I love painting outside! It forces me to paint quickly and eliminate noisy details like petals and pine needles (one of my biggest challenges)! It’s so hard to shut off the attention to detail that’s hardwired in me, but when I’m outside and my light and shadows are quickly fleeting away, I have no choice but to focus on the big picture and avoid the dilemma of not being able to see the forest for the trees! Even if it means scraping a bug or two off my canvas, “plein air painting” (French for “open air painting”) always makes my day!
