Plein air in my neighborhood: “Color Surprise”
1 05 2008In the evenings, my husband and I love walking through our Bellevue neighborhood, and we try to do it most days that our schedules and the weather will allow. There are a lot of avid gardeners in our ‘hood, and in spring it seems like every nook and corner has a touch of color.
The other evening we took a back alley detour and came upon this scene. It was striking in the light of dusk as the building and the irises were backlit. I came back in the morning to see if I still found interest, and I did. It was a different light, to be sure. But there was a certain pattern that played across the path and fence that I liked enough to do this little pochade.
“Color Surprise”
Oil on Canvas, 6×8″
Click here for more info.
If you’ve looked around my website you might notice that I have a thing for sheds. I guess I like the simplicity of the form, and the interesting texture of the walls and rooftops (the more decrepit the better.) I’ve sure painted my share of the French Provencial versions; called “cabaneaux” en Francais.
Call me crazy but I also have a thing for certain alleys. They can be kind of a “grab bag” though– I don’t always see (or smell) the most pleasant things. But sometimes when people let their private gardens spill over into the walkways I can find quite a surprise of color.
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Jennifer
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More of these soft fading buildings. I agree about the alley thing. Its not just you. The modern subdivision with 2 car garages as front doors are dinosaurs. Alley’s with sheds or garages and homes with front porch’s will be the trend if we ever build more subdivisions. So until we start building again the alley will remain a part of someone’s else’s hidden garden. Charleston has some of the best alley’s.
Rick,
I heartily agree. I feel pretty fortunate to live in a neighborhood with free spirits and older houses– lots of old arts and crafts style four-squares with big front porches or side screen porches (or both). The preference around here is really more “English garden” style, as opposed to your neatly maincured formal showcase (though there are some of those around here too.) Suits me fine.
On our street the gardeners have taken over the extra wide medium strip and planted everything from cottage style gardens to sunflowers to veggies (complete with lawn ornaments.) So everything is fair game. In front of one very avid gardener’s house, there are Johnny Jump-Ups (violas) growing out of the cracks in her sidewalk!
Agreed about Charleston–alleys and then some! I think it’s one of my favorite old towns in the south. Key West also has some incredibly beautiful “hidden alleys” that are little worlds all their own. When everybody else is riding the “conch train”, I’m off on my bike somewhere haunting the alleys with the chickens.
Jennifer,
Be careful not to become too “overly sentimental”. That is alway’s a trap.
Rick,
Good catch.
What idiot gave you that advice?