Hay Bales

"Hay Bales" -- plein air field study -- oil on canvas 8x16" -- Margie Guyot

As I drove into the Maple Conservancy (north of Traverse City, along US 31), I spied this big hay bale in the field of spotted knapweed.  Aha!  It "spoke" to me.  I love spotted knapweed when it blooms -- a soft lavendar.  Maybe some view it as a pest, but I think it's spectacular.  Most of my yard at home is full of it.

This haybale seemed almost to "glow" in the blazing sunlight.  I was fascinated.

Over the years I've learned to always pay attention to whatever strikes me as "amazing".  That's what I have to paint.  If I don't feel amazed by something I'm trying to paint, it shows in the  painting.  Once in a while I won't see anything amazing, so that's when I'll paint a view of a parked car.