Solitaire- Water Lily in the Grotto

Solitaire, 12"x12" oil on linen panel, available

It seems ages since I last posted. It isn't for lack of work to post, just lack of will to sit down and write. Here is the finished piece of a solitary water lily. It was in a peaceful grotto on the grounds of Bergamo conference center near Dayton Ohio. It was an overcast day with scattered rain showers. My favorite light, local tone! I had been on the road and around lots of people for over a week and to seemingly have this place to myself was a welcome respite. Now how would I know about such a place???

The day before I had been in Yellow Springs, Ohio as a tourist. We went into an artist's co-op because when people hear you are an artist they want to show you what they know. But in this co-op stood a woman I had not seen in 17 years when we meet and spent two weeks painting in southern Spain! I had connected with her and her adult daughter and as is common, we kept in touch for awhile but the distance and time gets in the way and though I saw them periodically posting on FB that was the extent of it. Then to see her working in the co-op was just too much. She had just joined the group and only worked 1 or 2 days per month. So what were the odds I would be in Ohio, in Yellow Springs, on the day she happened to be working?? The upshot is we had lunch with her daughter the next day and I was invited to her place of work for the afternoon where I could wander around and explore. Not only did I get a wonderful place to decompress, the little art gallery was opened that day. It has the work of 5 retired priests. I am going to share with you a few pieces by one of the artists I just loved. Aren't they fun? He has to be 95 if he is a day but his work is so full of life. I did not meet him but I saw him. A bent over little gnome of a man slowly hobbling with a cane. It was delightful to talk to the two men manning the gallery that afternoon. One a priest, the other a brother. I believe this was the most memorable day of my 17 day trip, and there were lots of highlights!