Paddleboarders

Paddleboarders

Paddleboarding is quickly becoming one of the most popular water sports.   I'm told that paddleboarding is a great workout because it exercises the core, and anything these days that works the core, is good!   (Don't forget the other trendy health nugget, get your protein!)  Well several neighbors have paddleboards and I've received multiple offers to borrow one and try it anytime, and I think I will.   That is sure to be entertaining for the summer beach crowd!

This painting depicts my neighbors, a little girl and her aunt, who as you can tell, are very active and fit. For this family, the definition of going to the beach does not just involve plunking down and tanning from a beachchair, but rather it invariably includes some form of fun, physical activity -sailing, kayaking, paddle games etc..  Like most people who choose to live here, they love the ocean!

Cliff Walk Newport - Gazebo Framed by Foreground Rocks

Maureen Painting at Cliff Walk

Cliff Walk View - In Progress

This year we drove to Newport, RI in late June for a weekend getaway and painting trip.  There are hundreds of scenes worth painting and settling on a location is tough.   Our love of walking invariably pays off in that we often spot on foot places to park and set up that would be easily missed while driving.    This spot was at the halfway point of Cliff Walk at a dead end street.

Cliff Walk Newport - Final

The day was glorious - bright and sunny and just warm enough.  This scene faces northeast, so the sun and water glare was to my right.   It did get easier to see as the sun moved, but my eyes did take a beating.   I remember stopping to look around and thinking, what an amazing world, and how lucky are we to be surrounded by all the elements of nature we revere - sun, ocean, breezes, roses.   After painting, we followed the trail to the southern terminus before looping back to take a more unbiased look at our freshly painted works.