Tuesday Plein Air Group

Dona New, “Guesthouse”

Kathi F. received permission from Jerome State Park rangers to paint on the grounds of the historic Douglas Mansion, a Jerome landmark since 1916, when James S. Douglas built it on the hill just above his Little Daisy Mine. Dona sketched one of his daughters’ homes high on the opposite hill. Pat and Tecla found a shady spot on the lawn, while Kathi traced the shadows of flowers.

Pliny the Elder tells the story of Kora, who falls in love with a young soldier on the eve of his departure. Faced with impending separation, Kora tries to preserve her lover’s beautiful features by tracing the silhouette of his shadow, cast by the light of an oil lamp. The soldier sails at dawn, leaving Kora as empty as the outline she drew on the wall. Unlike poor Kora’s sketch, Kathi’s shadow tracing of vibrant orange gladiolas burst off the page in abstract splendor.

I attempted the Jerome landscape as seen through the lovely Spanish Colonial archway. James, painting from the patio, promises to bring a cheater tool to help with my sadly wanting perspective. I’ve never understood Renaissance painter Paolo Uccello who said, “what a sweet mistress is perspective.” If he wasn’t so dead I’d like to kick him right in his vanishing point.

Big thanks to the generosity of the Jerome State Park rangers.