A Nice Surprise

8x8 oil on panel

Unfinished sketches 

Today I got the chance to meet Mike Rooney in Austin. We've known one another online only. We both have work at Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro NC  - in fact it was Mike who introduced me to them! (http://mikerooneystudios.blogspot.com/) He is here teaching a workshop and they invited me to come meet up with them at Barton Springs pool. (Thanks Anne and Diane!)

Mike creates wonderful landscapes in the Cape Cod school tradition. It was quite interesting to listen in and learn a little something new. 

While they painted a landscape/water view, I did several studies of swimmers. I think I will work on a series of these. I'll finish these and share them here soon. 

Plein air artists have lots of stories about meeting interesting onlookers while painting and today may be my most interesting to date. A young man came up and asked if he could use my cell phone to call his mother whom he hadn't talked to in several weeks. After sizing him up and asking point blank if he'd run off with it, I let him make his calls (long distance). Who could deny someone trying to reach their mom? He finally reached his dad and, as he sat next to me, I heard enough to know that he just got out of rehab and seems to be alone in the city. Since leaving the pool I've had two of his family call my number - worried about him. 

My prayers go out to them all for good things to come. Makes me wanna hug my daughter close when I see her this afternoon. 

There but for the grace of God....