Half Moon Over Ridge Top Cedars

9" × 12" Oil on Panel 

The last several weeks have been generous with their rainy days. I really didn't feel like going painting earlier this week. However, I determined to get out and paint, rain or shine. I drove up to Bridal Veil Falls, but sat in my car as outside it rained and rained. I gazed out of the rain streaked window and up at the towering cliffs surrounding the falls, turned dreary by the weather.  Or maybe the weather had turned me dreary. Either way, I decided to move on.

A few miles up the canyon is Vivian Park. The weather had improved a little by the time I reached the park, so I thought I might try and paint there. There was a little spot on the ridge above the trout pond that caught my attention, so I set up a pochade box near the parking lot and set to painting. As I painted, the weather cleared just above the ridge I was painting, revealing a quarter moon.

The park was crowded with picknickers and fathers taking their kids fishing. Several people stopped to visit and see what I was painting. I never mind short visits from people as I paint. In fact I generally enjoy their visits. The image above shows the day's efforts from the park.