Painting in West Lake Park, Hongzhou, China

During our stay at the Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts, I walked to the lake early every morning to sketch and paint before breakfast. Here I am wearing one of the "fisherman" hats mentioned in yesterday's posting. Wondered why all the women who walk by would all smile and giggle . . . I later learned that women don't wear these, only the fishermen. Well, they worked so well in the mist and rain, all of us wore them. The image below is what I am painting in the photo above.

8 x 10

oil on gessoed museum board

On this morning one of the little boats was tied along the shore. Graceful branches from the tree above almost touched the water. The view took my breath away. I had to stop, take out my paintbox and  catch the moment.