Of bees and bandages

"Gathering Skies over the Catskills," 12X9, oil on canvasboard, Carol L. Douglas

“Gathering Skies over the Catskills,” 12X9, oil on canvasboard, Carol L. Douglas

While this is my first time participating in Olana Plein Air, I’ve painted at the site several times. Usually, it’s a choice of painting well or chatting with friends I seldom see. Since yesterday dawned misty and grey, I figured it was the perfect time to catch up with my pals.

Oddly enough, for as much as I chattered, I turned out a credible painting, as did Jamie Grossman. As we were finishing up, Tarryl Gabel trudged up the road and dropped to the ground beside us. She’d finished three paintings in four hours and was exhausted. That’s dervish painting, so it was no great surprise that her body was telling her she was done.

Painting with a big bandage. I think it may have actually helped.

Painting with a big bandage. I think it may have actually helped.

I mentioned that I needed to find an Urgent Care center to have someone look at an infected finger. It’s on my dominant hand, and I’ve already finished one course of antibiotics without improvement. My doctor had suggested lancing it.

“You should try the place in Catskill,” said Jamie. “I hear it’s great!”

My eco-warrior Prius made time with a 1946 Ford lovingly restored by painter Scott Balfe.

My eco-warrior Prius made time with a 1946 Ford lovingly restored by painter Scott Balfe.

Since the light was utterly flat, I figured I could take an extended lunchbreak and drive across the river. It took just an hour and a half to drive there, have my finger treated, get the prescription filled, and get back to Olana. It already feels better.

It probably helped that I accidentally lanced the infection myself by worrying at it while waiting. “Excellent,” said the tech. “Now I can culture that.”

"The Orchard," 10X8, oil on canvasboard, Carol L. Douglas

“The Orchard,” 10X8, oil on canvasboard, Carol L. Douglas

By 4:30 the Catskills had vanished in the gathering sky. A park ranger stopped by to tell me they were expecting electrical storms and we didn’t want to get caught out on the mountain. No sunset for us.

Little bee gave his life trying to help me.

Little bee gave his life trying to help me.

Today the Columbia County Arts Council is doing something I’ve never seen at a plein air event. Maria Kolodziej-Zincio will lead a tour focusing on the artists at work. It starts at 10 AM, and advance registration is encouraged. If you’re interested, you can register here.

I would love to watch Maria herself at work. Rumor has it that she keeps the bees which make the wax she uses for encaustic painting, and that she does encaustic en plein air. I’m dying to know how she keeps the wax hot out in the field.

Saturday, there’s a cocktail hour followed by a wet canvas auction starting at 5 PM. On Sunday, there’s a tent sale of additional works—painted this week or elsewhere—from 10 to 2.

Let me know if you’re interested in painting with me on the Schoodic Peninsula in beautiful Acadia National Park in August 2015. Click here for more information on my Maine workshops! Download a brochure here.

Carol Douglas

About Carol Douglas

Carol L. Douglas is a painter who lives, works and teaches in Rockport, ME. Her annual workshop will again be held on the Schoodic Peninsula in beautiful Acadia National Park, from August 6-11, 2017. Visit www.watch-me-paint.com/ for more information.