AREA 51.....

It was weird ...really weird...It started out normal enough..Tims turn to pick and pay for lunch...where where where...were we going to paint...at the bottom of the street where the balloonist used to live we pulled off and and sized up the RR X-ing...this ought to be interesting. As we worked I could hear Tim complaining. This is whooooa....... terrible.. I said, I know this one is tough. As we worked the weirder and weirder, it felt. This one is my worst I replied...Tim.  I know what you mean..we'll have to miss this one blog,Okay? I don't know. They ought to be able to see the bad days as well. I guess. Let's finish this one and get something to eat...I feel too weird about how I did my pastel..it's really off. Mine too. My color scheme went crazy and it's more like a Christmas tree. It must be this area we are in. Kind of a tear in the universe....You mean like a Area 51 1/2? Yah, just like that.

And this is our next outing a few days later..things sort of settled down and we are back to our normal selves...at least, I think we are. Tim said. Those silos are like skyscrapers...! Well, I replied, this is Corn King country. 
That barn you put in is "day-glow" what's with that? Ahh...., just wanted to use a red  I haven't used yet. Think maybe you could tone it down a tad? Surrrrre. Let's eat. Where to?  I feel like breakfast today, How about Tracks End? Surrrre. We get there, Tim orders the Rail Runner:1/3 lb.hamburger and fries. I'll have the same. Heh, you said you wanted breakfast!!!! I did but that looks goooood. Is that all right....................???   Surrre. Great....... TWO........ Rail Runners!

Happy Birthday, Carolyn! ITS A THREESOME TODAY

Today Carolyn tagged along with Tim and I. We talked her into coming and painting with us. I'm not very good she said. So what, sometimes neither are we. Maybe today well suck. Or maybe we'll knock her out of the park. Tims turn to pick, soooo.... we drive around for awhile and he is getting frustrated. Let's go over to Spring Street again. He heads south of town and heads for S. Boulevard St. This us not Spring St, as you've been calling it. Spring St. is at the bottom of the hill. OK, go to South Boulevard St.

We stop I get out, take a few pictures with my camera and select a spot set up and start drawing. Tim and Carolyn walk by. What are you going to do? We don't know we are just walking up and down deciding. Well, I guess they decided as they set up, up the hill about a hundred feet away sitting on the concrete wall along the street and the hundred foot drop off to Spring St.  We all started in earnest and worked for better of an hour. I felt a spit or two of rain. Great!  I'm about finished anyway. I sign my work and load up the car. I walk up to where they are seated. Is it raining Tim asks? Yup, spitting and it's gotten cooler.

Today's the first time since November we've sat outside and not cramped I'm the car. That's why Carolyn came along today. Well it was her birthday and Tim wanted to take her out. Subway special. He's treats her like a queen.  A vegetarian 12 inch on flathead and jalapeño chips. Happy birthday Carolyn. You had your cake on Wed. She's a day over plenty one, LOL. Next time I'm going to drive the 'Toaster' since we now can 'PhilandTim paint outdoors.' You can come too Carolyn and play the fiddle!!
Laterrrrr.

"The View From Old south Broadway"

"The View From Old south Broadway"

Writing a blog is kind of like being a teacher. Like Spearz, I was trained to teach but never actually taught. And by not working at that occupation, I have a harder time filling the page. Spearz, having taught almost 40 years, has the "teaching-writing gift." He's done a wonderful job these last couple of years keeping you informed. I couldn't have done it!

Monday started out cold and hazy, with the sun peeking through occasionally. It was Spearz' turn to pick the spot. We drove through town towards "Incenerator Hill" but I turned off on Old South Broadway. We found a nice spot overlooking Spring Street and South Peru. Spearz liked it and so did I. "Lets do it it!" Spearz' to the back seat, "Textured forms," he says. Myself, I'm thinking "Impressionism."

It was a quiet car. We were both concentrating to our fullest and the results showed our efforts. About an hour and a half later our pictures are ready to be shared.

Another great day painting and using the other side of the brain. Off to Subway and we'll do it again, Friday!

Later!

Tim

Later!

Phil

COLD,COOL,WARM,COLD,WARM...C'MON...SPRING

THIS is a two-fer.Two outings in one post. I just didn't get to the blog because I am off this week...I am doing only what I want to..Next week I go back to teaching college classes. Today was weird ..my work's starting to look like pastels and Tim's work is getting more painterly. I guess that's because we have been doing this plein-air thing for three years now.  I watch Tim's progress and he watches mine. It's only a matter of time before we start coordinating our styles. I think I also want to keep trying new techniques and approaches to the landscapes. What I think is cool is that we are satisfied with the results...and today we ate for free!!! We went into SUBWAY and it was my turn to buy .  I gave my card to the gal at the register who was visibly upset. Evidently, the system was fouled up because it wouldn't take any plastic. Finally, after a few minutes of waiting, she said , "Oh go ahead, its' free this %$$*&() computer is messed up for the last week." I felt bad for her but free is free. Thank you. Tim's writing the next blog, so I'm off....................................................................................................
for another week!!!! 

SOME DAYS YOU WIN AND SOME DAYS YOU DON"T ...GLAD IT'S ONLY SOME DAYS.

Some days are like opposites...Tim nailed this one and I feel like I really missed the boat...I know you think I'm going to complain about the cramped car and the tight working conditions etc, etc, etc. but I'm not. It's just a fact that Friday is not Monday. Or when we go out to paint, we both are going to make a masterpiece. Not true. This is no story book happy ending. This is about challenges...Tim and I both share the cramped quarters and we both work hard to get a piece of art made but it doesn't happen all the time...what does is the friendship...The chatter in the car about this and that subjects I probably only mention to him. No judgement. We listen and we talk and we paint or work with pastel "pastelling sounds so lame. What I can't bear to think about is that one of us, one day, won't be there. Yup, it's true and that is sobering and rewarding at the same time.We just have today to go out and paint or do pastels...we hope for great results but we add one more page in the philandtimpaintoutdoors memory book we both carry inside. Sorry about being so maudlin but my niece is sick with cancer, people are dying in Libya, and God knows where else people won't see tomorrow.. So I'm going to say THANK YOU GOD for today right now and right here. And that's a  
MASTERPIECE in my book...

And now folks a blog written by none other than Tim of philandtimpaintoutdoors.


"Hi Spearz,

Here it is, and pretty good at that!
Winter's gone, we hope! Anyway its' time for a pinch hit by the other 
half of the PhilandTimPaintOutdoors team. I am Tim of the art Duo.

I picked up Spearz and we headed north out of Mexico, through the country a searchin'. Stopped several times but were stymied by no good place to park.It's still cold enough that we're going to have to stay in 
the car.

After about a half an hour we found this interesting place on a curve with a nice pull-off spot and we decided "this is it."Our results speak for themselves; nice shapes, colors, textures and 
compositions.Lunch at Subway, and another Great Day as PhilAndTimPaintOutdoors
Later!

P.S. I hope this passes the test.
Tim