This was my painting for the Quick Draw during the 10th Anniversary Paintout of the Plein Air Artists of Riverside. Our venue this year was Redlands, where we painted at various locations. This was at the Olive Street Market. Even though I was in the shade, it was getting quite sunny and hot out of the shade. The utility company was working close by and two of the young men were standing not too far from me. One of them was Alex. I asked him if he would like to be in my painting, and when he said yes, I got my little wooden mannequin and posed it like one of the young men, Alex, and he went right into my painting, in his bright yellow and orange striped jacket. They were both very happy, as the pose was one person’s and the jacket color was the other person’s.

We had to complete this painting from start to finish in two and a half hours, and frame it to be judged. The staff at the Market, were so hospitable and did not mind us going in and out to buy different items or to use their facilities. I thought mine was quite okay, considering it to be a complicated scene, and a time schedule. But by simplifying the scene, like taking off the lamp post in my field of vision and many other artists, who blocked the view, I was able to draw attention to the building and to the people seated during the whole time on the left, under the umbrella.