Magic Remedies

Hinemaiaia River
Latitude: -38.8499966
Longitude: 176.0166666
It’s been two weeks since we went out sketching together…my fault entirely as I had given myself a concussion after having an altercation with a garden pot, and then got a bout of the prevailing flu. Finally, though, we were off on another adventure and I, for one, was pretty keen. It’s felt like an age.
Our destination today, was up the Hinemaiaia River. Bouyed up by clear blue skies and a brisk frost, we piled into the car with all our gear. Cranking up the heater and rubbing our hands together while quickly catching up with each other we realised how we each, in our own set of circumstances, was struggling a bit. Saying helped.
A path created by anglers keen to have a go in the mill pond waters of the dam became our little sun-drenched sanctuary for the morning.and we all began to have a go at getting an impression of this little beauty down on paper.
As luck would have it, in just two days the 30×30 Direct Watercolor 2018 challenge begins,. This is a watercolour challenge to create 30 paintings in 30 days. Part of the aim is to not use pencil or ink but the watercolour itself to do the defining and drawing. As preparation for this we all had a go trying to follow this new method. It’s hard not to want definite boundaries to paint within, especially when the wet paint runs into other wet paint. I know, they are all ‘happy little accidents’. I tried to remind myself of this.
Time seems to disappear so fast when we are out sketching. But the really neat thing was that our ‘troubles’ disappeared too. Nothing works quite so well as time with others, enjoying fresh air, warm sun and amazing beauty. A few good laughs together, not taking ourselves too seriously as we painted in a new manner, and feeling heard are all magic remedies which we each took a good swig of. Mary Poppins would have been proud
The magic worked.