Things That Want to be Painted

I've been having trouble finding the time to get out and paint on location lately, so I did this one in my studio one night last week, from a photograph:

"Howell Farm Walls"
10x8 oil on canvas on panel

I was really happy with that painting, and really anxious to get back to that farm house to paint it from life. I seem to be on a roll with painting white buildings lately. So, I had the time yesterday and went back to Howell Farm, but this scene really caught my eye so I setup to paint here instead:

"Howell Farm, Beginning of Summer"
8x10 oil on panel

Today I was talking to a wise old artist friend of mine, and he said he never goes out looking for a subject to paint. He goes out and listens for things that want to be painted. I do head out with preconceived ideas of what I want to paint sometimes, but it's always important to pay attention and listen for those things calling out to be painted.

Both of these scenes are at Howell Living History Farm, a public park and educational facility which tries to preserve some of the old ways. As I was painting this one, a farmer was coming back in from the fields behind me with a team of horses. He stopped to chat for a while, and for a moment, it felt like I was in the 18th century.