26 January, 2013

My camping Plein air adventures

The family went camping at one of New Zealand's fabulous DOC( Dept. of Conservation) campsites in the Coromandel Peninsula, Wentworth Valley. This is our annual "unplug" time...we detach from out technology driven, frantic lives, take stock and enjoy some peacefull family time. No electricity, long drop loo's, tenting,  cooking over a gas fire and living out of a chilly bin make for a very different life to the one we usually have.It was marvellous and I feel so much better but I am also very pleased to come home to some creature comforts!! I actually flushed the loo just for fun and gave my fridge a little cuddle of appreciation on my return.

We camped next to a wonderful stream and my boys spent hours jumping from a rocky outcrop and a few tree branches into the clear but frigid waters below.We ventured to the beach at Whangamata,  hired canoes and paddled up the estuary, we ate fish and chips on the beach, they rode their bikes and I got a paint in once or twice. Everyone was very content, the days had a natural rhythm to them and we all got to do what we all wanted to do. I even read 2 books!

I painted this early one morning as the sun was rising. Charles got up early to go for a mountainbike ride and I took the opportunity to paint this scene. I had to hurry as the light changed very quickly!

Early morning campsite
20 x 28cm
oil on paper



I took lots of photos for future paintings, made lots of notes and Notan sketches and I hope that I will be able to work up some of the photos when it is cold and raining and I feel like a blast of summer. I am really enjoying my plain air painting, but I will tell you more about my adventures next time including the woman who let her dog jump on my oil paint covered palette!!!

1 comment:

  1. Looks like a wonderful place to spend time relaxing, playing. Nice that you show the photo of where you set up too. Paintings look great. Like the one of the fish! Just completed the 30 Day challenge, and it was grueling, but I do have a feeling of accomplishment. I know that will be hard for you to read, with small children underfoot.
    Keep painting, Ellie

    ReplyDelete

Sorry for the hoops you have to jump through to post a comment, but I am being assaulted by spammers. I would love to hear from you, so please persist! Thanks, jennie

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...