Plein Air in Rhodes

I came back from a weeks holiday in Rhodes last week, lovely hotel ( the Atrium Prestige), food and beds but rather isolated location.....a bit like an oasis with nowhere to go and very little to do outside the hotel grounds which might seem ideal for someone wanting to do some plein air but actually nothing much to paint either!! Now I do think someone with a little more "en plein air " experience might have been inspired and found more to paint but it wasn't happening for me as I was a bit stumped for subjects apart from the plant life round the pool and an odd rock or two!!

So I read 4 books, we ate, drank and slept, we lazed in the sun and managed one walk along the top of the beach (am using the term very loosely here as it was more of a dirt track which actually led nowhere) and in between times I managed a few painting sessions.

I had taken my newly acquired sketch books... I am so delighted with these I can barely contain my excitement and I had backed 2 with mount card to take away with me... I show them to everyone at my workshops, they are so easy and economical and solve all my sketch book problems!!

For my kit I just took a couple of brushes and some tube paints which I could use as I needed them... note to self, took the wrong colours as I wanted to stay minimal (doesn't work for me in any capacity, be it food, clothes etc) and I got bored of the colours I had and should have thought more carefully about which ones to take, ie cool and warm options of the 3 primaries whereas I took some tubes I've had for a while and really wanted to get rid of....not even my usual make either. So have learned from that, and for when I go to Anglesey in July, will make sure I choose my colours better.

Here is a selection of what I did

Flowers all over the place, little pink heads, dark green spiky foliage

 One of the many palm trees scattered around

 More palm trees!!

 And more!! Quite like this one, nice loose feel....

 Scattered amongst the pink flowers, pretty heads on rigid green stalks

 The proverbial parasol... used them quite a bit as the weather was glorious and quite warm for the time of year

A view of the type of accommodation, very nice, balcony, sea view, have I mentioned the very comfy beds and squishy feather pillows? Sofa, easy chair, desk, dressing table and jacuzzi bath with double sink, no complaints there then. Our main problem was that we had forgotten driving licences and a car it seemed was essential at this resort... taxis were extremely expensive and buses very infrequent only running to the nearest resort of Lindos (45 minutes away) once a day.... so we put our feet up and and accepted our destiny!!!

So still haven't really had a proper go at plein air but will keep trying!!