A week ago we treated ourselves to a visit to Sea Pines Plantation on Hilton Head Island, SC.  Sea Pines is the oldest plantation on the island and the dream child of Charles Fraser.  There are three public golf courses and two private.  Of the three public courses, the most famed is Harbour Town Golf Links where the PGA’s RBC Heritage Golf Tournament is played in April. 

The club house for the two adjoining public courses; The Marsh Course at Sea Pines and Heron Point, is in the process of rebuilding. They recently reopened the practice facility so we thought it would be a great Sunday excursion to check it out.  Rob brought his clubs – I, my trusty rolling art studio…. my bike; “Blue”. The bike trails in Sea Pines are wonderful, and this at this time of year, uncrowded.

I had no painting destination in mind.  I just headed off on the trail that runs between the courses to gather my inspiration. That’s when I came upon this lovely, eye-level magnolia branch right beside the bike path.  I viewed the possibilities, then rode on.  It called me back.

My Stillman and Birn Alpha Journal propped nicely on the bike’s basket.  I clipped my Expeditionary Art Pocket Palette  to the journal and started painting – no sketching with pencil first, I just wanted to feel and capture the end of the limb with paint. I laid in shapes lightly with paint.

And, this is where Mother Nature decided to rain on our parade.  It started to sprinkle, I checked the radar on my phone and decided I’d better pack it in and took a reference photo.

Back to the practice range I went.  Of course the sprinkles let up…. so I laid in more color while Rob finished hitting golf balls on the range.  I also practiced fast sketching, trying to capture Rob’s different positions.

Once home, I finished the third set of leaves.  Today, Saturday, I was able to add the formal title.

The colors in my palette are M.Graham waterolors that include warm and cool primaries plus sap green, nickel azo yellow and quin. rust.

Warm:  naphthol red, ultramarine blue and azo yellow.  Cool: quin. rose,  anthra. blue and hansa yellow