Serendipity

Peaceful Flight

Oil on Linen Panel
7x11 Available

My last post talked about life being an adventure. Believe me when I tell you that the cure for a humdrum life can be plein air painting. It has been for me.

Because I like to learn all I can about my passion, I attend PACE, the Plein Air Convention and Expo, every chance I can. This year it was in San Francisco. I loved it. It was everything that you could hope for such an event to be. We tried to paint the Golden Gate Bridge, but she had a case of the willies and kept hiding in the fog. No matter, I got to practice fog! We painted in Golden Gate Park, and there I had the surprise of my trip.

Plein Air Painting in Golden Gate Park

Those of you who were at the event probably heard me talk about it. I painted at Stow Lake. It was a beautiful place...seagulls flying past, walkers stopping by to wonder what the heck I was doing, photographers with all manner of lenses probably costing as much or more than my first car. The whole world seemed to come by this quiet corner of the park. And it had an open parking spot! My big-ticket requirements were all ticked off!

So I spent a lovely time painting a quiet, introspective part of the park. Suddenly it was time to go. The light had changed, and it was getting more atmospheric with each passing moment. That is one of the things about plein air painting: the landscape does not wait around for you.

I threw all my things in the car, taking care not to get paint all over the inside of the vehicle. Suddenly a voice behind me tried to get my attention. I turned and thought, "Oh no, here comes one of those weirdos one hears about in the parks of San Francisco." But wait, this person looked very clean-cut and was respectful, so maybe this wasn't one of those incidents.

As he tried to hand me his phone, he said, "I have something to show you."

Oh oh, spidey sense up again!

But what he was trying to tell me was that he had taken a picture of me painting the scene and wanted to know if I would like to have it. Wow!

An Unexpected Sackett

Aside from my round appearance, it was a pretty good picture, so I offered my business card with a request that he email it to me. Upon which it was his turn to be amazed.

My new acquaintance said, "You're not a Sackett?!"

I said, "I have been for 51 years!"

This man reached into his pocket and pulled out his business card...Mark Sackett! Holy cow! What the heck are the chances in a city this size of running into someone with the same family name? Especially a name that is not THAT common.

Well, the painting was not that special. I don't get a chance to paint water that often in New Mexico, so I am rusty. But that is part of why I keep painting en plein air. Every place gives you something different to wrestle with, whether it is water, fog, changing light, wind, or whatever else the day decides to throw at you.

The Stories Behind Plein Air Paintings

This painting is also my reminder that life is an adventure and, even when you least expect it, you just might run into some long-lost relative. He was a very pleasant person, and I thank him for the one memory that I shall always have that makes a visit to a very large city a wonderful memory.

Back in the hotel, one of my roomies asked if I always had such a weird life. I think it was simply serendipity. That's what it was. If I had not gone to PACE, if I had not gone painting...the French have a saying, tant pis.

Too bad.