On Independence Day weekend, there was time to get some plein air painting done in the historic district of Leesburg, VA before the rain and the Fourth of July festivities took over the streets. Setting up an easel on the sidewalk in front of a courthouse can feel like a somewhat bold thing to do, and more fun in the company of another artist, as in this case.
Illustration: Watercolor, gouache, white Pitt pen marker, terracotta pencil, and white pastel with Platinum Carbon ink by Black Elephant Blog author
Leesburg has the distinction of having one of the best preserved historic districts in Virginia. In addition, during the 20th century, General George C. Marshall, after whom the Marshall Plan was named, made his home here. The Marshall Plan extended U.S. aid to war-torn Europe following World War II. (In more recent decades, such assistance has become more controversial, but it’s useful to do a “thought experiment” and imagine what postwar Europe might have become without such American assistance.)
There was time enough to get a sketch in and a first wash, all the while enjoying an unseasonably comfortable breeze, before at last we felt we had dared the weather enough and packed up, just to be on the safe side. But the rain never came, leaving more time to enjoy holiday weekend activities outdoors…perhaps the subject of a few more sketches coming up in future blog posts. Happy Fourth of July!
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