“Restoration in Progress”: A Plein Air Painting Journey

When I arrived at Bluestem Conservation Cemetery on a crisp fall morning for the Orange County Arts Commission's "Paint it Orange" Plein Air Paint Out Event, I wasn't sure what I'd find. What I discovered was nothing short of breathtaking—an entire field ablaze with golden narrowleaf sunflowers, native wildflowers that seemed to be cascading across the landscape like a warm, undulating wave. I wasn't alone in noticing their beauty; everywhere I looked, artists were setting up easels and preparing their palettes, all drawn to the same mesmerizing scene.