Spring is most definitely here in the Southeast. With all the early warm weather mother nature has decided everything must bloom now—I’ve never seen such color all at one time. The forsythia, Bradford pear and cherry trees on all at the same time with azaleas and dogwoods chiming in a month ahead of time. I’ve been determined to get out and paint in the neighborhoods because that’s where most of the color is right now but a planed visit to Don Maier’s house to paint in his backyard fell through.
Undeterred, I called my friend Dr Kapasi and he picked 
me up Saturday around noon. We drove over the Old Mill Park in Roswell and set up on Vickery creek just below the falls. It’s well worth the small hike to see these dramatic falls that were built originally to power the textile mills and gave birth to Roswell in the 1830’s. Despite the lack of flowering trees along the creek the budding foliage and fantastic light made for a perfect scene.
I started with a few quick sketches to get the angle and ended up choosing the horizon
tal format. I wanted to get some of that chartreuse in so I set up with the falls a bit smaller and in the lower left “power spot” leaving me room for a bit of blue sky, budding trees to the right and some of the rocks in the stream as foreground.
I hadn’t seen my fellow painter Munir since last fall and enjoyed catching up and talking about plein air. Were planning a drive up to the Highlands to paint in April.