Mississippi Heat

Summer's heat in Mississippi in the summer is stiffeling. It's technically still spring but its already profoundly humid and hot.

When outside painting I wear a device/ product called Cool Downz which is basically a neck tie that has a gel inside that stays moist and cool. You soak it in water and tie it around your neck to keep you cool. I also wear a lot of sunscreen, a hat and bug spray. I drink bottled water too-  to try and stay cool. But I usually eventually resort to the studio full- time by July.

Artists find refuge inside by July in Mississippi except for a few hardened souls. I 'm a softie. I know very few Mississippi painters who paint daily - dare I say even weekly during July and August summer months.

This month (June) I just did a small painting of our pasture late one afternoon. I gave it to my neighbors who I thought would want it as they came and sat out on their front porch to watch me paint:

We went to Sardis Lake (Redneck Riviera?) the first week of June and although heat indexes got up to over 100 degrees, I managed this little painting one morning:

Both these litlle painting "studies" come INSIDE where they may become larger works finished in my studio.