Plein air painting is both exhilarating and exhausting at the same time.  Being in nature spawns my greatest ideas.  It is where I find my truest inspiration.  The abundance of stimuli in nature often makes it difficult to narrow the options down.  For me, the days are usually long. 

Yesterday, for example, I left home at 6:00 am to ensure that the light was still good when I reached my destination.  By the time I finished my fourth painting, the sun had set and I had a long drive ahead of me, reaching home at about 10:30 pm.

Sometimes I hike, sometimes I drive around in search of paintings.  Sometimes I go to one location and remain there the entire day.  Sometimes I use the noon hours (while the lighting isn't as good) to find a new location, as was the case yesterday. 

I did 4 very different scenes yesterday, with 4 very different lighting and weather conditions.  The morning was calm, clear and warm.  The early afternoon was windy, chilly, and lightly raining.  Later in the afternoon, the sun came out, with partly cloudy conditions, and hot.  As I drove up and over the Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountian National Park (the road reaches elevations above 12,000 ft as it crosses over the mountain range which divides the west and east sides of the park), I drove into thick clouds with light snow flurries.  I did a painting at sunset as the moving clouds began to reveal the tops of the mountain peaks.

In addition to the length of the day, the actual painting process is exhausting.  While contending with changing light, weather, bugs, animals, tourists, etc., I must focus so intently on the scene.  My senses are most accute while I respond to the scene.  I am in the moment.  I must move quickly and accurately. 

Many things could go wrong and often do.  But there is no substitute for painting on location.  Yes, plein air painting is not easy, but I live for it.  I love it.  It is the only way for me to find my subjects.