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10x14 inches, watercolor

Here's what I painted as my last entry for the Friends of Riverside plein air event. This painting of boys hiking along the path that winds by the Rock River was a combination of a sketch I did Sunday and direct observation. It's idealized, the sun was never so bright, the colors so strong. I wanted to try a painting that involved people, since one of the charms of this park is how heavily it is used by walkers, joggers, people fishing, and those playing tennis. I also wanted a new source of color, something that wasn't trees or water. That said, I'm not altogether pleased with how the boys turned out. They look stiff to me, and I wish I had overlapped them a little, but this was what I was able to do while sitting at a park bench, so there you are.

Painters are allowed to submit two framed pieces for the contest, and they are due tomorrow. So it looks like today I need to get out and get framing materials. Awards and a sale are Saturday.