Currently without a working computer (which will change soon!), I only just realized that I missed posting all about the Calistoga Art Center's first Paint Out in October. And it was a wonderful event that they're looking forward to repeating next year....

On the first day, I painted Jade Lake at Chateau Montelena. I wasn't quite ready to call it a day once I'd packed up, and I set up at this second spot no more than a mile away, with a view I love of Mt. St. Helena – for which Chateau Montelena was named.

One of things that make working outside challenging is the changing light – and at sunset it changes so rapidly that it's hard to keep up with it. What you see on the easel is my painting of Mt. St. Helena on Friday evening – the painting was rapidly changing as the light went down (and got more dramatic!). I went back on Saturday evening, just before I had to turn my paintings in, and was able to catch more of the subtle touches of light and shadow before dusk settled. The painting at the top shows what it looked like when I turned it in on Saturday. I may come back and make a few more subtle changes later, but I enjoyed my race against the last rays of light....