Richard L. Weber painting on frozen Lake Wazeecha in Wisconsin

Going outdoors to paint inspiring subjects sometimes involves putting up with extreme weather conditions or facing unexpected challenges. Both of those things happen to Richard L. Weber with increasing frequency.

 
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Weber painting as the tide rises along Lake Michigan

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Weber painting near the crashing waves

“Last February I went out to paint a shanty sitting on frozen Lake Wazeecha in Wisconsin,” Weber explains, “and after dragging my gear out on an ice sled, I realized it was so bitter cold that I had to alternate which hand would hold the paint brush because I had to keep stuffing one of them in a pocket to avoid frostbite. It soon became obvious that the oil paint on the brush was seizing up, so I had to finish painting with a palette knife. The good news is that for once the bugs weren’t a problem.”

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“Cave Point,” by Richard L. Weber

By summer Weber was painting at Cave Point along Lake Michigan, near one of the rock formations that create a spectacular display of crashing waves. “I started the day painting on dry ground along the shore, but as the day progressed, the wind picked up and the waves increased in size,” Weber recalls. “Apparently the tide was on the rise, and before long my set-up was underwater. I had to secure the legs with piles of rocks to keep it from blowing away in the wind.” For more information, visit facebook.com/rich.weber.1004.


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