Original Watercolor Painting / Drawing “Plein Air, 9-11am, Main St, Bozeman, 7.25.26”, color stick and watercolor on cradled Aquabord, 22 x 30 x 2” depth, 2026.

This piece was made outside from life as part of Plein Air Montana 2026, in Bozeman, MT.  One of the wonderful parts about working on cradled aquabord is that the painting (now laquered) exists as a standalone art object.  It does not require framing or glass - the surface is sealed to the elements, the back of the piece is wired and ready to hang.  You can frame it, of course, but it does not require framing as a watercolor on paper does.  This work was my second experiment working on this surface, and the first combining waxy color stick (very fancy crayons, more or less) with watercolor, working back and forth with both media.  I love Bozeman, especially the light on Main Street in the morning.  This piece also features, in the mid-ground, painter Nataliia Nosyk, friend and fellow artist, working on a painting herself.  This was made during the “quick draw” event saturday morning of the Montana Plein Air event, hosted by the Bozeman Art Museum.  I love the immediacy of working outside, from life, the events that take place in the public space, in this case, witnessing the painting process and gesture of another plein air painter.

This painting ships unframed (it is ready to hang) to anywhere in the USA.  For international shipping, please reach out to david@DavidOSmithArtist.com to coordinate.