The Farm

For my Paint the Great South Bay location yesterday I went to a local garden center/farm stand called "The Farm" on Lakewood Avenue in Sayville.  I have sketched this spot several times in the past but the area where you can paint is small so usually I just sit in my car to paint so I won't be in the way of the customers. I did stop there the other day to buy tomatoes and asked the man behind the counter if I could come an paint. I explained what the event was and he told me it was fine to come during the week, Wednesday being their quiet day.

Since it was a small area I was glad that no other sketchers joined me. I think we might have been in the way. I thought I knew what I wanted to paint, but then I saw this display with sunflowers just calling to be painted. I introduced myself to the lady that was there who turned out to be one of the owners. She was very sweet and told me I could paint anywhere and if I wanted her to move things around she would happily do that. Here is the view I decided to paint.

And here is the finished piece. The owner liked it so much she bought it immediately. That always makes a plein air day extra special. Since the painting was done as part of Paint the Great South Bay I will pay a sales commission to the Patchogue Arts Council who is running the event.

She had some beautiful hibiscus that were as big as dinner plates. lol

While I was painting my friend, Michele DePaolo came to see what I was up to and took this photo of me while I was working. A celebrity also visited while I was there...Michael Kors the designer stopped by. He looked familiar but I didn't realize it was him at the time. The owner asked me if I had seen him.