I love a good storm, its energy seeps in to my pores and comes out in the painting. However painting on location in a storm is a bit of a challenge - so in the absence of any shelter I take to a vehicle. I have a camper but it's off the road, but I wanted to get close to the action so it's the car. Inevitably paint does find its way on to the surfaces of the car even when I use things to cover the painting area. You see I sometimes get a bit excited, and reach to grab something and before you know it its all over the steering wheel or gear stick. Usually it cleans off! Its not the best solution as it can be a bit cramped which isn't great for painting, but it's a comfy seat which looks after my back!
You can see in the photo, that I am resting my painting panel on the steering wheel! and I am doing a series of 4 paintings to record the passage of time and weather. I have used masking tape to achieve a border round the sides and between the paintings. There had been some passing showers (cold front - another reason to be in the car!), and I had been keeping an eye on the swell and the tide in the previous days (thanks to the 'magic seaweed' ap). A good spring tide + big swell makes for great early morning or evening stormy painting - a combination, in the summer that is rare! So I grabbed the opportunity. As is often the case I share my painting spots with fisher folk. As the waves hit the wall of Sandsend car park, they often shot up and over the wall covering anyone near the wall and my car (I did treat it to a jet wash on the way home). I have to admit to chuckling when onlookers got drenched! (even when I caught a wave on my back when I was outside flicking some paint on to the picture - not a good idea in the car!)
The final painting of the series, shows the sea has calmed a little, and the tide was on its way out - the birds seem to be busy flying around, not sure if I juat hadn't noticed them before, or they had been hiding until things calmed!