I packed everything the night before and left home at 7:30 am to beat the crowds. By 8 am I’d found a spot and started painting. What caught my eye was the unique colour harmony of the Victorian bandstand — its pagoda-style roof in turquoise-green, shifting between shadow and light, set against the warm reds of the structure and surrounded by early spring flowers in full bloom. People stopped, took photos, and gave lovely encouragement. My plein air debut, and definitely not the last. Oil on canvas board, 20 × 25 cm.
