Morning Fog

Morning Fog

12" x 12" | Oil on panel
Steve Allrich
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There are a couple of things you can count on when painting on location. One is that no matter where you are, people will find you. Chances are they'll be harmless. They'll probably want directions. They may want you to take their picture. Or ask you which local clam shack has the best lobster roll. But  be prepared for anything. A man once walked across a fairly busy street to ask me what I knew about electricity. The fact that he was dripping wet and wrapped in a towel concerned me.   

The other certainty is that the light will most likely change completely during the course of your painting. The first time I ever painting on location on Cape Cod, it rained, hailed and snowed, in that order. And then the sun came out. One of my teachers advised us not to chase the painting. Pick an effect and stick with it. Easier said then done... 

Marsh on a Stormy Day

Marsh on a Stormy Day

12" x 12" | Oil on panel

Steve Allrich
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I lived on Cape Cod for nearly 20 years, and (having grown up in suburban Chicago) was fascinated by salt water mashes from the start. They change by the minute. The tides rise and fall, shadows come and go and the sky is in constant flux (on the Cape, anyway), sunny one minute, stormy the next. Trying to capture the light and feeling of place is a real challenge - but that's the fun of it!