5 x 7 inches, oil on panelI was inspired to paint this because of how the light glows through the translucent orange slice.
I am all zenned-out after spending most the day working on this little painting. By contrast, when working outdoors I feel anxious and distracted: I have to work quickly to catch the ever-changing light; there's noise and activity all around; I'm usually uncomfortable and cold; and often I have passers-by peeking over my shoulder (which is actually kind of flattering and they are always nice, but I get performance anxiety!). I've also usually spent at least an hour lugging my paint box around looking for the perfect scene with a suitable spot to perch and paint it, stressing as the light fades moment by moment. It hardly seems worth it!
So I'm not sure I'm cut our for plein air (onsite/outdoor) painting, but I would like to practice more landscapes and cityscapes. It was drilled into me in art school to avoid working from photographs, but there is a very successful and highly talented Daily Painter who almost always works from photos. Her name is Karen Jurick and somehow she manages to make beautiful paintings from her own photos.