77 F sunny, with some clouds, beautiful!
We got bikes today, and in the morning it looked like it was going to rain, so I packed up and we went to the bike rental place.....
#363 view over the gate, Schloss Salem.
9 x 12
panel
The reason I wanted to go to Schloss Salem is that there are many places to paint out of the rain, and I thought it was going to rain. The distances were long and the route was confusing, beautiful, but confusing.
The place is bike friendly, there are a lot of people on bikes and the drivers are considerate, in places where there is traffic, there are designated bike lanes, and it feels pretty safe.
This part of Germany has a lot of great old structures.......
Servants quarters of Schloss Salem.
Found my spot, outside looking in, perfect!
Darks.
Far hills.
Sky. The far hills needed to be darker than the sky but lighter than the trees and buildings.....
The brightest tone was the sun-lit wall.
Close.
End point. I like having the foliage come in front on the bottom right.
Sight size.
 |
| Add caption |
Money shot.
A few people stopped to say "Hi" all very nice, but mostly I was hidden from the tourists. My bike.
This is near the hamlet of Millenhousen, where our first night's reception was hosted, a short distance from Schloss Salem, and in an authentic farming village, I felt right at home!
First tones.
Sky.
 |
| Add caption |
The best thing about working a lot is it feels so natural, I don't have to think about it I do it!
 |
| Add caption |
End. I got the black out for this.
Sight size shot.
My spot, a few people came by all nice including the cutest 7 year old girl, language is not that important.
 |
| Add caption |
Cows.
Ponds and wet lands.
The forest that I got lost in, beautiful, but I was tired and still very far from Schloss Spetzgart, where were staying.
Back in the main road I found OBI, a mega hardware store, so I went in.
I found real Turpentine! They even had a section of art supplies! My goal was to be able to get out by myself and function, not as a tourist, but an artist, visitor, a challenge but what a great way to see the real Germany. It's not all that different, this place, other than the language, had everything we would find in a Home Depot.
The bigger roads had bike lanes protected by guard rails, and the guard rails were two sided so if you hit it with your bike you wouldn't destroy your self. There are a lot of things we could learn from the Germans.
These signs are everywhere and if I could read and understand better they would be even more helpful, by the end of my residency I bet I'll be close to understanding a lion's share of them.
I also want to thank a number of people that volunteered to help me find my way, a gentleman bicyclist saw me studying my map and looking confused, he knew a little English, and basically said "you can't get there from here" (to paraphrase, not without going up and down some huge hills) but he pointed me in the right direction, and I was very appreciative, a smile and mangled "dunka shen" goes a long way!
Two other very nice paintings!
ReplyDeleteIt is funny: I used to go a lot to OBI but I never looked for art supplies there, I did not even know that they had them. I used to buy dog food and bath furniture there. :-)
About the signs: they generally indicate names only (at least, those on your picture: villages, the castle of Salem and a wood ("wald")); the problem is certainly that you do not find all those names on your map, if the hamlets are small...
Thanks! There are a lot of small hamlets and, yes the map I have does not go into that much detail. I love seeing and being in everyday places, and getting what I need for myself I was able to figure out that The turpentine in the large can was fake (petrolum, not pine) by smelling it, language helps, but using your other senses is all the more important!
ReplyDelete