After my first attempt painting on the beach at Bridges Road was successful, I thought I would try a second attempt on the beach at MacKinnon Road. This beach is great for the kids with a combination of sand and rock, so I knew they would find lots to busy themselves with while I attempted another painting.
I settled in. Beach mat. Paints. Brushes. Water. Make shift palette (yep, forgot the real one at the house!).
This time I decided not to limit the color palette so much and see just how much longer the painting would take. I knew the kids would be happily entertained so a little extra time on the beach wouldn’t be an issue.
My oldest son settled into reading a book (Jeffrey Archer I believe!)
As did my husband (nice change from staring at the iPhone!)
The younger four children set about a variety of adventures. Hauling logs. Finding treasures. Building sand castles.
The painting went well. It definitely took longer using a more varied range of colors. This painting clocked in at two hours to completion. The heat definitely created a challenge with the paint drying instantly as it hit the canvas.
I also discovered you can get a wonderful sunburn in just two short hours. My children were luckily smart enough to play in the shade…….their mama, not quite as smart.
“MacKinnon Beach, Pender Island”
2013
12 inches by 12 inches
acrylic on canvas
I am quite happy with the finished canvas. Working on location creates a whole new set of challenges compared to working indoors in a studio type situation. Decisions of what to paint have to be made quickly. You have to minimize the information being put on the canvas. Colors and light change by the minute, making you commit to a color and shape rather than constantly tweaking (the perfect blue doesn’t exist as it will be a different blue in 15 minutes time). The paintings done outdoors are a quick response to what I see and experience while on the beach.
As for the other creation completed on this day, here is what the kids came up with……………………..
an epic sand castle build !!!!
By the time I finished the painting they had even starting a trading system between the castles of buying things with beach glass. Sand castles with their own currency system……who would have thought.
island home 
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What a fantastic job you have done! The children’s creation is also lovely.
The kid’s sand castle was unbelievable. I wonder what the next people to arrive on the beach thought of it.
They would have loved it! We came across a whole collection of little beach stone sculptures recently and it was such a delight! 🙂
2 days and 22 years ago, Susan and I were married just to the left of what shows in your lovely painting. Waterlea will always be a special place for us.
How cool is that! Happy (belated) Anniversary!
Thank you. 🙂