Artist Renee Lammers

     I have been "plein aire" painting for a long time. "Plein aire" painting is an Artist who paints outdoors to capture the atmosphere of light.  Some of my Florida Artist friends called me a "Plein aire" painting addict.  I guess they were right!  I would go out and paint everyday!  I could not wait to get up in the morning, drink lots of coffee, load my car, and drive somewhere new to paint!  Most days I would come back home with a painting.  I also would come back home with new stories!  Almost everyday my life was fun, exciting, challenging, and sometimes even frightening!  I loved all of this excitement!  Sometimes it was the animals that created the excitement.  Sometimes it was people that created the excitement.  But usually I was guaranteed something new and
wierd almost  everyday would happen.

 

     The most frightening moment happened at the Orlando Wildlife Refuge in Christmas, Florida.  I had taken a lady named Sandy with me to the Refuge to paint.  We had set up our easels on a dirt path built up higher than the wetlands.  We could see the curving path infront of us and then the wetlands in the background.  I finished my painting and was taking a break.  I was just waiting for Sandy to finish her painting.  I walked up the path to take a few pictures.  I saw a zillion baby alligators swimming around a pipe in the water.  I told Sandy to come over to see them.  She walked over to the area and was also admiring the baby gators.  I was taking a few pictures.  Suddenly behind me I heard a loud hiss.  I looked over my shoulder and saw a large twelve foot alligator behind us on the path!  I said "Oh my God!  Run!  Run!"  So we ran down the path straight to my Van.  We sat inside of the Van catching our breathes.  Our painting equipment was still out there.  Neither one of us wanted to go get the equipment.  We saw a man driving in the Refuge eventually.  He knew the alligator and didn't think she would harm us.  He walked back to our equipment with us.  The alligator was gone.  Sandy told me she would never ever paint with me again.  She thought I was trying to get her eaten by the gator.  Of course she painted with me but never at the Wetlands again!

     My other friend, Rebecca and I were out painting at New Symrna Dunes in Florida.  It was over 90 degrees but high temperatures never prevented me from painting.  I had talked Rebecca into coming with me.  I told her we would find some shade and we could cool off in the Ocean if we wanted.  We were under an old dock, sitting on our towels, painting.  There was a nice breeze, we had shade, we had classical music, and ice cold sparkling water!  I was painting the tall Orange lighthouse in the distance over near Daytona.  I was feeling so relaxed and happy!  I do love to paint!  We were eating a little sandwich.  I heard a hiss!  I looked to my right and there was a large raccoon sitting on his hind leggs!  He was walking closer to us!  He was hissing!  I jumped up.  I looked at Rebecca trying to still unwrap her sandwich.  The classical music loudly playing.  I yelled, "Rebecca!  Look out!  A raccoon!"  Rebecca was unwrapping her sandwich and taking a bite.  Her eyes were closed and she was enjoying the taste of that sandwich!  I yelled again louder, "Look out Rebecca!  Raccoon!"  She opened her eyes and looked at me.  I pointed to the advancing raccoon.  Now the raccoon was sitting on my towel going through my paint brushes.  He was looking at the small wooded easel infront of him.  Rebecca jumped up and came over to me.  We both ran into the ocean.  This raccoon was definately Rabid.  Thirty percent or more of Florida raccoons are Rabid.  Raccons are night creatures so to see one out during the day was strange!  We were screaming!  I think we really thought he would come after us and bite us and then we would have Rabies!  Finally the raccoon walked off.  We continued painting.  I kept my eye out for him to return!  Both of our paintings turn out just fine!

 


     I was at Lake Eola, in downtown Orlando, Florida.  I had been painting there for a week everyday.  There were black swans and the lake with tall sky rises in the background and a lighted water fountain in the center of the lake.  The water fountain brought back memories of my family eating at a buffet nearby and then watching this fountain changing colors.  Anyway.  I was painting away.  This young man can over and started talking to me.  He seemed friendly enough.  I had a large studio easel set up and a large heavy gessoed birchwood panel on the easel.  I had a large red wagon I used to pull of the equipment.  I also had a picnic basket set up I stored my brushes and paints in.  The guy was really amazed at my painting.  He would step closer and closer. I could smell beer..stale beer.  I also smelled body odor.  I could not even breathe.  I looked down and saw my car keys, camera, wallet inside of my picnic basket.  I did not want this guy to see my keys or my wallet and run.  So I kicked the side of the wicker picnic basket and as I did the lid closed with a loud bang!  He jump and screamed at the same time.  He said, "What was that! Did you hear that?"  I looked around and said I don't know?  Well it turned out he just was an admirer of my painting and wanted to see more paintings that I did.  He was probably harmless.  He eventually wondered off.  There are many homeless people around Lake Eola.  Some are dangerous and some are just down on their luck.  I hope my admirer was just a happy homeless man who loved art.  I have lots of fun stories to tell you!  Another night!

         I drove to Port Clyde at 8:30 am to catch the Monhegan Boat Line Ferry to Monhegan Island.  I was so excited about my painting trip!  My adrenaline kicked in!  I met lots of new friends of the Ferry.  As soon as I was on Monhegan, I handed the Trailing Yew Truck my bag.  I told them I was going to paint so not to worry about me.  I walked with my painting equipment to Fishbeach right away and by 11 am I was painting my first painting.  I decided to work really small...3X4 inch.  My goal initially was to paint 25 of these minatures in three days.  I worked on three little paintings during the next few hours. 

     I stayed on Fishbeach as the scenery there is so rich for painting.  There are four fishhouses there or so that were built in the 1800s.  They are still being used by lobstermen today.  They hold rotting sardines in plastic barrels now.  Lobsters are attracted to the smells of rotting fish.  There are bouys, skiffs, and lobster traps lying about.  There are views of Manana Island, the wharf where the ferry drops passengers off, people eating lobster at picnic tables,  and plein aire artists painting.

      The Black Duck, a gift shop, has a new young golden retriever named Myra.  She escaped from the store and came down to the fishbeach for a swim.  She brought her ball called naughty dog.  That is what the ball actually reads.  The owner of the store came down and tried to get Myra back to the store more than once when I was there for three days.  Once the owner had to ask a tourist to stop throwing her ball so she could get her attention to get her back to the store.  Myra was smart.  It was too hot.  Nice at Fishbeach.  Who wants to hang out in the store all day?  See Myra is smart! 

      The temperatures was in the 90's which was unusual for Maine.  Luckily on Fishbeach there are some shady spots and even then I did come prepared with a fantastic silver plein aire umbrella that I can adjust!  It is called the Callapible Plein Aire Umbrella.  It really keeps the heat off an artist.  Many Artists ask me about this umbrella so here is the telephone number where it
can be ordered...1 858 486 3104.  (This umbrella did not last long.  I think this umbrella is better.  www.Bestbrella.com )
     I had decided to try and go RAW on my Monhegan Painting Trip.  What is RAW you might ask?  It is a healthy diet of nuts, fruits, and vegetables.  I had two grapefruits, an orange, and a small bag of raw nuts.  I drank lots of water and apple juice and hot tea.  That is all I ate for two days.  It was more convenient than trying to hike somewhere to buy a hot dinner, plus less expensive.  By day two I was feeling very light on my feet! 
     The first day I painted three paintings at Fishbeach.  I went back to my room at the Trailing Yew and lit a Kerosine Lamp.  I sat down in the dark with a tiny flashlight and painted this scene.  Suddenly four teenage girls enter the same parlor and begin to tell ghost stories.  They were pretty funny trying to memic Law and Order's soundtrack at certain intervals. 
     Next day I was hurting.  I had injured my back sometime this Winter and it was really hurting.  I took two Aleve and still it was missery.  I hiked to Fishbeach anyway.  Alison Hill was there painting with another two ladies.  Dan Quarry was there painting too.  Pretty soon Kevin Beers also joined in preferring to sit "Indian Style"  on the beach.  Funny but I could not find a spot I wasn't in some artist's view or wasn't in the shade.  Finally I set up my easel and umbrella, get my paint on my palette.  I draw out a thumbnail sketch on my business card and look up and there is a lady sitting there breast feeding.  Oh know.  I can't paint this!  So I take my art equipment around the corner and set up.  Someone wants to get his boat and I am in the way.  So I relocate.  This time I am sitting in the shade.  I am not painting.  The pain, the heat, so many wonderful artists a few feet away!  It is overwhelming.  I just decided to take a break.  Finally all of the Artists leave.  I have the whole beach to myself and I began to paint.  I did three more paintings that day. 
     The last day I made a sale to a family who were staying at Fishbeach at the Eider Duck house.  So their sale paid for my Monhegan Trip!  I seemed to feel great today!  I painted some of my better paintings.  So I painted a total of 12 minature paintings while I was here on Monhegan island for three days.    I admired this Captain's Chair and painted it.  I really liked how it turned out.  That is the one I sold!  Monhegan is such a great place.  I can not wait to go again!