Drove around Ozaukee County for a bit today.  I came upon Stony Hill School House in Waubeka, Wisconsin.  Sigh and swoon - it gave me the beautiful Wisconsin vista I was looking for.  And there was a Port-o-Potty!  I observed and painted the landscape for about 3 hours.  The sky changed, as did my painting's sky.  It was overcast but the sky changed constantly.  I even managed to get a sunburn (the sun was out for maybe about 10 minutes).  Then it rained for a bit.  Then it cleared up a bit.  Did you know this is the birthplace of Flag Day?  True story...  Waubeka is a sweet little town plastered with flags, Stony Hill Bar and Grill, Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, an auction house, an auto repair shop and a defunct button factory. 

My childhood home.  A place of respite.  I love it here. One of my favorite things in life is to lay in the backyard with my sister Peggy (yes, we're adults 38 and 53, respectively) with our dogs and bask in the sun, nap, laugh and run through the sprinkler. Age aside, we're kids in this backyard. Anyhoo - one of my favorite paintings is "The Pump House" by Fairfield Porter.  Google it.  It what I based this painting off of along with the love of this space.  When I was painting this, it was a beautiful Sunday morning and WMSE plays the BEST BEST BEST music on Sunday mornings.  SO, I was playing WMSE and painting the laundry on the line, channeling Fairfield Porter, while my dog roamed the yard. Boom. 

Plein Air season is upon us!  I'm a bit late to the party, but fashionably so... I am participating the the Cedarburg Plein Air Painting event.  150 artists are capturing landscapes and town-scapes in bucolic Ozaukee County.  I'm finding solace, light, interesting compositions and shadows at my Mom's house in Mequon. Enjoy the dappled light and Grizzly Bear tune...   Click here for more info.  Wednesday June 14th is the opening and awards.