com

Monday, September 9, 2019

Plein Air

This past weekend I participated in a Plein Air Paint Out
in the hamlet of High Falls, New York where I live.

Fifteen local artists placed themselves around the town and painted all day.
At the end of the afternoon all the work that was created was auctioned off
to support the good work of the High Falls Conservancy.

I decided to sit behind my house at a little beach along the Rondout Creek.
I had wanted to paint here all summer, but you know how it goes . . .

Even so I resisted, felt not up to it, too tired.
I trudged down to the spot and sat there gazing, waiting to see what called me.
And then the world began to open.

I worked quickly, lightly, with pencil and watercolor.
The words that emerged and landed on the page brought forth the insight,
sealed the moment.

Friends stopped by and checked in.
There were also long stretches of quiet creation.
Here is what came through . . .

 
 





Right at the end this last one emerged - a visual haiku -
speaking to the nature of this river - pure and impure -
and the world.


Thank you to Richard and Carole Eppley and Chris Seubert for organizing it all
and getting me out there doing what I really want to do !

11 comments:

  1. The air doesn’t get any pleiner than this. I’m going off to my favorite stream to follow your practice, elegant and inspiring in simplicity, to sketch freely and loosely in pencil and watercolor, without worrying about how it’s going to turn out.

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  2. Music to my ears . . . here's to that fresh plein air ! glad you're out there breathing it in - love b

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  3. I feel the leaves trembling and playing with the sunlight as I type at night in my city apartment. Beautiful! Thank you!

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  4. Thank you for sharing these beautiful offerings! Each one resonates with the soulful voice of nature coming though you to connect the above, (sky) with human (you - the conduit between) & below (earth & water). I love this form you convey with such simplicity!

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  6. I’m going off to my favorite stream to follow your practice, elegantand inspiring in simplicity, to sketch freely and loosely in pencil and watercolor, without worrying about how it’s going to turn out.

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  7. Glad that you are inspired to step out - sit down - let go of the result - and most likely be delighted . . . !

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  8. Beautiful. I paint outside often, but have never given myself the luxury to let words come into my experience of it. It is moving to see the images and hear your words together. Puts me right in the present.

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  9. i’ve never done this, i wonder what it would be like.
    i’m also thinking, how can we ikebanistas do something as a group that could benefit something this way? we could make pieces in a park from thrift store containers & auction them iff as the dat hies by! i live this idea, could include pieces of mountain wood, small containers fir children to make their own pieces, like an Ohana or ikebana fair! i feel hapoy & bright, thinking about this & feel the Dorje Dradul’s smile spreading out from my heart center all iver me!

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  10. I like the "bread quiet" rocks. And the different energies of each site mixed with your energy in response.

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