September: new sketchpads and sharp pencils

Not literally sharp pencils, but September certainly is a good time to take stock of materials in the studio and if necessary,  replenish. This year I'm into organizing my paint tubes by color, the theory being that it will be easier to find what I'm looking for and to eliminate the duplicate tubes that seem to multiply on their own. I find myself always thinking that I am nearly out of Ultramarine Blue. Nothing could be further from the truth, but "just in case",  I  toss a tube in the basket everytime I'm in the art store. As bad habits go, it could be worse.

This summer was a good one, and I have now accepted that I am a fair weather plain air painter. July nearly did me in... the heat turned my paints into soupy tubes of oil and pigment that created more frustration than art. The day my eyes were stinging from perspiration running into them, I packed up my kit and decided to wait out the season. Now I am dragging it out and heading to Maine to do some studies before the snow flies. It's always something, I suppose, but I'll take the chill over the swamp any day.
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P. S. I'll be posting on Instagram  @mgtsheldon anything worthy of viewing.

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