K.Hitt Out And About: April 2014

April again this year has me Out and About- HITTing the road for #PACE14 in An Original Hitt fashion.

This, I am counting as leg seven of my last journey that culminates to an Exhibit in 2015, a book, and a student exhibit too. Save the date 27 February 2015 “At That Moment…” Exhibit opens.

The sharing’s in Plein Air from 21K+miles of solo cris-cross-country road trip “Grace, Love Fellowship “tour, plus, back in the studio the people and places all along the way being worked into up to 70” wide full scaled experiences. In the adjoining Solo-Gallery will be 17 years of Students works done for the exhibit, along the same theme. Really look forward to seeing the students from the last 17 years participating too, with their version of “At That Moment…” paintings.

The studio scale is inspired from the journey too, in the theatrics of the experiences being shared in the same manor that the great landscape painters of the Hudson River School and early landscape painters did, where they were literally the eyes for nation as they traveled with the rail road, etc., across this land to illustrate the views that make up this great nation. I learned more on this along the journey that also highlighted incorporating some of the best Museums and Exhibits available in the country. While at the museums, (reminded of all learned in Art History classes in college) that these great theatrical landscapes we still marvel at today were actually just that, and the foreshadowing or preface of the Theater. They literally the version of the theater available to view at the time. They told the story of the land, not just its colors. This why so many of those grand landscapes not only showed the landscape, they painted a story of its life. That has become this artist mission… as my artist statement states, hoping to transport you to the very “At That Moment…” that stopped me in my tracks, and now enabling you to experience the view too.

Just as last year, when simply found it more practical to drive to the big red dots that just so happened to be on opposite corners of the USA, this year has me journeying beyond the main Red Dot of Monterey CA for the Plein Air Convention & Expo III. This time though, only about 6-7K miles will be covered. Piece of cake, well maybe not, but every mile reminds me that ‘The Journey IS the destination’ Godspeed. Thank you is an understatement to all of you that attended the ‘Studio Open House’ ‘help fuel Hitting the Road’. I sincerely could not have done this

without you! By the way, paintings you see here are available, and they too help to continue to fuel “HITTing the Road” on the way home.

I started writing this blog post to you from Asilomar State Park, and am now about to go off the radar into Yosemite for a bit. Must say I think Asilomar is a favorite of all the parks have journeyed to, not just for the incredible landscape ocean views, but its lodge and housing. It is like going back in a beautiful simpler time here. JUST LOVE IT! NO TV’s, or wifi’s for even phones in the rooms. A great hall open 24/7 where the wall size fireplace seems to always burn, and you will find children from one family, sitting down with new friends and children from another family to play a board game… while big sis may be playing the piano, or a friendly competition of billiards may be played too. When we came here last year with the Plein Air Convention, I bookmarked it in my mind as a place that HAD to return too. So just what did, and saved money by doing so, along with loving every minute of it. Only wish could run away here for a week. But alas the Plein Air Painting journey and growing as an artist calls, as does needing to return home sooner than later to complete the “At That Moment...” exhibit. Here are some pictures from Asilomar:

From Asilomar, still painting in the area after ‪#‎PACE14 -- we spent the afternoon at Mission San Carlos Borromeo del rio Carmelo ...beautiful! It was a joy seeing the children come out with their palm branches from the Saturday service. From there drove a new friend to the Airport, which took me closer to a park have never been too…. So,

will be taking advantage of being close to Yosemite Nat’l Park just in time for the Full Moon.

Here are just a few pictures from this recent out and about HITTing the road, along with PACE14, which brought me to these beautiful places. Thank You Eric Rhoades, Steve Doherty and ALL at Plein Air Magazine that made the event a history making one and priceless learning resource too!. Enjoy the pictures, more of them and paintings to come.

Thank you for joining me on the journey! Godspeed

May it be an UP day!

A sampling of the views from the Plein Air Conventions & Expo 14: