Changes

It's been a Fall for skies.

The last time I'd painted at Aden, it was in oil. This time, I used pastel and set up directly across the road from the other scene.

As in Manassas Vantage, I chose to feature clouds here, too, with a muted tree line. The sky features dark and rolling clouds, but they were not rain clouds. It had changed from a cold and blustery morning to a peaceful afternoon, shadowy with a brilliant blue backdrop. The leaves were just beginning to change, so there still remained plenty of my precious green in the landscape.

As I painted, two county police cars rolled up with lights flashing, stopping the traffic behind them. The officer in the first car asked if I was drawing and I nodded that I was. He said he was required to ask per their department's policy, then they drove away. It was a wonderfully succinct encounter when compared to the chatty security guard only days before!

So rest assured and feel safe. This painting was completed under the watchful eye of Prince William County Police.



8x10
Soft Pastel on white Wallis