I was feeling very nervous as I walked up to the top of the hill. I’m generally pretty awkward and I think I’m especially bad when meeting new people (even though we had spoken before online), but Leslie was really easy to talk to in a way that was both calming and upbeat. We walked down the hill to the edge of the pond and set up our working space.

Leslie jumped right in with a big wash of yellow and, at first, it took me a bit to figure out how to paint and talk at the same time. It was a little like trying to rub your belly and pat your head – my color-mixing/choosing mind and my sentence-forming mind were out of step. But once I had a good palette started, I noticed that it was actually nice to chat while painting as it freed me from overthinking, and encouraged me to make quick decisions. Part of my brain turned off and perhaps more of my subconscious could seep out in return.

A few things we talked about:

• How Leslie used to come to this park after work
• My recent trip to Europe for my honeymoon
• Leslie & an ex imagining buying their dreamhouse nearby
• Our disenchantment with the art hustle/openings
• Our preference for making art with friends
• Color palettes (Leslie was using a palette from a Milton Avery portrait painting) & the color of the water
• Plein air painting is in Vogue
• How Leslie came across the watercolor pans we use. Also, watercolor tube preferences
• Moms painting
• Logistical problems of a plein air painting class
• Leslie’s project, the exhibition, and the website
• Negative space
• The ducks
• Finding a bathroom