Painting demo with Russian easel

Two weeks ago I did a quick painting demo at the Botanica show along with Tauna Cole Dorn. There’s a gorgeous plant in the courtyard at the Adobe-Patio Gallery, the name of which escapes me, that has brilliant pink blooms. Quinacridone magenta blooms!

The setup I used is a Yarka Russian Field Easel meant for plein aire painting that I purchased many years ago from a painter friend who was moving. The arrangement is more like a pochade box than a French-style easel. The painting sits inside the upturned lid and not on the outside of the lid as in the French version, so it forces you to stand a bit farther from your work than does the French type. Mine holds larger canvases but since I wanted to work on a small painting, I placed a piece of wood where a larger canvas would rest to set my panel on.

It was hot that day and the beautiful blooms wilted on the tree as I worked. Painting in plein aire, especially in the heat, requires that you be ready so as not to waste time. The light changes quickly and plants move with the sun and the heat. The cigar box shelf-palette enables you to pre-mix  colors to be more efficient. I’ll post more about that later.

The easel has folding, telescoping aluminum legs and a canvas shoulder strap for easy carrying.

Here’s the quick demo I did that day of pink flowers.

I asked Carolyn Bunch, who owns the gallery, twice what the name of the plant is. She told me twice. I still don’t recall the name, so if you know what it’s called, please do me a favor and post the name in the comments!