Out in the Cold
"Sleeping Under the Clouds"9 x 12 Pastel on Paper
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http://www.nikihilsabeck.com/art/sleeping-under-the-clouds/
It was another lucky moment: the little one was asleep in the car, the rain had stopped, and things were just dry enough for me to grab my materials and sit outside and paint some of the striking clouds passing through Fallbrook.
I sketched the land portion first, then turned my attention to the sky. I worked quickly, my fingers cramping a bit in the cold. Thanks to the steady wind, the clouds sped along, changing lights and darks but remaining purple and blue. Once I had them fairly well blocked in, I went back to the land, a part of Fallbrook known as the "Sleeping Indian" (supposed to resemble one sleeping on his back, presumably). I always looked for this landmark as a child, since it often meant we were getting close to my grandmother's house in Fallbrook.
I honestly don't know how people work with wet paint in stormy weather conditions. I worked in a fury to get my pastels down, and just when I thought I couldn't take any more shivering, the sun broke through a few of the clouds in the west. I added a few golden highlights in the clouds and hopped back in the car to get warm.
In case you're wondering, I have a very low tolerance for cold. If it's not sunny and seventy degrees, I'm shaking like a chihuahua.
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