Field Trip: A Plein Air Week in Umbria

Field Trip: A Plein Air Week in Umbria

Did you ever countdown the days at school before the big field trip? I always did.I’ve always loved to get out, see the world and do something new.

For the next few days I have the opportunity to stay in the Umbrian hilltown of Orvieto and paint.While the weather is looking less than ideal, I am looking forward to painting rain or shine.Yesterday on my first afternoon here I was able to get out a bit into the countryside and paint in this field with what was the oddest rock formation I have seen in the background.At first from a distance I thought that this rock formation was an old abandoned fortress or castle up on a hill, but getting closer I realized it is just the natural formation of the rock. It has trees and shrubs growing on top of it and really looks like something out of a fairy tale.Wisely this is not the focus of today’s painting, just something in the distance that the eye is lead to. The olive trees going through the field with that so bright new spring green are more the main attraction of this painting and are important to always remember to practice painting! I secretly enjoy mixing up those greens of olive trees, which is such a different green from the others. There is almost an excessive amount of red in these olive tree greens that if I did’t mix it myself I most likely wouldn’t believe you if you told me just how much red goes into them (so much so that they are often times almost purple in the center).

Orvieto up on the hill seen from yesterday’s painting location.Last night’s rain clouds are beginning to roll in.The best part about this week’s field trip is that there is no agenda other than enjoy the town of Orvieto and paint. Of course there is always the self-imposed homework of trying the local food specialties, which I take very seriously and intend to do.Thank you for your interest in my work and I am looking forward to sharing more paintings from this week’s trip to Orvieto with you.