Plein Air @ Santa Clara CA 加州風景寫生

🌲Happy Holidays聖誕快樂!

"Never let somebody's drama determine the outcome of your day." - Unknown

What a drama! I wanted to paint the factory nearby the Intel Campus for a long time. I sold another painting "Santa Cruz Light House", planned to meet my client at noon. It seemed like a perfect combination as both activities were nearby one and other.

Drove three times around the factory, couldn't find a good spot, but the white plumes came out from the chimney flying into the cold wind looked super cool, and it inspired me to paint on such a cold morning. I saw a business door was opened, walked in and asked if it was OK to use the restroom. A guy and a woman working there told me that there was a sign "No public restroom". I overlooked it of course and so I went to elsewhere, no big deal.

Ended up I found a shady spot next to a parked car next to the fence, and started my work. I heard a loud female voice yelling and I turned around, saw the same lady who told me not to use the restroom. She said I was standing on the private property and a drive way, I must leave immediately, otherwise she would call police. I looked around and didn't see any signs. I moved my painting station to the end of the road almost, where my car parked. "So mean", I said mostly to my-self, because I was welcome to paint by many. She heard it, and came back with more cruel, fury-twisted face, and yelled at me "I don't know who you are and are what you doing here, I haven't seen your ID, I'm running a business here. I'll call police if you're not leaving soon...." OMG, what a temper under that pretty face I thought. I doubted if the business could be successful with this kind of person. Was she racist?

Anyway, I focused on my work in the sun, no shade was OK. A couple workers came to me and said that they all appreciated what I was painting. One guy told me that his wife was artist and art teacher. He told me that he worked for the company crossed the street over 20 years, he knew who kicked me out, etc.. Another guy came by from the company across the street and told me that he was an artist too. He worked as a manager there. Later he asked me to park my car in front of their company and allowed me to use the restroom and he introduced me to the coworkers. One guy wanted me to paint his parents' house would be on the market for sale soon...

After roughly finishing my painting, I delivered my 'Santa Cruz Lighthouse" and met the collector who recently collected a couple of my Plein Air works. Had a nice conversation with her, shared my dramatic morning experience, felt much better. How grateful I am having so many people supporting my artwork!