a finished painting, a photo field trip, and a tremendous coincidence

Yesterday I needed a change of scenery desperately (stircrazy!!!) after being home all day Sunday, and I wanted to take some new reference images for more paintings. I invited Virginia to go along to our local Behnke's Nursery, and a drive in the country was just the thing.

I got some images there and wanted to drive on to check on the sunflower field at McKee Besher to see how the sunflowers were coming along, and was surprised to see photographers' cars lined up there already. The flowers are a little more than four feet tall (and they will hopefully get bigger depending on rainfall amounts) and lots of photographers were there shooting and talking about "the one that got away".

I took a few reference images of the field and noted one couple with a lot of equipment that looked and felt arty.... we all tend to recognize one another in a crowd I guess.... and just went on taking pictures without interacting with anyone. I found Virginia and we went on to the large Behnke's near College Park to wander and take more images in the hot sun before heading home to drop off some potted plants, and then on to pick up some lunch before heading to the studio.

We walked into the lobby of the art center and got on the elevator, and there was the couple from the sunflower field right there on the elevator...... to say that I was stunned to see them again was an understatement. The sunflower field was MILES away, and we had done a lot of other things before arriving at the studio... and yet here they were.

We marveled at the coincidence, and I showed them my sunflower painting in the studio.... reference images captured last summer in the same field they had just been to.... and they collected my postcards and bookmarks and went on to see the art center. I am kicking myself now that I did not get contact information, and wonder if somehow we will all cross paths again.... and sunflower people, if you are reading this, stay in touch! That was just too amazing a coincidence for words! A little more painting in the studio and the 7 Sisters was completed and ready for signing.

And now I am on to the next thing!