Art Day at Lone Pine Marsh

Hilda Van Netten
16 hours ago
2 min read

You could not ask for a nicer morning to spend outdoors making art. Early risers were given a short tour to.....

.... the lookout at the edge. of the marsh. The Lone Pine Marsh Braham Nature Reserve was the site for today's Art Day.

There were a few options for artists and photographers and nature lovers. If you wished, you could explore the mown pathways through the meadow and wooded area. Some artists took their easels to the site of an interesting view and painted there. I think there were photographers on site, but I was a bit distracted because I was leading the first workshop.

After boldly attempting fun "blind contour portraits" of the person sitting opposite them, everyone completed an easy "Right Brain" drawing lesson. And then, they jumped in.....

..... and completed sketches using pressed vegetation from the Lone Pine Marsh as reference. Didn't they do a great job????? I was very pleased with the outcome as usually I teach 5 hour workshops and this one was one hour.

After a short break that included a lot of visiting and chatting with new and old friends, it was time for the next workshop led by Kate Hayday. If you ever get the chance to take a workshop from her, jump at the opportunity.

Kate's workshop, Painting With Plants, was an introduction to using inks made from natural products like goldenrod flowers, sumach, acorn husks and buckthorn berries.

Kate is an enthusiastic and very well-informed teacher.

Everyone was given a pallet with a few colours of ink as well as an acid (white vinegar) and a base (a baking soda/water mix). We were encouraged to explore using the inks and baking soda and vinegar in various combinations. Kate provided sketches of owls and turtles for those of us who would rather not draw.