PAPO

Today was the first day of the Bellingham Plein Air Paint Out. It is the twelfth year of this event and I have painted in all of them. That's my painting on the small box on the left. The other two painters are Ann and Julie. I don't know exactly how many painters were out this morning but there were eight of us right near this area. I can only paint today so the painting you see is my entry into the show that will happen later this fall. The point of PAPO is to bring art closer to the folks who live in Bellingham, giving them a chance to experience us at work and learn about the value of local, original art in our city. My teacher created the event twelve years ago and it's gone through a number of transformations. This year is a new approach, adding a second day to work and allowing all shapes and sizes of painting. The previous several years we've had one day to paint and our paintings had to be 8 inches by 10 inches. Whatever the rules I've loved every one of the times we've done it. This is the first time we've painted in September instead of August. We had a gorgeous day today and it was delightful to be near so many other painters.

I'm going to submit this blip to the hobby category though it is hard for me to see my painting as "just a hobby." I do sell my work but the sales are very far and few between so I guess the term "hobby" is appropriate. But for me it feels more like a calling than a hobby. But oh well...