Valerie Woelk sharing artist steps taken during creation
I had my first plein air paint out with Inland Northwest Outdoor Painting group members on Saturday. It was a beautiful morning, and as I sat on my rock perch I had shade from a nearby tree and a light breeze. Heavenly.
Many people and dogs enter the Coeur d’Alene Lake from here for a morning swim. It kind of made me wish I could jump in too, but…
Here is the end product, it was fun.
Thomas Lake Bird Refuge in Northern ID is beautiful. Full of forest shores, lilypnds floating and wetland grasses and lots and lots of birds. Egret, eagle, hawk, duck, geese and much more.
The adventure started at 3 am when I hopped in the car, driving to meet my friend in Coeur d’Alene by 4:30 am. We continued carpooling from there in her great red van. Bet anyone who knows her already knows who my Plein Air buddy is. We did arrive in Time to see dawn and it was just spectacular. We will go there again together, it was a blast.
This is the latest oil painting from a plein air day spent there. It was a challenge and is the first time I used oil paints since the fire in August 2023. Aren’t the reflections in the water great storytellers?