A typical view in Tel Hadid

A few weeks back, PleinAir Today reported on a porcine visitor Vanessa and Andre Stashinski encountered when painting in Tel Hadid, Israel. Despite such visitors (or maybe, in a way, because of them?) Tel Hadid, a city in Central Israel, is the Stashinskis’ favorite place to paint. 

Andre Stashinski paints in Tel Hadid.

“A student of ours took us here for the first time, and we moved here from Tel Aviv just a few months ago,” says Vanessa. “We have wonderful blossoms of wildflowers in winter; that was the reason we were painting when the boar came around. We also like this area for the wonderful pre-sunset light, when all is reddish and orange.”

“Tel Hadid,” by Andre Stashinski, 2015, oil, 11 3/4 x 13 3/4 in.

The Stashinskis say the only disadvantage to painting in Tel Hadid is that it can get very crowded on public holidays. But the couple lives only 10 minutes away, and, “When we go there in mid-week we have quiet time,” says Vanessa. “Being that close is a serious advantage, because we save time for painting.” She warns that the area is hot and sunny: “Bring enough drinking water, sunblock cream, and a hat.” 

Challenges include rapidly changing light due to the hilly nature of the area, and a preponderance of greens. “There are a lot of different plants and a variety of greens,” Vanessa says, “and you need to plan your painting to finish in three hours.

“Under Olives,” by Andre Stashinski, watercolor, 9 1/2 x 13 1/2 in.

“It’s very attractive. There is enough material for a few months of painting. If we could, we would stay and live on location, painting all day.”


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