A plein painting trip to the Catskills

excerpt from Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle...

S. Jaworski-Stranc morning on Rugg Road, oil on panel

S Jaworski-Stranc, Vista of Hudson River Valley, oil on panel

Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson must remember the Kaatskill Mountains.  They are a dismembered branch of the great Appalachian family, and are seen away to the west of the river, swelling up to a noble height and lording it over the surrounding country.  Every change of season, every change of weather, indeed, every hour of the day, produces some change in the magical hues and shapes of the these mountains and they are regarded by all good wives, far and near, as perfect barometers.  When the weather is fair and settled, they are clothed in blue and purple, and print their bold outlines on the clear evening sky; but sometimes, when the rest of the landscape is cloudless, they will gather a hood of gray vapors about their summits, which in the last rays of the setting sun will glow and light up like crown of glory.



A dear painter friend and I stayed at the Greenville Arms 1886 Inn in Greenville, New York, for our 'artist retreat' painting trip.  Kim LaPolla,  fiber artist and director of the Hudson River Valley Workshops and her husband, Mark LaPolla, Chef de Cuisine and Chocolatier cater to artists in an all-inclusive environment meaning Kathy and I were in good artistic company, well fed, well cared for during our week long painting adventure in the Catskills.
http://www.artworkshops.com/index.html







Besides painting the inspiring mountains, we painted looming waterfalls, small ponds and quiet lakes, barns and fields.

We were once buzzed by a drone operated by SUNY scientists studying the growth of trees at Lincoln Pond.

We took afternoon swims in nearby ponds, clandestinely because swimming was not allowed.

• Traveled the Hudson River School Art Trail beginning with Thomas Cole's Cedar Grove, the Main House and Studio

• Visited the historic site, Olana: Hudson River School painter Frederic Edwin Church's home, studio and designed landscape

• Visited the famous Kaaterskills Falls

• Hiked to and painted a breathtaking panorama at the once Catskill Mountain House site at North South Lake

• Toured via of a tram the magnificent, 500 acre large scale sculpture park, Storm King, in New Windsor, NY

                                         artists at work

to read Kathy's blog about the trip
https://k2rsblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/12/2016-plein-air-art-retreat-in-the-catskills-september-5-9/