“Paint the Peninsula” invitational plein air event at Port Angeles, Washington, was a very rewarding experience in September. Incredible painting sites that encompassed all of Olympic National Park – from the ocean beaches to Hurricane Ridge, Sequim, Dungeness Spit and all the beautiful rivers like the Elwha and Sol Duc where I painted twice, just to name a few. The organizers had something special going for all of the artists every step of the way. . . from host housing to dinners out almost every night, plus a great opening reception at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center culminating the event.

I won 2 awards during the event. The first was the Dungeness Spit Wildlife Refuge Manager’s Award, selected by Jennifer Brown-Scott for “Morning Event”. The second, an honorable mention, came from Gil Dellinger, awards juror for the event, for my painting “Sol Duc Morning” painted on that same river.
Being invited to paint in a field of very accomplished artists is both rewarding and challenging, as I feel my ever-steeper learning curve benefits a great deal from that kind of camaraderie and exposure.

I am embarking on a whole new series this winter in my studio, using the oil painting medium, with water as a theme, so the river “painting practice” en plein air this past summer has been just great!