Hmmm, is he thinking about the color palette or how glad he is not to have been born at a time of musket balls and hand-to-hand combat?   We had hoped to start our Saturday scouting out a great Plein air painting site, but the weather didn’t cooperate. It happened to be one of the hottest days of the year. Todd had a plan B: visit the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg, New York. It was only an hour away from where we had hoped to paint.

 

Lest you think this is a picture of the back of a boy’s head, please be privy to my motivation.  “Go stand in front of your favorite painting, Sawyer.  Fine, that gray depressed one will do nicely.”  I’m not sure if it was his favorite painting, or if he did actually comb his hair this morning, but I do know that now the Home School Oversite Board of Quebec will have proof of this field trip.

 

We may look like a happy family but we are all withering inside from the unbearable heat. Can you see the wilting now? The museum was a welcome cool oasis that fed our art-hungry souls and dried out our clinging clothing. Yes, it was THAT hot.

  

On the return trip home, following the St. Lawrence River seaway, we scouted locations for a future painting excursion. We stumbled upon a beautiful grassy knoll projecting out into the St. Lawrence River.

An older gentleman was mowing the property and stopped to talk to Todd. The giant knoll was created when the river floor was dredged up to create a passage for the freighters.

Perhaps we’ll be back on a day when it’s not so hot. Thanks to Todd, for plan B! Frederic Remington was totally worth it.

Visit the Remington Museum

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